I guess you have to place the emphasis on the RUMOR as you say, "much-rumored universal indult".
Even if the universal indult finally arrived, it wouldn't spell the end of the Crisis. Of course, more grace would start flowing and that would be good. But to end the Crisis, the Church will have to call a council to flush out modernism, etc. and modernism is HARDLY in its death-throes as it stands today! It will certainly not go down without a fight.
Perhaps God might grant the world the Chastisement it needs, to clean up the world and the Church. Not exactly a painless return to the 1950's! I don't think that modernism will go away without a horrible chastisement. What else do you think the Third Secret was about?
I personally am prepared to live out my life in a world where the crisis in the Church is as bad as it is now, or worse.
If something happens to alleviate that, I shall be pleasantly surprised. But I will not get my hopes up. That's how they're going to break a lot of people (or make them snap). Hey, don't look at me! It wouldn't be the first time they got the conservatives/traditionalists' hopes up and then dashed them. More like the fourth or fifth time, at least!
I'll admit that a month or so ago, I disagreed with those who were downplaying this rumor -- because I was thinking, "But mainstream sources have reported it. And they say the Pope has SIGNED it already..." but I'm changing my mind -- I caught myself.
The pope MAY have signed it, but he has to promulgate it for it to do any good. He can write down that the so-called "excommunications" of the 4 SSPX bishops have been lifted, he can declare the Tridentine Mass 'free for any Priest to use', and write a declaration canonizing Abp. Lefebvre -- on a piece of notebook paper on his dresser. But that won't do any good! He has to actually release official docuмents for promulgation for them to take effect.
There are too many bishops and cardinals against it. If he DOES release the Universal Indult, it will only be with something to appease the progressives/modernists, as a sort of compensation -- like a new condemnation of the SSPX, or something similar.
In Christ,
Matthew