Decree on the inscription of the celebration of Saint Paul VI, Pope, in the General Roman calendar

At noon [Vatican Time], the Holy See Press Office released a Decree from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments last January 25, stating that the Celebration of St. Paul VI, who was Canonised alongside 6 Blesseds last 14 October 2018, will be celebrated from here onward on 29 May, in the rank of Optional Memorial. 

It was on May 29, 1920 that St. Paul VI was Ordained into the Priesthood. This changes the Celebration date decreed during his Beatification last 2014 presided by Pope Francis himself, where he chose 26 September, the day of his birth, as his Memorial date.

Here we give the original Latin text, alongside the English translation and the "Memoria ad Libitum" in the Roman Rite of the celebration.

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Text in the original language

DECRETUM

De celebratione Sancti Pauli VI, papæ,

in Calendario Romano Generali inscribenda

Iesus Christus hominis plenitudo, vivens et operans in Ecclesia, omnes homines invitat ad transfigurantem occursationem cum Eo, qui est «via, veritas et vita» (Io 14, 6). Sancti quidem hoc iter confecerunt. Hoc Paulus VI perfecit, exemplum sectans Apostoli cuius nomen assumpsit, in illo temporis vestigio quo Spiritus Sanctus eum selegit tamquam Petri successorem.

Paulus VI (in sæculo: Ioannes Baptista Montini) die 26 mensis septembris anno 1897 in vico Concesio prope Brixiam in Italia natus est. Die 29 mensis maii anno 1920, presbyteratu auctus est. Inde ab anno 1924 in adiuvandis Summis Pontificibus Pio XI et Pio XII incubuit simulque ministerium sacerdotale pro iuvenibus universitariis exercuit. Substitutus Secretariæ Status nominatus, tempore secundi totius mundi belli, de Hebræis persecutis et profugis suscipiendis molitus est. Deinde Pro-Secretarius Status pro Ordinariis Ecclesiæ Negotiis factus, pro singulari officio etiam fautores oecume­nici motus complures cognovit atque convenit. Archiepiscopus Mediolanensis nominatus diversimode dioecesim coluit. Anno 1958, ad dignitatem Cardinalis Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ a Sancto Ioanne XXIII evectus est, post cuius mortem, die 21 mensis iunii anno 1963, ad Petri cathedram electus est. In opere a præcessoribus inito alacriter perseverans, præsertim Concilium Vaticanum II perfecit atque incepta innumera inchoavit, quæ vividæ eius sollicitudinis erga Ecclesiam et mundum eius ætatis fuerunt signum, in quibus memoranda ipsiusmet peregrinantis itinera, apostolici muneris causa suscepta, quæ quidem cum ad Christianorum unitatem parandam, tum ad vindicanda primaria hominum iura maximi momenti evaserunt. Item Magisterium pacis summum exercuit, populorum progressionem atque fidei inculturationem promovit, instaurationem denique liturgicam, qua ritus et preces, servata traditione et simul ad nova tempora accommodatione, probavit ita ut Calendarium, Missale, Liturgiam Horarum, Pontificale et fere totum Rituale pro ritu Romano auctoritate sua promulgaret ad actuosam populi fidelis participationem liturgiæ fovendam. Eodem modo celebrationes pontificias ad simpliciorem formam exsequi curavit. Die 6 mensis augusti anno 1978, in Arce Gandulphi, Deo spiritum reddidit, et, iuxta suam dispositionem, humiliter sicut vixerat sepultus est.

Deus, omnium fidelium pastor et rector, curam Ecclesiæ suæ, peregrinantis in tempora, illis tradit quos Ipse vicarios Filii sui constituit. Ex iis sanctus Paulus VI fulget, qui in se fidem puram sancti Petri et missionalem sedulitatem sancti Pauli iunxit. Conscientia sua se Petrum sentiendi clarescit si meminimus eum, in die 10 iunii 1969, Consilium Oecumenicum Ecclesiarum Genevæ visitantem, se obtulisse dicentem: «Mihi nomen est Petrus». Sed ille autem missionem suam, pro qua se electum agnoscebat, ab ipso nomine selecto mutuabat. Tamquam Paulus, vitam suam profudit pro Christi Evangelio, novos fines superans et testimonium Eius afferens in opere nuntiandi et dialogum promovendi, propheta Ecclesiæ ad externum convertendæ, quæ longinquos intuetur et pauperes curat.Ecclesia vero semper fuit amor eius constans, navitas eius primigenia, assidua cogitatio, primum et præcipuum vestigium illius pontificatus: nam volebat Ecclesiam in se ipsam penitus introspicere ad magis magisque opus Evangelii nuntiandi dilatandum.

Vitæ sanctitate huius Summi Pontificis perspecta, operibus verbisque testificata, et magno pondere eius ministerii apostolici perpenso pro Ecclesia in toto orbe terrarum diffusa, Summus Pontifex FRANCISCUS, postulationes et desideria populi Dei annuens, celebrationem sancti Pauli VI, papæ, die 29 maii, gradu memoriæ ad libitum, in Calendarium Romanum inseri decrevit.

Nova igitur memoria cunctis Calendariis Librisque liturgicis pro Missæ et Liturgiæ Horarum celebratione erit inserenda; textus liturgici adhibendi hoc decreto adnexi, cura Coetuum Episcoporum vertendi, approbandi et post huius Dicasterii confirmationem edendi sunt.

Contrariis quibuslibet minime obstantibus.

Ex ædibus Congregationis de Cultu Divino e Disciplina Sacramentorum die 25 ianuarii 2019, in festo Conversionis S. Pauli, apostoli.

Robertus Card. Sarah

Præfectus

+ Arturus Roche

Archiepiscopus a Secretis

Text in the English Language

DECREE

ON THE INSCRIPTION OF THE CELEBRATION OF SAINT PAUL VI, POPE,

IN THE GENERAL ROMAN CALENDAR

Jesus Christ, the fullness of humanity, living and working in the Church, invites all people to a transforming encounter with Him, who is “the way, the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). This is the journey of the Saints. Paul VI made it following the example of the Apostle whose name he assumed at the moment when the Holy Spirit chose him as Successor of Peter.

Pope Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini) was born on 26 September 1897 at Concesio (Brescia), in Italy. On 29 May 1920 he was ordained to the priesthood. In 1924 he began his service to the Supreme Pontiffs, Pius XI and Pius XII, and at the same time exercised his priestly ministry among university students. Nominated as the Substitute of the Secretariat of State he worked during the Second World War to find shelter for persecuted Jews and refugees. He was later designated Pro-Secretary of State for the General Affairs of the Church, also because of which he knew and encountered many of the proponents of the ecumenical movement. Appointed as Archbishop of Milan, he worked with great care for the diocese. In 1958, he was elevated to the dignity of a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church by Pope Saint John XXIII, and following his death was elected on 21 June 1963 to the See of Peter. He immediately continued the work begun by his predecessors, in particular he brought the Second Vatican Council to its completion and he began many initiatives that showed his solicitude for the Church and for the contemporary world. Among these initiatives we ought to recall his voyages as a pilgrim, undertaken as an apostolic service which served both as a preparation for the unity of Christians and in asserting the importance of fundamental human rights. Furthermore, he exercised his Supreme Magisterium favouring peace, promoting the progress of peoples and the inculturation of the faith, as well as the liturgical reform, approving Rites and prayers at once in line with tradition and with adaptation for a new age. By his authority he promulgated the Calendar, the Missal, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Pontifical and nearly all of the Ritual for the Roman Rite with the purpose of promoting the active participation of the faithful in the Liturgy. At the same time he saw to it that papal celebrations should take on a more simple form. At Castel Gandolfo on 6 August 1978, he gave his spirit back to God and, according to his wishes, he was buried just as he had lived, in a humble manner.

God, the Shepherd and Guide of all the faithful, entrusts his pilgrim Church through the ages, to those whom he himself has established as Vicars of his Son. Among these, Paul VI shines out as one who united in himself the pure faith of Saint Peter and the missionary zeal of Saint Paul. His consciousness of being the Successor of Peter is evident when we recall that on 10 June 1969, during a visit to the World Council of Churches in Geneva, he introduced himself by saying “My name is Peter”. Nevertheless, he also acknowledged by the name he chose the mission for which he had been elected. Like Saint Paul he spent his life for the Gospel of Christ, crossing new boundaries and becoming its witness by proclamation and dialogue, a prophet of a Church facing outwards, looking to those far away and caring for the poor. The Church was always, indeed his constant love, his principal concern, the object of constant reflection, the first and most fundamental thread of his whole pontificate. He wished nothing other than the Church would have a greater knowledge of herself in order to be ever more effective in proclaiming the Gospel.

Having considered this Pope’s holiness of life, witnessed to by his works and words, and having taken account of the great influence of his apostolic ministry for the Church throughout the whole world, Pope Francis, assenting to the petitions and desires of the People of God, has decreed that the celebration of Pope Saint Paul VI, should be inserted into the Roman Calendar on 29 May with the rank of optional memorial.

This new memorial will be inserted into all Calendars and Liturgical Books for the celebration of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours; the liturgical texts to be adopted, attached to this Decree, must be translated, approved and, after the confirmation of this Dicastery, be published by the Episcopal Conferences.

Anything to the contrary notwithstanding.

From the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 25 January 2019, on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle.

Robert Card. Sarah

Prefect

+ Arthur Roche

Archbishop Secretary

“Memoria ad libitum” di San Paolo VI, Papa, nel Libro del Rito Romano

Adnexus decreto diei 25 ianuarii 2019

Additiones in Libris liturgicis Ritus Romani

de memoria ad libitum sancti Pauli VI, papæ

IN CALENDARIUM ROMANUM GENERALEM

MAIUS

29 S. Pauli VI, papæ

IN MISSALE ROMANUM

Die 29 maii

S. Pauli VI, papæ

De Communi pastorum: pro papa.

Collecta

Deus, qui Ecclésiam tuam regéndam

beáto Paulo papæ commisísti,

strénuo Fílii tui Evangélii apóstolo,

præsta, quǽsumus, ut, ab eius institútis illumináti,

ad civílem amóris cultum in mundum dilatándum

tibi collaboráre valeámus.

Per Dóminum.

IN ORDINEM LECTIONUM MISSÆ

571a            Die 29 maii

S. Pauli VI, papæ

De Communi pastorum [pro papa].

Lectio I: 1 Cor 9, 16-19. 22-23, n. 722, 4.

Ps. resp.: Ps 95 (96), 1-2a. 2b-3. 7-8a. 10, n. 721, 5.

Alleluia: Mc 1,17, n. 723, 3.

Evang.: Mt 16, 13-19, n. 724, 2.

IN LITURGIAM HORARUM

Die 29 maii

S. PAULI VI, PAPÆ

Ioannes Baptista Montini, die 26 mensis septembris anno 1897 in vico Concesio prope Brixiam natus est. Presbyteratu auctus die 29 mensis maii anno 1920, ministerium suum Apostolicæ Sedi præstitit, donec Archiepiscopus Mediolanensis nominatus est. Ad Petri cathedram evectus, die 21 mensis iunii anno 1963, feliciter Concilium Vaticanum secundum perfecit, instaurationem vitæ ecclesialis promovit, Liturgiæ præsertim, dialogum œcumenicum et nuntium Evangelii mundo recentioris ætatis. Die 6 mensis augusti anno 1978, Deo spiritum reddidit.

De Communi pastorum: pro papa.

Ad Officium lectionis

LECTIO ALTERA

Ex Homilíis sancti Pauli Sexti, papæ

(In ultima Concilii Oecumenici Vaticani secundi publica Sessione, die 7 decembris 1965: AAS 58 [1966] 53. 55-56. 58-59)

Opus est cognoscere hominem, ut cognoscatur Deus

Ope huius Concílii, doctrína theocéntrica ac theológica, uti aiunt, de humána na­tú­ra ac de mundo ad se hóminum mentes convértit, quasi eos próvocans, qui illam a nostræ ætátis ratióne aliénam atque extráneam putent; atque tália sibi árrogat, quæ mundus primum quidem absúrda iúdicet, sed póstea, ut fore confídimus, hu­mána, sapiéntia ac salutária ultro agnóscet: scílicet Deum esse. Utique Deus est; reápse exsístit; vivit; persóna est; est próvidus, infiníta bonitáte prǽditus, et quidem bonus non solum in se, sed maximópere etiam erga nos; est noster Creátor, no­stra véritas, nostra felícitas; ádeo ut homo, cum mentem et cor suum in Deo defígere nítitur, contemplatióni vacándo, actum ánimi sui elíciat, qui ómnium nobilíssimus ac perfectíssimus est habéndus; actum dícimus, a quo nostris étiam tempóribus innúmeri humánæ navitátis campi suæ dignitátis gradum súmere possunt ac debent.

Verum enimvéro Ecclésia, in Concílio collécta, suam consideratiónem summó­pere inténdit – prætérquam in semetípsam, atque in necessitúdinem, qua cum Deo coniúngitur – in hóminem étiam, in hóminem, sícuti reápse hoc témpore se con­spiciéndum præbet: hóminem, dícimus, qui vivit; hóminem, qui sibimetípsi uni pro­vehéndo déditus est; hóminem, qui non modo sese dignum exístimat, ad quem unum, véluti ad quoddam centrum, omne stúdium conferátur, sed étiam affirmáre non verétur, se esse cuiúsvis rei princípium atque ratiónem. Totus homo phæno­ménicus, suis innúmeris ánimi habítibus indútus, quibus in conspéctum venit, se Concílii Pátribus obiécit, qui et ipsi hómines, immo omnes Pastóres atque fratres sunt, inténta cura atque amánti caritáte prǽditi: homo, qui suas luctuósas fortúnas animóse conquéritur; homo, qui et prætérito et nostro hoc témpore álios infra se pósitos exístimat, ideóque semper fluxus atque fucátus, sui cúpidus et ferox est; ho­mo sibi dísplicens, qui risus edit et lácrimas fundit; homo ad ómnia versátilis, ad quáslibet partes agéndas fácilis; homo in unam sciéntiæ pervestigatiónem ácriter inténtus; homo, qui uti talis cógitat, amat, in labóribus desúdat, semper ad áliquid ánimum advértit; homo, qui sacra quadam cum religióne est considerándus, ob suæ infántiæ innocéntiam, ob suæ inópiæ arcánum, ob pietátem, quam suæ ægritúdines movent; homo hinc sui ipsíus tantum studiósus, hinc societáti favens; homo simul laudátor témporis acti, simul pósterum tempus præstólans, illúdque felícius quam prætéritum sómnians; homo ex áltera parte crimínibus obnóxius, ex áltera sanctis móribus ornátus; et deínde deínceps. Humanitátis illud láicum atque profá­num stúdium, immáni qua est magnitúdine, tandem aliquándo pródiit, idémque ad certámen, ut ita dicámus, Concílium lacessívit. Relígio, id est cultus Dei, qui homo fíeri vóluit, atque relígio – talis enim est æstimánda – id est cultus hóminis, qui fíeri vult Deus, inter se congréssæ sunt. Quid tamen áccidit? Certámen, proélium, aná­thema? Id sane habéri potúerat, sed plane non áccidit. Vetus illa de bono Samaritáno narrátio exémplum fuit atque norma, ad quam Concílii nostri spirituális rátio dirécta est. Etenim, imménsus quidam erga hómines amor Concílium pénitus pervásit. Perspéctæ et íterum considerátæ hóminum necessitátes, quæ eo molestióres fiunt, quo magis huius terræ fílius crescit, totum nostræ huius Sýnodi stúdium detinué­runt. Hanc saltem laudem Concílio tribúite, vos, nostra hac ætáte cultóres huma­nitátis, qui veritátes rerum natúram transcendéntes renúitis, iidémque novum no­strum humanitátis stúdium agnóscite: nam nos étiam, immo nos præ céteris, hómi­nis sumus cultóres.

Quæ cum ita sint, faténdum revéra est, cathólicam religiónem et humánam vitam inter se amíco foédere iungi, et utrámque simul conspiráre ad unum quoddam humánum bonum: religiónem scílicet cathólicam pro humáno génere esse, humaníque géneris esse quodámmodo vitam.

Quodsi omnes, qui hic præséntes adéstis, memínimus in vultu cuiúsvis hóminis, máxime si lácrimis ac dolóribus efféctus est translúcidus, agnoscéndum esse vultum Christi, Fílii hóminis; ac si in vultu Christi agnoscéndus est vultus Patris cæléstis, secúndum illud: Qui videt me, videt et Patrem, modus noster res humánas æstimándi mutátur in Christianísmum, qui in Deum ut in mé­dium totus dirígitur; ita ut rem hoc étiam modo enuntiáre possímus: scílicet opus es­se cognóscere hóminem, ut cognoscátur Deus.

Amáre hóminem, dícimus, non ut instruméntum, sed ut primum véluti finem, quo ad suprémum finem, humánas res transcendéntem, perveniámus.

Responsorium                                                                         Cf. Phil 4, 8

R/. Quæcúmque sunt vera, pudíca, iusta, casta, amabília, bonæ famæ, *hæc cogitáte (T.P. allelúia).

V/. Si qua virtus et si qua laus, * hæc cogitáte (T.P. allelúia).

Oratio

Deus, qui Ecclésiam tuam regéndam beáto Paulo papæ commisísti, strénuo Fílii tui Evangélii apóstolo, præsta, quǽsumus, ut, ab eius institútis illumináti, ad civílem amóris cultum in mundum dilatándum tibi collaboráre valeámus. Per Dóminum.

IN MARTYROLOGIUM ROMANUM, die 29 maii, primo loco:

Sancti Pauli papæ Sexti, qui, hac die presbyterátu auctus est, dein Archiepíscopus Mediolanénsis, tandem Sedi Románæ eléctus, Concílium Œcuménicum Vaticánum Secúndum diligénter ac felíciter pértulit, renovationémque vitæ Ecclésiæ, sacræ præsértim Liturgíæ, promóvit, œcuménicum diálogum atque Evangélii núntium homínibus huius ætátis curávit, donec die sexto augústi in pace Dómini obdormívit.