Updated Explanatory Note by the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy on the Revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal

Thursday, March 01 2001

Based on information that had been published by the Vatican Information Service on 4 August 2000, the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) released an explanatory note on 18 September 2000 concerning the revised General Instruction ( Institutio Generalis) of the Roman Missal.

Since then the Holy See has provided further information. In light of this, the Commission for Liturgy has updated its explanatory note as follows:

  1. The revised General Instruction will come into force as specified in the decree that accompanies the forthcoming third official edition of the Roman Missal. Since the vacatio legis that will be specified in the decree will probably have expired by the time the revised Roman Missal is published, it seems likely the revised General Instruction will have the force of law at the same time that the revised Roman Missal is published. This would appear to be sometime during the first half of the current year.
  2. The CCCB has asked the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) and the Commission internationale francophone pour les traductions et la liturgie (CIFTL) to prepare the official Canadian English and French translations of the text.
  3. The Bishops of Canada (French and English Sectors) will vote on the translated texts.
  4. The translated texts will be sent to Rome for the recognitio of the Holy See.
  5. The approved texts will be published for use in Canada.
  6. At the same time that official translations of the revised General Instruction are being prepared for use in Canada, the CCCB English and French-language National Liturgy Offices will be preparing study materials to assist in the implementation of the revised General Instruction. Also, various regional workshops are in process of being planned for Canadian pastors and liturgists.
  7. In addition to all the above, if the Bishops of Canada later decide it to be appropriate to indicate various pastoral measures to assist in implementing the revised General Instruction, these will be released to pastors and the faithful as opportune.

Episcopal Commission for Liturgy (English Sector)
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops