Quo Primum and Benedict XVI

[Nekic]

I have recently joined a Traditionalist Catholic forum (which scared me for a bit, because it is inhabited not only by Normal Traditionalist Catholics, but SSPX and Sedevacantists), and i was told about the encyclical, Quo Primum by Pius V in 1570, which states that the TLM should never be supressed.

As far as those people are concerned, Quo Primum is still in effect because no pope has said otherwise.

Now, assuming that this is true, why hasn’t B16 said anything about it?
I thought that he would know about this encyclical, and that he would know that it is still in effect.
Assuming that he does, why are we still waiting for a Universal Indult?
Or am i hideously behind the times, and have not been informed that one has already been granted by the Holy Father?

 

[mosher]

Quo Primum is an important liturgical document but the Church has determined that the intent of the Pope was not to forbid amendments of the liturgy if this were so then the many changes that took place in the TLM over the years were all illicit.

 

[Trevelyan]

Pope Pius V said in Quo Primum that the “Tridentine” Missal was to be in force “henceforth, now, and forever”

400 years later, Paul VI - with the same authority that Pius V had - issued the new Roman Missal.

Pius V’s Quo Primum, despite its strong wording, could never bind future Popes - otherwise the future Popes’ authority would not be supreme.

Paul VI said in Missale Romanum:

When he promulgated the editio princeps of the Roman Missal, our predecessor St. Pius V offered it to the people of Christ…
Even though, in virtue of the decree of the Second Vatican Council, we have accepted into the new Roman Missal lawful variations and adaptations…
We decree that these laws and prescriptions be firm and effective now and in the future, notwithstanding, to the extent necessary, the apostolic constitutions and ordinances issued by our predecessors and other prescriptions, even those deserving particular mention and amendment. (emphasis added)

N.B.
Quo Primum doesn’t say that the TLM “should never be supressed”.

In saying things like “This ordinance applies henceforth, now, and forever” Pius V was using a sort of “legal formula” to express the use of his supreme authority.

Paul VI did exactly the same thing:“We decree that these laws and prescriptions be firm and effective now and in the future”

All future Popes can not be bound by the decree of one Pope. The Church’s tradition is living, and the same supreme authority is continually passed on.

 

[m134e5]

I would pay little attention to what is said on some of those traditionalist boards. Many I have visited seem to have forgotten the point of Christianity. I’ve read threads on them where they are having fits because a baby made a noise during the Canon, or the priest mispronounced a word, or there was someone in their presence who forgot that Mass is supposed to be a black-tie affair ( ), or the musicians were amateurs so they didn’t feel like they were sitting in Carnegie Hall. We have Jesus’ assurance that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. There are problems, but through prayer, and evangelization, they can get better- things got pretty wild in the 70’s, but they are much better now- at least in many parts of the world, and they seem to only promise to get even better.