Here is a very important post, I think, from Father Z in Rome, about the situation of the Church in Italy and how rising tensions are affecting so many things – including the release of the MP.

In Italy, Pope Benedict is making a huge splash.  Since he was elected, the left-wing has gone nearly insane with confusion and rage.  The main-stream press is waging a bitter campaign against him and the Church.  The problem is that he is hugely popular especially among young people who are beginning to ask questions of their teachers and others about things they are not supposed to question (the left-wing agenda).   Since the education system in Italy has been run by Communists for decades, this question asking trend is a very bad development.  And… it is the Pope’s fault!  If John Paul captured the imagination of young people and drew them in, they are now listening to Benedict with rapt attention.  He is the only great public figure saying anything new or that makes sense.  While the secularists are all shrieking about "thinking outside the box", the Pope is the only one really doing it.

Benedict XVI is handling a great number of very difficult issues both in Italy itself, in larger Europe, and within the Church.  There is huge tension now because he just isn’t doing what every splinter group thinks he ought to be doing.  Instead the Pope is being the Pope.  When you thnk about why we haven’t seen the Motu Proprio yet, consider that when he released Sacramentum caritatis it wasn’t enough for some people and it was ignored by others.  He increases the use of Latin and it isn’t enough.  If he releases the MP, it won’t be enough for many who will be the chief beneficiaries of what the Pope is trying to accomplish.  I think if I were the Pope, I too would be very careful with the release of this document. 

The Motu Proprio will be interpreted in a larger context of what Benedict is doing on many levels in Italy and Europe. 

When Benedict does this, he must get it as right as he possibly can.  The stakes are high in other sectors of the life of the Church.