Laying the Groundwork

Even before Roman noon, a statement was released by the Holy See.

Translation:

Yesterday, a meeting took place in the Vatican, presided over by the Cardinal Secretary of State, in which the content and spirit of the announced "Motu proprio" of the Holy Father on the use of the Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962 was illustrated for representatives of the various episcopal conferences. The Holy Father came to greet those present and entered into an extended conversation with them for about an hour. The publication of the document -- which will be accompanied by a lengthy personal letter of the Holy Father to the individual Bishops -- is foreseen within some days, when the document will be sent to all the Bishops with directions for its eventual coming into force.

Also, with an eye to the impending release of Pope Benedict's letter to Chinese Catholics, Cardinal Joseph Zen SDB of Hong Kong recently conducted an interview on his recent North American swing with Toronto's Salt + Light TV. The video's up and streaming.

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