Summorum Pontificum

Summorum Pontificum ( "SP" ) is the title of an Apostolic Letter ( Motu Proprio ) De usu extraordinario Antiquae formae rite Romani by Pope Benedict XVI. , Which was published on 7 July 2007 and entered into force on 14 September 2007. His opening words fall to the formula " Summorum Pontificum cura ", which since Pope Pius XII. the papal publisher on the title page of Roman liturgical books summarizing the work of his predecessors. With the motu proprio of Benedict XVI. are now two recognized both equally orthodox, but not equal manifestations of the Roman Rite:

• The ordinary form ( forma ordinaria ). that is, the party with the renewed on behalf of the Second Vatican Council and Pope Paul VI. and John Paul II promulgated liturgical books. This custom instauratus remains the normal form of the Roman Catholic worship.
• The extraordinary form ( forma extraordinaria ), namely the Liturgy of 1962, which had the Second Vatican Council " as soon as possible " arranged by renewed liturgical books replace ( Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 25). The Usus antiquior (, older, former custom ') may also be found in addition to the normal form, within certain limits use. This applies to the Missal, the Breviary, the rituals, a part of the Pontifikales and, indirectly, for the Caeremoniale episcoporum.

The most obvious to outsiders difference between the two formations of the liturgy is that after the older custom of the Holy Mass, except for the (then not the liturgy calculated ) sermon, but in Latin, however, today's normal form since the liturgical reform partly in or with Latin but bervorzugt in the living vernaculars celebrated to facilitate the active and conscious participation in the worship of the faithful.

Provisions

Summorum Pontificum ago, still under Pope John Paul II, the so-called " Tridentine Mass " was allowed only for pastoral reasons and with episcopal special permit. 1984, the Vatican had created by an indult the opportunity for priests and faithful, the Holy Mass with the. Under Pope John XXIII To celebrate, published in 1962 Missal. Furthermore, the Vatican institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life had (ie religious communities and similar organizations ) granted the use of other books of the liturgy of 1962 on request.

Subject to the " avoidance of discord and the preservation of the unity of the Church" Summorum Pontificum allows now the priests for their private masses ( Missa sine populo ) on each day the choice between the current and the older Missal; Exception is the Triduum Sacrum. In addition, the celebration of the Extraordinary Form as a community Mass ( Missa cum populo ) is released for " Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life " and personal parishes. In territorial parishes the legitimacy of such a celebration presupposes that one out native group of faithful who adhere to the old measurement form, permanently exists (Art. 5 § 1), and always remains on secondary services, on Sundays and feast days on a single trade, limited. Moreover, in the Motu proprio done the canonical clarification that the two forms rather than two different rites, but as two different forms ( custom ) of have to apply one Roman rite. Was allowed the extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Hours and also for pastoral reasons for the celebration of the sacraments of baptism, marriage, confirmation, anointing of the sick and penance.

The high estimate of the active and conscious participation of the faithful in the worship of the church should not be reduced, even after Summorum Pontificum. A specific design of the altars, the sacred vessels and vestments prescribed by Summorum Pontificum is not. The celebration of a free-standing altar, also "versus populum " is, as in the Roman Missal of 1570 can not be ruled. The readings in the community fair may be carried forward into the vernacular. In the future, new saints and some of the new Prefaces can also be included in the 1962 Missal. The " Liturgy of 1962" should therefore learn a liturgical reform, but in a different way than they. For the "ordinary form " by Pope Paul VI and John Paul II was carried out. The " custom 1962 " may not therefore remain unchanged longer term, as the Second Vatican Council has expressly prescribed its renewal ( Sacrosanctum Concilium # 25 ).

The order of the liturgy in the churches of the dioceses principle remains the responsibility of the local bishop. However, the Motu Proprio is edited to ensure that now the bishop must give his diocesan priests for ceremonies without community freedom of choice and to meet the wishes of lay Catholics who prefer the older form of the liturgy, to the extent possible. For this purpose, special (personal ) parishes can be built. Can a Diocesan Bishop, for example due to the lack of suitable celebrant not satisfy the desire for Masses in the older form, he did bring the matter to the Pontifical Commission " Ecclesia Dei ," with full powers for the organization of the " Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite " is equipped. After the commission of February 9, 2008 release candidates for the priesthood can expect their bishop in the celebration of the " 1962 common practice " to be trained and therefore must, among other things get taught the Latin language necessary to understand the texts knowledge.

The bishops of the German dioceses and the Swiss bishops have issued nearly identical guidelines for implementation of " Summorum Pontificium ", which came into force on 1 October 2007.

Instruction Universae Ecclesiae

The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, published on 13 May 2011 the instruction Universae Ecclesiae with the implementation provisions of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificium. The instruction was on 8 April 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI. approved, it shall bear the date of 30 April 2011 and signed by President William Cardinal Levada and Monsignor Guido Pozzo by the Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. This design provisions oblige the bishops for the implementation of " Summorum Pontificum ". It was published with the intention to ensure the right interpretation and application of the motu proprio and clarify outstanding issues. The Commission Ecclesia Dei was finally awarded with the instruction from the Pope for the area of ​​their jurisdiction neat, deputy pastoral authority for the supervision of compliance with and application of the provisions of Summorum Pontificum motu proprio. After Universae Ecclesiae Summorum Pontifical is to be understood as a universal church law and beyond as a special law. As such, it does not release him for the own area from those after 1962 adopted laws that relate to the liturgy and are incompatible with the rubrics of the liturgical books, which were in force in 1962. For the regulated area of Summorum Pontificium so, Pope Benedict XVI. all destinations except force that his predecessor Pope Paul VI. and John Paul II had at the time of the Second Vatican Council and then adopted, whereas the pre-conciliar reforms by Pope Pius XII. Remain valid and be accompanied by relevant decrees of Pope Benedict.