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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

45. Cum celebrans, in precibus ad gradus altaris, non amplius se signet ad verba Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini, quaeritur, utrum Episcopus se signare debeat, eaedem [sic] verba dicens, ad benedictionem in fine Missae?

Resp.: Negative, congrua congruis referendo. Nam in utroque casu signum crucis ad verba Adiutorium nostrum omittitur, ne bis successive celebrans se signet.

45. Since the celebrant, in the prayers at the foot of the altar, no longer signs himself at the words Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini, it is asked whether a Bishop should sign himself when saying the same words at the blessing at the end of Mass?

Resp.: In the negative, by referring parallel cases to parallel cases. For in either case the sign of the cross at the words Adiutorium nostrum is omitted so that the celebrant does not sign himself twice in a row.

Notitiae 1 (1965): 186–187, n. 45final blessing, hermeneutics, prayers at the foot of the altar, sign of the crossPDF of Notitiae 1 (1965): 186–187

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

URBIS ET ORBIS DECRETUM

De signo sanctae Crucis in benedictionibus semper adhibendo

Cum ex usitato more semper liturgica viguisset consuetudo, ut in ritibus benedictionis signum crucis adhiberetur, id dextera manu a celebrante super personas aut res describendo, pro quibus misericordia impetratur, haec Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum ad dirimenda dubia statuit, ut, etiam si textus illius partis Ritualis Romani cui titulus De Benedictionibus silentio signum ipsum praetereatur vel expressa in eo careat mentione temporis opportuni huius actionis, attamen tamquam necessarium in quavis benedictione sacris ministris peragenda supradictum signum crucis usurpetur.

Hac vero absente mentione, tempus opportunum habeatur cum textus benedictionis verba benedictio, benedicere vel similia praebeat vel his deficientibus verbis, cum concluditur ipsa oratio benedictionis.

Contrariis quibuslibet minime obstantibus.

Ex aedibus Congregationis de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum, die 14 Septembris A. D. 2002, in festo Exaltationis Sanctae Crucis.

GEORGIUS A. card. MEDINA ESTÉVEZ, Praefectus

✠ Franciscus Pius Tamburrino
archiep. a Secretis

A DECREE FOR THE CITY AND THE WORLD

On always making use of the sign of the holy Cross in blessings

Since, from the established usage, the liturgical custom has always been in force that in the rites of blessing the sign of the cross is employed by being traced by the celebrant with the right hand over the persons or things for whom mercy is implored, this Congregation for divine worship and the discipline of the sacraments, in order to dispel any doubts, has established that, even if the text of the part of the Roman ritual entitled "The Book of Blessings" remains silent about the sign itself or lacks an express mention of the appropriate time for this action, nevertheless the sacred ministers should adopt the aforementioned sign of the cross as necessary when carrying out any blessing.

Without a mention, however, the appropriate time should be regarded as when the text of the blessing uses the words blessing, to bless, or similar or, lacking these words, when the prayer of blessing itself is concluded.

Anything to the contrary not withstanding.

From the office of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, on 14 September, 2002, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

GEORGE A. card. MEDINA ESTEVEZ, Prefect

✠ Francesco Pio Tamburrino
archbishop Secretary

AAS 94 (2002): 684blessings, gestures, hermeneutics, sign of the crossPDF of AAS 94 (2002): 684