From a reader I received a rather difficult to use transcript of a letter from the new de facto head of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, now under the guidance of Msgr. Guido Pozzo for His Eminence Card. Levada, Prefect of the CDF and Pres. of the PCED.
I smoothed out the format to make it more readable. There was a of the letter.
Original questions (in portuguese, then translation). My emphases:
1 – Após ter entrado em vigor o Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum”, é necessária a permissão do Bispo Diocesano para que algum padre possa celebrar a Missa Gregoriana?
[After being in effect the Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum", is it necessary the permission of the Diocesan Bishop so that any priest can celebrate the Gregorian Mass?]
2 – Os fiéis devem dominar a língua latina para poderem assistir a Missa Gregoriana? Ou bastaria apenas um folheto do missal em formato bilíngue (Latim – Português) para que os fiéis possam assistí-la?
[The faithful must dominate the latin language to be able to attend the Gregorian Mass? Or it is sufficient only a single pamphlete of the missal in bilingual format (Latin – Portuguese) so that the faithful can attend it?]
3 – Um grupo pequeno de fiéis (por exemplo: 8 pessoas), embora seja estável, é insuficiente para que seja celebrada a Missa na Forma Extraordinária?
[A small group of faithful (for example: 8 people), although stable, is insufficient for the celebration of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form?]
4 – O Bispo Diocesano deve cooperar para que o pedido de Missa Gregoriana feito por um grupo estável de fiéis seja realizado?
[The Diocesan Bishop must cooperate so that the request for the Gregoriam Mass made by a stable group of faithful be fulfilled?]
5 – Os fiéis que não fazem parte do grupo estável poderão assistir a Missa Gregoriana?
[The faithful that don’t make part of the stable group will be able to attend the Gregorian Mass?]
6 – Poderão ser realizados matrimônios na Forma Extraordinária do Rito Romano?
[May marriages be done in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite?]
7 – Com a publicação do Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum”, o Papa Bento XVI deseja que a Missa Gregoriana seja amplamente ofertada nas Dioceses?
[With the publication of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, the Pope Benedict XVI desires that the Gregorian Mass be widely offered in the Dioceses?]
8 – O Santo Padre deseja que o ensino do Latim volte a fazer parte do currículo dos seminários para que os futuros padres possam celebrar Missas na língua latina?
[The Holy Father desires that the teaching of Latin do come back of the seminaries’ curriculum so that the future priests may be able to celebrate Masses in latin language?]
9 – Os Bispos Diocesanos devem seguir as orientações da Comissão Pontifícia Ecclesia Dei sobre a aplicação do Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum” mesmo que o Núncio Apostólico no Brasil possa, hipoteticamente, emitir opinião contrária?
[ The Diocesan Bishops must follow the orientations of the Pontifical Comission Ecclesia Dei about the application of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum even though the Apostolic Nuncio in Brazil may, hypothetically, issue a contrary opinion? ]
The answers were given in Portuguese, the originals are on the scanned letter, the translation is below:
"Protocol 97/09
Vatican, July 18th 2009Mr. X,
To the questions on your letter from April 29 2009, it is answered, according to the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, what follows:
1 – The Pontifical Document doesn’t foresee a special permission of the Diocesan Bishop so that any priest celebrates the Holy Mass in the extraordinary form (art. 2);
2 – The faithful are not required to have wide knowledge of the latin language, being sufficient to have any bilingual missal or a leaflet;
3 – The number of faithful in the stable group depends much on the local circumstances, which will show if a priest may or want, albeit his pastoral duties, to occupy himself with a so small group.
4 – The diocesan bishop must be in agreement with the directives set forth in the pontifical document (art 5 par 1; and CIC c. 392); other thing is to verify the effective practicability, in according to the provisions of the Motu Proprio.
5 – The faithful who don’t make part of the stable group may, obviously [evidently], participate in the mass in the Extraordinary Form.
6 – The marriages according to the Extraordinary Form are possible, depending on the parish pastor (art. 9, par. 1);
7 – About the wide application of the pontifical document in a diocese, it is just necessary to follow the indications in the own document.
8- About the teaching of latin in the seminaries, refer to the always valid rule of the current Code of Canon Law, c. 249 (follows the citation in the original latin with "lingua latina bene calleant" in bold.
[Note of the translator: question 9 has not been answered in this letter]
In all other questions, the pontifical document will always be quoted, being the Holy Father the supreme Ecclesiastic authority, to whom, by divine institution, we are linked by love, respect, obedience.
Esteems, etc. – Signs Msg. Guido Pozzo
Even though this transcript is a little messy, you get a strong sense of what the lay questioner has been experiencing from clerics in his area.
This also gives us a sense of the general orientation of the new leadership of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei". Among the various things this tells us is the important fact that Msgr. Pozzo is responding to correspondence.
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Dear and Reverend Father,
As a native speaker of Portuguese, I think I can help with a clearer translation of our fellow reader’s questions and of PCED’s answer.
1. – Após ter entrado em vigor o Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum”, é necessária a permissão do Bispo Diocesano para que algum padre possa celebrar a Missa Gregoriana?
[After the entry into force of the Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum, is the permission of the Diocesan Bishop necessary so that any priest can celebrate the Gregorian Mass?]
2 – Os fiéis devem dominar a língua latina para poderem assistir a Missa Gregoriana? Ou bastaria apenas um folheto do missal em formato bilíngue (Latim – Português) para que os fiéis possam assistí-la?
[Must the faithful master the Latin language so that they can attend the Gregorian Mass? Or would it suffice [to have] a billingual leaflet of the Missal (Latin – Portuguese – so that the faithful can attend it?]
3 – Um grupo pequeno de fiéis (por exemplo: 8 pessoas), embora seja estável, é insuficiente para que seja celebrada a Missa na Forma Extraordinária?
[Is a small group of faithful (for example: 8 people), although stable, insufficient for the celebration of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form?]
4 – O Bispo Diocesano deve cooperar para que o pedido de Missa Gregoriana feito por um grupo estável de fiéis seja realizado?
[Must the Diocesan Bishop cooperate so that the request for the Gregoriam Mass made by a stable group of faithful be fulfilled?]
5 – Os fiéis que não fazem parte do grupo estável poderão assistir a Missa Gregoriana?
[Can the faithful that don’t make part of the stable group attend the Gregorian Mass?]
6 – Poderão ser realizados matrimônios na Forma Extraordinária do Rito Romano?
[Can matrimony be celebrated in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite?]
7 – Com a publicação do Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum”, o Papa Bento XVI deseja que a Missa Gregoriana seja amplamente ofertada nas Dioceses?
[With the publication of the Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum”, does Pope Benedict XVI desire that the Gregorian Mass be widely offered in the Dioceses?]
8 – O Santo Padre deseja que o ensino do Latim volte a fazer parte do currículo dos seminários para que os futuros padres possam celebrar Missas na língua latina?
[Does Holy Father desire that the teaching of Latin be again made part of the seminaries curriculum so that the future priests may be able to celebrate Masses in Latin language?]
9 – Os Bispos Diocesanos devem seguir as orientações da Comissão Pontifícia Ecclesia Dei sobre a aplicação do Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum” mesmo que o Núncio Apostólico no Brasil possa, hipoteticamente, emitir opinião contrária?
[Are Diocesan Bishops to follow the instructions of the Pontifical Comission Ecclesia Dei about the application of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum even though the Apostolic Nuncio in Brazil may, hypothetically, issue a contrary opinion?]
****
PCED’s Reply:
PONTIFICIA COMMISSIO <>
Protocol 97/09
Vatican, July 18th, 2009.
Distinguished Mr X,
To the questions of your letter of April 29th last, it is replied [the letter uses the “indeterminate subject” form allowed by Portuguese grammar (the wording in the original is “responde-se”; hence the translation “it is replied”); it is clear, however, from the context, that the PCED is the subject of the reply], in accordance with the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, as follows:
1. – The pontifical document does not foresee [the need for a] special permission from Diocesan Bishop so that any priest can celebrate Holy Mass in the extraordinary form (art. 2);
2 – The faithful are not required to have wide knowledge of the latin language, a bilingual Missal or any leaflet being sufficient;
3 – The number of faithful in the stable group will depend much on local circumstances, which will indicate if a priest can or will, in spite of his pastoral duties, occupy himself with a relatively small group
4 – The diocesan bishop must be in agreement with the directives set forth in the pontifical document (art 5 par 1; and CIC c. 392); another thing is to verify the effective practicability, in accordance with the provisions of the Motu Proprio.
5 – The faithful who don’t make part of the stable group may, obviously [evidently], participate in the Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form.
6 – The marriages according to the Extraordinary Form are possible, with the agreement of the parish pastor (art. 9, par. 1);
7 – About the wide application of the pontifical document in a diocese, it is just necessary to follow the indications of the document itself.
8- About the teaching of Latin in the seminaries, note the always valid rule of the current Code of Canon Law, c. 249: Institutionis sacerdotalis Ratione provideatur ut alumni non tantum accurate linguam patriam edoceantur, sed etiam linguam latinam bene calleant necnon congruam habeant cognitionem alienarum linguarum, quarum scientia ad eorum formationem aut ad ministerium pastorale exercendum necessaria vel utilis videatur.
In all subsequent questions [“questões ulteriores], the pontifical document will always be quoted [sempre se citará o documento pontifício], the Holy Father being the supreme ecclesiastical authority, to whom, by divine institution, we are linked by love, respect, obedience.
[Personal Note by the Translator: As I native speaker of Portuguese, I can’t quite understand this last paragraph. The use of “sempre se citará” (“will always be quoted”) seems out of place here. Perhaps, when this latter was written into Portuguese, something of Mons. Guido Pozzo’s intent was lost in translation. Of course, I don’t know if the PCED official who drafted this letter is a native speaker of Portuguese, but that last paragraph makes me doubt that].
May you accept, Mr. X, my protestations of lively esteem and affection in the Lord.
Mons. Guido Pozzo
Secretary
The word ‘must’ not should, not may, not can, but ‘must’ no options there.