Thesaurus responsorum ex « Notitiae » - Notitiae Response Database
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Hoc in situ interretiali ordinantur responsiones, explanationes, et decreta ex « Notitiae » aliisque interdum fontibus (ut AAS) deprompta. Finis est praestare textum originalem, versionem anglicam, et exemplar PDF paginarum pertinentium ex « Notitiae » vel alio fonte. Praesens igitur inceptum opusculum « Ordo Missae locis correspondentibus illustratus » aliquatenus extendit. Est enim labor imperfectus quem, cum operae mihi est, suscipio. Denique Reverendo domino Danieli Gill, domino Radosław Gosiewski, et domino Abram Córdova y Muenzberg, qui nonnullas ex responsionibus transcripserunt, gratias refero, item etiam domino Ioanni Oliveire dominaeque Cristae Mootz, qui in linguam anglicam responsiones quasdam verteri adiuvaverunt. Exemplaria PDF exstant etiam textuum nondum transcriptorum. This website organizes responses, explanations, and decrees from Notitiae and sometimes from other sources (such as AAS. The goal is to provide the original text, an English translation, and a PDF scan of the relevant pages from Notitiae or other source. In some ways, the project is a further development of my Cross-Referenced Ordo Missae. This is an ongoing prject which I work on in my spare time. I am also grateful for the help of Rev. Daniel Gill, Mr. Radosław Gosiewski, and Mr. Abram Córdova y Muenzberg in transcribing some of these responses and also to Mr. Johan Oliveire and Miss Crista Mootz for helping to translate certain responses into English. PDFs are available even for texts that have not yet been transcribed.
Fac Patrem Dylanum Schrader certiorem si habes proposita vel corrigenda. Contact Father Dylan Schrader with suggestions and corrections.
N.B. In « Notitiae » 1 (1965) et 2 (1966), supra responsa, invenitur monitio: Solutio quae proponitur nullam induit vestem officialem. Solummodo habet valorem orientativum: solutiones enim ex officio publici iuris fient, si casus fert, a competenti Auctoritate in « Acta Apostolicae Sedis ». N.B. In Notitiae 1 (1965) and 2 (1966), this notice appears above the responses: The solution which is proposed takes on no official character. It has only an orientative force; solutions will be published officially, if the case warrants, by the competent Authority in « Acta Apostolicae Sedis ».

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An liceat in Missa chrismatis sociari presbyteris etiam diaconos in promissionibus sacerdotalis renovandis?

℟. Negative.

Concilium Oecumenicum Vaticanum II in Constitutione dogmatica « Lumen Gentium » plane affirmat: « Presbyteri, ordinis Episcopalis providi cooperators eiusque adiutorium et organum, ad Populo Dei inserviendum vocati, unum presbyterium cum suo Episcopo constituent, diversiis quidem officiis mancipatum. In singulis localibus fidelium congregationibus Episcopum, quocum fidenti et magno animo consociantum, quodammodo praesentem reddunt eiusque munera et sollicitudinem pro parte suscipiunt et cura cotidiana exercent. Qui sub auctoritate Episcopi portionem gregis dominici sibi addictam sanctificant et regunt, Ecclesiam universalem in suo loco visibilem faciunt et in aedificando toto corpore Christi validam operam afferent (LG 28) ».

Insuper, decretum de ministerio et vita presbyterorum definit: « Presbyteri omnes, una cum Episcopis, unum idemque sacerdotium et ministerium Christi ita participant, ut ipsa unitas consecrationis missionisque requirat hierarchicam eorum communionem cum Ordine Episcoporum, quam optime aliquando in liturgica concelebratione manifestant, et cum quibus coniuncti profitentur se Eucharisticam Synaxim celebrare » (PO 7).

In Missa chrismatis, cui Episcopus in ecclesia cathedralis praeest quamque sacedotes e diversis regionibus Dioecesis concelebrant, elucet natura ipsa Ecclesiae, Christi corporis, variis ministeriis et charismatibus organice costitutae. Haec praesertim celebratio tamen existimatur « inter praecipuas manifestationes plenitudinis sacerdotii Episcopi et signum arctae coniunctionis presbyterorum cum ipso » (Ordo benedicendi oleum catechumenorum et infirmorum et conficiendi Chrisma, Praenotanda, n. 1).

Sicut envincitur ex ipsis interrogationibus, quae in Missali Romano referuntur quasquae Episcopus ab sacerdotibus petit, hac die, quo celebratur natale sacerdotii ministerialis, presbyter quisque renovat fidelitatem Christo, oboedientiam Episcopo et plenam facultatem populi Dei ministrandi.

Hac in celebratione, igitur, clare patet quod « Missa chrismatis [...] est veluti manifestatio comunionis presbyterorum cum proprio Episcopo in uno eodemque sacerdotio atque ministerio Christi. Ad hanc vero Missam convocentur presbyteri e diversis regionibus Dioecesis, qui concelebrent cum Episcopo, in conficendo Chrismate testes et cooperatores eius, sicut in ministerio cotidiano adiutores sunt ei consiliarii » (Congregatio pro Cultu Divino, Litterae circulars, De festis paschalibus praeparandis et celebrandis « Paschalis sollemnitatis », n. 35).

Ipsum Concilium Oecumenicum Vaticanum II, cum de diaconis alloquitur, eos distinguit a sacerdotibus eorumque naturam definit asserens: « In gradu inferiori hierarchiae sistunt Diaconi, quibus "non ad sacerdotium, sed ad ministerium" manus imponuntur » (LG 29).

Ergo, in Missa chrismatis soli presbyteri vocantur, ut renovent promissa sacerdotalia, qui una cum Episcopo participant eidem sacerdotio et ministerio Christi.

Whether it is permissible at the Chrism Mass for deacons to be included along with the priests in renewing the priestly promises?

℟. In the negative.

The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council in the dogmatic Constitution « Lumen Gentium » clearly affirms: « Priests, prudent cooperators with the Episcopal order, its aid and instrument, called to serve the people of God, constitute one priesthood with their bishop although bound by a diversity of duties. Associated with their bishop in a spirit of trust and generosity, they make him present in a certain sense in the individual local congregations, and take upon themselves, as far as they are able, his duties and the burden of his care, and discharge them with a daily interest. And as they sanctify and govern under the bishop's authority, that part of the Lord's flock entrusted to them they make the universal Church visible in their own locality and bring an efficacious assistance to the building up of the whole body of Christ (LG 28) ».

Moreover, the decree on the ministry and life of priests specifies: « All priests, in union with bishops, so share in one and the same priesthood and ministry of Christ that the very unity of their consecration and mission requires their hierarchical communion with the order of bishops. At times in an excellent manner they manifest this communion in liturgical concelebration as joined with the bishop when they celebrate the Eucharistic Sacrifice » (PO 7).

In the Chrism Mass, over which the Bishop presides in the cathedral church and which priests from different regions of the Diocese concelebrate, the very nature of the Church, the body of Christ, organically constituted with various ministries and charisms, shines forth. This celebration is particularly held in esteem « as counted among the special manifestations of the fullness of the priesthood of the Bishop and as a sign of the intimate joining of the priests with him » (Ordo benedicendi oleum catechumenorum et infirmorum et conficiendi Chrisma, Praenotanda, n. 1).

As is expressed by the questions themselves which are given in the Roman Missal and which the Bishop asks of the priests, on this day, when the birth of the ministerial priesthood is celebrated, each priest renews his fidelity to Christ, his obedience to the Bishop, and his full dedication to ministering to the people of God.

In this celebration, therefore, it is plainly clear that « The Chrism Mass [...] is a sort of manifestation of the communion of priests with their own Bishop in one and the same priesthood and ministry of Christ. Aand to this Mass priests from various regions of the Diocese should be called together to concelebrate with the Bishop and to be his witnesses and co-workers in confecting the Chrism, as they are also his helpers and counselors in the daily ministry. » (Congregatio pro Cultu Divino, Litterae circulars, On preparing and celebrating the Paschal feasts « Paschalis sollemnitatis », n. 35).

The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council itself, when it speaks of deacons, distinguishes them from priests and specifies their nature, asserting: « At a lower level of the hierarchy are deacons, upon whom hands are imposed "not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service" » (LG 29).

Therefore, in the Chrism Mass only the priests are called upon to renew their priestly promises, since they participate together with the Bishop in the same priesthood and ministry of Christ.

Notitiae 49 (2012): 170–171bishop, chrism mass, deacons, holy thursday, priests, promises, renewalPDF of Notitiae 49 (2012): 170–171