North American College to cancel teaching and celebrating Masses in the Extraordinary Form

Rome Newsroom, Aug 31, 2021 / 21:51 pm

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the rector of the Pontifical North American College. The rector is Father Peter Harman.

In a memo sent to "the Community '' at the North American College (NAC), Rector Fr. Peter Harman announced that all Masses in the Extraordinary form will be permanently suspended at the most important American Catholic institution in Rome.

Also, according to the memo to which CNA had access, the celebration of the Extraordinary Form will no longer be taught to seminarians.

In a memorandum signed and published Aug. 31, Fr. Harman explained that "when Pope Benedict XVI issued Summorum Pontificum in 2007, the Pontifical North American College in accordance with his motu proprio began official training in the ‘Extraordinary Form’ and provided for Masses according to the Missale Romanum of 1962 to be included in the regular rotation of special Masses on Saturday. In addition, the College provided liturgical supplies that were needed for priests to celebrate according to the 'Extraordinary Form'"

But the NAC's rector proceeds to explain that "in light of the motu proprio of Pope Francis, Traditionis Custodes, which was issued on July 16, 2021, and after having received canonical counsel, the College remains consistent with what the Holy Father has asked of us. Consequently, the following will be the practice of the Pontifical North American College on the Janiculum.”

Fr. Harman also explained that “because permission from one's diocesan bishop to celebrate according to the Missale Romanum 1962 is not sufficient for priest faculty or students priests to celebrate according to the Missale Romanum 1962 outside of their respective dioceses, there will no longer be ‘extraordinary Form’ training taking place, nor celebrations according to the Missale Romanum 1962. This includes the student led ones which were done generally on Saturday mornings in the past.”

The rector also informed that "the rotation of special Masses on Saturdays at 12:30 PM will be modified so that celebration of Novus Ordo Mass in Latin will replace the former ‘Extraordinary Form’ Mass.”

"Consequently” - Fr. Harman concludes - “Saturday afternoons at the 12:30 Mass, other than on Travel Permitted Weekends, during vacations, and during exam periods, there will be a rotation of the celebration of Mass in this order: Mass in Latin (Novus Ordo), Mass in Spanish, Mass in Spanish, Mass in Latin (Novus Ordo), Mass in Spanish."