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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TextUnofficial English TranslationCitationTagsPDF of the original document

4. Utrum sit contra spiritum Constitutionis, n. 52, ut, loco homiliae, catechetica instructio fidelibus praebeatur?

Resp.: Instructio art. 52 Constitutionis declarat, eo sensu ut, si schemata praedicationis intra Missam habendae a competenti auctoritate disponuntur, praedicatio ipsa ita ordinari debet ut intimus nexus servetur cum praecipuis saltem temporibus et festis anni liturgici seu cum mysterio Redemptionis.

4. Whether it is against the spirit of the Constitution n. 52 that, in place of the homily, a catechetical instruction be presented to the faithful?

Resp.: The Instruction explains art. 52 of the Constitution in the sense that, if the schemata for the preaching to be held during Mass are assigned by the competent authority, the preaching itself should be ordered such that the intimate link with at least the more important times and feasts of the liturgical year or with the mystery of Redemption is preserved.

Notitiae 1 (1965): 137, n. 4homilyPDF of Notitiae 1 (1965): 137

46. Utrum diacono, qui in Missa secundum n. 44 et 45 Ritus servandi legit aut cantat Evangelium, liceat etiam homiliam habere?

Resp.: Affirmative, post debitam, ab Ordinario obtentam facultatem, secundum C. I. C., can. 1342, § 1.

46. Whether a deacon who, according to n. 44 and 45 of the Ritus servandus reads or sings the Gospel at Mass, is also permitted to give the homily?

Resp.: In the affirmative after obtaining the proper faculty from the Ordinary, according to C. I. C., can. 1342, § 1.

Notitiae 1 (1965): 187, n. 46deacon, homilyPDF of Notitiae 1 (1965): 187

94. Quando Missa pro aliquo defuncto celebratur, potestne fieri sermo post Evangelium?

Affirmative, dummodo omnis species elogii funebris vitetur et homilia « ex textu sacro » hauriatur (Const., art. 52), praesentet « indolem paschalem mortis christianae » (Const., art. 81), et adstantium fidem et spem in paschale Christi mysterium dirigat.

94. When Mass is celebrated for a deceased person, can there be a sermon after the Gospel?

In the affirmative, as long as every kind of funeral eulogy is avoided and the homily is drawn « from the sacred text » (Const., art. 52), presents « the paschal nature of Christian death » (Const., art. 81), and directs the faith and hope of those who are present to the paschal mystery of Christ.

Notitiae 2 (1966): 30, n. 94funeral, homilyPDF of Notitiae 2 (1966): 30

D. — Utrum verba Homilia de more ab ipso celebrante habeatur, n. 42 Institutionis Generalis Missalis Romani, quibus in rem deducuntur praescripta Constitutionis Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52, et Constitutionis dogmaticae Dei Verbum, n. 24, (cfr. etiam Litt. Ap. Sacram Liturgiam d. 29 ian. 1964, III Instr. S. R. C. Inter oecumenici d. 26 sept. 1964, nn. 53-55, et Instr. Sacrae Congregationis pro Cultu Divino Liturgicae instaurationes d. 5 sept. 1970, n. 2) ita interpretanda sint ut ii quoque, qui nec sacerdotes nec diaconi sint, viri aut mulieres, qui tamen Sacram Liturgiam participant, homiliam habere possint.

R. — Negative.

D. — Whether the words The homily is customarily given by the celebrant himself, n. 42 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, in which the prescripts of the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 52, and the dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, n. 24, are put into effect (see also the Apostolic Letter Sacram Liturgiam d. 29 ian. 1964, the Third Instruction of the Sacred Congregation of Rites Inter oecumenici d. 26 sept. 1964, nn. 53-55, and the Instruction of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship Liturgicae instaurationes d. 5 sept. 1970, n. 2) should be interpreted such that also those who are not priests or deacons, whether men or women, but who participate in the Sacred Liturgy, could also give the homily.

R. — In the negative.

AAS 63 (1971): 329homilyNo PDF scan available

Estne opportunum ante vel post homiliam invitare fideles ut se signent signo crucis, illos salutare, ex. gr. dicendo « laudetur Iesus Christus », etc.?

R. Hoc pendet a legitimis usibus localibus: at, generatim loquendo non est opportunum has consuetudines servare, quia introductae sunt in homiliam ex praedicatione extra Missam. Homilia est pars liturgiae: fideles iam initio Missae signum crucis fecerunt, et salutati sunt. Praestat proinde ut non reiterentur ante vel post homiliam.

Is it opportune before or after the homily to invite the faithful to sign themselves with the sign of the cross, to greet them, e.g. saying « Praised be Jesus Christ », etc.?

R. This depends on legitimate local practices, but, generally speaking it is not opportune to observe these customs, since they were introduced in to the homily from preaching outside of Mass. The homily is part of the liturgy; the faithful have already made the sign of the cross at the beginning of Mass, and they have been greeted. It is preferable, therefore, that these things not be repeated before or after the homily.

Notitiae 9 (1973): 178homily, sign of the crossPDF of Notitiae 9 (1973): 178

Estne opportunum post homiliam in silentio meditari?

R. Est valde opportunum.

Potestne organum leviter edi dum hoc silentium servatur?

R. Potest, dummodo vere leviter fiat et a meditatione non distrahat, sed illi faveat.

Is it opportune to meditate in silence after the homily?

R. It is very opportune.

Can the organ be played lightly while this silence is observed?

R. It can as long as it is done truly lightly and does not distract from the meditation but rather encourages it.

Notitiae 9 (1973): 192homily, organ, silencePDF of Notitiae 9 (1973): 192

3. Utrum homilia facta ab Episcopo in celebratione Missae haberi possit ab ipso ad sedem et quidem sedendo.

℟. Ad normam n. 97 Institutionis generalis Missalis romani homilia in Missae celebratione fit ad sedem vel in ambone. Nihil obstat quominus Episcopus, iuxta traditum morem, sedens homiliam habeat.

3. Whether the homily given by the Bishop in the celebration of Mass can be given by him at the chair and even seated.

℟. According to the norm of n. 97 of the Institutio generalis Missalis romani the homily in the celebration of Mass is given at the chair or at the ambo. Nothing stands in the way of a bishop, according to the traditional practice, giving the homily seated.

Notitiae 10 (1974): 80, n. 3bishop, homily, posturePDF of Notitiae 10 (1974): 80

De homilia

Homilia, qua per anni liturgici cursum ex textu sacro fidei mysteria et normae vitae christianae exponuntur, ut pars liturgiae verbi saepius et inde a Constitutione liturgica Concilii Vaticani II potissimum est commendata, immo pro aliquibus casibus praescribitur. Ab ipso qui praeest de more habenda, homilia in Missae celebratione eo tendit ut nuntiatum Dei verbum una cum liturgia eucharistica fiat « quasi annuntiatio mirabilium Dei in historia salutis seu mysterio Christi ». Etenim mysterium paschale Christi quod lectionibus et homilia nuntiatur, per Missae sacrificium exercetur. Christus autem in Eccelsiae suae praedicatione praesens semper adest et operatur.

Homilia igitur sive verbum Scripturae sacrae nuntiatum sive alium liturgicum textum explicet, communitatem fidelium ad Eucharistiam actuose celebrandam ducere debet, ut « vivendo teneant quod fide perceperunt ». Hac viva expositione Dei verbum, quod legitur, et celebrationes Ecclesiae, quae peraguntur, maiorem efficacitatem acquirere possunt, si homilia revera sit fructus meditationis, apte parata, non nimis protracta nec nimis brevis, et si in ea ad omnes praesentes, etiam pueros et incultos, attendatur.

(Ex n. 24 Praenotandorum Ordinis Lectionum Missae, editio typica altera 1981, p. xxi).

On the homily

The homily, by which, through the course of the liturgical year, the mysteries of faith and norms of Christian life are set forth from the sacred text, as part of the Liturgy of the Word has been recommended often and especially since the liturgical constitution of the Second Vatican Council, and indeed is prescribed in some cases. The homily in the celebration of Mass is customarily to be given by the one who presides by virtue of the fact that it shows how the word of God which has been proclaimed becomes together with the eucharistic liturgy « a kind of proclamation of the wonders of God in salvation history or the mystery of Christ ». And also the Paschal Mystery of Christ, which is announced by the readings and homily, is exercised through the sacrifice of the Mass. Christ, moreover, in the preaching of his Church, is always present and at work.

The homily, therefore, whether it explains the word of sacred Scripture that has been proclaimed or another liturgical text, ought to lead the community of the faithful to celebrate the Eucharist actively, so that « they may hold in their manner of life what they have grasped by faith. ». By this living explanation of the Word of God, which is read, the celebrations of the Church, which are carried out, can also acquire a greater efficacy if the homily is truly the fruit of meditation, aptly prepared, neither excessively drawn out nor too brief, and if it is attentive to the needs of all those present, even children and the uninstructed.

(Ex n. 24 of the Praenotanda Ordinis Lectionum Missae, editio typica altera 1981, p. xxi).

Notitiae 19 (1983): 834homily, participatio actuosaPDF of Notitiae 19 (1983): 834