Celebret

The (sometimes also ) celebret (Latin celebret, he must celebrate ') is a certificate which would allow a Catholic priest to celebrate the Holy Mass in a foreign diocese.

This certificate is issued by the competent Ordinary ( bishop or abbot ), noting that the particular priest is free from canonical censorship. The Council of Trent laid down that it should be approved any foreign clerics without credentials of his own Ordinariate of a bishop to celebrate Mass. In the normal case should be allowed to celebrate the Holy Mass, no priest to another diocese be issued without the submission of this signed and sealed document. The seal was formerly the more important requirement, since this was more secure.

The Canon Law (CIC ) sets in can. 903 this case as follows: A priest is to be admitted to the celebration, even though he is not known to the rector of the church, provided he submits a recommendation letter from his professor and his superiors that was issued more than a year ago, or if it is reasonable to assume that he incurs no obstacle to the celebration.

The celebret should be recognized by an official ecclesiastical official of the foreign diocese. A priest with a regular certificate or with a known reputation, the celebration of the Mass will be allowed until he has made ​​up in a timely recognition. A cleric with appropriate credentials, the celebration of the Holy Mass normally not be denied, but it is expected that he submits to acceptable limits.

In earlier times the celebret was very important because it was virtually impossible to verify the identity of a foreign cleric quickly. For traveling Catholic clerics, such as military chaplains or missionaries, or to Catholics days this certificate is still relevant.