Statement by the Una Voce Federation
FOEDERATIO INTERNATIONALIS UNA VOCE
PRAESIDIUM 13 February 2000
PRESS RELEASEOn behalf of the International Una Voce Federation I wish to express my satisfaction at the result of the General Assembly of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter which took place in Rome from 8 - 11 February 1999. Our members can take great satisfaction in the fact that Father Bisig has not been replaced as Superior General or by an Apostolic Administrator as a number of commentators had predicted with confidence, and we can be equally encouraged by the fact that the General Chapter of the Fraternity will definitely take place this summer. In a letter to Michael Davies, Father Bisig states that although the problems posed by Protocol 1411 still remain, the Assembly has provided a basis for unity which will safeguard the specific liturgical identity of the Fraternity.
Members of our association throughout the world have been praying for just such a conclusion to the Assembly, above all that Father Bisig would remain as Superior General at its conclusion. We should redouble our prayers that the forthcoming General Chapter will confirm the commitment of the Fraternity to the exclusive celebration of the 1962 Missal. Our Federation is committed to this Missal and will give no moral or financial support to any priestly society utilising any rite of Mass subsequent to this date. In the meantime, as a gesture of support for Father Bisig and our confidence in the power of prayer, I urge all our members to contribute as generously as they are able to the construction of the American seminary which is a cause of great hope to Catholics throughout the English-speaking world.
Michael Davies,
President
Press communiqué of the Superior general of the priestly Fraternity of St. PeterThe Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter held a general assembly in Rome from 8th to 11th of February 2000. This was convoked by the Holy See on account of certain internal difficulties. At the end of four days of discussion and reflection, an agreement was reached which serves as a basis for a reconciliation which will permit greater unity.
The priests and deacons present have pledged themselves to forgive each other all faults against charity and to remain faithful to the ideals of the Fraternity and of its founders. A committee, to be named by the Superior General, will be given the task of working out solutions to the existing problems, and will present these to the General Chapter which will be held, as foreseen, during the course of this summer. As was indicated in the letter of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei dated 13th July 1999, the Superior General once again exercises the full faculties which the law of the Church accords him.
Rome, 12th February, 2000
Joseph Bisig,
Superior General of the Fraternity of St. Peter
PRESS RELEASE - CLARIFICATION
I have been informed that some confusion has been caused by a sentence in the Press release issued on behalf of the International Una Voce Federation on 13 February 2000. The sentence in question reads:
"Our Federation is committed to this Missal (that of 1962) and will give no moral or financial support to any priestly society utilising any rite of Mass subsequent to this date."
This statement reflects the aims of our Federation as embodied in Article 2 of its statutes, i.e.
- to ensure that the traditional Roman Mass as codified in the Missale Romanum edited by Pope John XXIIII is maintained - both in practice and in law - as one of the forms of liturgical celebration which are recognised and honoured in universal liturgical life- to obtain freedom of use for all the other Roman liturgical books enshrining "previous liturgical; and disciplinary forms of the Latin tradition" cf. Ecclesia Dei, n. 5)
- to safeguard and promote the use of Latin, Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony in the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church
- actively to encourage the establishment of non territorial parishes and/or chaplaincies in which only the liturgical books used in 1962 are employed.
Our commitment to the 1962 Missal was endorsed at our General Assembly in Rome in November 1999 when the following resolution was passed unanimously by delegates representing our 26 national associations.
"In view of suggestions from certain quarters that the Missal of 1965 and its multiple amendments should be used by celebrants of the Traditional Mass of the Roman Rite as set out in the Typical Edition of 1962, this 14th General Assembly of the International Una Voce Federation requests respectfully that the norms of the Motu proprio "Ecclesia Dei adflicta" be adhered to without change. The introduction of the changes found in the 1965 edition would constitute an "interchanging of texts and rites" specifically forbidden by Quattuor abhinc annos, 3 October 1984." Under no circumstances should this statement be see as a criticism of the hundreds of fine priests who offer what are referred to as "Indult Masses" and who also use the 1969 Missal.
Most of our members assist at such Masses and are profoundly grateful to the priests who offer them. The sentence which has been cited refers specifically to priestly societies training priests exclusively to use the traditional books such as the Fraternity of St Peter, the Institute of Christ the King, the Society of St.John, or the Opus Mariae. There are now so many calls upon the generosity of the traditionalist faithful that some degree of selectivity is necessary in those to whom we give our financial support, and it is evident that priestly societies which share our aims most closely should be given preference.
If any national associations feel that their particular circumstances call for a different approach this is for them to decide. Our Federation is not a rigid association ruled by its Council . The Council exists to implement the consensus of opinion among the national associations, and this consensus was made clear at our 1999 General Assembly.
Michael Davies