Apostolic Penitentiary clarifies Pope’s recent change on Mass intentions
March 18, 2022
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CWN Editor's Note: On March 15, the Apostolic Penitentiary published a notification on one of the recent papal changes to canon law that entrust diocesan bishops with additional responsibilities.
Prior to a February 11 apostolic letter, Canon 1308 of the Code of Canon Law stated that “a reduction of the obligations of Masses, to be made only for a just and necessary cause, is reserved to the Apostolic See.” Canon 1308 now states that “a reduction of the obligations of Masses, to be made only for a just and necessary cause, is reserved to the diocesan bishop and to the supreme moderator of a clerical institute of consecrated life or a society of apostolic life.”
“Following a number of inquiries on this matter,” officials of the Apostolic Penitentiary spoke with Pope Francis, who has decided to permit the continuation of “the current practice for the internal forum, namely that if a priest has received a certain number of intentions for Holy Masses and finds himself unable to celebrate them, he may, through his Confessor, appeal to the Apostolic Penitentiary, which, after evaluating the appeal based on the information received, will act accordingly.”
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