Fact of Faith: What Does Motu Proprio Mean?

Fact of Faith: What does Motu Proprio Mean?

On September 30, 2019, Pope Francis issued The pope is a both a spiritual and legislative his Apostolic Letter, Aperuit illis, “motu leader. A document is released “motu proprio” proprio.” In it, he establishes that "the Third when the pope wants to change, update or Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to enact an existing church rule. Legislative the celebration, study and dissemination of changes made by a pope overrule decisions the Word of God.” According to the Vatican, the timing of the document’s release is by other Vatican departments, therefore even significant: September 30 is the Feast of Saint small changes to church law established Jerome, who is a Biblical scholar, well-known in documents issued “motu proprio” can for his translation of the Bible into Latin. be significant. So what does “Motu proprio” mean and why is As of December 2019, Pope Francis has issued it important? 32 documents “motu proprio.” The words “Motu proprio” signify that the The full document, Aperuit illis, can be found provisions of the rescript were decided on on the Vatican Website: https://w2.vatican.va/ by the pope personally, that is, not on the content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/ advice of the cardinals or others, but for papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20190930_ reasons which he himself deemed sufficient. aperuit-illis.html Ultimately, as Catholic News Service states, “Popes use it to signal a special personal interest in the subject.”

Quote from Pope Francis, copyright © 2019, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City State. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Vatican News, copyright © 2019, Pope establishes Sunday of the Word of God, Vatican City State. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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