Some good news today, and some bad news:

The good: At his regular weekly audience, Pope Leo underlined the importance “continuity with the authentic and living Catholic tradition” in the liturgy, and urged priests “always to uphold that respect for the texts and regulations of the liturgy.” He praised Pope Benedict XVI for his understanding of “a balance between the great liturgical tradition of the pat and that of the future.” Hmmm. Seems to me that Pope Benedict acted on that understanding in Summorum Pontificum, which is now a dead letter, but could be revived by a new papal directive. Just sayin’.

The bad: The Catholic bishops of Switzerland have proclaimed their support for a proposal to ban “conversion therapy” for homosexuals. The Swiss bishops announced that they “categorically reject conversion measures,” which they defined as “an intentional or targeted influence designed to persuade a person to modify or repress their sexual orientation or gender identity.” (That’s right; the bishops accepted the concept of “gender identity.”) The bishops’ conference cautioned, however, that a legislative ban on “conversion therapy” should be carefully worded so that it did not outlaw “open and respectful pastoral advice and support, nor professional psychotherapeutic support. But that’s exactly what the proposal aims to do!