Newspaper Page Text
POPE PAUL DECREE
Liturgy Motu
Proprio Text
CONTINUED FROM PAGE I
days and holy days.
IV. In the same way, we also
put into immediate effect the
norms contained in Article 71,
which permits administration of
the sacrament of Confirmation
during holy Mass when conven
ient.
V. Concerning Article 78, we
admonish all concerned that the
sacrament of Matrimony must
normally be celebrated during
holy Mass, after the reading of
the Gospel and the sermon.
lar on behalf of the territorial
authority.
X. Since in accord with Arti
cle 22, paragraph 2, the direc
tion of the liturgy within geo
graphical limits comes within
the competence of the legiti
mately constituted territorial
episcopal "territorial" be un
derstood as meaning national.
IN ADDITION to residential
bishops, all who are mentioned
in Canon 292 of the Code of
Canon Law may participate in
these national conferences, with
the right to vote.
A PHOTO FIRST? Many think so. Photographers awaiting the arrival of Pope Paul VI
in St. Peter’s Basilica snapped this picture cf Bishop Charles P. Greco of Alexandria, La.,
addressing the council. Several bishops remarked that this was the first time a Council
Father had ever been photographed addressing a general congregation of Vatican Coun
cil II.
START WITH LENT
If Matrimony is administer
ed outside the Mass, we order
that the following rules be ob
served until a new ritual is es
tablished: At the beginning of
this sacred rite (constitution.
Article 35, paragraph 3), after
a brief exhortation, the Gospel
and Epistle of the Nuptial Mass
must be read; and then let
spouses receive the blessing
which is contained in the Roman
Ritual in Section 8, Chapter III.
VI. Although the Divine Of
fice has not yet been revised
and renewed according to the
norms of article 89, we never
theless grant immediately the
following permission to all who
obliged to recite the Divine Of
fice. From Feb. 16, in recita
tion of our office outside of
choir, they may omit the hour of
Prime and choose from among
the three other little hours one
that best suits the time of day,
always without prejudice to the
dispositions of Articles 95 and
96 of the constitution.
We make this concession with
strong confidence this will not
detract in any way from the
piety of the clergy, but rather
that in diligently carrying out
the duties of their priestly of
fice for the love of God, they
may feel more closely united
to God throughout the day.
VII. Still regarding the Di
vine Office, we ordain that bis
hops may for just and well-con
sidered reasons dispense their
own subjects wholly or in part
from the obligation of reciting
it, or substituting another pious
practice for it. (constitution.
Article 97).
VIU. Still regarding the Di
vine Office, we desire that those
members of institutes of per
fection who, according to their
constitutions, recite some part
of the Divine Office, or some
"little office," provided this is
drawn up on the pattern of the
Divine Office and regularly ap
proved are to be considered as
taking part in the public pray
er of the Church, (constitution,
Article 98).
IX. Since according to Arti
cle 101 of the constitution those
who are obliged to recite the Di
vine Office rriay in various ways
be permitted to use the vernacu
lar instead of Latin, we deem
it proper to specify that the var
ious versions proposed by the
competent territorial bishops'
conference must always be re
viewed and approved by the
Holy See. We order that this
practice always be observed
whenever a liturgical Latin text
is translated into the vernacu
Affect Entire Rite
In addition, coadjutor and au
xiliary bishops may also be
called to these conferences. In
these conferences, legitimate
approval of decrees requires
a two-thirds majority, with the
voting secret.
XI. Finally we wish to em
phasize that—beyond what we
in this apostolic letter on lit
urgical matters have either
changed or have ordered car
ried out at the established time
—regulation of the liturgy
comes solely within the autho
rity of the Church: that is, of
thi s Apostolic See and, in ac
cordance with the law, of the
bishop. Consequently, abso
lutely no one else, not even a
priest, can on his own initia
tive add or subtract or change
anything in liturgical matters,
(constitution, Article 22, para
graphs 1 and 3).
We ordain that all we have es
tablished with this motu proprio
should remain valid, and in
force, everything to the con
trary notwithstanding.
Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s,
Jan. 25, 1964, the feast of
the Conversion of St. Paul the
Apostle, in the first year of our
pontificate.
Revisions
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — A
series of historic revisions in
the Mass affecting the entire
Latin Rite of the Roman Catho
lic Church — was announced by
the Sacred Congregation of
Rites, with March 7, 1965, the
first Sunday of Lent, designat
ed as the date when they will be
come effective.
APPROVED by Pope Paul VI,
the changes were disclosed in
an instruction distributed to the
prelates attending the Second
Vatican Council. They repre
sent a preliminary step in an
over-all reform decreed in the
Constitution on the Liturgy ap
proved by the Council last De
cember.
One of the changes — work
ed out by a special 40-mem
ber Council commission that
included Joseph Cardinal Rit
ter, Archbishop of St. Louis,
Mo., and Archbishop Paul J.
Hallinan of Atlanta, Ga„ pro
vided that priests hereafter
celebrate the Mass while fac
ing the congregation.
Actually the instruction mere
ly permits Mass to be celebrat
ed in this fashion to help pop
ular participation in the Sacri
fice, but this is not a rigid
requirement. It is preferred,
however. Miss may be cele
brated with the priest facing the
people even if there is a small
tabernacle on the altar. The
tabernacle may even be on the
main altar or another altar so
as not to be an obstacle to say
ing Mass while facing the peo
ple.
SOME of the other changes
approved were:
Omission of the Last Gospel
and the prayers after Mass.The
time saved will provide more
time forpreaching which the
Vatican Council insisted is an
integral part of the Mass, and
also for the new Prayer for the
People.
In reading the Gospel, the
priest must face the people.
Three of the most solemn
prayers which until now have
been recited silently by the
priest must be sung or said
aloud. These are: the pray
ers over the offerings, call
ed the Secret; the concluding
doxology or Eucharistic pray
er; and the prayer for deliv
erance from evil and for peace
which is added to the Lord's
Prayer.
At Low Mass, it is prefer
able that the lector, whether
priest orlaymm. read the Epis
tle while the celebrant listens.
The same lector may read the
chants which follow the Epistle
unless they are sung or recit
ed by others.
THE FAITHFUL who receive
Holy Communion at the Easter
Vigil Mass or at Christmas
Midnight Mass iruy also receive
the Sacrament again at Masson
Easter Sunday morning or
Christmas Day.
It has already been announ
ced that the vernacular, or lo
cal languages, will be intn.
duced in parts of the Mass —
as well as in the administration
of certain Sacraments — on
varying dates in different coun
tries. In the United States, this
will begin on Nov. 29, the first
Sunday in Advent.
MEMBERS of the Archdiocesan Commission on Sacred Liturgy
are shown here. Seated and left to right. Fr. Ellis DePriest,
S.M., Mrs. Paul Traina, Dr. Joseph Wilber, Mrs. Thomas Bock-
man, Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan. Standing, left to right: Fr.
Leonard F. X. Mayhew, Mr. G. T. Deckbar, Mr. Louis Erba,
Fr. Alan Dillman, Fr. William Hoffman, Fr. Jarleth Burke,
Fr. Dale Freeman.