Roman Rite
Extraordinary Form
Introduction
On 7 July Pope Benedict XVI published his long awaited Motu Proprio on the use of the Roman Liturgy prior to the reform of 1970. The Motu Proprio, legislation published by the Pope’s own initiative, replaces all previous indults.
The Holy Father accompanied Summorum Pontificum with a Letter to Bishops. In the letter he gave reasons for the publication of the Motu Proprio. He noted that there was a need for ‘clearer juridical regulation’ which had not been previously foreseen. The Norms ‘are also meant to free bishops from constantly having to evaluate anew how they are to respond to various situations’. Pope Benedict also speaks of the obligation ‘to make every effort to enable for all those who truly desire unity to remain in that unity or to attain it anew’.
The Pope speaks of two forms of the Roman Missal ‘the two fold use of one and the same rite’: the Ordinary form — the Missal of Paul VI is the normal ‘expression of the Lex orandi (Law of Prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin Rite’ and the Extraordinary form — the Missal of Bl. John XXIII, the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal issued following the Council of Trent. ‘There is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too.’
The Norms allows priests when they celebrate without the people to use either the Ordinary or Extraordinary form without the need for further permission. The Holy Father does note that use of the Extraordinary form ‘presupposes a certain degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language’ and that a priest cannot exclude using the Ordinary form. The faithful may attend these Masses if they ask to be admitted.
In a parish, where there is a ‘stable group of the faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition’ they may make a request of the parish priest for celebrations of the Extraordinary form of Mass. The Norms encourage the pastor to willingly accept their requests and to ensure that their welfare harmonises with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish — avoiding discord. At Masses using the Extraordinary form the readings may be given in the vernacular using an approved translation. Where the good of souls would seem to require it a pastor may give permission for the celebration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, Penance and the Anointing of the Sick using the Extraordinary form; in a similar way a bishop may celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The Motu Proprio came into effect on 14 September 2007, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. The full Latin text of the document can be found on the Vatican website. The text, together with an unofficial translation, has been published by Catholic Truth Society.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor said:
‘On behalf of the Bishops of England and Wales I welcome the Holy Father’s call for unity within the Church and especially towards those who are very attached to celebrating the Mass according to the Missal of 1962.
‘We are confident that the provisions already made throughout England and Wales under the indult granted back in 1971 go a significant way towards meeting the requirements of the new Norms. “I am confident that the Bishops of England and Wales are well placed to implement this timely Letter and the Norms which clarify the universal discipline of the Church.’
Ecclesia Dei website
Good Friday
On 5 February the Holy See issued a new prayer text to replace the Intercession in the Good Friday Liturgy ‘for the Jewish people’ for use in celebrations of the Extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.
Oremus et pro Iudaeis.
Ut Deus et Dominus noster illuminet corda eorum,
et agnoscant Iesum Christum salvatorem omnium hominum.
Oremus. Flectamus genua.
Levate.
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus,
qui vis ut omnes homines salvi fiant
et ad agnitionem veritatis veniant,
concede propitius,
ut plenitudine gentium in Ecclesiam Tuam
intrante omnis Israel salvus fiat.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen
A reading of the text in English could be:
Let us pray for the Jewish people.
May the Lord Our God enlighten their hearts
so that they may acknowledge Jesus Christ,
the saviour of all men.
Let us pray. Let us kneel.
Arise.
Almighty and everlasting God,
you who want all men to be saved
and to reach the awareness of the truth,
graciously grant that,
with the fullness of peoples entering into your church,
all Israel may be saved.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.