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THE APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION OF POPE PAUL V
on the Roman Ritual
POPE PAUL V
as a Perpetual Memorial
Called by divine munificence, and not through any
personal merit, to occupy the See of the Apostles, we deem it our duty
to watch with full earnestness over all that concerns the decorum of
God's house. And such constant vigilance on our part prompts us to take
suitable measures so that, as the Apostle admonishes, everything in
divine worship may function decently and orderly. Particularly is this
true in regard to the administration of the sacraments of the Church of
God; here especially our office obliges us to provide that a religious
observance be given those rites and ceremonies established by apostolic
tradition and the decrees of the fathers. Pope Pius V, our saintly
predecessor, fully conscious of his obligation which is now ours,
labored with pastoral indefatigability to publish first the Roman
Breviary, then the Roman Missal--both having been worked out with much
labor and zealous care--so that there might be, God willing, a uniform
manner of chanting and praying the Church's liturgy. He did this not
only to restore careful observance of the sacred rites in celebrating
the Holy Sacrifice and chanting the Divine Office, but also for the
purpose of promoting the bond of Catholic unity in faith and in
government, under the visible authority of the Roman Pontiff, the
successor of St. Peter. With similar wisdom our predecessor of blessed
memory, Clement VIII, followed in the footsteps of Pius V. He not only
gave to the bishops and lesser prelates of the Church the carefully
revised Pontifical; but he also made a systematic compilation of many
other ceremonies wont to be used in cathedrals and lesser churches,
embodied in the Ceremonial which he promulgated. With all this
accomplished there remained to be published, by authority of the Holy
See, a volume of the Ritual which would contain the genuine and sacred
rites of the Catholic Church, those which must be observed by shepherds
of souls in the administration of the sacraments and in other
ecclesiastical functions. Amidst the numerous existing rituals it would
rank as the official and authorized one, by whose standard the
officiants could fulfill their priestly office unhesitatingly, and with
uniformity and precision. This matter had been urged a long time ago.
But since the work of the General Councils (whose acts by God's help
have been published both in the Greek and Latin tongues) is at present
hindered, we considered it our obligation to prosecute the business in
right good earnest. In order that the task proceed correctly and
orderly as it should, we assigned it to certain of our venerable
brethren among the cardinals, outstanding for their piety, learning,
and sagacity. Aided by the counsel of scholars and through comparison
with ancient as well as other available rituals--in particular that
erudite work of Julius Antonius of blessed memory, Cardinal with title
of St. Severina, a man of singular piety, zeal, and learning--the
commission of cardinals has succeeded in compiling a ritual of desired
brevity, after mature deliberation and with the help of God. Now as we
see lying before us this well-arranged assortment of received and
approved rites of the Catholic Church. we deem it fitting that it be
published for the universal utility of God's Church, under the title of
"The Roman Ritual." Therefore. we exhort in the Lord the venerable
brothers patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and their vicars, beloved
sons of ours, as well as abbots, all pastors wherever they labor, and
all others concerned, sons of the Roman Church, that in future they use
during the sacred functions this Ritual, made official by the authority
of the same Church, mother and mistress of all; and that in a matter so
important as this they observe inviolately whatever the Catholic Church
with her ancient and approved traditions has laid down.
Given at Rome at St. Mary Major, under the fisherman's seal, on June
17, 1614, in the tenth year of Our Pontificate.
S. Cobellutius.
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SECTION: Holy Sacraments - Introduction 
Decree
Rituale Romanum Index
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