Congregation for Divine Worship and Sacraments

The (canon) laws, they are a-changin’: A complete guide to the pope’s canonical revisions

A Pillar Explainer, February 16, 2022 Pope Francis on Tuesday [February 15] made a series of changes to the Church’s universal canon law, which he said were aimed at fostering a healthy decentralization in the life of the Church. The changes are kind of a grab bag, touching on several areas... read more

Traditional Latin Mass: Canonists Question the Legislative Force of Recent Vatican Guidelines

ANALYSIS: The interpretive document considerably tightens already-sweeping restrictions on the traditional form of the Roman Rite. By Edward Pentin, National Catholic Register, February 8, 2022 VATICAN CITY — The Vatican document to bishops on how to implement certain restrictions on the... read more

Vatican Liturgy Chief: Traditional Latin Mass ‘Abrogated by Pope St. Paul VI’

Archbishop Roche, the 71-year-old former bishop of Leeds, northern England, was appointed prefect of the Vatican’s liturgy department in May, succeeding Cardinal Robert Sarah. CNA Staff, National Catholic Register, November 8, 2021 VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s liturgy chief has said... read more

US bishops adjust liturgical translation following concern of CDW

Denver Newsroom, February 8, 2021 / 08:01 pm MT (CNA).- The US bishops' conference last week decreed that in the translation of the conclusion of collects in the Roman Missal, “one” is to be omitted before “God”. The conclusions will now read “God, for ever and ever”. The decision... read more

Communion in the hand vs. Communion on the tongue

By Mathew Schmalz, March 19, 2015 What is it about Communion in the hand versus Communion on the tongue? I’ve been in a lot of Catholic contexts, and nothing — apart from typical hot-button issues like abortion and gay marriage — seems to provoke such a strong reaction. Advocates of... read more
A priest offers a parishioner the Eucharist by hand.

Vatican Upholds Bishop Over Reception of Communion on Tongue

Archbishop Roche cited a letter sent in August by the congregation’s prefect, Robert Cardinal Sarah, in which the cardinal wrote: “in times of difficulty, Bishops and Episcopal Conferences can give provisional norms which must be obeyed." National Catholic Register, December 12, 2020 ... read more

“Virtual” Mass never substitutes in-person participation

In a Letter to the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences, the Congregation for Divine Worship affirms the necessity of a return to the normality of Christian life, where the health care crisis permits, saying that assisting at a virtual Mass cannot be compared to the physical presence of the... read more

In surprise, Benedict openly defends clerical celibacy as Francis considers married priests

By Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter, January 12, 2020VATICAN CITY — Retired Pope Benedict XVI has coauthored a new book defending the Catholic Church's practice of a celibate priesthood, in a shocking move that comes as Pope Francis is considering the possibility of allowing older,... read more

Cardinal Sarah: Nigerians killed by the Islamic State are “martyrs”

Maiduguri, Nigeria, Jan 2, 2020 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- African Church leaders have responded to the reported Dec. 26 execution of 11 Nigerian Christians by a terrorist group affiliated with the Islamic State. The priest’s comments referred to a Dec. 26 video depicting militants beheading 10... read more