Published Date: February 18, 2010

Tags: Extraordinary Form, Latin Mass, Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei

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In a series of responses to questions from a Polish diocese, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei has ruled that parishes may replace a normal Sunday Mass with one celebrated in the ‘Extraordinary’ or Tridentine form.

The questions from the diocese of Rzeszow, Poland concerned the application of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, New Liturgical Movement reports.

The answers, however, are applicable generally, NLM says.

NLM summarizes the answers to the questions as follows:

“1. If there is no other possibility, because for instance in all churches of a diocese the liturgies of the Sacred Triduum are already being celebrated in the Ordinary Form, the liturgies of the Sacred Triduum may, in the same church in which they are already celebrated in the Ordinary Form, be additionally celebrated in the Extraordinary Form, if the local ordinary allows.

“2. A Mass in the usus antiquior may replace a regularly scheduled Mass in the Ordinary Form. The question contextualizes that in many churches Sunday Masses are more or less scheduled continually, leaving free only very inconvenient mid afternoon slots, but this is merely context, the question posed being general. The answer leaves the matter to the prudent judgement of the parish priest, and emphasises the right of a stable group to assist at Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

“3. A parish priest may schedule a public Mass in the Extraordinary Form on his own accord (i.e. without the request of a group of faithful) for the benefit of the faithful including those unfamiliar with the usus antiquior. The response of the Commission here is identical to no. 2.

“4. The calendar, readings or prefaces of the 1970 Missale Romanum may not be substituted for those of the 1962 Missale Romanum in Masses in the Extraordinary Form.

“5. While the liturgical readings (Epistle and Gospel) themselves have to be read by the priest (or deacon/subdeacon) as foreseen by the rubrics, a translation to the vernacular may afterwards be read also by a layman.”

The effect of these responses is that priests may “celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form whenever they choose”, Telegraph writer Damian Thompson says.

SOURCE

Important Clarifications from Ecclesia Dei(New Liturgical Movement)

Vatican confirms freedom of priests to celebrate Extraordinary Form whenever they like – no need for ’stable group’ (Telegraph)

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