From the Congregation for Divine Worship
Protocol 1411/99

After the liturgical restoration mandated by the Second Vatican Council, a certain group of the Catholic faithful appeared, strongly attached to preceding forms of the Roman Liturgical tradition. This group—that is, those who are in communion with the Catholic Church-manifested the desire of using the Roman Missal (so-called) of St. Pius V.

The Supreme Pontiff, Pope John Paul II, moved by his paternal desire to meet the liturgical and religious sensitivities of these groups, conceded to them the use of the Roman Missal of 1962 with the authorization of the bishop of the place. This same Supreme Pontiff also asked of the bishops that they would freely and generously receive those faithful attached profoundly to the preconciliar rite and at the same time manifesting a sincere assent to the Magisterium of the Church and obedience to her legitimate pastors. The desire of the Roman Pontiff was made known by the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei adflicta (July 2, 1988, AAS 80/1988 pp. 149598).

A series of questions arrived at this dicastery concerning the possibilities and impediments connected to the use of the 1962 missal conceded by indult by the legitimate authority. After proper consultation and with the approval of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of legislative texts, and the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, we communicate the response to the questions asked, as follows:

Can a priest who is a member of an institute which enjoys the faculty of celebrating the rite in force before the liturgical restoration of Vatican II freely use the Roman Missal promulgated by the Supreme Pontiff Paul VI when he celebrates the Eucharistic Sacrifice for the good of a community in which the Mass is celebrated according to this missal, even if occasionally?

Affirmative and ad mentem (according to the following reasoning). Mens: Since the use of the preconciliar missal is conceded by indult, it does not remove the common liturgical right to the Roman Rite, according to which the missal in force is that promulgated after the Second Vatican Council. Moreover, the above-mentioned priest must celebrate with the post-conciliar missal if, by chance, a celebration takes place in a community which uses the modern Roman Rite. This is so in order that there be no wonderment (confusion) or inconvenience for the faithful and also in order that he might be a help to his brother priests who ask this service of pastoral charity.

In communities accustomed to the modern missal, the use of the earlier missal gives rise to several difficulties. For example: the differences in the liturgical calendar, the discrepancies between the biblical texts for the liturgy of the word, the variety in liturgical gestures, in the mode of receiving Holy Communion, in the differences in the duties of the ministers, etc., etc.

Can superiors of whatever rank of institutes enjoying the indult to use the Roman Missal of 1962 for the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice prohibit priests of these same institutes from using the post-conciliar Roman Missal when such priests celebrates for the good of any community (even if only occasionally) in which the modern Roman Missal is used?

No! The use of the Roman Missal of 1962 consists of an indult for the use of the faithful who are joined by the special bond to the preconciliar Roman Rite. Its use cannot be imposed on communities which celebrate the Holy Eucharist according to the missal renewed by order of the Second Vatican Council, in virtue of whom the superiors of such institutes have no authority.

Can a priest, a member of an institute which enjoys this indult, concelebrate Mass according to the modern order of the Roman Rite without any impediment?

Affirmative, because the indult does not take away from priests the liturgical Rite common to all (clergy) of the Roman Rite of celebrating according to the current Roman missal in force.

Moreover, he cannot and must not be prohibited from concelebration by his superior or by the ordinary of the place. Indeed it is praiseworthy that the above-mentioned priests would concelebrate especially at the Mass of Holy Thursday with the diocesan bishop presiding. Although "each priest has the faculty of celebrating an individual Mass, not however at the same time in the same church nor on Holy Thursday" (cf. Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 57, para 2.2).

The sign of communion inherent in concelebration is so particular that it must not be omitted in the Chrism Mass unless for grave reasons (Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 57, 1.1a).

—From the seat of the Congregation, July 3, 1999
George Cardinal Medina Estevez, Prefect
Franciscus Tamburrino, Secret

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