Summorum Pontificum (English: Of the Supreme Pontiffs) is an Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, issued motu proprio data (i. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Ecclesiastical letters are publications or announcements of the organs of Roman Catholic ecclesiastical authority e Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger A motu proprio ( Latin "on his own impulse" is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him e. , a papal document whose validity in no way depends on the validity of whatever reasons others may have presented to the Pope in favour of making the declaration), and laying down, for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, rules for celebrating Mass according to the "Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962", otherwise known as the Tridentine Mass, and for administering most of the sacraments in the form they had before the liturgical reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Missal ((Missale Romanum is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite Pope John (numberingBlessed The Tridentine Mass (Missa Tridentina is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church.

The document was released on July 7, 2007, along with a letter in which Pope Benedict explained his reasons for issuing it. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Its norms entered into force on September 14, 2007 (cf. Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. article 12 of the document).

The document granted greater freedom to use the Tridentine liturgy in its 1962 form. It replaced the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei of 1988, which allowed individual bishops to establish places where Mass could be said using the 1962 Missal. A motu proprio ( Latin "on his own impulse" is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him Ecclesia Dei is the Motu proprio of 2 July 1988 that Pope John Paul II issued in reaction to the consecration, in A missal is a Liturgical book containing all instructions and texts necessary for the celebration of Mass throughout the year According to the new document, all priests may freely celebrate Mass with the 1962 Missal privately and do not need permission from anyone to do so. It also provides that pastors and rectors of churches should willingly accept requests from stable groups who adhere to the earlier tradition, for permission for a qualified priest to celebrate Mass for them using the 1962 Missal, and should "ensure that the welfare of these faithful harmonises with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the guidance of the bishop".

In his accompanying letter, Pope Benedict explained that his action was aimed at "coming to an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church" with Traditionalist Catholics in disagreement with the Holy See, such as the members of the Society of St. Pius X. Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic The Society of St Pius X ( SSPX) is an international Traditionalist Catholic organisation whose official Latin name is Fraternitas Sacerdotalis He stated that, while it had first been thought that interest in the Tridentine Mass would disappear with the older generation that had grown up with it, some young persons too have "felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the mystery of the Eucharist particularly suited to them. " In view of fears expressed while the document was in preparation, he took pains to emphasize that his decision in no way detracts from the authority of the Second Vatican Council and that, not only for juridical reasons, but also because the requisite "degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language" are not found very often, the Mass of Paul VI remains the "normal" form of the Roman Rite Eucharistic liturgy. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. This article is about the post-Vatican-II changes to the Mass for an explanation of the current structure of the Mass see Mass (Catholic Church. The liturgical rite of the Church of Rome is called the Roman Rite.

Contents 1 Contents of the Motu Proprio and accompanying letter 1.1 Summary of Summorum Pontificum 1.2 Summary of the accompanying letter 1.2.1 Interior reconciliation 1.2.2 Appeal of the ancient form 1.3 Conditions for use of the 1962 Missal 2 History 3 Reactions 3.1 Endorsements by Catholics 3.2 Reactions of traditionalist Catholic groups 3.2.1 FSSP 3.2.2 SSPX 3.2.3 List of Tridentine Masses in North America 3.3 Criticism from Catholics 3.4 Jewish reaction 3.5 Russian Orthodox Church 4 References 5 See also 6 External links 6.1 Official documents 6.2 Responses from traditionalist Catholic organizations 6.3 Commentary

Contents of the Motu Proprio and accompanying letter

Summary of Summorum Pontificum

Pope Benedict XVI released the document after "much reflection, numerous consultations, and prayer. "

In the document, he stated that the "the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Bl. John XXIII in 1962 was never abrogated"^[1] and that "in Masses celebrated without the people, each Catholic priest of the Latin rite, whether secular or regular, may use the Roman Missal published by Bl. The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church includes both the orders of bishops and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. Pope John XXIII in 1962, or the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970, and may do so on any day with the exception of the Easter Triduum. Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum, or Paschal Triduum is a term used by some Christian churches particularly the Roman Catholic Church, the ^[2] For such celebrations, with either one Missal or the other, the priest has no need for permission from the Apostolic See or from his Ordinary. " These private Masses may "be attended by faithful who, of their own free will, ask to be admitted. The question of free will "

Regarding public Masses, the Pope asked parish priests and rectors of churches to permit celebration of a Tridentine Mass on Sundays and feasts in parishes at the request of a "stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition". The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision from Ecclesiastical province to Diocese to Deanery He also authorised parish priests, "if the good of souls would seem to require it", to permit use of the earlier ritual for the administration of Baptisms, Marriage, Penance, and the Anointing of the Sick and bishops, on the same condition, to use the earlier Pontifical in administering Confirmation. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Catholic marriage, also called ''matrimony'', is an indissoluble bond between a man and a woman created by human contract and ratified by divine grace In Roman Catholic teaching the Sacrament of Penance (commonly called Confession, Reconciliation or Penance) is the method given by Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name Confirmation, known also as Chrismation, is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing

Bishops are authorised to establish "personal parishes" or appoint chaplains for administering the sacraments according to the old form. The role of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei is confirmed, and recourse may be had to it to solve all difficulties, including by "a bishop who desires to make provision for requests of lay faithful . The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei is a commission of the Roman Catholic Church established by Pope John Paul II's Motu proprio In the Catholic Church, a Bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the priesthood. In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy. . . but is for various reasons prevented from doing so. "

The Pope clarified that, as a result of his motu proprio, "the last version of the Missale Romanum prior to the Council, which was published with the authority of Pope John XXIII in 1962 and used during the Council will now be able to be used as a Forma extraordinaria of the liturgical celebration", but that "the Missal published by Paul VI and then republished in two subsequent editions by John Paul II, obviously is and continues to be the normal Form – the Forma ordinaria – of the Eucharistic Liturgy"; and that: "It is clearly seen that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, not only on account of the juridical norms, but also because of the actual situation of the communities of the faithful. "^[3]

Summary of the accompanying letter

In his cover letter to the bishops, Pope Benedict declared unfounded two fears that had been expressed with regard to the change that he was making: that the change would detract from the authority of the Second Vatican Council; and that it would lead to disarray or even divisions within parish communities. A cover letter or covering letter is a letter of introduction attached to or accompanying another Document such as a Résumé or Curriculum

He recognised that "there have been exaggerations and at times social aspects unduly linked to the attitude of the faithful attached to the ancient Latin liturgical tradition. " To avoid the situation whereby the desire to recover the old form of liturgy "occurred above all because in many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal, but the latter actually was understood as authorising or even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy which were hard to bear . This article is about the post-Vatican-II changes to the Mass for an explanation of the current structure of the Mass see Mass (Catholic Church. . . caus(ing) deep pain to individuals totally rooted in the faith of the Church", he recommended faithful observance of the Missal of Paul VI: "The most sure guarantee that the Missal of Paul VI can unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical directives. This will bring out the spiritual richness and the theological depth of this Missal. "

Interior reconciliation

Benedict cited "interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church" as a "positive reason" for the motu proprio. Traditionalist groups, such as the Society of St. Pius X, whose founder Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 following the Ecône Consecrations,^[4] set permission to use the Tridentine Mass as a preliminary condition for engaging in any doctrinal dialogue with the Holy See. Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical The Society of St Pius X ( SSPX) is an international Traditionalist Catholic organisation whose official Latin name is Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Marcel-François Lefebvre ( November 29 1905 – March 25 1991) better known as Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, was a French Excommunication is a religious Censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community The Ecône Consecrations were a set of episcopal consecrations that took place in Ecône, Switzerland on 30 June 1988. Doctrine (Latin doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings quot or "instructions" taught principles or positions as the A dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog) is a reciprocal Conversation between two or more entities. ^[5]

Benedict, who himself led discussions with the SSPX during his tenure as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, gave as a reason for making the effort represented by his motu proprio the regretted fact that, "over the centuries . Prefect (from the Latin praefectus, perfect participle of praeficere: "make in front" i The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF ( Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei) previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, . . at critical moments when divisions were coming about, not enough was done by the Church's leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity" and "omissions on the part of the Church have had their share of blame for the fact that these divisions were able to harden. " But he pointed out, in the same cover letter, that, "needless to say, in order to experience full communion, the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to the new books. A list of priestly societies and religious institutes using a pre-1970 version of the Roman Missal some but not all are in communion with the Holy See. The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness. " Thus, while opening the door to the Tridentine Mass, the Pope expects the SSPX to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Mass of Paul VI. This article is about the post-Vatican-II changes to the Mass for an explanation of the current structure of the Mass see Mass (Catholic Church. SSPX Superior General, Bishop Fellay wrote, "The letter which accompanies the Motu Proprio does not hide however the difficulties that still remain. Bernard Fellay, SSPX (born 12 April 1958) is bishop of the Traditionalist Roman Catholic Society of St " Fellay then stated that the Society is eager - "after the decree of excommunication which still affects its bishops has been withdrawn – to consider more serenely the disputed doctrinal issues. "^[6]

After saying in his letter to bishops, with which he accompanied the motu proprio, that "in the movement led by Archbishop Lefebvre, fidelity to the old Missal became an external mark of identity", Pope Benedict added: "The reasons for the break which arose over this, however, were at a deeper level. "

Appeal of the ancient form

Apart from the question of reconciliation with traditionalist groups, the Pope also mentioned that, immediately after the promulgation of the new form of the Mass, it was presumed that "requests for the use of the 1962 Missal would be limited to the older generation which had grown up with it", but recognizes that "in the meantime it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them. " Due to this continuing appeal of the ancient form of the Mass across generational groups it was felt that cases should no longer be decided on a case-by-case basis, and that, instead the need had arisen for "clearer juridical regulation which had not been foreseen" in the past.

The Pope stressed: "There is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. 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. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church’s faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place. " He continued by demanding recognition also of the "value and holiness" of celebration according to the new books.

Conditions for use of the 1962 Missal

The conditions for the use of the 1962 Missal previously in force are replaced by the following:

• In Masses celebrated without the people, each Catholic priest of the Latin rite, whether secular or religious, may use the Roman Missal published by Bl. Pope John XXIII in 1962, or the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970, and may do so on any day with the exception of the Easter Triduum (when private Masses are not allowed). For such celebrations, with either one Missal or the other, the priest has no need for permission from the Apostolic See or from his Ordinary. Celebrations of Mass as mentioned above may - observing all the norms of law - also be attended by faithful who, of their own free will, ask to be admitted. (Articles 2 and 4)

• 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. In churches that are not parish or conventual churches, it is the duty of the Rector of the church to grant this permission. (Article 5 §1 and §5)

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. (Article 5 §2)

For faithful and priests who request it, the pastor should also allow celebrations in this extraordinary form for special circumstances such as marriages, funerals or occasional celebrations, e. g. pilgrimages. (Article 5 §3)

The priest whom the pastor or the rector of a church admits to use the Missal of Bl. John XXIII must be qualified to do so and not juridically impeded (for instance by being suspended a divinis). (Article 5 §4)

• Communities of Institutes of consecrated life and of Societies of apostolic life of either pontifical or diocesan right, wishing to celebrate Mass in accordance with the edition of the Roman Missal promulgated in 1962, for conventual or "community" celebration in their oratories, may do so. For a community or an entire Institute or Society to do so permanently, the major superior must decide in accordance with canon law and statutes of the Institute or Society. (Article 3)

Commenting the new rules in an interview with Vatican Radio, Darío Card. Castrillón Hoyos, president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei said that "priests can decide, without permission from the Holy See or the bishop, to celebrate the Mass in the ancient rite. Vatican Radio ( Radio Vaticana) is the official Broadcasting service of the Vatican. Darío Castrillón Hoyos (born July 4 1929) is a Colombian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei is a commission of the Roman Catholic Church established by Pope John Paul II's Motu proprio And this holds true for all priests. It is the parish priests who must open the doors to those priests that, having the faculty [to do so], wish to celebrate. It is not therefore necessary to ask any other permission. " ^[7]

History

The Mass is the Catholic Church's Eucharist celebration, whose basic form dates back to the earliest Apostolic Fathers. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. It has undergone various developments in its practice, especially in the early centuries. A Liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used (whether recommended or prescribed by a Christian congregation or The term Pre-Tridentine Mass here refers to the variants of the liturgical rite of Mass in Rome before 1570 when with his bull Quo primum, In response to Sacrosanctum Concilium, the 1963 document of the Second Vatican Council, the Mass of the Roman Rite was systematically revised, leading to the publication, in 1970, of Pope Paul VI's revision of the Roman Missal, which some Traditionalist Catholics claimed constituted a rupture with what went before. Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, is one of the constitutions of the Second Vatican Council. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Missal ((Missale Romanum is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical Pope Benedict XVI does not share this view, stating in the letter that accompanied Summorum Pontificum: "There is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. " But some traditionalists opposed the use of the new form of the liturgy and demanded what they called a universal indult whereby all priests would be allowed to use the former rite even publicly without seeking any specific authorisation. Universal indult is a term that was used primarily by Traditionalist Catholics in a very specific sense

For more than a year before the publication of Summorum Pontificum Vatican officials, such as Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, indicated that Pope Benedict XVI had decided to issue a document on the matter. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. Darío Castrillón Hoyos (born July 4 1929) is a Colombian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. As the date on which it was in fact issued approached, these declarations became more precise. The views of bishops in various countries and also of traditionalist groups were sought on the various drafts.

On the part of the bishops, two fears were expressed, which Pope Benedict mentioned in the letter to bishops with which he accompanied his motu proprio, declaring them unfounded. One was fear that the document detracts from the authority of the Second Vatican Council, by calling into question one of the Council's essential decisions, namely the liturgical reform. The other was fear that the possibility of a wider use of the 1962 Missal would lead to disarray or even divisions within parish communities. On the latter fear, the Pope commented that "the use of the old Missal presupposes a certain degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language; neither of these is found very often", and that accordingly "it is clearly seen that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. "

Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, the body charged with overseeing the implementation of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, commented on the worry that some have expressed, even after publication of the motu proprio, "that a small minority of believers may impose the mass of Saint Pius V on the parish". The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei is a commission of the Roman Catholic Church established by Pope John Paul II's Motu proprio He stated: "Those who say that obviously haven't read the motu proprio. It's clear that no parish priest will be obliged to celebrate the mass of Saint Pius V. Only that if a group of the faithful, having a priest disposed to say it, asks to celebrate this mass, the parish priest or the rector of the church can't oppose it. "^[8]

Reactions

The document was well received by supporters of the Tridentine Mass, but was also criticised by some Catholics and Jewish leaders.

Endorsements by Catholics

Most internal official reactions emphasised the wish of unity and reconciliation within the Church. Archbishop José Horacio Gomez of San Antonio, in a press statement said that he believes the letter "will open up great possibilities for reconciliation and unity with those who have shown great devotion to the Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970. José Horacio Gomez is a Roman Catholic Prelate who currently serves as the archbishop of San Antonio in Texas, United States, since " . . . "People will be able to more clearly see the growth and progress we have realized since Vatican II, while at the same time preserving the rich heritage and legacy of the Church. "^[9] Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop of Westminster, said: "On behalf of the bishops of England and Wales, I welcome the Holy Father's call for unity within the Church and especially toward those who are very attached to celebrating the Mass according to the Missal of 1962. Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, (born August 24, 1932) is a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, the Archbishop of Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. ^[9] The Bishops' Conference of Scotland said in a statement that the document "reflects the pastoral concern" of Benedict XVI "for those who find themselves drawn to that form of the Eucharistic celebration". The Bishops' Conference of Scotland is an Episcopal conference for Roman Catholic Bishops in Scotland. . . "a pastoral concern which the bishops of Scotland share. " sharing the Pope's "concern about the unity of the Church. "^[9]

An atypical reaction is that of the Chilean bishop Juan Ignacio González Errázuriz, who is reported as saying that the motu proprio was aimed not so much at putting an end to the schism of Archbishop Lefebvre and his followers, as to promoting unity among Chinese Catholics! ^[10] However, even the parts of the Catholic Church in China that were under the control of the Government-created Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association had in fact already been using the revised form of the Mass and in the vernacular for years. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Juan Ignacio González Errázuriz is the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Bernardo Chile. Marcel-François Lefebvre ( November 29 1905 – March 25 1991) better known as Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, was a French The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association ( Chinese: 中国天主教爱国会 Pinyin: Zhōngguó Tiānzhǔjiào Àiguó Huì) abbreviated ^[11]

Reactions of traditionalist Catholic groups

Various advocates for the Tridentine Mass voiced cautious optimism for the future and are now preparing for the practical aspects of the decision. In a statement, The Latin Mass Society of Ireland said: "We are very grateful to the Pope for enriching the life of the Church in this way and for enhancing legitimate liturgical diversity. The Latin Mass Society of Ireland, founded in 1999 is a Roman Catholic society based in Ireland that is dedicated to the preservation of the traditional Tridentine In doing this Pope Benedict is building on the foundation laid by his predecessor Pope John Paul II in his 1988 motu proprio Ecclesia Dei Adflicta. Pope Ecclesia Dei is the Motu proprio of 2 July 1988 that Pope John Paul II issued in reaction to the consecration, in ^[12] The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales said: "Thirty-seven years ago, the Latin Mass Society was denounced by The Universe newspaper for its attachment to the Traditional Latin Rite under the banner headline, 'Latin Madness'. The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales is a Roman Catholic society based in England and Wales that is dedicated to making the Traditional Latin The Universe is a Newspaper for Roman Catholics in Britain and Ireland. Today, the loyalty, determination and sufferings of the Traditional faithful have been vindicated by Pope Benedict XVI's wise and pastoral motu proprio. This [decision] puts an end to the discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion which, too often, Traditional Catholics have suffered. . . . However, now is the time for the 'interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church' for which Pope Benedict calls. "^[12] The Catholic Publishing House Baronius Press warmly welcomed the motu proprio and prepared to publish a special printing of their edition of the 1962 Missal around September 14, 2007, the date of the coming into effect of Summorum Pontificum. Baronius Press is a traditional Catholic book publisher with headquarters in London, England. Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

FSSP

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), which exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, "rejoice[d] at the publication of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum. The Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (In Latin: Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri - FSSP) is a group of Traditionalist Catholic priests In reaffirming the essential place of the liturgy itself in the transmission of the faith, in stating that the Missal of Blessed John XXIII may be used by all priests, and especially in encouraging the use of all four liturgical books in force in 1962, the text opens to the whole Church the treasures of these rites. A liturgical book is a book published by the authority of a Church, that contains the text and directions for the Liturgy of its official Religious services " The motu proprio was issued on the one year anniversary of the election of the Fraternity's current superior general, Fr. John Berg. [1] The Fraternity further announced that it "will continue to look to serve the needs of the Church, and hopes that the success of the chapels and parishes already erected in the last 19 years in so many dioceses will provide encouraging examples for the document’s implementation. Our deepest gratitude to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum. "

SSPX

The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, which was consulted by Pope Benedict during the process, said in a statement that it "extends its deep gratitude to (Pope Benedict) for this great spiritual benefit" and "rejoices to see the Church thus regain her liturgical Tradition, and give the possibility of a free access to the treasure of the Traditional Mass . The Society of St Pius X ( SSPX) is an international Traditionalist Catholic organisation whose official Latin name is Fraternitas Sacerdotalis . . (for those) who had so far been deprived of it". The Society, however, points out that "difficulties that still remain". It wishes that the "favorable climate established by the Holy See" will "make it possible to consider more serenely the disputed doctrinal issues" and that the decree of excommunication which still affects its bishops be withdrawn. ^[13]

List of Tridentine Masses in North America

A publication bearing the name Official Traditional Catholic Directory: Listing All Traditional Latin Masses and Traditional Resources for North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico) and giving contacts for similar information on Asia (India, Malaysia) and Europe (England, Germany, Italy, Switzerland) has been published since 1994.

It includes Masses authorized by Summorum Pontificum, but warns against "Mass under the auspices of a diocese adhering to the New Order, including Masses under the auspices of traditionalist organizations, such as the Fraternity of St. This article is about the post-Vatican-II changes to the Mass for an explanation of the current structure of the Mass see Mass (Catholic Church. Peter and the Institute of Christ the King, High Priest". The pamphlet states: "Most diocesan services^[14] are not even the Vatican II 'Mass of 1962', but a pseudo-traditional service mixed with the invalid Novus Ordo (New Order) service of 1969, which should be scrupulously avoided by the faithful. This article is about the post-Vatican-II changes to the Mass for an explanation of the current structure of the Mass see Mass (Catholic Church. " It further declares that the "Traditional Latin Mass and Divine Office, as before the 'modernising' revisions of 1960, and 1962", are preferable to "the Modernised Mass and Divine Office of 1962" (the form authorised by Summorum Pontificum).

Criticism from Catholics

Some Catholics have expressed concern over Summorum Pontificum, as they view it as reversal of progressive changes made during Vatican II. Italian bishop Luca Brandolini said, "This is the saddest moment in my life as a man, priest and bishop. Luca Brandolini, CM (born December 25, 1933) is an Italian Prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who currently serves as It's a day of mourning, not just for me but for the many people who worked for the Second Vatican Council. A reform for which many people worked, with great sacrifice and only inspired by the desire to renew the Church, has now been cancelled. "^[15] However, he declared, "I will obey the Holy Father, because I am a bishop and because I care for the Holy Father". ^[16]

Others have expressed concern that the loosening of the restrictions for celebration of the Mass will cause practical problems for parish priests who may be pressured to offer the Mass according to the 1962 Missal,^[17] and that such pressure "will seem like a standard aimed at testing the priests' loyalty to the pope. "^[18] Cardinal Castrillón responded to this concern by pointing out that the motu proprio does not oblige any priest to use the 1962 Missal: all that the parish priest or rector of a church is asked to do is to permit a stable group adhering to the earlier tradition and who have a priest disposed to use that Missal to celebrate Mass in the church. ^[19] Only a limited number of priests actually know how to celebrate the Tridentine Mass, and a shortage of priests means that many priests already have full schedules on weekends. A priest shortage is the situation of a reduced number of Priests in religions especially the Roman Catholic Church. In response to these concerns, a number of Bishops announced their intentions to issue guidance on how to best implement Summorum Pontificum in their dioceses in line with the motu proprio's rule that "Priests who use the Missal of Bl. John XXIII must be qualified to do so. " This includes Bishop Donald W. Trautman of the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, who indicated that those priests who celebrate such as Mass would first need to show that they have the requisite knowledge of its rubrics and of Latin. Donald Walter Trautman (born June 24 1936) is an American Prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who currently serves as Bishop The Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie ( Latin: Dioecesis Eriensis) is a Roman Catholic Diocese in western Pennsylvania. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. ^[20]

Some traditionalist Catholics also have criticized Summorum Pontificum for not going far enough, for its insistence on accepting the Novus Ordo Missae as the ordinary rite of the Church, and they see its authorisation to use the 1962 Missal as a ruse to get traditionalists to compromise themselves. Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical This article is about the post-Vatican-II changes to the Mass for an explanation of the current structure of the Mass see Mass (Catholic Church. ^[21]

Jewish reaction

See also: Good Friday Prayer

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned the document because the 1962 text for Good Friday includes the request asking God to "lift the veil" from Jewish hearts and to show mercy, according to one translation, "even to the Jews", also referring to "the blindness of that people. Good Friday Prayer can refer to any of the Prayers prayed by Christians on Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, or to all such prayers collectively The Anti-Defamation League ( ADL) is an Interest group founded in 1913 by B'nai B'rith in the United States whose stated aim is "to stop Good Friday, also called Holy Friday or Great Friday, is the Friday preceding Easter Sunday ("Pascha" "^[22] (However, Dr. John Newton, the editor of Baronius Press, has pointed out in reply to such criticisms that the prayer draws heavily on 2 Corinthians chapters 3 and 4, and the invocation for God to "lift the veil from their hearts" is a direct quote from 2 Cor 3. Baronius Press is a traditional Catholic book publisher with headquarters in London, England. 15. )^[23] The ADL called the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum "a theological setback in the religious life of Catholics and a body blow to Catholic-Jewish relations, after 40 years of progress between the Church and the Jewish people. "^[24] The Vatican responded by stating, "Several media reports erroneously contend that the letter could in effect reinstate a prayer offensive to Jews from the Good Friday liturgy of the Tridentine Mass, which dates back to 1570. "^[25] The Roman-Rite Mass before 1959 contained a reference to "the perfidious Jews", which was deleted in 1959 and does not appear in the missal being permitted by Summorum Pontificum. ^[26] The American Jewish Committee (AJC) stated in a press release:

We acknowledge that the Church's liturgy is an internal Catholic matter and this motu proprio from Pope Benedict XVI is based on the permission given by John Paul II in 1988 and thus, on principle, is nothing new. The American Jewish Committee ( AJC) was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world However we are naturally concerned about how wider use of this Tridentine liturgy may impact upon how Jews are perceived and treated. We appreciate that the motu proprio actually limits the use of the Latin Mass in the days prior to Easter, which addresses the reference in the Good Friday liturgy concerning the Jews," Rosen added. "However, it is still not clear that this qualification applies to all situations and we have called on the Vatican to contradict the negative implications that some in the Jewish community and beyond have drawn concerning the motu proprio. "^[27]

Russian Orthodox Church

Patriarch Alexius II praised the recovery and valuing of the ancient liturgical tradition of the Roman Catholic Church: "We hold very strongly to tradition" and "Without the faithful guardianship of liturgical tradition, the Russian Orthodox Church would not have been able to resist the period of persecution. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure "^[28]

References

See also

• Ecclesia Dei
• Indult Catholic
• Liturgy
• Traditionalist Catholic
• Tridentine Mass
• Sedevacantism
• Universal indult
• Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei

External links

Official documents

• Summorum Pontificum (Latin text)
• Summorum Pontificum (Latin text and English translation side by side)
• Cover letter (English)
• Summorum Pontificum and cover letter, along with analysis and commentary from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Responses from traditionalist Catholic organizations

• Press Release from the Superior General of the SSPX
• News from the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
• Press Release from the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

Commentary

• Twenty Questions on the Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum The Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire. Ecclesia Dei is the Motu proprio of 2 July 1988 that Pope John Paul II issued in reaction to the consecration, in Indult Catholics is a term used to denote Roman Catholics who prefer to attend the older Tridentine rite of Mass rather than the ordinary present-day form of the liturgy A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical The Tridentine Mass (Missa Tridentina is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published Sedevacantism is the position held by a minority of Traditionalist Catholics who claim that the Papal See has been vacant since the death of Pope Pius XII Universal indult is a term that was used primarily by Traditionalist Catholics in a very specific sense The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei is a commission of the Roman Catholic Church established by Pope John Paul II's Motu proprio The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ( USCCB) is the official leadership body of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester ( Diocensis Manchesteriensis in Latin is a Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the region of New England
• Nova et Vetera
• Commentary on the text of the document by Jimmy Akin

Jimmy Akin is a Catholic apologist for Catholic Answers who has authored several books on Catholic Apologetics

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