Saturday, February 19, 2011

Follow-up document on Summorum Pontificum due soon?

The Vatican will soon issue a long-awaited document to follow up on the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, which provided for the wider use of the traditional Latin Mass, an Italian journalist reports. 

Since shortly after the publication of Summorum Pontificum in July 2007, Vatican-watchers have discussed the prospects for a second document, clearing up questions regarding the proper implementation of the Pope’s plan to make the “extraordinary form” of the Latin liturgy more generally available. 

Paolo Rodari of Il Foglio reports that the document is now nearly complete, translations are being prepared, and the decree should be issued by the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei before Easter.

Some traditionalist Catholics have voiced concerns that the new report will water down the terms of Summorum Pontificum

Rodari cites a Vatican source as saying that such fears are “entirely without foundation.”