Motu proprio

A motu proprio (also motu proprio, plural Motuproprios, from Latin motu proprio " of their own motivation ", "self- initiated " ) is an Apostolic Letter of Pope of the Catholic Church, delivered the other without a formal request and by the Pope personally and not by a his cardinals, official institutions or other consultants was decided.

Usually it involves the disclosure of canon law or administrative decisions, small changes in canon law or the granting of privileges to individuals or institutions. Normally, a Motu Proprio is a decree which is not provided with a seal (see Papal Bull ) and was not countersigned. The first, written in the form of a motu proprio Apostolic Letter was published by Pope Innocent VIII in 1484.

A motu proprio begins with the presentation of the reason for which it was written. There follows a description of the change in law or the granting of privileges. The document is signed by the Pope with the date and his name in Latin personally. Then the text is published. It is valid even if it does not meet the applicable hitherto ecclesiastical law or previous papal decisions.

The larger, more detailed form of papal legislation called Apostolic Constitution. No acts are against the teaching of the Pope's letter, which can be also be written in the form of an apostolic letter or may be promulgated as an encyclical.

List of Motuproprios

  • November 22, 1903: Pope Pius X, Tra le sollecitudini on the church music
  • November 18, 1907: Pope Pius X. Praestantia Scripturae about the excommunication of the modernists
  • August 15, 1972: Pope Paul VI. Ministerial quaedam on the suspension of the donation of some Niederer ordinations
  • July 7, 2007: Pope Benedict XVI. Summorum Pontificum on the celebration of the Tridentine Mass
  • December 30, 2010: Pope Benedict XVI. Apostolic Letter on the prevention of illegal financial activities and action against such actions
  • October 11, 2011: Pope Benedict XVI. Porta fidei, the proclamation of the Year of Faith 2012/2013
  • February 22, 2013: Pope Benedict XVI. Norma nonnullas, reform certain provisions of the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis
  • February 24, 2014: Pope Francis: Fidelis et dispensator prudens, change the management of the Vatican, in particular the establishment of an economic Secretariat ( Segreteria di Economia ) as a central regulatory authority for all financial matters.
Apostolic exhortation Religious law Minor orders Integrated Authority File
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