MEMORIAL OF BLESSED JOHN PAUL II - 22 OCTOBER

VATICAN CITY, 12 APR 2011 (VIS) - The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments has issued a decree establishing that the celebration of the memorial of Blessed John Paul II be inserted into the calendar of the diocese of Rome and the dioceses of Poland, and that it be celebrated every year.

  The text, signed by cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera and archbishop Giuseppe Agostino Di Noia, O.P., respectively prefect and secretary of the dicastery, states that "during the year following the beatification of John Paul II, that is, until 1 May 2012, A a Mass of Thanksgiving to God may be celebrated in certain places and on certain days. Responsibility for establishing the day or days, as well as the place or places of the gathering of the people of God, shall be the competence of the diocesan bishop for his diocese. Considering local needs and pastoral conveniences, it is granted that a Holy Mass be celebrated in honour of the new blessed on a Sunday during the year, and on a day between Nos. 10 and 13 of the table of liturgical days.

  "For religious families, it shall be the competence of the superior general to indicate the days and locations (for the Thanksgiving Mass) for the entire religious family".

  On the other hand, the decree continues, "with regard to other local calendars, the request to place an optional memorial to Blessed John Paul II may be presented to this congregation by a conference of bishops for its territory, by the diocesan bishop for his diocese, or by a superior general for a religious family".

  "An indult of the Apostolic See is required to dedicate a church in honour of Blessed John Paul II (cf. Ordo dedicationis ecclesiae, Praenotanda, No. 4) except when his liturgical memorial has been inserted into the local calendar; in this case the indult is not necessary, and in the church dedicated to the blessed, the memorial is raised to a liturgical feast (cf. Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum, Notificatio de cultu Beatorum, 21 May 1999, No.9)."
CCD/                                VIS 20110412
(360)

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