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Motu Proprio

This translation of the Motu Proprio includes commentary by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter , in red.  An English version of the Holy Father’s letter to bishops, which accompanied the Motu Proprio, can be found here.

APOSTOLIC LETTER
SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
BENEDICT XVI
GIVEN MOTU PROPRIO

Up to our own times, it has been the constant concern of supreme pontiffs to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy ritual to the Divine Majesty, “to the praise and glory of His name,” and “to the benefit of all His Holy Church.”

Since time immemorial it has been necessary – as it is also for the future – to maintain the principle according to which “each particular Church must concur with the universal Church, not only as regards the doctrine of the faith and the sacramental signs, but also as regards the usages universally accepted by uninterrupted apostolic tradition, which must be observed not only to avoid errors but also to transmit the integrity of the faith, because the Church’s law of prayer corresponds to her law of faith.1”

Among the pontiffs who showed that requisite concern, particularly outstanding is the name of St. Gregory the Great, who made every effort to ensure that the new peoples of Europe received both the Catholic faith and the treasures of worship and culture that had been accumulated by the Romans in preceding centuries. He commanded that the form of the sacred liturgy as celebrated in Rome (concerning both the Sacrifice of Mass and the Divine Office) be conserved. He took great concern to ensure the dissemination of monks and nuns who, following the Rule of St. Benedict, together with the announcement of the Gospel illustrated with their lives the wise provision of their Rule that “nothing should be placed before the work of God.” In this way the sacred liturgy, celebrated according to the Roman use, enriched not only the faith and piety but also the culture of many peoples. It is known, in fact, that the Latin liturgy of the Church in its various forms, in each century of the Christian era, has been a spur to the spiritual life of many saints, has reinforced many peoples in the virtue of religion and fecundated their piety.

Many other Roman pontiffs, in the course of the centuries, showed particular solicitude in ensuring that the sacred liturgy accomplished this task more effectively. Outstanding among them is St. Pius V who, sustained by great pastoral zeal and following the exhortations of the Council of Trent, renewed the entire liturgy of the Church, oversaw the publication of liturgical books amended and “renewed in accordance with the norms of the Fathers,” and provided them for the use of the Latin Church.

One of the liturgical books of the Roman rite is the Roman Missal, which developed in the city of Rome and, with the passing of the centuries, little by little took forms very similar to that it has had in recent times.

“It was towards this same goal that succeeding Roman Pontiffs directed their energies during the subsequent centuries in order to ensure that the rites and liturgical books were brought up to date and when necessary clarified. From the beginning of this century they undertook a more general reform.2” Thus our predecessors Clement VIII, Urban VIII, St. Pius X3, Benedict XV, Pius XII and Blessed John XXIII all played a part.

In more recent times, 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.4”

But in 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 annos, 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 favour of all the faithful who so desired.

Following the insistent prayers of these faithful, long deliberated upon by our predecessor John Paul II, and after having listened to the views of the Cardinal Fathers of the Consistory of 22 March 2006, having reflected deeply upon all aspects of the question, invoked the Holy Spirit and trusting in the help of God, with these Apostolic Letters we establish the following:

Art 1. The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the Lex orandi (Law of prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite.

Nonetheless, the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued by Bl. John XXIII is to be considered as an extraordinary expression of that same Lex orandi, and must be given due honour for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church’s Lex orandi will in no any way lead to a division in the Church’s Lex credendi (Law of belief).  (This is an extraordinarily important statement. No one may now argue either that the new rite expresses a new Faith, or that the old rite expresses an outmoded Faith. The Faith which the old rite so eloquently and precisely proclaims remains absolutely normative.) They are in fact two usages of the one Roman rite.

It is, therefore, permissible to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Bl. John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Church. The conditions for the use of this Missal as laid down by earlier documents Quattuor abhinc annos and Ecclesia Dei are substituted as follows: (These conditions replace those of the previous documents; we must not make the error of seeing what is here laid down as a mere gloss on the earlier documents: we are in an entirely new situation now, and mentalities must change along with the new realities.)

Art. 2. 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. 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. 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. (“Without the people” means simply those Masses which are not part of a parish’s regular schedule. As article 4 below makes clear, the faithful may attend such Masses. That such “Masses without the people” are forbidden during the Easter Triduum is normal: they were never allowed, either in the old rite or the new. Further, Canon 906 forbids the celebration of Mass without at least some faithful present, so it seems that a priest should actually encourage people to attend a “private” celebration in the old rite.)

Art. 3. 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. If an individual community or an entire Institute or Society wishes to undertake such celebrations often, habitually or permanently, the decision must be taken by the Superiors Major, in accordance with the law and following their own specific decrees and statues. (Unlikely as it may seem, this means that even the Jesuits could return en masse to the old rite. They won’t, but the law now says that they could — it is up to them, and to them alone. A question remains: how to interpret “often”? Once a week might be so considered, but monthly surely could not be. Thus a convent of nuns or priests could have Mass in the old rite every month without referring to any exterior authority.)

Art. 4. Celebrations of Mass as mentioned above in art. 2 may – observing all the norms of law – also be attended by faithful who, of their own free will, ask to be admitted. (Thus a pastor could announce that he will say Mass in the old rite every morning, in addition to the scheduled new rite Mass: any of his parishioners are not free to attend, with a minimum nor a maximum number specified.)

Art. 5 par. i. 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. (The bishop is exhorted to further unity, and certainly not to thwart it by refusing what the pastor is told to allow: the celebration of the old rite publicly in parishes which request it. Nevertheless it would seem reasonable to consolidate such groups into a “personal” parish where local circumstances favour such a solution.)

    par. 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. (A precision of capital importance: these Masses in the old rite may take place every day of the week.)

    par. 3. 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. (A parish’s whole liturgical life, then, may be deeply impregnated with the spirit and the reality of the old rites; we are no longer living in an “indult” world.)

    par. 4. Priests who use the Missal of Bl. John XXIII must be qualified to do so and not juridically impeded. (This is perfectly sensible: a priest with no Latin will be told to become grounded in it before being allowed to celebrate Mass in the old rite.)

    par. 5. In churches that are not parish or conventual churches, it is the duty of the Rector of the church to grant the above permission.

Art. 6. In Masses celebrated in the presence of the people in accordance with the Missal of Bl. John XXIII, the readings may be given in the vernacular, using editions recognised by the Apostolic See. (This clearly refers to vernacular versions of the readings of the old Missal; there is no provision here for using the new lectionary. Such a permission may in fact come, but it is not to be found in this article. To insist upon the new lectionary, moreover, would follow neither the letter nor the spirit of this decree.)

Art. 7. If a group of lay faithful, as mentioned in art. 5 par. i, 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. (This article will soon be tested. It is likely that some pastors will refuse the papal will, and sadly so will some bishops. The papal commission should then be informed by the faithful; by this present law, it will then be required to act.)

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.

Art. 9 par. i. The pastor, having attentively examined all aspects, may also grant permission to use the earlier ritual for the administration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, Penance, and the Anointing of the Sick, if the good of souls would seem to require it. (Note that the pastor is here given this authority and not, as was heretofore the case, the bishop alone.)

    par. 2. Ordinaries are given the right to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation using the earlier Roman Pontifical, if the good of souls would seem to require it.

    par. 3. Clerics ordained in sacris constitutis may use the Roman Breviary promulgated by BL John XXIII in 1962. (This means that clerics who are bound by canon law to recite the divine office may now fulfil their obligation by using the older form.)

Art. 10. The ordinary of a particular place, if he feels it appropriate, may erect a personal parish in accordance with can. 518 for celebrations following the ancient form of the Roman rite, or appoint a chaplain, while observing all the norms of law. (This means that a bishop could erect a parish for a particular geographical area which would cater to those faithful within that area desiring the old rite exclusively. Or he could appoint a particular priest who would he responsible for the celebration of the old rites within that diocese.)

Art. 11. The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, erected by John Paul II in 19885, continues to exercise its function. Said Commission will have the form, duties and norms that the Roman Pontiff wishes to assign it. (It is clear from this article that the powers of Ecclesia Dei are soon to be expanded.)

Art. 12. This Commission, apart from the powers it enjoys, will exercise the authority of the Holy See, supervising the observance and application of these dispositions.

We order that everything We have established with these Apostolic Letters issued as Motu Proprio be considered as “established and decreed”, and to be observed from 14 September of this year, Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, whatever there may be to the contrary.

From Rome, at St. Peter’s, 7 July 2007, third year of Our Pontificate.

BENEDICT XVI

(1) General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 3rd ed., 2002, no. 397.

(2) John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Vicesimus quintus annus, 4 December 1988, 3: AAS 81 (1989), 899.

(3) Ibid. (4) St. Pius X, Apostolic Letter Motu proprio data, “Abhinc duos annos,” 23 October 1913: AAS 5 (1913), 449-450.

(4) Cf John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Vicesimus quintus annus, no. 3: AAS 81 (1989), 899

(5) Cf John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Motu proprio data “Ecclesia Dei,” 2 July 1988, 6: AAS 80 (1988), 1498.