In the August 1997 BCL Newsletter...
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On August 22, 1997, Bishop Anthony M. Pilla, President, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, announced that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments had confirmed the appendix to the Order of Christian Funerals for the celebration of the Funeral Liturgy in the presence of the cremated remains of a body. These texts, which were approved by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops on November 13,1996, were submitted to the Congregation on April 21, 1997, following reception of an indult from the Congregation permitting the presence of the cremated remains of a body at the Funeral Liturgy (March 21, 1997: Prot. 1589/96/L). The Appendix was confirmed in a Decree dated July 30, 1997. The text of the decree follows:
CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP
AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS
Prot. 1589/96/L
DECREE
At the request of His Excellency, the Most Reverend Anthony M. Pilla, Bishop of Cleveland and President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, by indult of 21 March 1997 and by the power of the faculty granted to this Congregation by the Supreme Pontiff, Pope John Paul II, we readily approve the English text, appended to this Decree, which is to be used for the celebration of the funeral rites in the presence of the cremated remains of the deceased. This rite is to be incorporated into the Appendix of the Order of Christian Funerals, already confirmed for use in the dioceses of the United States of America.
This Decree, by which the requested approval is granted by the Apostolic See, is to be included in its entirety within the published text. Two copies of this same text referred to above are to be sent to this Congregation.
All things to the contrary notwithstanding. From the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 30 July 1997.
+ Geraldo M. Agnelo
Archbishop Secretary |
|
Carmelo Nicolosi
Subsecretary | |
The three publishers who have previously produced complete editions of the Order of Christian Funerals have informed the Secretariat for the Liturgy of their intention to publish an addendum to this ritual book including this Appendix. Future editions of the Order of Christian Funerals will include this appendix as a part of the full edition.
In a decree dated August 15, 1997, Bishop Pilla granted permission for the use of the texts from the feast of Saint Francis of Assist on October 4, 1997. The use of these texts is mandatory from the feast of All Souls Day, November 2, 1997. The text of Bishop Pilla's decree follows:
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DECREE
In accord with the norms established by decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites Cum, nostra ζtate (January 27, 1966), the Order of Christian Funerals was declared to be the vernacular typical edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum for the dioceses of the United States of America. The date for mandatory use of the new translation was November 2, 1989.
The 1989 edition of the Order of Christian Funerals did not make provision for the presence of the cremated remains of a body at the Funeral Liturgy. In response to pastoral considerations and the numerous requests and concerns made known to them, the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, on August 6, 1996, requested from the Apostolic See an indult to permit the diocesan bishop to allow the presence of the cremated remains of a body at the Funeral Liturgy in dioceses of the United States. This indult was granted by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on March 21, 1997 (Prot. N. CD 1589/96/L).
In light of the special pastoral circumstances presented by the presence of the cremated remains of a body at the Funeral Liturgy, texts and ritual adaptations for the celebration of the funeral rites were prepared as an appendix to the Order of Christian Funerals. This appendix was approved by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in plenary assembly on November 12, 1996, and subsequently confirmed by decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on July 30, 1997 (Prot. 1589/96/L).
On the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, October 4, 1997, this appendix to the Order of Christian Funerals may be published and used in funeral rites in the presence of the cremated remains of a body. From All Souls Day, November 2, 1997, its use is mandatory. From that date forward, no other English version of these texts may be used for these liturgical rites and circumstances in the dioceses of the United States of America.
Given at the General Secretariat of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC, on August 15, 1997, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
Most Reverend Anthony M. Pilla
Bishop of Cleveland
President, NCCB |
|
Reverend Monsignor Dennis M. Schnurr
General Secretary, NCCB | |
The Committee on the Liturgy and its staff are grateful to all who contributed to the development of the texts of this Appendix as well as to the NCCB statement Reflections on the Body, Cremation and Catholic Funeral Rites, which was designed to serve as a basic catechetical tool for introduction of this rite. This statement (ISBN 1-57455-033-0) is available from the USCC Office of Publishing and Promotion Services (1-800-235-8722).
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A Position Opening for Director of the Office of Sacred Worship in the Diocese of LaCrosse
Liturgy Workshops in the Archdiocese of Miami
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