Notes:
1) On the division among Italian bishops regarding the application of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, reported here last week, the Secretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), Bishop Giuseppe Betori, told Zenit that, "no Bishop is against the Motu proprio; if there is any Bishop who refuses the application of the Motu proprio, he is out of the line of the Italian Episcopal Conference and [out] even of the invitation [extended by] the Holy Father."
2) On the delay of the official publication of Summorum Pontificum in the Acta Apostolicæ Sedis (AAS), reported here on Saturday, Italian daily Il Foglio reports today:
3) On the German Episcopal Conference's discussion of the motu proprio, its application, and its "interpretation": coverage on Catholic Church Conservation.
2) On the delay of the official publication of Summorum Pontificum in the Acta Apostolicæ Sedis (AAS), reported here on Saturday, Italian daily Il Foglio reports today:
It is noticed in the Holy Palaces [Vatican] that the motu proprio in reference was published last July 7, while the last issue of the AAS that was published was that dated April 6 [2007], which reports documents and pontifical nominations dated from up to April 5 [2007]. It cannot be seen, therefore, how it could be affirmed, or believed, as a matter of fact, that the "Official Record" of the Holy See has not published the motu proprio. It will be necessary to wait for three or four [additional] issues of the AAS, at least, to verify if the publication took place or not.
3) On the German Episcopal Conference's discussion of the motu proprio, its application, and its "interpretation": coverage on Catholic Church Conservation.
In Fulda, the German bishops are seeking a common line on the implementation of the Papal letter on the old Mass. Questions are still open, said the Chairman of the Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, prior to the autumn plenary assembly. Such as, ““like the request of a stable group” leaves itself open to interpretation”: Are the people from a Parish or will Masses be allowed with the people coming from a larger area? There is also the question, which is whether the priest is suitable{to celebrate the Latin Mass}? Because it is said also that if the priest celebrates the Mass privately, then this needs permission neither from the Bishop nor from Rome. How can one determine then the suitability? “
In the run-up to the plenary assembly, guidelines were compiled on two sides of A4, which are now to be adopted by the chief pastors. Lehmann stated confidently that he could present this at the end of the week. Starting from at the beginning of October, the guidelines could then come into force. Decisions must, in the long run, be made by each Diocese, stresses the Bishops’ conference chairman. Guidelines are not binding.
”One can perhaps say, these are guidelines, where we position ourselves between both sides, but in the center there is a large road with different ways to proceed. That is perhaps also necessary, because the situation is different in the individual Dioceses.“
When the need in the Dioceses is compared with that of the past year when the Bishops’ Conference arranged a survey, the demand has so far not considerably increased, said Lehmann.
”I would be surprised on thus, if it were any different. … We want what the Pope asked for, not to get round or minimize it, but we wish that it is followed. An important requirement is that he that only can and may celebrate the extraordinary form, the Mass of 1962, will without reservation recognize the new Mass, as the usual form. That was so far not always the case. There were people that said: no, in no case is a Concelebration with the Bishop with the new Mass possible. And that is impossible. “
However, Lehmann ruled out a rigorous system of the examination
