His Eminence Antonio Cardinal Innocenti
President, Commission Ecclesia Dei
Piazza Del S. Uffizio 11
00120 Vatican City, Italy, Europe

Your Eminence,

 I am seeking a precise understanding of the meaning of the motu proprio "Ecclesia Dei".

 1. What constitutes a "rightful aspiration" to worship according to the liturgical books of 1962?

 2. Can anyone have or acquire such a rightful aspiration?

 3. Are there any age limits on those aspiring to worship according to the liturgical books of 1962?

 4. Can someone with no knowledge of "previous liturgical norms" and who discovers the Mass according to the 1962 Missal acquire a "rightful aspiration" to it?

 5. How does one rightfully acquire a "rightful aspiration"?

Yours sincerely

John Gresser

Mr. John Gresser
PO Box 69
Roselands, NSW 2196
AUSTRALIA

Dear Mr Gresser,

Thank you for your letter of 14 June 1995 addressed to His Eminence Cardinal Innocenti regarding the correct understanding of the Motu Proprio "Ecclesia Dei". We will do our best to respond to your queries in the order in which you raised them.

1. The Motu Proprio "Ecclesia Dei" recognizes that in itself the desire to celebrate and participate in the traditional liturgy of the Catholic Church as embodied in the liturgical books in force in 1962 represents a legitimate desire on the part of the faithful.

2. The Motu Proprio does not speak of any restrictions, including age limits, on those who aspire to worship according to the liturgical books of 1962. Neither does it state that only those who had previous experience of the Latin liturgical tradition could have such an aspiration.

Wishing you the blessings of God, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ
Msgr. Camille Perl
Secretary

Letter 2 from Mr Gresser to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei:

His Eminence Antonio Cardinal Innocenti
President, Commission Ecclesia Dei
Piazza Del S. Uffizio 11
00120 Vatican City, Italy, Europe

Your Eminence,

Thank you for your prompt and concise reply to my last letter dated June 14. It has been a great help in dispelling confusion regarding the true interpretation of the “Ecclesia Dei” decree. For the sake of further clarification I would appreciate answers to the questions below and your comments on the attached article by Fr Brian Lucas, the official spokesman for the Archdiocese of Sydney.

1. Are those who are regularly attending Masses celebrated according to [the] 1962 Missal and according to the provisions of “Ecclesia Dei”, but who are under the age of 45 and never followers of Archbishop Lefebvre, abusing a privilege or in an irregular canonical position by attending approved Masses?

 2. Is an aspiration to worship according to the liturgical books of 1962 under the provisions of the motu proprio “Ecclesia Dei” in any way un-Catholic, against the mind of the Church or canonically irregular?

 3. Is it true that the permission under “Ecclesia Dei” for celebrating the liturgy according to the 1962 books is only a temporary measure and will be revoked in the next ten years?

 4. Does the Holy See wish that societies of apostolic life etc. set up under the “Ecclesia Dei” provision continue and expand or not?

 5. Will societies of apostolic life etc. set up under the “Ecclesia Dei” provision eventually be suppressed or ordered to celebrate the Liturgy according to the 1969 typical edition?

Yours sincerely,
 John Gresser

The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei's reply to Mr Gresser:

N. 106/95

Mr John Gresser
PO Box 69
Roselands, NSW 2196
AUSTRALIA

Dear Mr Gresser,

We wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 19 September 1995 addressed to His Eminence Cardinal Innocenti seeking further clarifications on the Motu Proprio "Ecclesia Dei". We will do our best to respond to your queries in the order in which you raised them.

 1. The Code of Canon Law informs us that the interpretation of a privilege "is always to be used so that the beneficiaries of a privilege actually obtain some favour" (canon 77). As we already stated in our last letter, "The Motu Proprio "Ecclesia Dei" does not speak of any restrictions, including age limits, on those who aspire to worship according to the liturgical books of 1962." Therefore those who are under the age of 45 and who were never followers of Archbishop Lefebvre are not because of this abusing a privilege or put in an irregular canonical position.

 2. It should be obvious that, if the Church grants a privilege, one who takes advantage of it is not un-Catholic nor is it un-Catholic to have such an aspiration.

 3. Our Holy Father is the supreme legislator of the Church. He has not put any time limitation [on] the ability to benefit from his Motu Proprio "Ecclesia Dei" .

 4. The Holy See does not establish institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life with the hope that they will not prosper.

 5. Such a question can only be answered by the supreme legislator of the Church.

 Wishing you the blessings of God, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Msgr. Camille Perl
Secretary