No priest has right to change the liturgy

[Hollis]

There is a very serious matter I am trying to help a friend resolve. There is a priest who comes off as devout, even spreading Eucharistic adoration, yet he gathered a group of once devout Catholic women around himself and has formed something that fits the definition of a cult, taking their money and even taking mothers from their familes with young children. The priest performs extremely abusive Masses at their homes, breaking about every rubric you can imagine. I am working with others to help get these once devout (and still devout in many ways) women out of his control. The bishop is well aware of this renegade priest and is doing what he can to prevent him from performing these abuses within the confines of his diocese, but my primary concern at this point are these women who are my friends.

I know that John Paul II has stated in more than one instance that no one, neither a priest nor a bishop acting on his own, has the right to change anything in the Mass. I spent some time trying to find this quote, but haven’t come up with it, so I’m looking to the great resources in this forum to help point me to the texts. Any help (and prayers) you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

God bless!

 

[jonfan]

You are right. No preist has a right to do so. This would fall in line with the reformation. therefore he would not be a catholic preist.

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

Pax vobiscum!

Here is the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:
usccb.org/liturgy/current/GIRM.pdf (requires Acrobat reader)

In the section at the beginning entitled “Decree of Publication” it states: “Effective immediately, this translation of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal is the sole translation Institutio Generalis Missale Romani, edito typica tertia for use in the diocese of the United States of America.”

It seems pretty clear to me that what it says in there goes, no ifs ands or buts.

In Christ,
Rand

 

[Hollis]

I know the GIRM spells this out, but I want that quote from JPII - which I know I read, I believe it was in one of his Good Friday letters to priest as well as in another encyclical - where it spells this out very clearly. The reason I need this is that this will be the “smoking gun” proof needed to convince these ladies that this priest is going directly against the demands of the Holy Father. I know this is obvious to us without this quote, but he’s been able to justify his abuses and has them believing it is okay. This quote from JPII will wake them up.

 

[MichiganTrumbul]

Hollis:

That quote is very familiar, but I do not think JPII originated it. If I am correct, he quoted it from Vatican II’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, “Sacrosanctum Concilium”. Article 22 of that document reads:

ARTICLE 22

1. Regulation of the Sacred Liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.
2. In virtue of power conceded by the law, the regulation of the Liturgy within certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of competent territorial bodies of bishops legitimately established.

3. Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the Liturgy on his own authority

I hope that helps you out!

MichiganTrumbull

 

[cameron_lansing]

Hollis:

I know the GIRM spells this out, but I want that quote from JPII - which I know I read, I believe it was in one of his Good Friday letters to priest as well as in another encyclical - where it spells this out very clearly. The reason I need this is that this will be the “smoking gun” proof needed to convince these ladies that this priest is going directly against the demands of the Holy Father. I know this is obvious to us without this quote, but he’s been able to justify his abuses and has them believing it is okay. This quote from JPII will wake them up.

Were you looking for “…no other person, not even a priest, may add, remove, change anything in the liturgy on his own authority” [Vatican II, **Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, no. 23]?

Someone should be along soon to post your JP quote for you. I seem to recall it too, but the letter will be a Holy Thursday letter to priests and not a Good Friday letter.

The encyclical is probably *Ecclesia de Eucharistia. *In part, it says, “I consider it my duty, therefore to appeal urgently that the liturgical norms for the celebration of the Eucharist be observed with great fidelity. These norms are a concrete expression of the authentically ecclesial nature of the Eucharist; this is their deepest meaning. Liturgy is never anyone’s private property, be it of the celebrant or of the community in which the mysteries are celebrated.” Even if your quote’s not in EE, that’s pretty supportive of your view. Just be sure

Go to the Vatican website and check them out.

In the meantime, think too of canon 846: “§1. The liturgical books approved by the competent authority are to be faithfully observed in the celebration of the sacraments; therefore no one on personal authority may add, remove or change anything in them.”