Archd. of Manila on Summorum Pontificum

MANY… I mean MANY people have sent me the text of the Archdiocese of Manila’s incredible restrictions on the use the 1962 Missale Romanum.

I wasn’t going to post it here.  Instead , I immediately forwarded what I received to proper authority in the Holy See.

Pretty outrageous stuff, actually.

I thought this sort of thing was behind us.

It is as if Summorum Pontificum didn’t exist or maybe even Ecclesia Dei adflicta didn’t exist!

Although the date is in December this was just posted on the website of the Archdiocese of Manila.  I wonder why it was left until now?

Surely this isn’t a stab at Pope Benedict who is trying to reconcile the SSPX… strike now while they are unpopular in some circles.

ARCHDIOCESAN GUIDELINES
ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE MASS
ACCORDING TO THE RITE OF THE ROMAN MISSAL
PUBLISHED IN 1962 (TRIDENTINE MASS)

In accordance [?!?] with the norms laid down by the Apostolic Letter, issued motu propio, of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, Summorum Pontificum,  [As you read, try to see anything of Summorum Pontificum in these harshly restrictive "guidlines and conditions".] We hereby establish the following guidelines and conditions on the celebration of the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962 (Tridentine Mass) in the Archdiocese of Manila:

   1. The regulation of the celebration of this extraordinary form of the Mass belongs to the Archbishop of Manila, through the Minister of the Ministry for Liturgical Affairs of the Archdiocese of Manila. [The MP says that parish priests make these determinations and that the faithful have the right to action on their requests.]

   2. This form of Mass is to be celebrated only at the Christ the King Chapel of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Manila once a month, but not on Sundays and Solemnities.  [The MP says that parish priests make these decisions in their parishes and that the bishop serves only to help when the parish priest can’t or won’t provide for the requests of the faithful.]

   3. The presider at this form of celebration should be a priest duly appointed by the Archbishop of Manila.  [The Motu Proprio says that all priests with faculties to say Holy Mass at all, also have the faculty to use the older form, because there is, juridically speaking, one Roman Rite in two uses.  Bishops can restrict who says Mass in their diocese by denying them faculties.  Is that what he is doing?]

   4. To ensure the solemnity and orderliness of the celebration of this form of Mass, the participation of other ministers (i.e., lectors, Master of Ceremonies, servers, choir, etc.) in the liturgy is to be determined and regulated by the Ministry for Liturgical Affairs of the Archdiocese of Manila. [So… the office of liturgy gets to determine who may serve Mass?]

   5. The celebration of the extraordinary form of the Mass in this Chapel is open to any individual or group in the Archdiocese of Manila who may have the desire to participate in such celebrations.  Further requests from individuals or groups from the parishes of or who belong to the Archdiocese of Manila to celebrate this form of Mass is to be directed to join the monthly celebration at the Manila Cathedral. [So… he is telling priests to ignore their requests and send them to the Cathedral.]

   6. It is highly encouraged that a missal / booklet of the rite in Latin and English be prepared to help the faithful follow the celebration.  It is like wise encouraged that those who will participate in this Mass undergo a catechetical orientation before the celebration. [Will there be a similar request concern attendance of the Novus Ordo?]

   7. The Archbishop of Manila has jurisdiction over this celebration and, therefore, can decide to limit or discontinue this monthly celebration anytime he judges that this is not consonance with the whole pastoral direction of the Local Church.

Given in Manila, this 8th day of December 2008.

+GAUDENCIO B. CARDINAL ROSALES
Archbishop of Manila

These are "guidelines and conditions".  I don’t know what that means.  But the intent is clear.

Summorum Pontificum is not in force in Manila.