Modesty - Men & Women

St. Pantaleon - Martyr
J.M.J.

I know that there is a Catholic standard of modesty in dress for women. But
is there also a standard of dress for men?

Absolutely there is, for exactly the same principles apply for men as for
women.

Modesty is a moral virtue, and a part of the virtue of temperance, by
which a person brings moderation to his outward and inward actions (inasmuch
as they can be reflected by certain exterior signs), in order to keep them
under the control of right reason (Summa Theologica, IIa IIae Q.160, a.2).
Saint Thomas Aquinas lists four kinds of modesty in ordinary matters, that
are obligatory for everybody:

- One is the movement of the mind towards some excellence, and this
is moderated by humility.

- The second is the desire of things pertaining to knowledge, and
this is moderated by studiousness which is opposed to curiosity.

- The third regards bodily movements and actions (including words),
which require to be done becomingly and honestly, whether we act seriously
or in play.

- The fourth regards outward show, for instance in dress and the
like. (Ibid.)

If all four aspects of modesty are equally important, there remains no
doubt that the last two, which have no special name, are most commonly
understood by the term modesty. Moreover, it is most especially the last
that is referred to by modesty, on account of the disorder of fallen human
nature, which is most easily overcome by a disordered attraction to the last
kind of immodesty.

Clearly men have an equal duty as women to avoid provocative words or
actions and to avoid any kind of dress that might show off their person or
their body, leading to vanity. Like women, they are hence forbidden to
display their bodies in public in an unseemly manner, or in a way that might
produce a disordered attraction in the opposite sex. Men should always wear
a shirt for gymnastics, and shorts should not be worn in public, but only be
used for athletics, and should not be too brief or too tight. Likewise, men
should dress modestly for Sunday Mass, with shirt, tie, jacket, trousers,
all of which symbolize a man's sense of responsibility, leading his family
by the orderly self-discipline of modest dress, and doing his duty in the
true worship of God.

However, there are two important differences in the application of
these principles to men, as compared to women, and which are the reason why
the Church's documents on the subject refer to modesty in women. The first
is that the nature of a woman makes her much more prone to the temptation of
vanity, to show off her body, and the nature of a man makes him much more
tempted by seeing this. Consequently, the gravest and most dangerous
offenses against modesty, understood in its fourth and most restricted
meaning, namely as against purity, are by women.

It is for this reason that the Church has been so much more adamant
about women's dress, as in the following quote from a decree of the Sacred
Congregation of the Council of January 18, 1930:

His Holiness, Pius XI, has never ceased to inculcate in word and writing
that precept of Saint Paul (I Tim 2:5, 10) -"Women also in decent apparel;
adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety.as it becometh women
professing godliness with good works."

And on many occasions the same Supreme Pontiff has reproved and sharply
condemned the immodesty in dress which today is everywhere in vogue; even
among women and girls who are Catholics; a practice which does grave injury
to the crowning virtue and glory of women, and moreover unfortunately leads
not merely to their temporal disadvantage, but, what is worse, to their
eternal ruin and that of other souls.

It is no wonder, then, that Bishops and other Ordinaries of places, as
becomes ministers of Christ, have in their respective diocese unanimously
resisted in every way this licentious and shameless fashion and in doing so
have cheerfully and courageously borne the derision and ridicule sometimes
directed at them by the ill-disposed..

There is a second reason why modesty of dress is especially applicable
to women over men. It is that there is a special form of immodesty that is
characteristic of our modern times, and it is the immodesty of women wearing
men's clothes, most notably pants and shorts. This undermines a woman's
psychological perception of herself, and of her difference from a man, which
in turn de-feminizes her, erodes natural respect between men and women,
removes the defense to over-familiarity, and eventually degrades the
relationships between men and women to the level of sensuality. It is this
form of immodesty which is ultimately by far the most destructive of human
relationships and of the virtue of purity.

If, therefore, there is certainly a standard of modesty for men, it
must always be remembered that the battle for women's modesty is both much
more crucial and much more difficult to win.

Real men will, however, teach and lead by their example. If they have a
difficult time insisting on the modesty of their wife or daughters, they
will remember to practice very precisely all the four kinds of modesty
mentioned above, and their admonitions will bear fruit.

[Q&A from the Angelus - December 1999 by Father Scott]

Please visit our website (http://www.olrl.org/virtues/) for more on the virtue of modesty.

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The Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum"

St. Bonaventure
J.M.J.

Apostolic Letter
In the form of "Motu Proprio"
SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM

BENEDICT XVI

It has always been the care of the Supreme Pontiffs until the present time,
that the Church of Christ offer worthy worship to the Divine Majesty "for
the praise and glory of his name" and "for the good of all his Holy Church."

As from time immemorial so in the future the principle shall be respected
"according to which each particular Church must be in accord with the
universal Church not only regarding the doctrine of the faith and
sacramental signs, but also as to the usages universally handed down by
apostolic and unbroken tradition. These are to be maintained not only so
that errors may be avoided, but also so that the faith may be passed on in
its integrity, since the Church's rule of prayer (lex orandi) corresponds to
her rule of belief (lex credendi)."

Among Pontiffs who have displayed such care there excels the name of Saint
Gregory the Great, who saw to the transmission to the new peoples of Europe
both of the Catholic faith and of the treasures of worship and culture
accumulated by the Romans in preceding centuries. He gave instructions for
the form of the Sacred Liturgy of both the Sacrifice of the Mass and of the
Divine Office as was celebrated in the City. He made the greatest efforts to
foster monks and nuns, who militating under the Rule of St Benedict, in
every place along with the proclamation of the Gospel by their life likewise
exemplified that most salutary expression of the Rule "let nothing be given
precedence over the work of God" (ch. 43). In this way the sacred liturgy
according to the Roman manner made fertile not only the faith and piety but
also the culture of many peoples. Moreover it is evident that the Latin
Liturgy in its various forms has stimulated in the spiritual life very many
Saints in every century of the Christian age and strengthened in the virtue
of religion so many peoples and made fertile their piety.

However, in order that the Sacred Liturgy might more efficaciously absolve
its task, several others among the Roman Pontiffs in the course of the
centuries have brought to bear particular concern, among whom Saint Pius V
is eminent, who with great pastoral zeal, at the exhortation of the Council
of Trent, renewed the worship of the whole Church, ensuring the publishing
of liturgical books amended and "restored according to the norm of the
Fathers" and put them into use in the Latin Church.

It is clear that among the liturgical books of the Roman Rite the Roman
Missal is eminent. It grew in the city of Rome and gradually down through
the centuries took on forms which are very similar to those in vigor in
recent generations.

"It was this same goal that as time passed the Roman Pontiffs pursued,
adapting or establishing liturgical rites and books to new ages and then at
the start of the present century undertaking a more ample restoration." It
was in this manner that our Predecessors Clement VIII, Urban VIII, St Pius X
, Benedict XV, Pius XII and the Blessed John XXIII acted.

In more recent time, however, the Second Vatican Council expressed the
desire that with due respect and reverence for divine worship it be restored
and adapted to the needs of our age. Prompted by this desire, our
Predecessor the Supreme Pontiff Paul VI in 1970 approved for the Latin
Church liturgical books restored and partly renewed, and that throughout the
world translated into many vernacular languages, have been welcomed by the
Bishops and by the priests and faithful. John Paul II revised the third
typical edition of the Roman Missal. Thus the Roman Pontiffs have acted so
that "this liturgical edifice, so to speak, .might once again appear
splendid in its dignity and harmony."

However in some regions not a small number of the faithful have been and
remain attached with such great love and affection to the previous
liturgical forms, which had profoundly imbued their culture and spirit, that
the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, prompted by pastoral concern for these
faithful, in 1984 by means of a special Indult Quattuor abhinc annos, drawn
up by the Congregation for Divine Worship, granted the faculty to use the
Roman Missal published by John XXIII in 1962; while in 1988 John Paul II
once again, by means of the Motu Proprio Ecclesia Dei, exhorted the Bishops
to make wide and generous use of this faculty in favor of all the faithful
requesting it.

Having pondered at length the pressing requests of these faithful to our
Predecessor John Paul II, having also heard the Fathers of the Consistory of
Cardinals held on 23 March 2006, having pondered all things, invoked the
Holy Spirit and placed our confidence in the help of God, by this present
Apostolic Letter we DECREE the following.

Art. 1. The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is to be regarded as the
ordinary expression of the law of prayer (lex orandi) of the Catholic Church
of Latin Rite, while the Roman Missal promulgated by St Pius V and published
again by Blessed John XXIII as the extraordinary expression of the law of
prayer (lex orandi) and on account of its venerable and ancient use let it
enjoy due honor. These two expressions of the law of prayer (lex orandi) of
the Church in no way lead to a division in the law of prayer (lex orandi) of
the Church, for they are two uses of the one Roman Rite.

Hence it is licit to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass in accordance with
the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in
1962 and never abrogated, as the extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the
Church. The conditions laid down by the previous documents Quattuor abhinc
annos and Ecclesia Dei for the use of this Missal are replaced by what
follows:

Art. 2. In Masses celebrated without the people, any priest of Latin rite,
whether secular or religious, can use the Roman Missal published by Pope
Blessed John XXIII in 1962 or the Roman Missal promulgated by the Supreme
Pontiff Paul VI in 1970, on any day except in the Sacred Triduum. For
celebration in accordance with one or the other Missal, a priest does not
require any permission, neither from the Apostolic See nor his own Ordinary.

Art. 3. If Communities or Institutes of Consecrated Life or Societies of
Apostolic Life of either pontifical or diocesan rite desire to have a
celebration of Holy Mass in accordance with the edition of the Roman Missal
promulgated in 1962 in the conventual or "community" celebration in their
own oratories, this is allowed. If an individual community or the entire
Institute or Society wants to have such celebrations often or habitually or
permanently, the matter is to be decided by the Major Superiors according to
the norm of law and the particular laws and statutes.

Art. 4. With due observance of law, even Christ's faithful who spontaneously
request it, may be admitted to celebrations of Holy Mass mentioned in art. 2
above.

Art. 5, ^1. In parishes where a group of faithful attached to the previous
liturgical tradition exists stably, let the pastor willingly accede to their
requests for the celebration of the Holy Mass according to the rite of the
Roman Missal published in 1962. Let him see to it that the good of these
faithful be harmoniously reconciled with ordinary pastoral care of the
parish, under the governance of the Bishop according to canon 392, avoiding
discord and fostering the unity of the whole Church.

^ 2. Celebration according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII can take
place on weekdays, while on Sundays and on feast days there may be one such
celebration.

^ 3. Let the pastor permit celebrations in this extraordinary form for
faithful or priests who request it, even in particular circumstances such as
weddings, funerals or occasional celebrations, for example pilgrimages.

^ 4. Priests using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII must be worthy and not
impeded by law.

^ 5. In churches, which are neither parochial nor conventual, it is the
Rector of the church who grants the above-mentioned permission.

Art. 6. In Masses celebrated with the people according to the Missal of
Blessed John XXIII, the Readings can be proclaimed even in the vernacular,
using editions that have received the recognitio of the Apostolic See.

Art. 7. Where some group of lay faithful, mentioned in art. 5^1 does not
obtain what it requests from the pastor, it should inform the diocesan
Bishop of the fact. The Bishop is earnestly requested to grant their desire.
If he cannot provide for this kind of celebration, let the matter be
referred to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.

Art. 8. A Bishop who desires to make provision for requests of lay faithful
of this kind, but is for various reasons prevented from doing so, may refer
the matter to the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei", which should give
him advice and help.

Art. 9, ^ 1. Likewise a pastor may, all things duly considered, grant
permission to use the older ritual in administering the Sacraments of
Baptism, Matrimony, Penance and the Anointing of the Sick, as the good of
souls may suggest.

^ 2. Ordinaries are granted the faculty to celebrate the sacrament of
Confirmation using the former Roman Pontifical, as the good of souls may
suggest.

^ 3. It is lawful for clerics in holy orders to use even the Roman Breviary
promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962.

Art 10. It is lawful for the local Ordinary, if he judges it opportune, to
erect a personal parish according to the norm of canon 518 for celebrations
according to the older form of the Roman rite or appoint a rector or
chaplain, with due observance of the requirements of law.

Art. 11. The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, erected in 1988 by John
Paul II, continues to carry out its function. This Commission is to have the
form, duties and norm for action that the Roman Pontiff may wish to assign
to it.

Art. 12. The same Commission, in addition to the faculties it already
enjoys, will exercise the authority of the Holy See by maintaining vigilance
over the observance and application of these dispositions.

Whatever is decreed by Us by means of this Motu Proprio, we order to be firm
and ratified and to be observed as of 14 September this year, the feast of
the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, all things to the contrary
notwithstanding.

Given at Rome, at St Peter's, on 7 July in the Year of Our Lord 2007, the
Third of Our Pontificate.
BENEDICT XVI

____________________
1. General Instruction of the Roman Missal, third edition, 2002, n. 397

2. Pope John Paul II, Ap. Letter Vicesimus quintus annus, 4 December 1988,
n. 3: AAS 81 (1989) p. 899.

3. Ibidem.

4. Pope St Pius X, Motu Proprio Abhinc duos annos, 23 October 1913: AAS 5
(1913) 449-450; cf. Pope John Paul II, Ap. Letter Vicesimus quintus annus, 4
December 1988, n. 3: AAS 81 (1989) p. 899

5. Cf. Pope John Paul II, Motu proprio Ecclesia Dei adflicta, 2 July 1988,
n. 6: AAS 80 (1988) p. 1498.

(This unofficial translation has been prepared by the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for the Liturgy. Only the Latin
original of the Apostolic Letter may be considered the official text.)

----------------------------------

Visit http://www.cfnews.org/cfn.htm for the accompanying letter from Pope
Benedict XVI and more information on the "Motu Proprio."

-----------------------------------
Motu proprio is the name given to a certain type of Papal rescript, where
the clause motu proprio (of his own accord) is used, signifying that the
provisions of the rescript were decided by the pope personally and not by a
cardinal or other advisors. It is normally in the form of a decree,
resembling a Papal brief except that it is not sealed and countersigned. The
first motu proprio was issued by Pope Innocent VIII in 1484.
----------------------------------

For information on why we should attend the traditional Latin Mass please read the articles on our website at http://www.olrl.org/new_mass/. Visit our "Online Store" to purchase your 1962 Daily Missal for the Tridentine Mass (http://www.olrl.org/mm5/merchant.mvc).
You may call us at 502-425-9738 or send an email if you need help locating a traditional Latin Mass in your area.

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"Pray and work for souls"
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"BECAUSE OUT OF REVERENCE towards this sacrament,
nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the
corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise
the priest's hands, for touching this sacrament."
-ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, Summa Theologica

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Instruction on Blessing

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
St. Elizabeth Queen of Portugal - Widow
J.M.J.

INSTRUCTION ON BLESSING

And He blessed them. (Mark VIII. 7.)

Seduced by Satan, the first man violated the holy command of God, and by his
sin brought upon himself and his habitation the curse of divine wrath (Gen.
III. 17.). Man was made by God, and therefore subject: to Him, but was
himself master of all created things. After the sin of disobedience,
however, all creation revolted against him: the animals fled from him, the
fields yielded only thorns and thistles, the herbs became poisonous to him,
or refused him their former wholesome power. Innumerable evils followed, all
men and even the whole earth suffered from them; the devil drew both into
his sphere and made them his servants, and this evil spirit now made use of
created, things to divert man altogether from God and to cause his eternal
ruin. But God decreed that man and earth should not remain in this
condition: Christ, the Son of God, came upon earth, redeemed it from the
bonds of Satan, and gave all men the power to become once more God's
children. The devil was conquered by the cross, but not slain; man and the
earth were indeed taken from his dominion, but not from his influence; for
he even now, as the apostle writes, goes about like a roaring lion, seeking
whom he may devour (I Peter V. 8.); and as he used the forbidden fruit in
paradise to seduce man, he now uses the created things of the earth to tempt
man, and make him his servant.

Man and all creation had to be drawn from this pernicious influence, to be
liberated from the bondage of corruption and be brought to the freedom of
the children of God (Rom. VIII. 19.). This is done in the Church, to which
Christ entrusted the power of binding and loosing, and gave the work of
sanctifying through the Holy Ghost, by means of blessing and consecrating.
By virtue of the merits of Christ, and with the assistance of the Holy
Ghost, the Church, or the priest in her name, therefore blesses and
consecrates persons as well as other created things which they are to use,
or which she is to apply to the service of God. In this the Church follows
the example of Christ and the Apostles. Jesus embraced children and laid His
hands upon them, blessing them (Mark X. 16.); He blessed bread and fishes,
the food of thousands; blessed bread and wine at the last supper (Matt.
XXVI. 26.); was recognized by the disciples in the blessing of bread (Luke
XXIV. 30.); blessing the disciples He ascended into heaven (Luke XXIV. 51.);
by His command the apostles wished peace to every house into which they
stepped (Matt. X. 12, 13.); and St. Paul expressly says, that every living
thing is sanctified by prayer and the word of God (I Tim. IV. 5.). Following
the example and command of Christ the Church also introduced blessings and
benedictions which were prefigured in the Old Law. God commanded the priests
to sanctify and to consecrate whatever was to belong to His service (Levit.
VIII.), and the Old Law is full of blessings and consecrations which had to
be used by the priests (Exod. XXIX. 36.; XXX. 25.; XI. 9.); and if persons
and things used for God's service were to be blessed, how much more so in
the New Law which in place of the type, contains the reality and truth! The
testimony of Scripture is confirmed by all the holy Fathers, and by the
constant practice of the Church which has received from Christ, the power to
bless and to consecrate.

The blessing or benediction of the Church is nothing more than a prayer of
intercession which the priest makes in the name of the Church, that for the
sake of Christ (therefore the sign of the cross) and the prayers of the
saints, God may give His blessings to a person or thing, and sanctify it.
Through consecration, in which besides prayer and the sign of the cross, the
anointing with holy oil is used, things required for divine service are
separated from all other things and especially sanctified. Thus persons,
fruits, bread, wine, houses, ships and fields, are blessed; churches,
altars, bells, etc., are consecrated.

What virtue have these blessings?

The chief effects of the blessing of persons are: Preservation or liberation
from the influence of Satan; preservation of the soul from his temptations
and evil suggestions; preservation of the body and of the property from his
pernicious malice; forgiveness of venial sins, and strength to suppress
concupiscence; curing of sickness and physical evils, whether natural or
supernatural; a blessing upon the person and his surroundings; the imparting
of the grace of conversion; the advantage of the prayer of the Church and
further grace for the remission of temporal and eternal punishment. The
blessing of things withdraws them from the influence of the devil, so that
he can no longer use them as a means of bringing us into sin, but that they
rather serve us as a protection against the evil spirits and as a means for
our salvation.

Whence do the blessings derive their force?

From the merits of Christ who by His death on the cross vanquished Satan.
The Church asks God that He will through these merits and through the
intercession of the saints bless a person or thing, and make that which is
blessed profitable to us for both body and soul. Whether or not the effects
manifest themselves in the person who receives the blessing, or makes use of
the object blessed, depends on his faith and moral condition, as also on the
usefulness or profit of the blessing to him. We should not, then, place
obstacles in its way by diffidence in God and the prayers of the Church or
by a sinful life, but should always be convinced that these benedictions
will serve for our benefit, if according to God's will they are used as the
Church intends, as a means to overcome evil, to sanctify ourselves, and to
honor God.

Why are salt and water blessed?

This is plainly shown in the prayer the priest says in blessing them; for he
asks, in the name of the Church, that God may pour the virtue of His
blessing over the water that it may conquer devils, prevent sickness, and
that everything which is sprinkled with it, may be preserved from every
injury, and that He may bless the salt, so that it may be salutary for the
body and soul of all who use it. The salt which Eliseus sprinkled into the
unwholesome waters of Jericho healed them (IV King. II. 20. 21.), and is a
type of blessed salt.

Why are the people sprinkled with holy water on Sundays?

To remind the people of the interior purity with which they should come to
divine service, and fulfill the duties of their calling; and to exhort them
to purify themselves from the stains of sin by tears of sorrow, and
repentance. Hence the priest in sprinkling the faithful recites the words of
the fiftieth psalm: Asperges me hyssopo, etc. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I
shall be cleansed; to remind them to preserve the purity and innocence
procured by the blood of the Lamb of God, and communicated to them in
baptism. Finally, the people are sprinkled that the temptations of the devil
may depart from them, enabling them to attend with great fervor and with
more recollection to the holy service.

What else is to be remembered concerning the use of blessed things?

That they are to be used with faithful confidence for the purpose for which
the Church blessed them, and are to be treated with great reverence, because
they are blessed by the Church in the name of Jesus, a custom almost as old
as Christianity itself. The Christian must not believe that blessed things
which he possesses, carries, or uses, will make him holy, for he should
always remember that things blessed are only a means of sanctification, and
are only effectual when the faithful have the earnest will to die rather
than sin, to fight with all fervor against the enemies of their salvation,
to follow Christ, and be thereby received into the freedom of the children
of God, and into heaven.

---------------------

The above is taken from Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine's The Church's Year -
INSTRUCTION ON THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
available online at

http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/The_Church_Year/index.htm

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"Pray and work for souls"
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Letter of the Superior General of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X to the Faithful

Dear faithful,

 The Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum
of July 7, 2007 reinstates the Tridentine Mass in its right. In the
text it is clearly acknowledged that it had never been abrogated. Thus
fidelity to this Mass – for the sake of which many priests and lay
people have been persecuted or even penalized for almost forty years –
this fidelity never was a disobedience. Today it is merely a matter of
justice to thank Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre for having maintained us in
this fidelity to the Mass of all times in the name of true obedience,
and against all the abuses of power. There is also no doubt that this
recognition of the right of the traditional Mass is the fruit of the
very many rosaries addressed to Our Lady during our Rosary Crusade last
October; we must now know how to tell her our gratitude.

 Beyond
the re-establishment  of the Mass of Saint Pius V in its legitimate
right, it is important to study the concrete measures issued by the
Motu Proprio and the justification given by Benedict XVI in the letter
accompanying the text:

 -       By right,
the practical dispositions taken by the pope must enable the
traditional liturgy – not only the Mass, but also the sacraments – to
be celebrated normally. This is an immense spiritual benefit for the
whole Church, for the priests and faithful who were up to now paralyzed
by the unjust authority of the bishops. However, in the coming months
it will be good to observe how these measures are applied in fact
by the bishops and parish priests. For this reason, we will continue to
pray for the pope so that he may remain steadfast after the courageous
act he has done.

-       The letter
accompanying the Motu Proprio gives the pope’s reasons. The affirmation
of the existence of one single rite under two forms – the ordinary and
the extraordinary forms --, of equal rights and especially the
rejection of the exclusive celebration of the traditional liturgy, may,
it is true, be interpreted as the expression of a political desire not
to confront the Bishops’ Conferences which are openly opposed to any
liberalization of the Tridentine Mass. But we may also see in this an
expression of the "reform of the reform" desired by the pope himself,
and in which, as he himself writes in this letter, the Mass of Saint
Pius V and of Paul VI would fecundate each other.

 In
any case, there is with Benedict XVI the clear desire to re-affirm the
continuity of Vatican II and the Mass issued from it, with the
bimillenary Tradition. This denial of a rupture caused by the last
council – already made manifest in his address to the Curia on December
22, 2005 – shows that what is at stakes in the debate between Rome and
the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X is essentially doctrinal. For this
reason, the undeniable step forward made by the Motu Proprio in the
liturgical domain must be followed – after the withdrawal of the decree
of excommunication – by theological discussions.

 The
reference to Archbishop Lefebvre and the Society of Saint Pius X made
in the accompanying letter, as well as the acknowledgment of the
testimony given by the young generations which take up the torch of
Tradition, clearly point out that our constancy to defend the lex orandi has been taken into account. With God’s help, we must continue the combat for the lex credendi, the combat for the faith, with the same firmness.

 Menzingen, July 7, 2007

 + Bernard Fellay

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Letter of Pope Benedict XVI to the Bishops of the World to Present the "Motu Proprio" on the Use of the Roman Liturgy prior to the Reforms of 1970.

This letter of Pope Benedict XVI was issued 7 July
2007 together with his Apostolic Letter "Summorum Pontificum" on the
celebration of the Roman Rite according to the Missal of 1962. The
following is the Vatican's unofficial translation of the official Latin
text.

My dear Brother Bishops,



With great trust and hope, I am consigning to you as Pastors the text of
a new Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" on the use of the Roman
liturgy prior to the reform of 1970. The document is the fruit of much
reflection, numerous consultations and prayer.



News reports and judgments made without sufficient information have
created no little confusion. There have been very divergent reactions
ranging from joyful acceptance to harsh opposition, about a plan whose
contents were in reality unknown.



This document was most directly opposed on account of two fears, which I
would like to address somewhat more closely in this letter.



In the first place, there is the fear that the document detracts from
the authority of the Second Vatican Council, one of whose essential
decisions – the liturgical reform – is being called into question. This
fear is unfounded. In this regard, it must first be said that the Missal
published by Paul VI and then republished in two subsequent editions by
John Paul II, obviously is and continues to be the normal Form – the
Forma ordinaria – of the Eucharistic Liturgy. The last version of the
Missale Romanum prior to the Council, which was published with the
authority of Pope John XXIII in 1962 and used during the Council, will
now be able to be used as a Forma extraordinaria of the liturgical
celebration. It is not appropriate to speak of these two versions of the
Roman Missal as if they were "two Rites". Rather, it is a matter of a
twofold use of one and the same rite.



As for the use of the 1962 Missal as a Forma extraordinaria of the
liturgy of the Mass, I would like to draw attention to the fact that
this Missal was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in
principle, was always permitted. At the time of the introduction of the
new Missal, it did not seem necessary to issue specific norms for the
possible use of the earlier Missal. Probably it was thought that it
would be a matter of a few individual cases which would be resolved,
case by case, on the local level. Afterwards, however, it soon became
apparent that a good number of people remained strongly attached to this
usage of the Roman Rite, which had been familiar to them from childhood.
This was especially the case in countries where the liturgical movement
had provided many people with a notable liturgical formation and a deep,
personal familiarity with the earlier Form of the liturgical
celebration. We all know that, in the movement led by Archbishop
Lefebvre, fidelity to the old Missal became an external mark of
identity; the reasons for the break which arose over this, however, were
at a deeper level. Many people who clearly accepted the binding
character of the Second Vatican Council, and were faithful to the Pope
and the Bishops, nonetheless also desired to recover the form of the
sacred liturgy that was dear to them. This occurred above all because in
many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the
new Missal, but the latter actually was understood as authorizing or
even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the
liturgy which were hard to bear. I am speaking from experience, since I
too lived through that period with all its hopes and its confusion. And
I have seen how arbitrary deformations of the liturgy caused deep pain
to individuals totally rooted in the faith of the Church.



Pope John Paul II thus felt obliged to provide, in his Motu Proprio
Ecclesia Dei (2 July 1988), guidelines for the use of the 1962 Missal;
that document, however, did not contain detailed prescriptions but
appealed in a general way to the generous response of Bishops towards
the "legitimate aspirations" of those members of the faithful who
requested this usage of the Roman Rite. At the time, the Pope primarily
wanted to assist the Society of Saint Pius X to recover full unity with
the Successor of Peter, and sought to heal a wound experienced ever more
painfully. Unfortunately this reconciliation has not yet come about.
Nonetheless, a number of communities have gratefully made use of the
possibilities provided by the Motu Proprio. On the other hand,
difficulties remain concerning the use of the 1962 Missal outside of
these groups, because of the lack of precise juridical norms,
particularly because Bishops, in such cases, frequently feared that the
authority of the Council would be called into question. Immediately
after the Second Vatican Council it was presumed that requests for the
use of the 1962 Missal would be limited to the older generation which
had grown up with it, but in the meantime it has clearly been
demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical
form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the
Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them. Thus
the need has arisen for a clearer juridical regulation which had not
been foreseen at the time of the 1988 Motu Proprio. The present Norms
are also meant to free Bishops from constantly having to evaluate anew
how they are to respond to various situations.



In the second place, the fear was expressed in discussions about the
awaited Motu Proprio, that the possibility of a wider use of the 1962
Missal would lead to disarray or even divisions within parish
communities. This fear also strikes me as quite unfounded. The use of
the old Missal presupposes a certain degree of liturgical formation and
some knowledge of the Latin language; neither of these is found very
often. Already from these concrete presuppositions, it is clearly seen
that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary Form of the Roman
Rite, not only on account of the juridical norms, but also because of
the actual situation of the communities of the faithful.



It is true that there have been exaggerations and at times social
aspects unduly linked to the attitude of the faithful attached to the
ancient Latin liturgical tradition. Your charity and pastoral prudence
will be an incentive and guide for improving these. For that matter, the
two Forms of the usage of the Roman Rite can be mutually enriching: new
Saints and some of the new Prefaces can and should be inserted in the
old Missal. The "Ecclesia Dei" Commission, in contact with various
bodies devoted to the usus antiquior, will study the practical
possibilities in this regard. The celebration of the Mass according to
the Missal of Paul VI will be able to demonstrate, more powerfully than
has been the case hitherto, the sacrality which attracts many people to
the former usage. The most sure guarantee that the Missal of Paul VI can
unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being
celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical
directives. This will bring out the spiritual richness and the
theological depth of this Missal.



I now come to the positive reason which motivated my decision to issue
this Motu Proprio updating that of 1988. It is a matter of coming to an
interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church. Looking back over
the past, to the divisions which in the course of the centuries have
rent the Body of Christ, one continually has the impression that, at
critical moments when divisions were coming about, not enough was done
by the Church’s leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity.
One has the impression that omissions on the part of the Church have had
their share of blame for the fact that these divisions were able to
harden. This glance at the past imposes an obligation on us today: to
make every effort to unable for all those who truly desire unity to
remain in that unity or to attain it anew. I think of a sentence in the
Second Letter to the Corinthians, where Paul writes: "Our mouth is open
to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. You are not restricted by us,
but you are restricted in your own affections. In return … widen your
hearts also!" (2 Cor 6:11-13). Paul was certainly speaking in another
context, but his exhortation can and must touch us too, precisely on
this subject. Let us generously open our hearts and make room for
everything that the faith itself allows.



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, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or
even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches
which have developed in the Church’s faith and prayer, and to give them
their proper place. Needless to say, in order to experience full
communion, the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage
cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to the
new books. The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be
consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness.



In conclusion, dear Brothers, I very much wish to stress that these new
norms do not in any way lessen your own authority and responsibility,
either for the liturgy or for the pastoral care of your faithful. Each
Bishop, in fact, is the moderator of the liturgy in his own Diocese (cf.
Sacrosanctum Concilium, 22: "Sacrae Liturgiae moderatio ab Ecclesiae
auctoritate unice pendet quae quidem est apud Apostolicam Sedem et, ad
normam iuris, apud Episcopum").



Nothing is taken away, then, from the authority of the Bishop, whose
role remains that of being watchful that all is done in peace and
serenity. Should some problem arise which the parish priest cannot
resolve, the local Ordinary will always be able to intervene, in full
harmony, however, with all that has been laid down by the new norms of
the Motu Proprio.



Furthermore, I invite you, dear Brothers, to send to the Holy See an
account of your experiences, three years after this Motu Proprio has
taken effect. If truly serious difficulties come to light, ways to
remedy them can be sought.



Dear Brothers, with gratitude and trust, I entrust to your hearts as
Pastors these pages and the norms of the Motu Proprio. Let us always be
mindful of the words of the Apostle Paul addressed to the presbyters of
Ephesus: "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the
Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the Church of God which
he obtained with the blood of his own Son" (Acts 20:28).



I entrust these norms to the powerful intercession of Mary, Mother of
the Church, and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to you, dear
Brothers, to the parish priests of your dioceses, and to all the
priests, your co-workers, as well as to all your faithful.



Given at Saint Peter’s, 7 July 2007

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Press Release from the General Superior of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X

By the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, Pope
Benedict XVI has reinstated the Tridentine Mass in its rights, and
clearly affirmed that the Roman Missal promulgated by Saint Pius V had
never been abrogated. The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X rejoices to
see the Church thus regain her liturgical Tradition, and give the
possibility of a free access to the treasure of the Traditional Mass
for the glory of God, the good of the Church and the salvation of
souls, to the priests and faithful who had so far been deprived of it.
The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X extends its deep gratitude to the
Sovereign Pontiff for this great spiritual benefit.

The
letter which accompanies the Motu Proprio does not hide however the
difficulties that still remain. The Society of Saint Pius X wishes that
the favorable climate established by the new dispositions of the Holy
See will make it possible – after the decree of excommunication which
still affects its bishops has been withdrawn – to consider more
serenely the disputed doctrinal issues.

Lex orandi, lex credendi,
the law of the liturgy is that of the faith. In the fidelity to the
spirit of our founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the attachment of
the Society of Saint Pius X to the traditional liturgy is inseparably
united to the faith which has been professed "always, everywhere and by
all."

 

Menzingen, July 7, 2007

Bishop Bernard Fellay

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July, month of the Precious Blood

July, the month dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
J.M.J.

From the Divine Office
Matins for July 1-The Most Precious Blood
A homily of St. Augustine, Bishop
Treatise 120 on John

The Evangelist uses a carefully chosen word. He does not say that the
soldier "struck" Christ's side or "wounded" it or anything else of the kind,
but that he "opened" it. This wording gives us a picture of the door of life
opening to let the sacraments of the Church flow out, those sacraments
without which no one can enter into life which is true life. The outpoured
Blood was poured out for the remission of sins. The water is an ingredient
of the cup of salvation : it serves both for washing and for drinking. All
this was foreshadowed when Noe was commanded to make a door in the side of
the ark. This door was to admit the living creatures who were not to perish
in the flood: they prefigured the Church. To foreshadow the same mystery,
the first woman was made from the side of the man as he slept, and she was
called Life and Mother of the Living. Thus a great good was prefigured
before the great evil of sin. Here the second Adam, bowing His head, slept
on the cross, that a wife might be formed for Him out of the water and Blood
that flowed from His side as He slept. O death, by which the dead return to
life! What is more cleansing than this Blood? What is more health-giving
than this wound?

HYMN AT LAUDS

All hail, wounds of Christ, pledges of a measureless love; from you flow
endlessly the red streams of His blood.
You surpass the stars in brilliance, roses and balsam in fragrance,
jewels from India in worth and honeycombs in sweetness.
Through you there lies open for our souls entrance to a welcome refuge,
and no angry foe can ever pursue us there with his menaces.
How many the stripes Jesus received, all naked in Pilate's hall; how
many the drops of blood that His torn skin lets fall all round Him.
And now a crown of thorns pierces His noble brow, and nails with blunted
points bore their way through His hands and feet.

And after He had breathed His last, all love and sacrifice to the end,
His side is pierced by a soldier's lance, and there gushed forth the two
fold stream of water and blood.
To pay our ransom in full, Jesus is crushed completely in the wine-press
and, forgetful only of Himself, is drained of His blood to the very last
drop.
All that are corrupted by sin's deadly infection, come to these healing
streams; for if a man bathe himself at this atoning spring, purity of soul
will be his.
Thanks are due to Him who sits at the Father's right hand, for He has
redeemed us by His blood and strengthens us by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

--------------------------------------

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offer to The Most Precious Blood ; "Devotion to the Drops of Blood Lost by
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Offerings to The Most Precious Blood of Jesus"
(http://olrl.org/pray/7offerings.shtml), "Daily Offering of the Most
Precious Blood of Jesus" (http://olrl.org/pray/dailyoffering.shtml), "The
Way of the Cross" (http://olrl.org/pray/wayofcross/) and "The Passion and
The Death of Jesus Christ" (http://olrl.org/books/passion.shtml).

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