The Pope wears the fanon and there is excitement on the traddie blogosphere, the same when he uses the pontifical dalmatic, a latin chasuble, or the papal canopy makes a brief appearance or even when the Pope gives Holy Communion only to communicants kneeling and on the tongue.
The truth is those who notice these thing notice these things, the rest of God's Church smile and mutter, "he would, wouldn't he?" and carry on with doing what they have always done. Leading by example is fine but really who follows the example? It is surely only a very small minority of priests and an even smaller minority of bishops. For the great majority, such examples have no impact whatsoever. Indeed what Benedict XVI does is in no way binding on his successor who might well lock the sacristy door, get rid of Guido Marini and bring back Pietro.
Examples are fine but aren't they really about personal idiosyncrasy? As one of the assistants in a famous Roman clerical fashion house said, "This Pope, he likes that sort of thing, the next Pope, who knows."
There is talk about "Reform of the Reform" but is it real? Bishops are still being appointed who on principle will never celebrate according to the other Form of the Roman Rite. Wander around the Pope's own diocese there a still those lopsided altar arrangements, still the bands of adolescents singing daft songs through mics with ghastly percussive guitars, still no provision for receiving Holy Communion kneeling, still verbose priests who preach four or five sermons during one Mass.
The sighting of a fanon does not tell us summer has come.
It is legislation that is needed.
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