8 facts about Pope Francis’ motu proprio for mass in Latin

This Friday July 16, the Vatican published the motu proprio Tratidiones guards (Custodians of Tradition) of Pope Francis, which regulates the possibility of priests celebrating Mass in an extraordinary way, that is, with the missal before 1970.

We explain to you in this note what you need to know about this disposition of the Holy Father.

1.- The Pope’s reasons for publishing this motu proprio

In the document, the Pontiff recalls that Benedict XVI asked the bishops to send to the Vatican, in 2010, their evaluation of the use of Popes, a request that Pope Francis renewed in 2020 through the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Francisco claims he publishes customs guards “In view of the wishes expressed by the episcopate and after having listened to the advice of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith” with the aim of “continuing even more in the constant search for ecclesial communion”.

In the letter accompanying the motu proprio, the Pope affirms: “I am saddened by the instrumental use of the Roman Missal of 1962, which is characterized more and more by a growing rejection not only of the liturgical reform, but of the Vatican Council II, with the unfounded affirmation and unbearable that he betrayed Tradition and the “true Church” ”.

Francis also warns against “the abuses of both in the celebration of the liturgy” and therefore asks the bishops “to ensure that each liturgy is celebrated with decorum and fidelity to the liturgical books promulgated after the Second Vatican Council, without eccentricities which easily degenerate into abusing “.

“Liturgical celebrations are not private actions, but celebrations of the Church, which is the“ sacrament of unity ”; they must therefore be done in communion with the Church”, recalls the Holy Father.

2. The bishop will be the one who authorizes the Eucharist with the 1962 Missal.

Thus, among the measures taken, it is that the diocesan bishop will henceforth be the one who authorizes the use of the Roman Missal of 1962, following the guidelines of the Vatican.

If in the diocese there are groups that celebrate Mass in this way, the bishop must verify that they do not exclude the validity of the reform of the liturgy, from what is established by the Second Vatican Council and the magisterium of the popes.

3.- The bishop establishes when and where these masses are celebrated

The bishop will indicate one or more places where the faithful can meet to celebrate Mass in an extraordinary way. The document establishes that the place cannot be the parish church and that the prelate will indicate the days when they can be celebrated.

During these celebrations, the readings will be proclaimed in the vernacular, that is to say in the language of each place and not in Latin, using the translations of the Bible approved by the episcopal conferences.

4.- The bishop will designate a delegate priest to accompany these groups

The bishop will appoint a delegate priest to pastorally accompany these groups of the faithful.

For this he must know the Roman Missal before the reform of 1970, have a good knowledge of Latin “and must be animated by a lively pastoral charity and a sense of ecclesial communion”.

5.- No new group will be created to celebrate Mass with the 1962 Missal

Pope Francis’ document establishes that the bishop will have to review whether the personal parishes created for these faithful are still useful and can therefore decide to maintain them or not.

In addition, it will take care not to authorize the creation of new groups.

6.- Priests must ask permission from the bishop

If a priest ordained after the publication of the motu proprio customs guards wants to celebrate Mass with the 1962 Missal, he must make a formal request to the bishop, who in turn will consult the Vatican before giving his authorization.

Likewise, priests who already celebrate Mass in this way must ask the bishop for permission to maintain this faculty.

7.- Any provision not in accordance with motu proprio is abolished

Article 8 of customs guards establishes that: “The previous rules, instructions, concessions and uses which do not comply with the provisions of this Motu Proprio are repealed.

This means that provisions contrary to or different from what is established in this document are abolished. The most important preceding text on this subject is the motu proprio Popes by Benedict XVI, published in 2007.

8.- Unique expression of lex orandi

Article 1 of customs guards recalls that “the liturgical books promulgated by Holy Pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul II, in accordance with the decrees of Vatican Council II, are the sole expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite”.