Juan José Silvestre: "Traditionis Custodes returns to the situation of 1970".On Saturday, December 18, the answers given by the Congregation for Divine Worship to various questions were published. dubbia that had been raised after the publication, on July 16, 2021, of the motu proprio Traditionis custodes on the use of the Roman liturgy before the reform of 1970. The Congregation has carefully examined the questions raised from various quarters, has informed the Holy Father and having received his consent now publishes the answers to the most recurrent questions.
In reality, the responses do nothing more than recall and concretize two points that are clearly expressed in Pope Francis' motu proprio and the letter that accompanies it:
The only expression of the lex orandi
First of all, that the liturgical books promulgated by the Holy Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, are the only expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite (cfr. Francisco motu proprio Traditionis custodes1). In fact, the motu proprio Traditionis custodes, aims to re-establish in the whole Church of the Roman Rite a single and identical prayer that expresses its unity following the books published after the Second Vatican Council, which are in line with the whole tradition of the Church. As the Holy Father reminds us: since liturgical actions are not private actions, but celebrations of the Church, which is the sacrament of unity, they must be carried out in communion with the Church (cfr. Sacrosanctum concilium, n. 26). A communion that implies remaining in the Church not only with the body, but also with the heart. This is the direction in which, as the Congregation reminds us, we want to move, and this is the meaning of the answers published here. Hence, in them we find concrete indications in relation to this first point. We highlight the following:
The liturgical books promulgated by the Holy Pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, are the sole expression of the lex orandi of the Roman rite.
Juan José Silvestre. Professor of Liturgy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome.
Only in canonically erected personal parishes is the Bishop authorized to grant, according to his discernment, the license to make use only of the Rituale romanum (last editio typica 1952) and not the Pontificale romanum preceding the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council. Thus, Confirmation cannot be celebrated even in the personal parishes according to the Pontificale romanum The formula for the Sacrament of Confirmation was modified for the entire Latin Church by St. Paul VI.
In the celebration that makes use of the Missale Romanum of 1962 the readings will be proclaimed in the vernacular language (cfr. Motu proprio Traditionis custodes3 & 3). In order to carry out this indication, and taking into account that the 1962 Missal contains in a single book the texts of the Mass and the readings, the latter are to be done using the translations of Sacred Scripture for liturgical use, approved by the respective Episcopal Conferences. Furthermore, it is forbidden to publish a lectionary in the vulgar language that corresponds to the readings of the 1962 Missal. In this way, one of the most precious fruits of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council, the Lectionary, is protected. There will be only one Lectionary, which is the one published after the Council's liturgical reform.
In order to grant authorization to celebrate with the 1962 Missal to a priest ordained after the publication of the motu proprio, bishops must request authorization from the Congregation for Divine Worship. The reason for this is clearly specified in the response: the only expression of the lex orandi of the Roman rite are the books promulgated by Paul VI and John Paul II in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council: it is therefore absolutely desirable that priests ordained after the publication of the Motu proprio share this desire of the Holy Father.
To provide for the good of those rooted in the above form.
The second point to be recalled and made more concrete concerns the fact that the indications on how to proceed in the dioceses are dictated primarily by the principle of providing for the good of those who are rooted in the previous form of celebration and need time to return to the Roman Rite promulgated by Saints Paul VI and John Paul II (cfr. Francis, letter accompanying the motu proprio Traditionis custodes). In line with the previous statement, the answers read:
The indications on how to proceed in the dioceses are dictated primarily by the principle of providing for the good of those who are rooted in the previous form of celebration.
Juan José Silvestre.Professor of Liturgy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome.
"Efforts must be made to accompany all those connected with the preceding celebratory form towards a full understanding of the value of the celebration in the ritual form given to us by the reform of the Second Vatican Council, by means of an adequate formation that will allow us to discover how it is a witness to an unchanged faith, an expression of a renewed ecclesiology, a primary source of spirituality for Christian life."
"Under normal circumstances, the parish church is excluded as a place where the celebration with the Missale romanum 1962 Missal because it is thereby affirmed that the celebration of the Eucharist according to the preceding rite, being a concession limited to such groups, is not part of the ordinary life of the parish community. In the event that it is not possible to find a place other than a parish for the celebration with the 1962 Missal, the diocesan bishop may ask the Congregation for authorization for it to take place in a parish church. If the impossibility of using another church, oratory or chapel is ascertained with scrupulous care, authorization may be granted. In the latter case, it does not seem appropriate that such a celebration be included in the parish Mass schedule since only the faithful who are part of the group participate in it. These faithful are in no case marginalized by these dispositions, since they are only reminded that this concession is made in view of the common use of the one and only Mass. lex orandi of the Roman Rite and not an opportunity to promote the preceding rite".
"As regards the priests, deacons and ministers who participate in the celebration by making use of the Missale Romanum of 1962 must always have the authorization of the diocesan bishop. Authorization that, in the case of the priest, is valid only for the territory of the diocese where he exercises his ministry and that he will have to ask for himself, if he is substituting another authorized priest".
Celebrate the renewed liturgy with dignity and fervor
We believe that the motu proprio Traditionis custodesthe letter that accompanied it and now the answers to these questions. dubbia are in line with what St. Paul VI pointed out: "It is in the name of Tradition that we ask all our children, all Catholic communities, to celebrate the renewed liturgy with dignity and fervor. The adoption of the new Ordo missae was not left to the discretion of the priests or the faithful: and the Instruction of June 14, 1971 provided for the celebration of the Mass in the old form, with the authorization of the Ordinary only for elderly or sick priests who offer the Divine Sacrifice. sine populo. The new Ordo was promulgated to replace the old one, after mature deliberation, following the indications of the Second Vatican Council".
As this recent document of the Congregation for Divine Worship recalls, "one fact is undeniable, the Council Fathers felt the urgency of a reform so that the truth of the faith celebrated would appear more and more in all its beauty and the people of God would grow in full, active and conscious participation in the liturgical celebration" therefore, the document continues, "we are all called to rediscover the value of liturgical reform while safeguarding the truth and beauty of the Rite given to us. We are aware that a renewed and ongoing liturgical formation is necessary, both for priests and for the lay faithful".
The publication of the motu proprio Traditionis custodesthe accompanying letter and now from the answers to the dubbia, clearly expressed the Holy Father's wish: the only expression of the Holy Father's desire is the lex orandi of the Roman Rite is contained in the liturgical books promulgated by the Holy Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of the Second Vatican Council. For this reason, a liturgical formation is encouraged that accompanies the understanding and experience of the richness of the liturgical reform desired by the Second Vatican Council, which has been able to value all the elements of the Roman Rite and has favored the participation of the entire People of God in the liturgy, the primary source of authentic Christian spirituality.
