I have long respected John Allen’s intellectual acumen, but I did not realize, until today, that it is rivaled by his olfactory astuteness.

In today’s New York Times he sniffs out the implications and consequences of the anticipated motu proprio, allowing for wider use of the Tridentine liturgy. Allen’s nose leads him to temper expectations on both sides of the liturgy divide,

Here is his conclusion:

In any event, the real impact of Benedicts ruling is likely to bemeasured in small changes over a long arc of time, not in upheavals orrevolutions. That reality, however, will do little to lower therhetorical volume. If only we could convince the activists to slug itout in Latin, leaving the rest of us blissfully oblivious, then wemight have something.

Ad quem, ex toto corde, clamo: Amen! Amen!