Tag: motu proprio

Conclave date set: for the good of the Universal Church, solum Deum prae oculis habentes.

George Alencherry.jpgThe Cardinals have determined that the Conclave will begin on 12 March 2013. The Votive Mass Pro Eligendo Pontifice (For the Election of the Pontiff) will be offered in the morning at Saint Peter’s Basilica by the Cardinal Dean and later that afternoon the cardinals will process from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine praying the Litany of Saints.

The cardinals will follow rules set down in John Paul IIs 1996 Universi Dominicu Gregis with the amendments of Benedict XVI in his motu proprio, Normas Nonnullas; moreover, they will adhere to the norms of the Ordo Rituum Conclavis.
There are 115 cardinals voting, 77 of them need to agree on a single man. Mostly an European group of men with an average age of 72; Cardinal Kasper is the oldest at 80 (his birthday was March 5, after the sede vacnate) and the Cardinal Thottunka, the Syro-Malabar, the youngest at 53.
There are 67 created by the Pope-emeritus and 48 by Blessed John Paul; 19 were professed as religious; the majority are Italian trailed by the USA.
Saint Joseph, universal patron of the Church, pray for us, and the cardinals.
On the Roman liturgical calendar of Blessed John XXIII, March 12 is the feast of Saint Gregory the Great (+604).

Papal document establishing Office of the New Evangelization: Ubicumque et Semper (Everywhere and always)

Apostolic Letter in the Form of Motu Proprio

Ubicumque et Semper

of the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI

Establishing
the Pontifical Council For Promoting the New Evangelization

It is the duty of the Church to proclaim always and everywhere the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He, the first and supreme evangelizer, commanded the Apostles on the day of his Ascension to the Father: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). Faithful to this mandate, the Church–a people chosen by God to declare his wonderful deeds (cf. 1 Peter 2:9)–ever since she received the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:14), has never tired of making known to the whole world the beauty of the Gospel as she preaches Jesus Christ, true God and true man, the same “yesterday and today and for ever” (Heb 13:8), who, by his death and Resurrection, brought us salvation and fulfilled the promise made of old. Hence the mission of evangelization, a continuation of the work desired by the Lord Jesus, is necessary for the Church: it cannot be overlooked; it is an expression of her very nature.

Continue reading Papal document establishing Office of the New Evangelization: Ubicumque et Semper (Everywhere and always)

Pope issues new laws to conform Vatican to European financial controls

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Pope Benedict XVI issued sweeping financial reforms for the Vatican City State and the Holy See in the aftermath of great confusion over perceived financial irregularities between the Italian State and the Institute of Religious Works (IOR). For the last six months the Pope has been dogged by accusations of another Vatican coverup of bad money deals causing unnecessary distractions. Recent mega-problems with financial and real estate matters at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, especially under the leadership of Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, now the cardinal-archbishop of Naples, heightened papal awareness.
Clearly and consistently Benedict is interested in reform and renewal of the Church in all sectors and he sees this restructuring as part of the change needed. The Pope is cleaning a very dusty house. The new Laws conform to the Laws and principles in force in the European Union. A monetary agreement between the European Union and Vatican City State was signed on December 17, 2009. What’s at issue are the questions on how the various Vatican agencies use money. Particularly, “self-money-laundering, the controls on cash entering or leaving Vatican City State, the obligations regarding the transfer of funds, and the heavy administrative sanctions that are applicable not only to legal persons and entities but also to the physical persons who act on their behalf, by means of the binding recourse action.” Several other issues at hand are dealt with here: fraud and counterfeiting, protection of copyrights of money and circulation. None of the offices of the Vatican or the Holy See are going to exempt from financial oversight. Civil penalties will be imposed for violators. The Pope’s new laws take effect April 1, 2011.
Benedict created a new governing agency for money matters: the Financial Information Authority (FIA) –which will look to prevent and combat money laundering. Essentially, the Authority is a Vatican watch dog for money and other tangible assets.
The mindset of the Pope and his assistants is: “The Holy See welcomes this new commitment and will make these material resources that are necessary to the mission and duties of Vatican City State.” This is a moral and pastoral overhaul for the whole Vatican system.
For His Holiness, as the Communiqué says, “These new Laws are part of the Apostolic See’s efforts to build a just and honest social order. At no time may the great principles of social ethics like transparency, honesty and responsibility be neglected or weakened (cf. Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 36)
The Apostolic Letter in the Form of a Motu Proprio for the Prevention and Countering of Illegal Activities in the Financial and Monetary Sectors

You can read the Communiqué of the Secretariat of State regarding the new legislation for the prevention and countering of illegal activities in the financial and monetary sectors

The Director of the Vatican Press Office, Father Lombardi comments
A video clip from Rome Reports on the revision of the laws.

New Papal document: Ubicumque et Semper (Everywhere and always) making a Vatican Office for the New Evangelization

The Holy Father published a long-awaited Motu Proprio, Ubicumque et semper, by which he established a new office (dicastery) at the Roman Curia: “Pontifical Council for Promotion of the New Evangelization.” The new head of the Council is, as you know, Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

The objectives of the new Pontifical Council:

  • To deepen the theological and pastoral meaning of the new evangelization.
  • To promote and to foster in close collaboration with bishops’ conferences, teaching of the Magisterium relative to the new evangelization.
  • To make known initiatives already under way in local churches and to promote new initiatives, involving also resources of religious institutes and groups of the faithful and new lay communities;
  • To study and to foster the use of modern means of communications as instruments for the new evangelization.
  • To promote the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

A summary of Ubicumque et semper can be read here. 

I am happy that a papal document finally appeared since it was expected since four months ago. Now a more concerted effort at the needs of evangelization will be worked on by the Roman Curia and that good works already in play with groups like Communion and Liberation, Opus Dei, Focolare, Sant’Egidio will be more coordinated and collaborated with. I hope the big religious orders like the Benedictines, Franciscans and Dominicans will respond positively to the hopes and desires of the Pope. The expectation of the new Council are looking to re-energize the work of evangelization of culture and to give renewed interest and thrust of the Church as missionary. Please note, secularism, not secularity needs to be addressed by the entire Church, not just the bishops and certainly not just the Roman Curia.

The Pope said, “At the root of all evangelization there is no human project of expansion, but the desire to share the priceless gift that God wished to give us, sharing His life with us.”

There are, however, a number of missed opportunities already since the announcement of the Council: there was a too long of wait for the motu proprio, the motu proprio is only available in Latin and Italian at this point, the staff has not been announced, and there is no web presence for the new Council as of yet. Another example of not doing the homework on the part of those who work for the Pope.

Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela

The Congregation of the Doctrine for the Faith published today the norms reforming the law and process in dealing with clergy sex abuse cases under a motu proprio signed by Pope Benedict XVI, titled, Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela (May 21, 2010).

The Introduction

The historical background: Historical Intro SST.pdf

The letter to the bishops: SST letter to bps.pdf

The Norms (Normae de Gravioribus Delictis)

The changes made; Summary of SST modifications.pdf

Omnium in Mentem (in English)

On 15 December 2009, Pope Benedict made public some “clarifications” (revisions?) he made to the 1983 Code of Canon Law in a motu proprio titled, Omnium in Mentem. To date, no English translation of the motu proprio has been made available, until now that is.

We are happy to have said document in English thanks to the work of Mr. Paul Haverstock. You can read it here: Omnium in mentem trans Haverstock.pdf.

While Mr. Haverstock’s translation is not an official translation of the Holy See, it is a gift to have it now in well written English.

Clarifications on Summorum Pontificum

The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei which oversees various matters pertaining to the praying of the Missal of Blessed John XXIII, sometimes called the Missal of 1962, or simply, THE Mass, issued a few clarifications on what the Pope intends to happen as a result of the publication of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum which liberated from ideologues the praying of the Missal of Blessed John.

The points made by the Commission have much to do with scheduling Mass in the parish church, interchangeability of calendars and the proclamation of the Scripture readings in one’s own language.

The summary points and a copy of the letter from Ecclesia Dei is posted here.
The matter of allowing the Missal of John XXIII to breathe is something the Holy Father has for in the dioceses around the world but since many dioceses are a bit sclerotic little-to-nothing is done. The resistance (obstructionist tendencies?) is not limited to dioceses, religious orders have put the brakes on following the guided companionship we call the Church, AKA as obedience. Faithful following and listening is not a priority for some, even the  clergy.

What a difference a Motu Proprio makes

… sing to the tune of “What a difference a day makes“

 

What a difference a Motu Proprio makes 
Twenty-four little hours 
Brought the sun and the flowers 
Where there used to be rain 

My yesterday was blue, dear 
Today I’m part of you, dear 
My lonely nights are through, dear 
Since you said you were mine 

 

What a difference a Motu Proprio makes 
There’s a rainbow before me 
Skies above can’t be stormy 
Since that moment of bliss, that thrilling kiss 

It’s heaven when you find Latin on your menu

What a difference a Motu Proprio makes
And the difference is you 

 

What a difference a Motu Proprio makes 
There’s a rainbow before me 
Skies above can’t be stormy 
Since that moment of bliss, that thrilling kiss 

It’s heaven when you find Latin on your menu 

 

What a difference a Motu Proprio makes
And the difference is you 

 

Thanks to MEL for making this available.

Motu Proprio: Variations to the Code of Canon Law, canons canons 1008, 1009, 1086, 1117 & 1124 –Omnium in mentem


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Vatican
City, 15 December 2009 (VIS) – Made public today was Benedict XVI’s Motu
Proprio, “Omnium in mentem”. The document is dated 26 October 2009
and contains two variations to the Code of Canon Law (CIC), variations which
have long been the object of study by dicasteries of the Roman Curia and by
national episcopal conferences.

The document published today contains five
articles modifying canons 1008, 1009, 1086, 1117 and 1124. According to an
explanatory note by Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, these variations “concern two
separate questions: adapting the text of the canons that define the ministerial
function of deacons to the relative text in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1581), and suppressing a subordinate clause in three canons concerning
marriage, which experience has shown to be inappropriate”.

The variation
to the text of canon 1008 will now limit itself to affirming that “those
who receive the Sacrament of Orders are destined to serve the People of God
with a new and specific title”, while canon 1009 “will be given an
additional third paragraph in which it is specified that the minister
constituted into the Order of the episcopate or the priesthood receives the mission
and power to act in the person of Christ the Head, while deacons receive the
faculty to serve the People of God in the diaconates of the liturgy, of the
Word and of charity”.

Archbishop Coccopalmerio’s note then goes on to
explain that the other changes contained in the Motu Proprio all concern the
elimination of the clause “actus formalis defectionis ab Ecclesia
Catholica” contained in canons 1086 para. 1, 1117 and 1124. This clause,
“following much study, was held to be unnecessary and inappropriate”,
he writes.

“From the time the Code of Canon Law came into effect in the
year 1983 until the moment of the coming into effect of this Motu Proprio,
Catholics who had abandoned the Catholic Church by means of a formal act were
not obliged to follow the canonical form of celebration for the validity of
marriage (canon 1117), nor were they bound by the impediment concerning
marriage to the non-baptised (canon 1086 para. 1), nor did they suffer the
prohibition on marrying non-Catholic Christians (canon 1124). The
abovementioned clause contained in these three canons represented an exception
… to another more general norm of ecclesiastical legislation according to
which all those baptised in the Catholic Church or received into her are bound
to observe ecclesiastical laws (canon 11).

“With the coming into effect of
the new Motu Proprio”, Archbishop Coccopalmerio adds, “canon 11 of
the Code of Canon Law reacquires its full force as concerns the contents of the
canons thus modified, even in cases were there has been a formal abandonment.
Hence, in order to regularise any unions that may have been made in the
non-observance of these rules it will be necessary to have recourse, if
possible, to the ordinary means Canon Law offers for such cases: dispensation
from the impediment, sanation, etc”.

The Latin and Italian texts are here.