|
POPE PAUL V
as a Perpetual Memorial
Called by divine munificence, and not through any personal merit, to
occupy the See of the Apostles, we deem it our duty to watch with full
earnestness over all that concerns the decorum of God's house. And such
constant vigilance on our part prompts us to take suitable measures so
that, as the Apostle admonishes, everything in divine worship may
function decently and orderly. Particularly is this true in regard to
the administration of the sacraments of the Church of God; here
especially our office obliges us to provide that a religious observance
be given those rites and ceremonies established by apostolic tradition
and the decrees of the fathers. Pope Pius V, our saintly predecessor,
fully conscious of his obligation which is now ours, labored with
pastoral indefatigability to publish first the Roman Breviary, then the
Roman Missal--both having been worked out with much labor and zealous
care--so that there might be, God willing, a uniform manner of chanting
and praying the Church's liturgy. He did this not only to restore
careful observance of the sacred rites in celebrating the Holy
Sacrifice and chanting the Divine Office, but also for the purpose of
promoting the bond of Catholic unity in faith and in government, under
the visible authority of the Roman Pontiff, the successor of St. Peter.
With similar wisdom our predecessor of blessed memory, Clement VIII,
followed in the footsteps of Pius V. He not only gave to the bishops
and lesser prelates of the Church the carefully revised Pontifical; but
he also made a systematic compilation of many other ceremonies wont to
be used in cathedrals and lesser churches, embodied in the Ceremonial
which he promulgated. With all this accomplished there remained to be
published, by authority of the Holy See, a volume of the Ritual which
would contain the genuine and sacred rites of the Catholic Church,
those which must be observed by shepherds of souls in the
administration of the sacraments and in other ecclesiastical functions.
Amidst the numerous existing rituals it would rank as the official and
authorized one, by whose standard the officiants could fulfill their
priestly office unhesitatingly, and with uniformity and precision. This
matter had been urged a long time ago. But since the work of the
General Councils (whose acts by God's help have been published both in
the Greek and Latin tongues) is at present hindered, we considered it
our obligation to prosecute the business in right good earnest. In
order that the task proceed correctly and orderly as it should, we
assigned it to certain of our venerable brethren among the cardinals,
outstanding for their piety, learning, and sagacity. Aided by the
counsel of scholars and through comparison with ancient as well as
other available rituals--in particular that erudite work of Julius
Antonius of blessed memory, Cardinal with title of St. Severina, a man
of singular piety, zeal, and learning--the commission of cardinals has
succeeded in compiling a ritual of desired brevity, after mature
deliberation and with the help of God. Now as we see lying before us
this well-arranged assortment of received and approved rites of the
Catholic Church. we deem it fitting that it be published for the
universal utility of God's Church, under the title of "The Roman
Ritual." Therefore. we exhort in the Lord the venerable brothers
patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and their vicars, beloved sons of
ours, as well as abbots, all pastors wherever they labor, and all
others concerned, sons of the Roman Church, that in future they use
during the sacred functions this Ritual, made official by the authority
of the same Church, mother and mistress of all; and that in a matter so
important as this they observe inviolately whatever the Catholic Church
with her ancient and approved traditions has laid down.
Given at Rome at St. Mary Major, under the fisherman's seal, on June
17, 1614, in the tenth year of Our Pontificate.
S. Cobellutius.
|
