News from an Italian source about the Instruction on Summorum Pontificum

Posted on 19 February 2011 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

There is a good deal of hand-wringing going on right now about the possibility that the upcoming “Instruction” aboutSummorum Pontificum will water-down the provisions which the Supreme Pontiff made the law of the Latin Church.

About this Instruction, I gave an initial comment here.

Such an Instruction has been expected, like Godot, for a long time.  I long ago stopped hoping for it.  I actively stopped hoping for it, as a matter of fact.

But it is coming and many people, in anticipation of its arrival, are chewing their own skulls in anxiety.

I can understand why people would be upset at the reports about the Instruction.  So many who mourned the loss of the older forms of worship have been mistreated by the Church’s shepherds.  Many who knew the older forms back when, and younger people who prefer them now, are still being treated like second-class trash who get to sit in the back of the bus.  And there only grudgingly.   You can understand why they would be anxious about this Instruction, given how many positions of power are still in the hands of enemies of the Holy Father’s vision and provisions.

Now we see this.

Paolo Rodari writes on Palazzo Apostolico with my emphases and comments in my rapid translation.

They are writing here, here and here that in the Vatican they are trying to water-down the implementing decree ["Instruction"] of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum.

In substance, according to the blogs mentioned above, the decree instead of giving a greater impetus to the Motu Proprio, explaining to bishops how to implement it in a better way, would say that the old liturgy is a concession made only to “traditionalists”, in recognition of their particular ‘sensibility”.  The blogs still write that the fabricators of this watering-down are Msgr. Charles Scicluna, the Maltese promoter of justice at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Antonio Card. Canizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.

I personally made the necessary verifications and I can say that, according to sources inside the Vatican, the news items given here above, “are completely without foundation”.  The implementing decree will not water-down anything and neither Scicluna nor Canizares are working in that sense.

The Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”, which today is presided over by the Prefect for Doctrine of the Faith William Joseph Card. Levada, already has the text of the decree ready, [I have the sense that someone has told the writer something along the lines of "Get this out there so that the trouble-makers will stop making a fuss!"] is waiting for the difficult work of the translations to finish, and counts on publishing it all (if the translations aren’t subject to delays) before Easter.

Take that for what it is worth.  Rodari doesn’t offer anything that can be verified either.

We don’t know what the text will say.  Most of the people who are talking about the text to me in private – most, not all – don’t know what is in the text.

Given that we don’t know many of the actual details of the text, I can only recommend that people who are deeply concern get on their knees and pray that Pope Benedict be strengthened in his mandate as Vicar of Christ and that his enemies – far from him and close to him – be weakened and confounded.

Do what a committed Catholic warrior would do for a cause that is dear.

I have started a month long “novena”, a Spiritual Bouquet for Pope Benedict to end on 19 March, which is the Holy Father’s “name day”, the Feast of St. Joseph.

Please participate in this Spiritual Bouquet.

In the meantime, drink some Mystic Monk coffee and, if you want to sign something, go to this site and put your signature to a kind of open-letter or petition.

Also, in the next days and weeks consider that the Holy Father is unlikely to put his signature to something which would so undermine his position and authority.

Finally, I will ask the readers for some help with something.

We could use an up-to-date list of the members (not the workers) of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the members (not workers) of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”.  We need to know who has been involved in this and who may also need prayers.  It would be nice to get this before the 2011 Annuario Pontificio is released.   Please don’t waste our time with “This guy used to be the list” or “I think he is a member” or even worse “I think X should be on it!”  We need facts, not old news or guesses.  If you don’t know, don’t write about it.

And now…

From the the Enchiridion of Indulgences, #25:

A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, in a spirit of filial devotion, devoutly recite any duly approved prayer for the Supreme Pontiff (e.g., the Oremus pro Pontifice):

V. Let us pray for our Pontiff, Pope Benedict.

R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and bless him upon earth, and deliver him not to the will of his enemies.

Our Father.  Hail Mary.

Let us pray.

O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Benedict, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thank you Fr. Zuklusdorf http://wdtprs.com/blog/