If you are serious, that is real initiation. My touch is simply a formality. It is your determination, that is initiation. Disciplic succession means to accept the disciplic conclusion. And as you are all following my instruction, in that matter, the initiator is already there.
Initiation is formality.
Just like you go to a school for knowledge, and admission is formality. That is not very important thing. The physical components of a formal initiation ceremony, do not require Srila Prabhupada's physical involvement - as demonstrated by the July 9 th directive. Thus at least in theory there is no physical bar to Srila Prabhupada giving 'formal initiation', and thus there is no reason why he still can not do so even now, especially since he had already empowered others to perform aspects of 'formal initiation' - including the acceptance of disciples. Thus the GBC are trapped, in that having admitted that the principle active ingredient of diksa is transmitted by Srila Prabhupada, they have eliminated one of the main arguments usually given for needing a 'physical guru' - the need for knowledge via 'personal' enquiry etc.