The word seems to have leaked out: the Holy Father has celebrated his private Mass each day in Latin, according to the 1962 formulation since it was never abrogated. And yes, as I can attest from a number of concelebrations with Pope John Paul II in his private chapel, the Holy Father celebrated the Mass with his back to the congregation --- the reason being that he was unwilling to spend the exorbitant amount that would be required to redesign the private chapel. Whether the ad orientem (priest facing the east as most churches were constructed in the past) was actually facing the east was always hard to tell since there are no windows in the private chapel ... although it seems that it is at least built in an easterly direction. Too bad there is no window behind the altar if it is facing the east.
The new motu proprio may well have been written to bring about unity ... however, surely this announcement sheds light on the possibility of another reason!
