In a city known for its casinos, 777 is the sign of success, of victory, and of triumph over the odds. 7/7/07 was also a day of victory of a different kind. On July 7, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI published a motu proprioof his own accord Apostolic letter titled Summorum Pontificum.
The letter explained the brief history of the liturgy, including the changes promulgated by Vatican II:
Vatican Council II expressed a desire that the respectful reverence due to divine worship should be renewed and adapted to the needs of our time. Moved by this desire our predecessor, the Supreme Pontiff Paul VI, approved, in 1970, reformed and partly renewed liturgical books for the Latin Church. These, translated into the various languages of the world, were willingly accepted by bishops, priests and faithful. John Paul II amended the third typical edition of the Roman Missal. Thus Roman pontiffs have operated to ensure that ‘this kind of liturgical edifice … should again appear resplendent for its dignity and harmony.’
Pope Benedict XVI continued stating that while these reforms and renewals took place, a great many people clung to the older liturgical forms, and have done so since the council.
…[I]n some regions, no small numbers of faithful adhered and continue to adhere with great love and affection to the earlier liturgical forms. These had so deeply marked their culture and their spirit that in 1984 the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, moved by a concern for the pastoral care of these faithful, with the special indult ‘Quattuor abhinc anno,” issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship, granted permission to use the Roman Missal published by Blessed John XXIII in the year 1962. Later, in the year 1988, John Paul II with the Apostolic Letter given as Motu Proprio, ‘Ecclesia Dei,’ exhorted bishops to make generous use of this power in favor of all the faithful who so desired.
What Pope Benedict’s words boil down to is that the Catholic Church has a long-standing and deeply rooted tradition in earlier liturgical forms (previously known as “the Mass” then known as “the Latin Mass” and now known as the “Extraordinary Form”), and that “no small number” of faithful Catholics find those earlier traditions as part of their spiritual identity.
Part of my ancestry traces back to Polish roots. Growing up, we never practiced any Polish traditions; but a few years ago, my mother researched Polish Christmas traditions and decided to introduce us to Oplatek, or “Christmas Wafer.” At first, my grown-up siblings and I dragged our feet, but eventually the tradition became our own. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without sharing Oplatek with my family. The tradition, while having skipped a generation or two, connects us with those ancestors in the past, 
and with our common faith. How many times did Polish Catholics, maybe even those from whom we descended, break the oplatki and offer well wishes to each other? While I know almost nothing about my ancestors, the tradition of Oplatek gives me a sense of connection with them and with other Polish Catholics.
Another example of tradition is the following. A large portion of my wife’s family is of Italian descent, and every Autumn, the women in the family get together and hand-make ravioli from scratch. The recipe has been handed down from generation to generation since before the family emigrated from Italy. After many years, nearly every elder of the family is deceased, and the next generation has continued the tradition. The women sit around and share stories of their lives, and those who have passed on from this life. It connects them to dear family members whom they have lost.
The point is that these traditions have meaning. My family tradition was revived after a long slumber, while my wife’s family tradition has continued on without ceasing. The traditions bring great value to our families. Certainly we could assemble and decide to make ravioli from a can or frozen, boiled in a pot, but it wouldn’t be the same. Likewise, my family would exchange well wishes any other time of the year, sans Christmas wafer, but again, it isn’t the same. People crave tradition, symbolism, relationships, and meaning. Every culture in the world places some value on a connection with ancestors. Every religion has its own ancestors in faith, those whom we try to emulate to live a holy life. As Catholics, we have the saints who, although we are not generally related by blood, we are related in faith.
For me, the Extraordinary Form connects my line of faith with those saints who came before me. It is not simply an arbitrary way to pray, but a deep spiritual experience. I take solace in knowing that St. Jean Vianney, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio all celebrated and worshiped at the same form of the Mass (give or take a few names in the canon).
Pope Benedict XVI recognizes the importance of and attachment to the traditional Latin Mass, which is now referred to as the Extraordinary Form, and in doing so stated that:
Art. 5. § 1 In parishes, where there is a stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition, the pastor should willingly accept their requests to celebrate the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962, and ensure that the welfare of these faithful harmonises with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the guidance of the bishop in accordance with canon 392, avoiding discord and favouring the unity of the whole Church.
§ 2 Celebration in accordance with the Missal of Bl. John XXIII may take place on working days; while on Sundays and feast days one such celebration may also be held.
Pope Benedict XVI continues by adding such emphasis on the importance of this sacramental tradition, stating:
Art. 7. If a group of lay faithful, as mentioned in art. 5 õ 1, has not obtained satisfaction to their requests from the pastor, they should inform the diocesan bishop. The bishop is strongly requested to satisfy their wishes. If he cannot arrange for such celebration to take place, the matter should be referred to the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”.
Art. 8. A bishop who, desirous of satisfying such requests, but who for various reasons is unable to do so, may refer the problem to the Commission “Ecclesia Dei” to obtain counsel and assistance.
The pope recognizes that the Latin Mass is of great importance to not an insignificant number of the faithful that avenues have even been provided to assist in the successful celebration of this beautiful tradition. The revival of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass brings with it a greater appreciation for the Ordinary Form, for out of the Extraordinary the Ordinary was born. The new translation of the Ordinary Form (Happy Birthday, New Missal!) is a much closer translation and meaning to that of the Missal of 1962. Liturgical celebrations in the Ordinary form have already begun to embrace some of the other ancient liturgical traditions, and will continue to do so as a result of this revival. The revival of the Extraordinary Form does not cause a division in the Church, but revitalizes it by allowing it to breathe with both lungs, so-to-speak. The body of the Church can exist with only one lung, but it is with the use of both lungs that the Church is truly alive and able to live its life to the fullest.
“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful” – Pope Benedict XVI referring to the Traditional Latin Mass