The Recent Decree Concerning the FFI - Full Text in English.
by Gregory DiPippo (New Liturgical Movement)
From the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Protocol number 52741/2012
The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, attentive to the considerations formulated in the report presented by Mons. Vito Angelo Todisco at the conclusion of the Apostolic Visitation orderd by a decree of July 5, 2012, in order to protect and promote the internal unity of religious institutes and fraternal communion, the suitable formation of religious and consecrated life, the organization of apostolic activities, the correct management of temporal goods, has deemed it necessary to name an Apostolic Commissioner for the Congregation of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, with the jurisdictions attributed by particular and universal law to the General Government of the aforementioned religious Institute.
Since the aforementioned decision was approved in its specific form on July 3, 2013, in accordance with article 18 of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, by the Holy Father Francis, by the present decree
ad nutum Sanctae Sedis (at the will of the Holy See) for the Communities and Members of the Congregation of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.
In the fulfillment of his duties, the Rev. Fr. Volpi will assume all the jurisdictions which the particular legislation of the Institute and the universal (legislation) of the Church attribute to the General Government (of the F.F.I.) Furthermore, he will have the authority, if he deems it opportune, to avail himself of collaborators chosen at his discretion and named by him, subject to the assent of this Dicastery, whose opinion he may ask for when he deems necessary.
The Rev. Fr. Volpi must inform this Dicastery every six months on his actions, sending a detailed report in writing on the decisions he has made, the results of them, and the initiatives which he deems useful for the good of the Institute.
Finally, it will be the duty of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate both to reimburse the expenses incurred by the aforementioned Commissioner and the collaborators which may eventually be nominated by him, and to pay the honorarium for their services.
In addition to what is stated above, on the same date, the previous July 3, the Holy Father Francis has decided that every religious of the Congregation of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate is obliged to celebrate the liturgy according to the Ordinary Rite, and that, in the event, the use of the Extraordinary Form (Vetus Ordo) must be explicitly authorized by the competent authorities, for every religious and/or community that requests it.
All instructions to the contrary notwithstanding.
This letter has been made available by the courtesy of the editors of the Italian website Messa in Latino (Italian and german text)