Reply to plea for old Mass

THE TWO peers and two MPs who offered funds for a national poll on the Old Mass and the use of Latin have had a discouraging reply from Archbishop's House.
Earlier this month the 'gang of four', led by Mr John BiggsDavison, a Conservative MP. and also including Mr Kevin McNamara (Labour). Lord Rawlinson of Ewell (Conservative) and Lord Pitt of Hampstead (Labour), wrote to Cardinal Hume.
They said: "We are offering to raise funds to conduct an official ballot of every parishioner in England and Wales on any Sunday which you may care to name in order to find out once and for all what the existing demand for the old rite and for Latin in Mass really is."
Now they have received a letter in reply from Mgr David Norris in his capacity as secretary to the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. Cardinal Hume had considered the proposal. but it had not been referred to the Bishops' Conference or to Rome. The ballot suggestion had been sent also to the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship and to the Papal Secretariat.
Archbishop's House was not this week revealing the specific terms of the reply, although the original letter had been publicised at the time it was sent. Mr BiggsDavison confirmed that he had received a reply, though not necessarily a definitive one.