The "Chinese Democracy" Test

Before the homosems document was released, I compared the suspense surrounding it to the long-impending Guns N' Roses album, "Chinese Democracy," which has been in the works since 1991, wondering which would see the light of day first.

We now know the answer.

Of course, it's plausible to ask if "Chinese Democracy": the album will appear before Chinese Democracy: the real thing. But it's more fun to keep using it as an analogy for Vatican documents while we can.

With gay sems banned (at least in theory), the next policy move to enter the "Chinese Democracy" prism is the long-long awaited potential document which -- to use its supporters' lexicon -- would grant "freedom" to the Tridentine Mass.

Rumours are abounding out there that a document has already been signed. Whispers reported back in mid-February that Benedict XVI, in the first interdicasterial meeting with the heads of the Roman Curia, that

Most everyone and everything is, at this point, "tight-lipped." However, the word I'm getting is that, at the interdicasterial meeting held today, a document was ordered which would, as I was told, "free the Old Mass," clearing a major hurdle toward resolving the eighteen year-old schism of the Society of St. Pius X. Concerns on its implementation in the dioceses were noted.

It is reported that the Pope's desire is to have the document drafted and on the table at the next summit of the curial heads, to be held sometime in late March.

The scheduled "next summit" had to be postponed due to last weekend's consistory and will now be held this coming Friday, 7 April.

My best op for things Pian -- who's never once led all of us wrong in the past -- tells me today that he is led to believe that "something has occurred." That's all it is for now and, in six days, it seems we'll know the rest.

As review copies of "Chinese Democracy" have gone out and the album is, at long last, slated for release this month, the clock is ticking....

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