instruction concerning worship of the eucharistic mystery QUESTION from juan May 16, 2000 has the instruction concerning worship of the eucharistic mystery (inaestimabile donum)1approved and confirmed by his holiness pope john paul ii on april 17. 1980 still in full force and affect. if not, in any part, would you kindly give the citation as to what was changed, by what authority and by what documents.1your response will be greatly appreciated. pax domini...juan.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on June 12, 2000 Dear Mr. Juan:
Yes, the Inaestimabile Donum of 1980 is still in effect. IT was promulgated by the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship by the magisterial authority of the Pope.
The Donum did not change anything. It explained what was already liturgical law.
This explanation was needed because of the liturgical abuses taking place.
The Donum is a chastisement of the abusers of the Liturgy and a reminder that the liturgy is to be done correctly according to liturgical law.
The basis essence of the Donum is found in one of the introductory statements of the document. This sets the tone for the whole document:
The faithful have a right to a true Liturgy, which means the Liturgy desired and laid down by the Church, which has in fact indicated where adaptations may be made as called for by pastoral requirements in different places or by different groups of people. Undue experimentation, changes and creativity bewilder the faithful. The use of unauthorized texts means a loss of the necessary connection between the lex orandi and the lex credendi. The Second Vatican Council's admonition in this regard must be remembered: No person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove or change anything in the Liturgy on his own authority. And Paul VI of venerable memory stated that: Anyone who takes advantage of the reform to indulge in arbitrary experiments is wasting energy and offending the ecclesial sense. Back to Index Page