German Catholic Bishops respond to the Instruction

Deutsche Bischofskonferenz: Aktuelle Meldung: 13. 05. 2011 - 13.05.2011: Veröffentlichung der Kommission Ecclesia Dei

Publication from the Ecclesia Dei Commission

Implication is that it is not the express will of the Pope- even though he signed it.

Today the instruction prepared by the Pontifical Commission on the implementation of the Apostolic Letter "Summorum Pontificum" was published. It presents the functions of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei and includes specific standards including the competence of the diocesan bishops, on the necessary conditions for the celebrant of the Extraordinary Rite professor, on liturgical and ecclesiastical discipline, on Confirmation and Holy Orders and on the celebration of the Easter Triduum. The Permanent Council will confer about the instruction at its next meeting in June . On initial screening, it is assumed that the guidelines for the German dioceses adopted by the German Bishops' Conference at the Autumn General Assembly in 2007 will have only to be changed slightly.

In Germany,the liturgy in the extraordinary rite is celebrated in 128 locations at irregular intervals.

These are not parish communities. For comparison: In Germany there are over 11,300 parishes

Many of whom are amalgamated and/ or dying- if current trends of decline which set in after World War 2 continue, there will not be a Catholic Church in Germany in 30 years time)

Comments