Of the Supreme Pontiffs

An apostolic letter issued motu proprio on 7 July 2007, setting out when priests of the Latin Church may celebrate Mass with the 1962 Roman Missal of John XXIII, the form used before the post-conciliar reform. It allows every priest to celebrate privately with that missal, asks parish priests to accede to stable groups of the faithful who request it, permits the older rites for several sacraments and the 1962 Breviary, and gives the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei oversight of its observance. It was accompanied by a letter to the bishops explaining his reasons, among them reconciliation within the Church. Its provisions were replaced in 2021 by Pope Francis's Traditionis custodes. The full English text is free on vatican.va.