Ecclesia Dei

Ecclesia Dei Adflicta ( German: "The Church of God with great sadness " ) is a papal motu proprio of July 2, 1988, Pope John Paul II to Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre illicitly carried out episcopal consecrations of four members of the Fraternity of St. Pius X responded.

Referring to the procedure Lefebvre, Pope John Paul II:

" The act was one of disobedience to the Roman Pontiff in a very serious and for the unity of the Church most important thing, as is the ordination of bishops whereby the apostolic succession is sacramentally perpetuated. Hence such disobedience, which implies in practice the rejection of the Roman primacy, a schismatic act (Cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 751 ) dar. In performing this act, notwithstanding the formal canonical warning by the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for them the bishops was sent on 17 June last, Mgr Lefebvre and the priests Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson and Alfonso de Galarreta forfeited the excommunication of severe punishment, as envisaged by ecclesiastical law. (Cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 1382 ). "

At the same time, John Paul II made an appeal to all those

" Now these have in some way to the movement of Archbishop Lefebvre, that they may fulfill the grave duty of remaining united to the Vicar of Christ in the unity of the Catholic Church and to assist in any way for that movement. Everyone should be aware that formal adherence to the schism is a grave offense against God and carries the excommunication with it, is as stated in canon law. (Cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 1364 ) "

He also said:

" Furthermore, the feeling must everywhere be respected those of the Latin liturgical tradition feel connected by the issued by the Apostolic See, a long time ago guidelines on the use of the Roman Missal according to the typical edition of 1962, are wide and generous application. (See Congregation for Divine Worship, Writing Quattuor abhinc annos. , 3rd October 1981) "

Commission Ecclesia Dei

Based on the motu proprio, Pope John Paul II on July 2, 1988, the Commission Ecclesia Dei, a.