Summorum Pontificum Congress

 The Fœderatio Internationalis Una Voce is happy to invite you and all interested people to the forthcoming Summorum Pontificum Congress to be held in the city of Guadalajara, México, and transmitted real-time through videoconferencing systems.

More information and tickets on the Event's official web page: 

https://summorumpontificum.mx/

New article on mitigating infection risk in the liturgy

Sergey Budaev, "Safety and Reverence: How Roman Catholic Liturgy Can Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic" Journal of Religion and Health (2021), published 24th May 2021.

Among many interesting observations of this article, which cites a great many studies, is that while reception on the tongue does not appear to be more dangerous than reception in the hand, reception kneeling is clearly preferable to reception standing. We reproduce a key passage below; the whole article can be read here (or download the pdf here).

The Holy Species used in the Latin Rite is nearly dry and therefore is likely to have low adhesion of outside particles, further reducing the infectious risk. While receiving the Holy Bread, the communicant normally extends the tongue forward, requiring to hold breath for a while. This reduces possible respiratory output. The traditional manner of receiving Communion on the tongue is therefore unlikely to incur a high risk of infection transmission.

Traditional reverent practice of the Catholic Church incorporates additional elements making it even less risky in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The kneeling position of the faithful while receiving the Host would provide spatial distancing about 50 cm (Fig. 1a): the communicant’s face is located at the level of the chest of the Eucharistic Minister. Provided the communicant stays silent, uses nasal breathing, and the duration of the interaction is short (very few seconds), this would not incur a high risk to the Eucharistic Minister (usually the priest whose safety is prioritized, see above). Furthermore, reduced verbal response of the communicant directs the droplets and aerosol towards the chest of the Minister, which is by far a lower risk than in the face.

Walking Pilgrimages in Spain and England

Although the Chartes Pilgrimage will not be taking place as normal in 2021, a victim in part of its taking place relatively early in the year as we emerge from epidemic restrictions, I'm delighted to bring to a wider public information about a traditional walking pilgrimage in northern Spain, 24th to 26th July, 2021, which everyone should be able to join.

I should also mention that the the Latin Mass Society's annual walking pilgrimage to Walsingham is also open for booking. The dates for this are 26th to 30th August. See here for information and registration.

Nothing will make you feel like a human being and a Catholic again quite like participation in a three-day walking pilgrimage!

Here is more information about the Spanish pilgrimage, which has the support of Una Voce Seville.

Gregorius Magnus 11

The latest edition of Gregorius Magnus is now available, for Spring 2021.

Gregorius Magnus 11 pdf download

On the ISSUU platform

It includes a report on the events in Rome last October, in place of the usual Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage.

It also includes a key passage from the French Bishops' summary report to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the implementation of Summorum Pontificum, in an English translation published for the first time.

As usual it also includes translations of articles from the quarterly magazines of Una Voce France and Pro Missa Tridentina of Germany, as well as an article from the Latin Mass Society's Mass of Ages, and news and reflections first published here, from Croatia, Romania, and Poland.

It is free to download as a pdf, or to view on the ISSUU website and app for mobile devices.

Statment on the Report of the French Bishops' Conference

 Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce:

Statement on the Report of the French Bishops’ Conference (CEF) 

on the Implementation of Summorum Pontificum

The FIUV has become aware of a document, in the public domain, containing a summary of the responses made by French bishops to the questionnaire sent to them by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, on the subject of the implementation of the Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum. Although this document does not appear to have been intended for publication, its authenticity has not been denied, and a reaction to it seems necessary.

We note first that the document adopts a consistently hostile tone towards the ancient Latin liturgical tradition, to the priests who celebrate it, and to the faithful who attend it. This has understandably caused considerable hurt among French Catholics attached to this tradition. The document does not speak, on behalf of the bishops of France, about these sons and daughters of the Church with the words of a shepherd and father. In the words of Una Voce France, we do not find

… the slightest trace of empathy, cordiality, or ‘heart’ in them as they say in one place. Instead, we find contempt, at best indifference, towards those narrow-minded beings, without theology, without charity, that are the faithful to the ancient Latin Mass. A Mass that so many generations followed, and from which they nourished their faith ... which is ours today.[1]

Una Voce France statement on the French Bishops' Conference report on Summorum Pontificum

Below is the statement of Una Voce France with an English translation; it can be seen in French on their website here.

The document of the French Bishops' Conference referred to can be seen in French here.

Summary of the results of the Consultation on the application of the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum by the CEF
 (Conference of Bishops of France)

La Conférence des Évêques de France a publié une « Synthèse des résultats de la Consultation sur l’application du Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum demandée par la Congrégation pour la Doctrine de la Foi en avril 2020. Le sujet nous concerne et nous tient même à cœur. Nous aimerions vous faire part de notre opinion…

The Conference of Bishops of France published a “Summary of the results of the Consultation on the application of the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum” requested by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in April 2020. The subject concerns us and is even close to our hearts. We would like to give you our opinion...

Les « experts » et « secrétaires » de la Conférence Épiscopale de France (C.E.F.) ne déçoivent décidément jamais ! Comme le précise un bon ami lettré, quand ils traduisent les encycliques, ils sont les seuls au monde à saboter le travail, traduisant Spe salvi par « Tous sauvés », et incapables d’imprimer correctement les deux mots grecs de saint Paul que cite Fratelli Tutti : chrêstotês et agathôsunê (tous deux désignent la bonté).

The “experts” and “secretaries” of the Episcopal Conference of France (C.E.F.) never disappoint! As a good friend with a good knowledge of Latin and Greek put it, when they translate the encyclicals, they are the only ones in the world to sabotage the work, translating Spe salvi as "All saved", and unable to print correctly the two Greek words of Saint Paul quoted by Fratelli Tutti: chrêstotês and agathôsunê (both designate goodness).