Category Archives: Motu Proprio

POPE CHANGES RULES ON PROCUREMENT AND EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES OF DICASTERIES

Posted in Economy, Motu Proprio, Pope Francis, Vatican dicasteries by

The following Vatican news article describes two new motu proprio by Pope Francis that were published today. These are documents issued by the pope on his own authority and of his own initiative. They are usually not in response to a request by another party. The two motu published today are No. 69 and 70 by Pope Francis of his pontificate.

Interestingly enough, in the almost 27 years of his pontificate, St. John Paul issued only 30 motu proprio. Benedict XVI, in almost 8 years, issued 13 motu proprio.

POPE CHANGES RULES ON PROCUREMENT AND EXTRRAORDINARY EXPENSES OF DICASTERIES

The Pope’s decisions are communicated in two motu proprios released today. A spending limit is set, beyond which Vatican offices must request the approval of the Secretariat for the Economy.

By Vatican News

Measures to better define the expenditure management of the Vatican Dicasteries, and to improve transparency in procurement.

Pope Francis has intervened on these subjects with two documents released today, 16 January.

The first is an apostolic letter in the form of a motu proprio, with which the Pope specifies “the limits and modalities” of the ordinary administration of the Holy See’s Dicasteries.

In three articles, in line with Praedicate Evangelium’s reform of the Roman Curia, the Pope establishes that a Vatican entity is required to request the approval of the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy when an act of expenditure exceeds 2% of the total costs of the entity itself, with the figure deduced from the average of the final balance sheets of the last three years.

“In any case,” we read, “for acts whose value is less than EUR 150,000, approval is not required.”

Another section of the document sets a 30-day limit for receiving approval, beyond which a lack of response is equivalent to granting the request. In any case, this procedure “must be concluded within and no later than forty days”.

Procurement regulations
With the second letter, which also takes the form of a motu proprio, the Pope intervenes to further clarify the regulations governing the Vatican procurement code promulgated in 2020.

Here too, in line with Praedicate Evangelium, Francis emphasises that the motu proprio intends to continue the “discourse undertaken to favour transparency, control and competition in the procedures for the awarding of public contracts”, for a “more effective application” of norms, which, with the latest modifications, take into account the “observations of the Institutions linked to the Holy See”, the Governorate and the experience “accrued in recent years”.

The first article in paragraph 2 in particular offers clarification, redefining the regulations’ aims in four new points, in conformity, it says, “with the principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church, the canonical order of the Holy See and the Vatican City State and the Encyclical Letter Laudato si'”. The four points concern “the sustainable use of internal funds”, “the transparency of the award procedure”, “equal treatment and non-discrimination of bidders” and “the promotion of effective competition among bidders, in particular through measures to counter unlawful competition agreements and corruption.” (Vatican photo – Apostolic palace)

POPE MODIFIES CHURCH LAW ON PERSONAL PRELATURES – VIETNAM’S PRESIDENT MEETS WITH CATHOLIC BISHOPS IN HO CHI MINH CITY – “ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND PEACE,” THEME IF 57TH WORLD DAY OF PEACE MESSAGE

Posted in Artificial Intelligence AI, Motu Proprio, Personal Prelature, Vietnam, Vietnam Catholic Bishops, World Day of Peace by

Some interesting news today for personal prelatures (so far Opus Dei is the only such prelature in the Catholic Church). Today’s motu proprio is the 66th of Pope Francis’ pontificate: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio.index.html)

And very positive news about the future for the Catholic Church in Vietnam!

POPE MODIFIES CHURCH LAW ON PERSONAL PRELATURES

Pope Francis issues a motu proprio to modify two canons of Church law related to the treatment of personal prelatures. A personal prelature is made up of a particular group of faithful and is structured in a hierarchical manner, with a prelate who is its head and source of unity and with priests and deacons who assist him. The Pope’s motu proprio goes into force, today, 8 August, the Feast of St. Dominic, with its promulgation in L’Osservatore Romano, and later, inclusion in the official commentary of the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.

The new legislation says that given recent Church law updates, especially Art. 117 of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium (19 March 2022), in which the competence over personal prelatures was transferred to the Dicastery for the Clergy, upon which public clerical associations with the faculty to incardinate clerics also depend (Art. 118, 2), the Pope modifies canons 295 and 296 relating to personal prelatures.

FOR MORE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-francis-church-law-personal-prelatures.html

VIETNAM’S PRESIDENT MEETS WITH CATHOLIC BISHOPS IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong visits the headquarters of the national Bishops’ Conference in Ho Chi Minh City, confirming the new course of relations between the Holy See and the Asian nation.
By Lisa Zengarini (Vatican news)

On Monday, 7 August, the President of Vietnam, Vo Van Thuong, met with the country’s Bishops’ Conference at its headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City.

The visit came in the wake of his audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican and of the signing of the landmark Agreement on the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Viet Nam, on July 27.

The meeting lasted more than an hour, from 11:00 to 12:25 and was attended by ten Government officials and nine Vietnamese bishops, including the president, Archbishop Joseph Nguyễn Năng of Ho Chi Minh City, along with five priests and two religious.

The bishops expressed their satisfaction with the talks, which they described as “open and sincere”.

President’s appreciation for work of Church and Pope FrancisFor his part, President Van Thuong acknowledged the contribution and service offered by the Catholic Church to Vietnamese society, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He then spoke of his recent visit to Europe, and in particular to the Vatican on 27 July. He said he was impressed by his meeting with Pope Francis, specifically by the fact that the audience lasted longer than expected, and by the Holy Fathers’ words on human fraternity which the President greatly appreciated, stating that Vietnam is proceeding in this direction.

He also expressed his appreciation for the Pope’s words on the need to listen to others by putting oneself in other people’s position so as to understand them better.

Father Đào Nguyên Vũ, head of the Secretariat of the Vietnamese Bishops’ Conference, then presented the activities of the Church in the country by offering an overview of Catholic institutions in Vietnam and detaling that that the Church in Vietnam only runs nursery schools, but no other educational institution. The President assured that he will consider the matter.

For his part, the president of the Vietnamese Bishops’ Conference congratulated the Vietnamese head of State over the success of his visit to Europe.

Archbishop Nguyễn Năng also spoke of the work of the Catholic Church at the service of the country.

Finally, the bishops honoured President Van Thuong with two gifts: a picture of him and his wife with Pope Francis during the audience and the Encyclical ‘Fratelli Tutti’ translated into Vietnamese.

Viet Nam-Holy See relations
During the Vietnamese President’s recent official visit to the Vatican the two parties expressed great appreciation for the significant progress of bilateral relations and for the positive contributions offered so far by the country’s Catholic community.

Relations between the Holy See and Vietnam had been interrupted in 1975, but have seen encouraging developments since 1990, a year after the then President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, late Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, was able to make an official visit to Vietnam the first of a series.
A new beginning
Relations further improved after then Prime Minister Nguyên Tân Dung met with Pope Benedict in 2007, marking the first official visit to the Vatican of a Vietnamese head of government in over thirty years. That visit was followed by that of then President Nguyen Minh-Triet on 11 December 2009, which resulted in the establishment of a Viet Nam-Holy See Joint Working Group.

IN BRIEF

Posted in Eastern Churches, France, IN BRIEF, Motu Proprio, Olympic Games by

On this day in 1506, Pope Julius II laid the cornerstone for what would be the new St. Peter’s basilica. It was completed 120 years later.

The Motu proprio released yesterday on the voting age limit for bishops in Eastern Churches was the 62nd of Pope Francis’ pontificate.   Interestingly enough, Pope John Paul II, whose papacy lasted just under 27 years, issued only 30 motu proprio in that time (source: Motu Proprio | John Paul II (vatican.va)

IN BRIEF

POPE SETS EASTERN CHURCHES BISHOPS’ AGE LIMIT FOR VOTING AT SYNODS: In an Apostolic Letter issued in the form of a ‘Motu proprio’, Pope Francis amended the Canon Law of the Oriental Churches by providing that the bishops emeritus who have reached the age of 80 will no longer be able to vote in the Episcopal Synods of which they are members, though the rule does not apply to those who are already in office. The Pope’s decision meets a longstanding request made by “some Patriarchs, Major Archbishops and Bishops”, as reads the Latin title of the Motu proprio “Iam pridem” (“For some time now”). The text specifies that the new legislation, which will come into force in a month’s time, “will not apply to the Patriarchs, Major Archbishops, Eparchial Bishops and Exarchs” currently in office “despite them having reached the age of eighty.” (FULL TEXT: Pope sets Eastern Churches Bishops’ age limit for voting at Synods – Vatican News

POPE: 2024 OLYMPICS A CHANCE TO BEAR JOYFUL WITNESS TO CHRIST: As France prepares to host the 33rd Olympic Games in the summer of 2024, Pope Francis has sent a message to French Catholics to urge them to get involved in the sporting event. Paris hosts the Summer Olympics from July 26 to August 11, 2024, along with 16 other cities across metropolitan France and Tahiti, an island within French Polynesia. In his message, Pope Francis expressed his hopes that the Olympics may be “an occasion for profound and fruitful encounter between people from all walks of life, belonging to different peoples, cultures, and religions.”   The Pope said it should be a “joy to welcome the whole world” to France for the Games, as well as a “responsibility.” FULL STORY: Pope: 2024 Olympics a chance to bear joyful witness to Christ – Vatican News

 

APOSTOLIC ZEAL IS “PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD,” PROCLAIMING GOSPEL OF PEACE – PAPAL MOTU PROPRIO AMENDS PENAL LEGISLATION, JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF VATICAN CITY STATE

Posted in Apostolic zeal, Florists, General Audience, Judicial system, Motu Proprio, Penal legislation by

APOSTOLIC ZEAL IS “PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD,” PROCLAIMING GOSPEL OF PEACE

Pope Francis began this week’s general audience catechesis on apostolic zeal, by noting that “we have been reflecting on the example of the Apostle Paul. From his earlier experience as a persecutor of the Church, Paul was well aware of the danger of misguided zeal, or a zeal motivated not by love of Christ but by vanity or self-assertion. Authentic zeal for the Gospel is instead, Paul teaches, completely centred on Christ and the power of his resurrection.

“By virtue of his own experience,” explained the Pope to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, “Paul is not unaware of the danger of a distorted zeal, oriented in the wrong direction. He himself had fallen into this danger before the providential fall on the road to Damascus. Sometimes we have to deal with a misdirected zeal, doggedly persistent in the observance of purely human and obsolete norms for the Christian community.”

The square was still decorated with the tens of thousands of flowers brought from Holland by Dutch florists for the Easter liturgies.

“We cannot ignore the solicitude with which some devote themselves to the wrong pursuits even within the Christian community itself; one can boast of a false evangelical zeal while actually pursuing vainglory or one’s own convictions or a little bit of love of self.”

The Holy Father underscored how, “In his Letters, Paul uses the imagery of putting on the ‘armour of God’ and exhorts his listeners to have their ‘feet shod’ in readiness to proclaim the Gospel of peace. The image is eloquent, since the feet of an evangelist must be solidly planted yet constantly in movement, ever ready to confront new situations in the effort to proclaim the Good News with creativity and conviction.”

Francis adds, “we find reference to the feet of a herald of good news. Why? Because the one who goes to proclaim must move, must walk! But we also note that Paul, in this text, speaks of footwear as part of a suit of armour, following the analogy of the equipment of a soldier going into battle: in combat it was essential to have stability of footing in order to avoid the pitfalls of the terrain – because the adversary often littered the battlefield with traps – and to have the strength to run and move in the right direction. So the footwear is to run and to avoid all these things of the adversary.”

The Pope insisted on the idea that “there is no proclamation without movement, without walking. One does not proclaim the Gospel standing still, locked in an office, at one’s desk or at one’s computer, arguing like ‘keyboard warriors’ and replacing the creativity of proclamation with copy-and-paste ideas taken from here and there. The Gospel is proclaimed by moving, by walking, by going.”

“May each of us,” said Pope Francis in conclusion, “in the circumstances of our daily lives, prove zealous in discerning when and how best to proclaim the risen Jesus and his promise of the fullness of life and peace.

(For more photos: General Audience – Activities of the Holy Father Pope Francis | Vatican.va)

PAPAL MOTU PROPRIO AMENDS PENAL LEGISLATION, JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF VATICAN CITY STATE

In yet another Motu proprio, Pope Francis once again is making changes to the penal legislation and judicial system of Vatican City State.

The juridical and very technical motu proprio was sent to journalists this morning. No summary yet on the English Vatican news site. The following are some of the opening paragraphs from the Italian that I translated:

In the light of the “needs that have emerged over the last few years in the Vatican’s sector of the administration of justice, Pope Francis has established some changes to the penal legislation and the judicial system of the Vatican City State, in force from tomorrow, April 13.

Defining them in the new motu Proprio, Francis wrote “Further adjustments” were also made necessary by the “multiplying” of issues that require “a prompt and just definition in the procedural field” and therefore with the “increasing workload” for the judiciary.” A reference is made to the various ongoing judicial proceedings, starting with the one for the management of the Holy See’s funds that began on July 27, 2021 and is still in full swing.

The changes introduced today by the Pope are aimed at simplifying the mechanisms and ensuring that “the functionality of the system” is maintained and, if possible, improved. Among the innovations, a more precise classification of the investigative and prosecutorial functions of the Office of the Promoter of Justice; the possibility of adding a substitute to the college of three magistrates – who must remain the only one – in the event one of the members has to leave; the possibility for the Pope to appoint an additional president of the Vatican Tribunal in the event that the one in office is in the year of his resignation; the repeal of the full-time presence of at least one judge in the judging panel. The latter was a novelty introduced in Law number CCCLI of March 16, 2020, with which the Pope promulgated a new judicial system.

POPE MAKES VATICAN FOUNDATIONS SUBJECT TO CONTROL OF CURIA’S ECONOMIC BODIES

Posted in Motu Proprio, Pope Francis, Secretariat for the Economy, Vatican Foundations, Vatican legal entities by

Tuesday, December 6, 2022  –  Feast of St. Nicholas

A somewhat puzzling motu proprio written by Pope Francis was published today by the Vatican.   I read the original in Italian several times in an effort to understand the focus and scope of the motu. I also read the English-language Vatican news story.

Questions still abound.

The Italian words, for example, “persone giuridiche strumentali” were translated as “instrumental juridical persons.” I went online and could not find a definition for those words. Google had one reference – the Vatican news story!

I then sought translations of just two words – “persone giuridiche” – and this resulted in “legal entities” and this somewhat clarified matters.

But the big mystery remains. Specifically who, what are these entities of which the motu speaks? What bodies, foundations, offices or organizations will henceforth be subject to the control of the Roman Curia’s economic bodies, as you see in the title of the Vatican news story?

No specific names of “entities” were given in either of the two documents published today (the second being the promulgation of a law by the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State): hopefully there will be an update from the press office or another office.

The Annuario Pontificio (Pontifical Yearbook), under the category Fondazione (Foundations) lists the following: Centesimus Annus-Pro Pontefice; Fundacja Jana Pawla II; Giovanni Paolo II per il Sahel; Giovanni Paolo II per la Gioventu; Giustizia e Pace; Gravissmus Educationis; Il Buon Samaritano; Nostra Aetate; Popolorum Progressio; Per i Beni e le Attivita Culturali e Artistiche della Chiesa; San Giovanni XXIII; Scienze e Fede-STOQ; Fond. Vaticana Joseph Ratzinger-Benedetto XVI; Fond. Vaticana “Centro Internazionale Famiglia di Nazareth.”

By the way, Pope Francis and his Council of Cardinals have been meeting in the Vatican for two days.

File photo: Pope Francis signing Motu proprio “Aperuit illis” instituting Sunday of the Word of God

POPE MAKES VATICAN FOUNDATIONS SUBJECT TO CONTROL OF CURIA’S ECONOMIC BODIES

Pope Francis issues a Motu Proprio concerning entities established within curial institutions and hitherto enjoying a certain administrative autonomy, extending the new regulations also to entities based in the Vatican City State.

By Andrea De Angelis

“The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones.”

Pope Francis quotes Lk 16:10 at the start of the Motu Proprio released on Tuesday concerning instrumental juridical persons, including funds, foundations and entities that refer to the Holy See, and are registered in the list referred to in Article 1 § 1 of the Statute of the Council for the Economy, and having their headquarters in Vatican City State.

Control and supervision

“Although these entities have a formally separate juridical personality and a certain administrative autonomy, it must be recognized,” the Pope says, “that they are instrumental in the realization of the ends proper to the curial institutions at the service of the ministry of the Successor of Peter and that, therefore, unless otherwise stated by the norms establishing them in some way, they too are public entities of the Holy See.”

Therefore, since their temporal goods are part of the patrimony of the Apostolic See, “it is necessary,” reads the Motu proprio, “that they be subject not only to the supervision of the Curial Institutions from which they depend, but also to the control and surveillance of the Economic Bodies of the Roman Curia.”

In this way, instrumental juridical persons will be “clearly distinguished from other foundations, associations and nonprofit entities” that are “born from the initiative of private individuals and are not instrumental to the realization of the ends proper to the Curial Institutions.”

Existing instrumental juridical persons will have to comply with the provisions of the Motu Proprio within three months of its entry into force, which is scheduled to begin on Dec. 8, 2022.

The role of the Secretariat for the Economy

The Motu Proprio consists of eight articles. The third deals with supervision and control in economic and financial matters, establishing that the Secretariat for the Economy exercises supervision and control over instrumental juridical persons in accordance with its statutes and, within its competence, adopts or recommends the adoption by instrumental juridical persons of appropriate measures for the prevention and combating of criminal activities.

The fourth and fifth articles regulate accounting records and the exchange of information, stipulating, among other things, that instrumental legal persons must submit the budget and the final financial statements to the Secretariat for the Economy within the deadlines set by the same Secretariat, and providing that the Secretariat for the Economy and the Office of the Auditor General may always access accounting records, supporting documents, and information on financial transactions.

Article 6 deals with the dissolution and devolution of assets, and specifies how an instrumental juridical person is suppressed and placed in liquidation by decree of the curial institution from which it canonically depends, when its purpose has been fulfilled or it has become impossible or contrary to the law, or, in the case of associations, when the reduction in the number of their associates prevents their functioning.

In view of the need to provide an organic and up-to-date discipline to legal persons based in the Vatican, the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State also promulgated a law – which enters into force on 8 December 2022 – that extends the application of the Motu Proprio to entities of the Vatican City State.

However, curial institutions and offices of the Roman Curia, institutions connected with the Holy See, the Governorate of Vatican City State, and entities professionally engaged in activities of a financial nature are excluded from the scope of the law.

These measures are in line with the reforms outlined by Pope Francis in the Apostolic Constitution Predicate Evangelium.

 

POPE TRANSFERS OPUS DEI TO DICASTERY FOR CLERGY, SAYS PRELATE MAY NOT BE A BISHOP – GERMAN BISHOPS RESPOND TO VATICAN COMMUNIQUE ON SYNODAL PATH

Posted in Germany, Motu Proprio, Opus Dei, Personal Prelature, Pope Francis, Prelature, Synodality by

POPE TRANSFERS OPUS DEI TO DICASTERY FOR CLERGY, SAYS PRELATE MAY NOT BE A BISHOP

Forty years after St. John Paul established Opus Dei as a personal prelature in his Apostolic Constitution Ut Sit, Pope Francis, in his Apostolic Letter Motu proprio Ad charisma tuendum, published today, confirmed the charism of Opus Dei but ordered the transfer of jurisdiction from the Dicastery of Bishops to the Dicastery for Clergy and also established that the Prelate can no longer be awarded the episcopal order. This enters into force August 4.

The Holy Father modified some of Opus Dei’s structures on the basis of the March 19, 2022 constitution on reform of the Roman Curis, Praedicate Evangelium, in order to “protect the charism” and “promote the evangelizing action that its members carry out in the world” by spreading “the call to holiness in the world, through the sanctification of work and commitments to family and society.”

Here’s a translation of some of the salient paragraphs:

“To protect the charism, my predecessor Saint John Paul II, in the Apostolic Constitution Ut sit, of 28 November 1982, erected the Prelature of Opus Dei, entrusting it with the pastoral task of contributing in a particular way to the evangelizing mission of the Church.” (Vatican file photo, Pope, prelate)

“With this Motu Proprio we intend to confirm the Prelature of Opus Dei in the authentically charismatic context of the Church, specifying its organization in harmony with the testimony of the Founder, St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, and with the teachings of the conciliar ecclesiology regarding personal prelatures.”

By means of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium of March 19, 2022 that reforms the organization of the Roman Curia to better promote its service in favor of evangelization, I have deemed it convenient to entrust to the Dicastery for the Clergy the competence for all that pertains to the Apostolic See regarding the personal prelatures, of which the only one erected up to now is that of Opus Dei, in consideration of the pre-eminent task carried out in it, according to the norm of law, by clerics (cf. can. 294, CIC).

In Article 1, the Pope moves the jurisdiction for Opus Dei from the Dicastery for Bishops to the Dicastery for Clergy.

Article 2. The text of art. 6 of the Apostolic Constitution Ut sit is, starting from now, replaced by the following text: “Each year the Prelate will submit to the Dicastery for the Clergy a report on the state of the Prelature and on the carrying out of its apostolic work.”

(That original Ut sit article VI read: “Through the Sacred Congregation for Bishops, the Prelate will present to the Roman Pontiff, every five years, a report on the state of the Prelature, and on the development of its apostolic work.”

Art 4. In full respect of the nature of the specific charism described by the aforementioned Apostolic Constitution, we intend to strengthen the conviction that, for the protection of the particular gift of the Spirit, a form of government based more on charism than on hierarchical authority is needed. Therefore the Prelate will not be awarded or eligible to be awarded the episcopal order.

Art. 5. Considering that the pontifical insignia are reserved for those awarded the episcopal order, the Prelate of Opus Dei is granted, by reason of his office, the use of the title of Apostolic Protonotary supernumerary with the title of Reverend Monsignor and therefore may use the insignia corresponding to this title.

This motu proprio will enter into force on August 4, 2022 and be published in the official commentary of the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.

Given in Rome at St. Peter’s on July 14, 2022, the 10th year of pontificate, Francesco

GERMAN BISHOPS RESPOND TO VATICAN COMMUNIQUE ON SYNODAL PATH

The Bishops write, among other things: “Since the beginning of the Synodal Path, the Synodal Committee has endeavoured to find direct ways of communication with the Roman bodies. In our opinion, this would be the right place for such clarifications. Unfortunately, the Synodal Committee has not been invited to a discussion to date. We regret with irritation that this direct communication has not yet taken place. In our understanding, a synodal Church is something else!”

An English translation of the full response from the German episcopacy on the July 21 Vatican communique on the “synodal path” underway in Germany is here (scroll down to bottom of page): 21.07.2022: Statement by the Presidents of the Synodal Path on the statement presented by the Holy See

2022 WORLD DAY OF GRANDPARENTS AND ELDERLY: “IN OLD AGE THEY WILL STILL BEAR FRUIT” – POPE FRANCIS TRANSFERS RESPONSIBILITIES TO BISHOPS – UPCOMING EVENTS ON PAPAL CALENDAR

Posted in Canon Law, Lent, Motu Proprio, Papal retreat, World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly by

Grazie to those of you who sent ‘thank you’ replies to the Jacquie Lawson Valentine card I posted here yesterday! Great to hear from you!

There was a technical issue with “Vatican Insider” last weekend and the News segment did not make it through cyberspace from Rome to EWTN Alabama!   However, the interview with Deacon Brad Easterbrooks made it safe and sound – as you will find out here: Vatican Insider 021222 Deacon Brad Easterbrooks Pt2 by EWTN Catholic Radio (soundcloud.com)</a

2022 WORLD DAY OF GRANDPARENTS AND ELDERLY: “IN OLD AGE THEY WILL STILL BEAR FRUIT”

Pope Francis released the theme for the second World Day for Grandparents and Elderly, which aims to reconsider and value grandparents and the elderly who are too often kept on the margins of families, civil and ecclesial communities

By Francesca Merlo (vaticannews)

Pope Francis, on Tuesday, announced the theme for the Second World Day for Grandparents and Elderly with a tweet:

“In old age they will still bear fruit” (Psalms 92:15). I have chosen this theme for the Second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly to be held on July 24, 2022 to promote dialogue among the generations, especially between grandparents and grandchildren. @LaityFamilyLife  (vatican file photo)

The Day

The explanation of the theme came shortly prior to the Pope’s tweet, in a statement from the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life that organises the day.

The World Day for Grandparents and the elderly was established by Pope Francis, one year ago, in 2021. Last year, during Holy Mass marking the day, the Pope reflected on three moments in the Gospel involving bread: “Jesus sees the crowd’s hunger; Jesus shares the bread; Jesus asks that the leftovers be collected.” He summed up these three passages with three verbs: to see, to share, to preserve, thus inaugurating the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly by describing them as “the bread that nourishes our life.”

Now, preparations begin for the second World Day, celebrated annually on 24 July throughout the universal Church.

The theme

In its statement, the dicastery writes that the theme chosen by the Holy Father for the occasion “intends to emphasize how grandparents and the elderly are a value and a gift both for society and for ecclesial communities.”

“The theme,” continues the statement, “is also an invitation to reconsider and value grandparents and the elderly who are too often kept on the margins of families, civil and ecclesial communities. Their experience of life and faith can contribute, in fact, to building societies that are aware of their roots and capable of dreaming of a future based on greater solidarity.” It add, “the invitation to listen to the wisdom of the years is also particularly significant in the context of the synodal journey that the Church has undertaken.”

The statement concludes by stressing that the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life “invites parishes, dioceses, associations and ecclesial communities throughout the world to find ways to celebrate the Day in their own pastoral context, and for this purpose, it will later make available some appropriate pastoral tools.”

The Pope and the elderly

Pope Francis has often expressed the importance of protecting and looking up to grandparents and the elderly.

Notably, as the world started suffering the first consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, of which the elderly were amongst the most affected, Pope Francis urged all young people to be close to them. He has also claimed, on the eve of his birthday two years ago, that “prayers of the elderly are powerful.” Old age is a blessing, he has said, adding that the elderly “have a role in God’s saving plan!”

POPE FRANCIS TRANSFERS RESPONSIBILITIES TO BISHOPS

Pope Francis on Tuesday issued a new Apostolic Letter “motu proprio” – on his own initiative – modifying the Code of Canon Law (CIC) and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO) to favour greater decentralization.

By Christopher Wells (Vaticannews)

With a new motu proprio published on Tuesday, Pope Francis has modified canon law for both the Latin Church and the Eastern Churches, changing the areas of competence for various bodies within the universal Church. Specifically, with the Apostolic Letter Assegnare alcune competenze (“Assigning certain competencies,” taken from the opening words, or inciit of the document), Pope Francis transfers certain responsibilities from the Vatican to local bishops.

Fostering collegiality

The new norms deal with different areas of Church life, in each case specifying the authorities competent to make decisions with regard to those issues. “The intention,” of the changes, writes Pope Francis at the beginning of his Letter, “is above all to foster a sense of collegiality and pastoral responsibility on the part of Bishops […] as well as Major Superiors, and also to support the principles of rationality, effectiveness, and efficiency.” For more: Pope Francis transfers responsibilities to bishops – Vatican News

UPCOMING EVENTS ON PAPAL CALENDAR

The Vatican Monday published upcoming liturgical and other events on the papal calendar for March:

On Ash Wednesday, March 2, at 4:30 pm, the Holy Father will lead the statio orbis and a penitential procession from the basilica of Sant’Anselmo to the basilica of Santa Sabina where he will celebrate Mass with the blessing and imposition of ashes. Last year’s celebration of Ash Wednesday Mass took place in St. Peter’s basilica.

On Friday, March 4 at 10:30 am, the Pope will preside at an Ordinary Public Consistory for the vote on various causes for canonization

On Friday, March 25 Pope Francis will preside at a Penitential celebration at 5:00pm at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Once again, the annual curial retreat or spiritual exercises, will not take place outside of the Vatican due to the continuing health emergency caused by Covid-19. In January, the Holy Father asked ranking members of the curia, who usually gather together with the Pope for the retreat, to make their own, individual plans for a retreat from Sunday afternoon, March 6 to Friday, March 11.

 

POPE MODIFIES INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CDF – THE FEMALE GENIUS INSPIRING THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD IN DIFFICULT TIMES – TRIAL OF JIHADIST MURDER OF FR. JACQUES HAMEL STARTS

Posted in Assassination, Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith, Fr. Jacques Hamel, France, Motu Proprio, patron saint, Women Doctors of the Church by

POPE MODIFIES INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CDF

By means of a motu proprio entitled Fidem servare (“preserving the faith”; cf. 2 Tim. 4:7), Pope Francis has modified the internal structure of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) by establishing two distinct sections, a doctrinal and a disciplinary section, each with their own secretary. Henceforth, the Cardinal prefect of the Dicastery will have two chief deputies. The aim of the reform is to give due importance to the doctrinal section and its fundamental role of the promotion of the faith, without diminishing the disciplinary activity, after decades in which a great deal of effort and human resources have been committed to examining abuse cases. With the new structure, each section, with its own secretary, will have greater authority and autonomy. Pope modifies CDF: Two sections with distinct secretaries – Vatican News

THE FEMALE GENIUS INSPIRING THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD IN DIFFICULT TIMES

An international inter-university congress in March shines the light on the relevance of Women Doctors of the Church and Patron Saints of Europe in today’s world.Therese of Lisieux, Hildegard of Bingen, Teresa of Ávila, Edith Stein, Bridget of Sweden and Catherine of Siena are just some of the women chosen, by the Church, to offer hope and inspiration in times of daunting challenges and fear. Upholding the relevance of their work and the testimonies provided by their lives, Catholic academics believe these remarkable figures can be seen as beacons of light and can provide much-needed hope and help restore momentum as humanity searches for the best way forward. Organized by the Pontifical Urbaniana University, the Institute for Advanced Studies on Women of the Pontifical University Regina Apostolorum, and the Catholic University of Avila, the congress scheduled for 7 and 8 March is entitled “Female Doctors of the Church and Patron Saints of Europe in Dialogue with Today’s World”. The female genius inspiring the Church and the world in difficult times – Vatican News

Hildegard of Bingen

TRIAL OF JIHADIST MURDER OF FR. JACQUES HAMEL STARTS

As the trial against four alleged accomplices in the heinous assassination of Father Jacques Hamel began in Paris on Monday, the Archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, says he hopes that it will shed light on one of the most gruesome jihadist attacks that has occurred in France in recent years and that it will spur fraternal relations between Muslims and Christians in France. The 85-year-old French priest’s throat was slit with knife whilst he stood on the altar celebrating Mass on 26 July, 2016, at his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, a suburb of Rouen in northwest France. Hamel’s murder came as the country was grappling with an unprecedented wave of jihadist terrorist attacks that began with the massacre at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris in January 2015 and which have claimed more than 250 lives. Trial over jihadist murder of Father Hamel begins in Paris – Vatican News

VATICAN INSIDER: SPECIAL EDITION ON PAPAL MOTU TRADITIONIS CUSTODES – CHURCH TO MARK FIRST WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY

Posted in Motu Proprio, Traditionis Custodes, Vatican Insider, World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly by

L’Osservatore Romano in the weekly English edition: I’m not sure if this link will work because, as of July 1, the Vatican newspaper requires a paying subscription. I have paid but am not sure if it works if I merely post a link or if you will be asked to sign in. ING_2021_030_2307.pdf (osservatoreromano.va)

VATICAN INSIDER: SPECIAL EDITION ON PAPAL MOTU TRADITIONIS CUSTODES

Because of the repercussions heard around the world since the July 16th release by the Vatican of Pope Francis’ Motu proprio TRADITIONIS CUSTODES On the Use of the Roman Liturgy Prior to the Reform of 1970, I am dedicating the interview segment of Vatican Insider to a Special about this papal document. I will try to examine the whys and wherefores of TRADITIONIS CUSTODES – which is Latin for Guardians of Tradition – and look at its reception.

As you probably know by now, the motu proprio was accompanied by a lengthy letter to the world’s bishops in which the Pope explained the reasons behind his decision to abrogate previous norms for the Latin Mass. I will look at both the motu and the papal letter to bishops and then examine some of the questions that have arisen since the papal document’s publication.

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CHURCH TO MARK FIRST WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY

This Sunday the Vatican will inaugurate the very first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, a day that Pope Francis established at the end of January this year. He will not, however, be presiding at Sunday’s Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica as he continues to recover from his July 4 surgery in a Rome hospital for diverticular stenosis of the colon. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, will celebrate the July 25th World Day Mass.

Princess Leonore, held by Sweden’s Queen Silvia, gives a papal key chain to Pope Francis during her grandmother’s private audience with Pope Francis in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican in this April 27, 2015, file photo. The pope has chosen the theme, “I am with you always,” for the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which will be celebrated July 25, 2021. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis selected the fourth Sunday of July for this annual celebration as the nearest date to the July 26 feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents. The theme of this first World Day is “I am with you always.”

POPE FRANCIS MODIFIES, RESTRICTS NORMS REGULATING TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS

Posted in Benedict XVI, Motu Proprio, Pope Francis, Traditional Latin Mass by

POPE FRANCIS MODIFIES, RESTRICTS NORMS REGULATING TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS

The Motu proprio TRADITIONIS CUSTODES” On the Use of the Roman Liturgy Prior to the Reform of 1970″ was issued today by Pope Francis that modifies in many ways and greatly restricts in others the norms regulating the use of the 1962 missal granted 14 years ago by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, as the “extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.” The motu was accompanied by a letter to the world’s bishops in which he explains the reasons behind his decision.

The celebration of the TLM, Traditional Latin Mass, was called by Pope Benedict the “extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.”

To understand some of the changes, it is important to read Benedict XVI’s 2007 Apostolic Letter Given Motu Proprio SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM On The Use Of The Roman Liturgy Prior To The Reform Of 1970.

The Pope emeritus wrote: “Given the continued requests of these members of the faithful, long deliberated upon by our predecessor John Paul II, and having listened to the views expressed by the Cardinals present at the Consistory of 23 March 2006, upon mature consideration, having invoked the Holy Spirit and with trust in God’s help, by this Apostolic Letter we decree the following:

“Art 1. The Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the lex orandi (rule of prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. The Roman Missal promulgated by Saint Pius V and revised by Blessed John XXIII is nonetheless to be considered an extraordinary expression of the same lex orandi of the Church and duly honoured for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church’s lex orandi will in no way lead to a division in the Church’s lex credendi (rule of faith); for they are two usages of the one Roman rite.

“It is therefore permitted to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal, which was promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Church’s Liturgy. The conditions for the use of this Missal laid down by the previous documents Quattuor Abhinc Annos and Ecclesia Dei are now replaced as follows: TO CONTINUE: https://www.vatican.va/…/hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio…

The two documents named in the above paragraph are from St. John Paul.

The conditions set out by Benedict XVI in 2007 are easy to read and succinctly written. When you read these, you will understand the changes in today’s motu proprio.

One of the things that prompted Benedict to write this document was the growing love, in many places a yearning, for what is known as the TLM. What was really notable was that very often the love and appreciation for this rite was growing not among those who grew up with it in the 1960s and earlier but among the young generations who saw it beauty and reverence. So it was not a nostalgic look back for many. It was the desire for a Eucharistic celebration that was marked by beauty, reverence and awe.

Let’s see what happens after today……Oremus!