The Holy See

This Directory brings together the Church’s teaching on the practice of liturgical preaching. It is not a handbook, but rather an exposition of what preaching is: part of the Church’s Paschal mission, a liturgical action grounded in Scripture and Tradition

This authoritative introduction to the proclamation of Scripture in the liturgy puts forward the Church’s understanding of Scripture and provides principles for its liturgical use grounded in the principles of the Vatican II liturgical reform.

This instruction provides guidance around Christian burial practices for the faithful who have been cremated, noting their ashes must be interred at a sacred place and must not be divided.

The Code of Canon Law is the compendium of ordinances and regulations that govern the Church (specifically, Catholics of the Latin Rite). Though drawing on an ancient legal tradition, the Code was first promulgated for the universal Church in 1917, and then in revised form in 1983.

These norms, published with the Roman Missal, lay out the structure of the liturgical year and provide liturgical norms specific to certain days or seasons. Guidance for the dates of certain celebrations are also provided, as is a means for calculating them.

This key encyclical was the first devoted entirely to liturgy. It sought to temper perceived excesses of the liturgical reform, but also took on key aspects of said reform, i.e., active participation and the connection of the sacrifice of the altar and communion.

The Magna Carta of the liturgical reform, this Constitution on the Liturgy was the first Constitution approved by the Ecumenical Council (overwhelmingly) and promulgated by Pope Paul VI. It sought an aggiornamento of the liturgical tradition.

This instruction is the second in a series of five for the ‘proper implementation of Sacrosanctum Concilium.’ It considers certain specific adaptations proposed by the bishops since the promulgation of the Constitution on the Liturgy and the first Instruction Inter Oecumenici.

This instruction is the third in a series of five for the ‘proper implementation of Sacrosanctum Concilium.” Among other things, it emphasises the importance of following the rite put in place after the Second Vatican Council, noting they cannot be changed and that the official translation must be used (with experimentation requiring the explicit permission of the Congregation). It notes the priest alone says the Eucharistic Prayer aside from the acclamations from the assembly, that the bread used in the celebration of the Eucharist must be wheaten bread, and that communion under both kinds ‘expresses a more complete sharing by the faithful.’

The Catechism is a resource for catechesis of the faithful summarizing and presenting the doctrines of the Church.

In this Letter, Pope Francis calls for a renewal of the liturgical movement. It notes the crucial importance of the liturgical formation of the faithful and, among many other things, discusses the importance of the ars celebrandi.

In this motu proprio, Paul VI lays out the directives for the implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.

This is the first Instruction in a series of five issued for the ‘proper implementation of Sacrosanctum Concilium.’ It focused on the application of the norms found in Sacrosanctum Concilium.

In this Letter Pope John Paul II considers the successes and unfinished work of the liturgical reform since the promulgation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.

In this letter Pope John Pau II reflects positively on the liturgical reforms of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, noting some abuses but acknowledging the need for liturgical creativity and inculturation. Silence and reflection—for the sake of developing a true liturgical spirituality—are recommended.

In this motu proprio Pope Francis restricts the celebration of the Mass according to the pre-Conciliar rites, i.e., the Missal of 1962 or the ‘Tridentine liturgy,’ reversing a broad permission to use it issued by Pope Benedict in 2007.

Here Pope Francis takes “the firm decision to abrogate all the norms, instructions, permissions and customs that precede the present Motu proprio, and declare that the liturgical books promulgated by the saintly Pontiffs Paul VI and John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, constitute the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.” He also notes the need to care for communities celebrating the pre-Conciliar liturgy in their transition to celebrating the Conciliar form.

The Congregation clarifies the restriction on the use of the pre-Conciliar liturgy, noting the liturgical books promulgated after the Second Vatican Council are the ‘unique expression’ of the prayer of the Roman Rite.

This Introduction to the Roman Missal lays out the liturgical and theological principles for celebrating the Eucharist according to the post-Conciliar rite. It speaks of the importance of the liturgy, ritual structure, ministries, forms of celebration, arrangements and furnishings, requisites for celebration, and a guide for instances in which more than one option is permitted.

Here the Council of Trent defends the theology and ritual of the Roman Catholic celebration of the Eucharist in reaction to the challenges of the Protestant Reformation.

In this Encyclical, Pope Leo XIII explores several dimensions of eucharistic theology, calling for a social renewal grounded in the celebration of the Mass and emphasising that participation in the Mass and reception of communion is for everyone and should not be thought of as being reserved to those in religious life or that we might consider especially ‘holy.’

In this Encyclical issued during the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI in reaction his ‘pastoral anxiety’ around certain perceived threats to eucharistic doctrine, including transubstantiation and eucharistic devotion.

This apostolic letter of John Paul II emphasises the duty to keep Sunday holy, especially by sharing in the Eucharist and by relaxing in a spirit of Christian joy amidst the worshipping assembly.

Here John Paul II discussed the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Church, seeking to counter certain unacceptable doctrines and practices. A particular emphasis was the connection of Eucharist and priesthood.

Here the Congregation is concerned with the proper celebration of the Mass in reaction to many perceived abuses and irregularities. It reiterates the importance of following the rite and that altering it according to whim or agenda is prohibited because doing so violates the substantial unity of the Roman Rite. Among other things, it explicitly permits women and girls serving at the altar.

In this Exhortation following the 2005 Synod, Pope Benedict XVI considers the connections between the Eucharist and the other sacraments as well as the social demands flowing from sacramental participation. It emphasises the celebration of the Eucharist as a mystery to be believed, celebrated, and lived.

This letter reminds bishops of the requirements around the bread (unleavened, wheaten, not wholly lacking gluten) and wine (from grapes, not mixed with anything else) used for the celebration of the Eucharist. Episcopal conference should establish norms and implement a process for certification.

This letter requires renewed adherence to and formation around the prescribed / permitted gestures for the exchange of peace at Mass and its place within the rite, noting the prominence of particular abuses needing correction.

Adoration or worship of the Eucharistic species outside Mass is emphasised as effective and useful for the entire community and Church. The practice must be inseparable from the celebration of the Mass, being not only worship of the real presence but also as a way of sharing even more fully in the sacrifice.

This Directory provides guidance in light of the principles of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy on the nature of popular piety and its relationship to the liturgy, noting especially that devotions should flow from the liturgy and not be at odds with it.

Here, Paul VI promulgates the Liturgy of the Hours as revised after the Second Vatican Council. Crucial reforms include various forms of celebration, the four-week psalter, a greater variety of scriptural and non-scriptural readings, and the suppression of Prime with a greater emphasis on the hinges of Lauds and Vespers.

This exhortation explores reconciliation and penance in the mission of the Church today, focusing on conversion of hearts, the nature and effects of sin, and fostering healing through reconciliation.

This circular letter re-emphasizes the limits to the use of general absolution, the necessity of integral confession in cases of mortal sin, and the requirement of priests to provide opportunities for confession.

In this letter, Pius X intends to foster a more fervent Christian spirit among the faithful through song. He points out the principles regulating sacred music in the functions of public worship, and gathers together the principal prescriptions of the Church against the more common abuses in this subject. Music like chant and polyphony are given pride of place in reaction to the use of orchestral and operatic music in liturgy.

Pius XI emphasises the importance of sacred music in the liturgy. A strong preference is given to vocal music—especially chant and polyphony—over instrumental, with the exception of the pipe organ. The formation of choirs is recommended, and the musical formation of clergy, seminarians, and all of the faithful is required.

This Encyclical intends to emphasise again the principles put forward by Pius X in 1903, but expanding them and adapting them to the time. Chant and polyphony have pride of place. It speaks of religious music outside of liturgy, of music in mission territories, and of the importance of education in the musical arts. A notable development is the explicit though reluctant permission to use vernacular hymns in liturgy.

This Instruction revisits the fundamentals of liturgical music in light of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council and the principles of the Constitution on the Liturgy. It continues to give pride of place to chant and polyphony. Liturgy without music is seen as non-normative. Important in the document is the delineation of degrees of importance in terms of what is sung at Mass.

This short collection of the “minimum repertoire of Gregorian chant” was given to the bishops of the world in 1974 by Pope Paul VI. One can see it as what Paul VI viewed as the chants the faithful should continue to learn and use after the liturgical reform.

Issued on the Feast of St Cecelia, this letter from the Pope notes the importance of beauty in liturgical music and the importance of handing on the ancient tradition of sacred music even if adapted and recontextualised for the present day, for example, through the use of instruments other than the pipe organ or through engaging in appropriate liturgical-musical inculturation. The importance of musical formation and training is once again emphasized, as is the necessity of active participation through music and the inherent connection of music and ritual.

This Instruction puts forward principles for the translation of official liturgical rites and texts into vernacular languages, emphasising the need to consider the meaning of the original text and the context into which it must be communicated. It guided the initial phase of liturgical translation after the Second Vatican Council.

This instruction is the fifth of five on the ‘proper implementation of Sacrosanctum Concilium.’ It puts forward the importance of precisely communicating the meaning of the original text, recommended direct translation whenever possible. When this is not possible, any adaptations need to be ‘sober and discreet.’ It guided the translation of the third typical edition of the Roman Missal published in English in 2010 as well as subsequent translations of liturgical books.

Here Pope Francis restricts the role of the Congregation for Divine Worship in approving vernacular translations of liturgical books and restores the authority and responsibility of national or regional episcopal conferences to produce—including adaptations permitted by liturgical law—and approve such texts. To do so Pope Francis modifies two clauses in Canon 838 of the Code of Canon Law.

In this Letter, Pope Paul VI supresses the practice or tonsure as well as the minor orders (porter, lector, reader, acolyte) and subdiaconate for the Latin Rite and establishes the instituted ministries of lector and acolyte, which are open to seminarians—revising while in part retaining, though with a different meaning, the ancient practice—and, crucially, to lay men.

This Instruction permits the delegation of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion in cases of need, the reception of Communion in the hand, and the reception of Communion more than once each day in certain circumstances, and mitigates the eucharistic fast for the sick and the elderly.

In this authoritative statement of Pope Francis, the instituted ministries of Lector and Acolyte are opened to women, noting there is nothing prohibiting women to undertake these ministries.

Varietates Legitimae is the fourth Instruction on the proper implementation of the Constitution on the Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium. It articulates an understanding of the nature and processes of liturgical inculturation, taking a cautious approach to the matter.

This Directory provides guidance for Masses celebrated wherein the majority of participants are children. Principles as well as suggestions for best practice are articulated.