Quo Primum
His Holiness Pope St. Pius V
Bull Promulgated on July 14, 1570
Quo Primum is an Apostolic Bull, a decree, issued by Pope St. Pius V, which establishes the right of any priest to say this Mass in the future, “in perpetuity,” and which threatens anyone who dare contravene this order with “the wrath of Almighty God, and the Blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul”: “Accordingly, no one whosoever is permitted to infringe or rashly contravene this notice of Our permission, statute, ordinance, command, direction, grant, indult, declaration, will, decree and prohibition. Should any person venture to do so, let him understand that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.” Strong language from the pope!
Pius Bishop Servant of the Servants of God For a Perpetual Memorial of the Matter.
Upon Our elevation to the Apostolic throne, We gladly turned Our mind and energies, and directed all Our thoughts, to the matter of preserving incorrupt the public worship of the Church; and We have striven, with God’s help, by every means in Our power to achieve that purpose.
Whereas amongst other decrees of the holy Council of Trent, We were charged with revision and re-issue of the sacred books, to wit, the Catechism, the Missal and the Breviary; and whereas We have with God’s consent published a Catechism for the instruction of the faithful and thoroughly revised the Breviary for the due performance of the Divine Office, We next, in order that the Missal and Breviary might be in perfect harmony, as is right and proper (considering that it is altogether fitting that there should be in the Church only one appropriate manner of Psalmody and one sole rite of celebrating Mass), deemed it necessary to give Our immediate attention to what still remained to be done, namely the re-editing of the Missal with the least possible delay.
We resolved accordingly to delegate this task to a select committee of scholars; and they, having at every stage of their work and with the utmost care collated the ancient codices in Our Vatican Library and reliable (original or amended) codices from elsewhere, and having also consulted the writing of ancient and approved authors who have bequeathed to us records relating to the said sacred rites, thus restored the Missal itself to the pristine form and rite of the holy Fathers. When this production had been subjected to close scrutiny and further amended We, after mature consideration, ordered that the final result be forthwith printed and published in Rome, so that all may enjoy the fruit of this labor; that priests may know what prayers to use, and what rites and ceremonies they are to observe henceforward in the celebration of Masses.
Now therefore, in order that all everywhere may adopt and observe what has been delivered to them by the Holy Roman Church, Mother and Mistress of the other churches, it shall be unlawful henceforth and forever throughout the Christian world to sing or to read Masses according to any formula other than that of this Missal published by Us; this ordinance to apply to all churches and chapels, with or without care of souls, patriarchal, collegiate, and parochial, be they secular or belonging to any religious Order, whether of men (including the military Orders) or of women, in which conventual Masses are or ought to be sung aloud in choir or read privately according to the rites and customs of the Roman Church; to apply, moreover, even if the said churches have been in any way exempted, whether by indult of the Apostolic See, by custom, by privilege, or even by oath or Apostolic confirmation, or have their rights and faculties guaranteed to them in any other way whatsoever, saving only those in which the practice of saying Mass differently was granted over 200 years ago simultaneously with the Apostolic See’s institution and confirmation of the church, and those in which there has prevailed a similar custom followed continuously for a period of not less than 200 years; in which cases We in no wise rescind their prerogatives or customs aforesaid. Nevertheless, if this Missal which We have seen fit to publish be more agreeable to these last, We hereby permit them to celebrate Mass according to its rite, subject to the consent of their bishop or prelate, and of their whole Chapter, all else to the contrary notwithstanding. All other churches aforesaid are hereby denied the use of other missals, which are to be wholly and entirely rejected; and by this present Constitution, which shall have the force of law in perpetuity, We order and enjoin under pain of Our displeasure that nothing be added to Our newly published Missal, nothing omitted therefrom, and nothing whatsoever altered therein.
We specifically command each and every patriarch, administrator and all other persons of whatsoever ecclesiastical dignity, be they even Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church or possessed of any other rank or preeminence, and We order them by virtue of holy obedience to sing or to read the Mass according to the rite and manner and norm herein laid down by Us, and henceforward to discontinue and utterly discard all other rubrics and rites of other missals, howsoever ancient, which they have been accustomed to follow, and not to presume in celebrating Mass to introduce any ceremonies or recite any prayers other than those contained in this Missal.
Furthermore, by these presents and by virtue of Our Apostolic authority We give and grant in perpetuity that for the singing or reading of Mass in any church whatsoever, this Missal may be followed absolutely, without any scruple of conscience or fear of incurring any penalty, judgment or censure, and may be freely and lawfully used. Nor shall bishops, administrators, canons, chaplains, and other secular priests, or religious of whatsoever Order or by whatsoever title designated, be obliged to celebrate Mass otherwise than enjoined by Us. We likewise order and declare that no one whosoever shall be forced or coerced into altering this Missal and that this present Constitution can never be revoked or modified, but shall for ever remain valid and have the force of law, notwithstanding previous constitutions or edicts of provincial or synodal councils, and notwithstanding the usage of the churches aforesaid, established by very long and even immemorial prescription, saving only usage of more than 200 years.
Consequently it is Our will, and by the same authority We decree, that one month after publication of this Our constitution and Missal, priests of the Roman Curia shall be obliged to sing or to read the Mass in accordance therewith; others south of the Alps, after three months; those who live beyond the Alps, after six months or as soon as the Missal becomes available for purchase.
Furthermore, in order that the said Missal may be preserved incorrupt and kept free from defects and errors, the penalty for non-observance in the case of all printers resident in territory directly or indirectly subject to Ourselves and the Holy Roman Church shall be forfeiture of their books and a fine of 100 gold ducats payable by that very fact to the Apostolic Treasury. In the case of those resident in other parts of the world, it shall be automatical excommunication and other penalties at Our discretion; and by Our Apostolic authority and the tenor of these presents, We also decree that they must not dare or presume either to print or to publish or to sell, or in any way to take delivery of such books without Our approval and consent, or without express permission of the Apostolic Commissary in the said parts appointed by Us for that purpose. Each of the said printers must receive from the aforementioned Commissary a standard Missal to serve as an exemplar and agree faithfully therewith, varying in no wise from the first impression printed in Rome.
But, since it would be difficult for this present Constitution to be transmitted to all parts of the world and to come to the notice of all concerned simultaneously, We direct that it be, as usual, posted and published at the doors of the Basilica of the Prince of Apostles, at those of the Apostolic Chancery, and at the end of the Campo dei Fiori; moreover, We direct that printed copies of the same, signed by a notary public and authenticated with the seal of an ecclesiastical dignitary, shall possess the same unqualified and indubitable validity everywhere and in every country that would attend the display there of Our present text. Accordingly, no one whosoever is permitted to infringe or rashly contravene this notice of Our permission, statute, ordinance, command, direction, grant, indult, declaration, will, decree and prohibition. Should any person venture to do so, let him understand that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.
Given at St. Peter’s, Rome, in the year of Our Lord’s Incarnation one thousand five hundred and seventy, on the fourteenth day of July in the fifth year of Our Pontificate.
Caesar Glorierus
Commentary:
Now, in the 20th century, Msgr Pacelli, later to be known as Pope Pius XII, lamented the Blessed Virgin’s warnings at Fatima, Portugal, of the suicide of changing the liturgy. And so, the liturgy was never changed during his pontificate. However, after the death of Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI was elected and began to make changes. Soon thereafter was begun the drafting of a new order of Mass, later called The Novus Ordo. This new draft made sweeping changes in the Mass, and was severely criticized by Cardinal Ottaviani, Head of the Holy Office, and several theologians, after a three month critical study on the Mass. This critical study was later published as THE OTTAVIANI INTERVENTION, which I would encourage anyone reading these lines to read. This new Mass was soon to bear out the warning of Our Lady of Fatima about the suicide of changing the liturgy. Thousands of priestly vocations were lost in the ensuing years, thousands and thousands of religious vocations were lost, and the teaching nuns went from around a 100,00 down to approximately 10,000. “Br their fruits you shall know them,” warned Our Lord. Not to mention millions of Catholics worldwide apostatized from the faith.
Pope Paul VI had the audacity to change the Mass, and now we see the disastrous results of it, and why the Blessed Mother warned so strongly against it. According to Father Bryan houghton, in his little booklet, THE MUDDLE OF THE MASS, the new Mass does not carry the force of law. He said he read the official Latin version which came out of Rome, and it does not say “force of law,” but the translators in America and other countries that he checked with made it say “force of law.” Therefore, when the clergy read the English version for example, they would read “force of law,” making them believe it was obligatory. This author once asked Fr. Charles Schoenbaechler, in the Louisville diocese, who was 95 years old, and would only say the Tridentine Mass, asked him this question: “Father, what about the new Mass?” and his answer in seven words was this, “Well, it’s valid, but it’s not licit.” Fr. Paul Kramer, in his book, THE SUICIDE OF CHANGING THE LITURGY, also concurs with these findings. So according to the decree above of Pope St. Pius V, any priest has the right, without being hampered or censored by a superior, to say the tridentine Mass at any time if he so pleases. Yet most of them don’t know that, and many of them will not do so because of the many problems the bishops will impose upon them. As St. Thomas More said to his friend, “I show you the times.”
So why is Pope Francis trying to destroy the true Latin Mass? Why did he allow idol worship in the Vatican, pachamama? Why did he reinstate that pervert cardinal after even knowing of his wicked doings? Why did he tell an atheist he could be saved without being converted? Is that what St. Peter would have told him? ” Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as you also know: This same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain… But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost… the author of life you killed…” Acts 2 and 3.
In the time of St. Bernard, there were three claimants to the papacy, and the one on the throne St. Bernard said could not be pope, because he just wasn’t Catholic. After St. Bernard’s death, it was proven true that the one people thought was the right pope was not the valid pope. Questions about Pope Francis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3D6gV2sEnQ.
Let us then, pray for Pope Francis, and Pope Benedict, and all the clergy in the Church. Many of the clergy are confused, many are actually living in sin, infiltrators and liberals who are not interested in doing what’s right, and some few are trying to fulfill their duties while suffering persecution and many other things. We can no longer follow the clergy blindly. There is too much corruption in the Church. We must inform ourselves and not follow those in error, including many clergy. We must know what the Church teaches in doctrine, and also in morals. If we err in grave matters, our own souls are in danger! Let us pray to the most holy Mother of God every day with her holy rosary, as she asked at FATIMA, wear her Brown Scapular, do penance for our sins and those of others (reparation), visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently, confession as well, along with Holy Mass and Holy Communion. If we do these things, Jesus and Mary will bring us through the tribulation that is coming, or help us to die well. Amen. Viva Christo Rey!
Questions about the New Mass
What about “Lay Eucharistic Ministers”?