Pope’s letter defines celebration of Mass in Roman Rite By Bishop Joseph N. Latino
On Saturday, July 7, Pope Benedict issued as Motu Proprio an Apostolic Letter entitled Summorum Pontificum (Of the Supreme Pontiffs). This document, which sets down norms for the celebration of Mass in the Roman Rite, is set to take effect on Sept. 14, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Much talk preceded the release of this document. Some expressed great joy, while others felt the church would be taking a step backward. Now that it is published I think we can see that the Holy Father is genuinely and sincerely concerned about the historical and spiritual continuity of our ancient liturgy and also the proper celebration of it.
In Summorum Pontificum the Holy Father addresses the hurt and confusion regarding the Missal of St. Pius V or Tridentine Mass, casually called the Latin Mass, and the fact that it is no longer in regular use even though it was never abrogated by the Second Vatican Council Fathers.
He reaches out to those communities that may have been marginalized by this fact and by some of the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council and ultimately left the church, for example those who followed Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
Summorum Pontificum better defines for us the Roman Rite, which is the sacred liturgy of the Western Catholic Church. The Mass and Missal of Pope Paul VI promulgated in 1970 is to be considered the ordinary form of the Roman Rite; the Mass and Missal of St. Pius V, in the edition promulgated in 1962 by Blessed John XXIII is to be considered the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite. These ordinary and extraordinary forms make the one Roman Rite.
In developing and publishing these regulatory norms, Pope Benedict has set about to deepen an appreciation for the beauty of both forms in the hopes that each form will benefit from and contribute to the other.
We must be careful, as our Holy Father explains in his letter to bishops that accompanied Summorum Pontificum, not to be guilty of thinking one form is better or more sacred than the other form.
Both forms keep the liturgical continuity of our ancient rites. Both forms are to be considered a worthy part of our tradition.
In the letter, Pope Benedict also has given me as a diocesan bishop some foundational guidelines regarding the pastoral care of the diocese and the Rite. As the diocesan bishop, I have a great responsibility to ensure that the worship of the local diocesan church is done with great reverence and respect.
In the Church’s Code of Canon Law, Canon 835 §1 states: The bishops in the first place exercise the sanctifying function; they are the high priests, the principal dispensers of the mysteries of God, and the directors, promoters, and guardians of the entire liturgical life in the church entrusted to them.
Canon 835 §2 defines the role of the priest and his relation to the bishop when it comes to liturgy: Presbyters also exercise this function; sharing in the priesthood of Christ and as his ministers under the authority of the bishop, they are consecrated to celebrate divine worship and to sanctify the people.
I hold the rites of our church in great esteem and expect them to be celebrated properly and in a way that brings unity and growth to our people. Both forms of the Roman Rite require careful study and dedication to the ancient tradition of our church.
For a priest, the extraordinary form requires knowledge of Latin – both meaning and pronunciation – and the intricate movements of this particular form. We may not be able to respond immediately to situations because of this.
Our priests have many responsibilities in covering their current assignments. As a diocese, we will try our best to meet the needs of all our faithful in a way that builds and strengthens the prayer life of the local church.
An unofficial translation of the document from the Vatican is on our diocesan website, www.jacksondiocese.org, under Current News. In the upcoming issues of Mississippi Catholic, I hope to share more with you on the continuity, history and development of our ancient liturgy.
Letter entitled Summorum Pontificum (Of the Supreme Pontiffs). This document, which sets down norms for the celebration of Mass in the Roman Rite, is set to take effect on Sept. 14, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.