CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

Documents on sacramental questions

 

Note: The documents regarding the sacraments issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith are presented in chronological order. Each text is given with its title in Italian or English, followed by the official title (usually in Latin) in parentheses, and the date of publication.

The next line, in bold typeface, provides references to official collections and editions (for example, Acta Apostolicae Sedis) and the final line gives references to unofficial collections and editions in various languages. 

List of abbreviations

 

• Baptism 

   

  • Responses to Questions Proposed on the Validity of Baptism
    (Responsa ad proposita dubia de validitate baptismatis), 1st February 2008
    AAS 100 (2008) 200
    Notitiae 44 (2008) 134
    [Czech, English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish]

    • The Church has no right to change what Christ himself has instituted (Msgr. Antonio MIRALLES)
      [English, Italian]

    • The pastoral and canonical consequences (Card. Urbano NAVARRETE, S.J.)
      [Italian]

   

  • Response to a ‘Dubium’ on the validity of Baptism conferred by «The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints», called «Mormons»
    (Responsum ad propositum dubium de validitate baptismatis apud communitatem «The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints»), June 5, 2001
    AAS 93 (2001) 476
    OR16-17.07.2001; Communicationes 33 (2001) 162; RegnoDoc 17/2001, 542-544
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    • The Question of the Validity of Baptism conferred in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Fr. Luis F. LADARIA, S.J.)
      [English, Italian]
    • Response of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about the Validity of Baptism conferred in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Fr. Urbano NAVARRETE, S.J.)
      [English, Italian]

   

  • Notification on the validity of Baptism conferred in the «The New Church»
    (Notificatio de validitate baptismatis apud «The New Church» confessionem collati), November 20, 1992
    AAS 85 (1993) 179
    Communicationes 25 (1993) 34; EV 13, 1068-1069; LE 5490; Dokumenty, II, 26
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

   

  • Notification regarding the validity of the Baptism conferred by the “Christian Community” or “Die Christengemeinschaft” of Rudolf Steiner
    (Notificatio de validitate baptismatis apud «Christian Community» Rudolfi Steiner confessionem), March 9, 1991
    AAS 83 (1991) 422
    Notitiae 27 (1991) 637; DocCath 88 (1991) 813 [Gall.]; EV 13, 16-17; LE 5417
    [English, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

   

  • Instruction on Infant Baptism – Pastoralis actio
    (Instructio de baptismo parvulorum), October 20, 1980
    AAS 72 (1980) 1137-1156; DOCUMENTA 42
    OR 22.11.1980, 1-2; Notitiae 17 (1981) 7-22; Communicationes 8 (1981) 26-41; CEE 165-201 [Lat./Hisp.]; DocCath 77 (1980) 1107-1113 [Gall.]; EV 7, 568-603; LE 4801; Dokumenty, I, 42
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Risposta al Vescovo di Dapaong riguardante l’amministrazione del battesimo ai figli di genitori non cattolici, July 13, 1970
    Notitiae 7 (1971) 69-70;DocCath 68 (1971) 158; LE 3884 

• Eucharist

   

  • Circular Letter to all Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences concerning the use of low-gluten altar breads and mustum as matter for the celebration of the Eucharist, July 24, 2003
    [English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

   

  • Circular Letter to all Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences concerning the use of low-gluten altar breads and mustum as matter for the celebration of the Eucharist, June 19, 1995
    Notitiae 31 (1995) 608-610; Notiziario CEI 16 (1995) 280s; EV 14, 1694-1696; LE 5609
    [English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • The reception of the holy communion by the divorced and remarried members of the faithful (1994) – Annus Internationalis Familiae
    (Epistola ad Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopos de receptione communionis eucharisticae a fidelibus qui post divortium novas inierunt nuptias), September 14, 1994
    AAS 86 (1994) 974-979
    OR 15.10.1994; Communicationes 26 (1994) 163-168;CivCat 145 (1994) 4, 271-275; DocCath 91 (1994) 930-932; LE 5579; Dokumenty, II, 33
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    • "Concerning some objections to the Church's teaching on the reception of Holy Communion by divorced and remarried members of the faithful" (Card. Joseph Ratzinger)
      [German, English, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish]
       
    • Note on the Letter Annus Internationalis Familiae: Fedeltà nella verità (Card. Dionigi Tettamanzi)
      Notitiae 30 (1994) 554-562
      [Italian]
      
      
  • Letter to Bishops of the Catholic Church on Certain Questions Concerning the Minister of the Eucharist - Sacerdotium ministeriale
    (Epistola ad Ecclesiae Catholicae Episcopos de quibusdam quaestionibus ad Eucharistiae ministrum spectantibus), August 6, 1983
    AAS 75 (1983) 1001-1009; DOCUMENTA 52
    OR 9.9.1983, 4 [Ital.]; Communicationes 15 (1983) 153-159; DocCath 80 (1983) 885-887 [Gall.]; EV 9, 346-361; LE 4993; Dokumenty, II, 7
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Responses regarding the Eucharistic communication of the celebrant “by intinction” and of the faithful only under the species of wine
    (Responsa ad proposita dubia de celebrantis communione «per intinctionem» et fidelium communione sub sola specie vini), October 29, 1982
    AAS 74 (1982) 1298-1299; DOCUMENTA 48
    LE 4932; Dokumenty, II, 3
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
  • Lettera al Segretario della S. Congregazione per i religiosi e gli istituti secolari circa il Dicastero competente per la concessione di indulti per poter celebrare la Messa con mosto di vino in casi speciali, September 22, 1981
    Commentarium pro religiosis 63 (1982) 167-168; EV S1, 760-762; LE 4863
    [Italian]
    
    
  • Risposta al Presidente della Conferenza episcopale degli Stati Uniti di America circa la disciplina dell’uso del vino da parte di sacerdoti alcolizzati, December 15, 1980
    CanLDigest vol. 9, 583-585; LE 4819
    
    
  • Risposta al Presidente della Conferenza episcopale degli Stati Uniti di America riguardante la natura e le qualità della materia per il pane eucaristico, June 4, 1979
    CanLDigest vol. 9, 578-580; LE 4716
    
    
  • Declaration Cum de fragmentis On Particles of the Consecrated Hosts
    (Declaratio de fragmentis eucharisticis), May 2, 1972
    DOCUMENTA 11
    Notitiae 8 (1972) 227; DocCath 69 (1972) 815-816 [Gall.]; EV 4, 1022-1023; Dokumenty, I,11
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Facultas datur addendi certam succheri quantitatem ad vinum pro Sacrificio Missae firmis reddendum, May 31, 1967
    LE 3564; The Clergy Monthly 31 (1967) 309
    [English]

• Penance

   

  • Decree regarding the excommunication of those who divulge confessions (Decretum de sacramenti Paenitentiae dignitate tuenda), September 23, 1988
    AAS 80 (1988) 1367
    Communicationes 21 (1989) 112; DocCath 86 (1989) 214 [Gall.]; EV 11, 844-845; LE 5293; Dokumenty, II, 20
    [English, French,  German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • A question about general absolution
    (Responsum ad quaesitum circa absolutionem sacramentalem generali modo impertiendam), January 20, 1978
    DOCUMENTA 32
    Notitiae 14 (1978) 6-7; DocCath 75 (1978) 205 [Gall.]; LE 4555; Dokumenty, I, 32
    [English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Lettera al Presidente della Conferenza episcopale degli Stati Uniti di America circa le condizioni e le norme dell’assoluzione sacramentale «comunitaria», January 14, 1977
    DocCath 74 (1977) 297;LE 4487; Origins 6 (1977) 595-596
    
    
  • Declaration concerning the safeguard of the Sacrament of Penance – Sacra congregatio
    (Declaratio de tuenda Sacramenti Paenitentiae dignitate), March 23, 1973
    AAS 65 (1973) 678; DOCUMENTA 14
    OR 24.3.1974, 1 [Ital.]; DocCath 70 (1973) 365 [Gall.]; EV 4, 1502-1503; LE 4181; Dokumenty, I, 14
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portugiesisch, Spanish]
    
  • Pastoral Norms for the administration of general sacramental absolution – Sacramentum paenitentiae
    (Normaepastorales circa absolutionem sacramentalem generali modo impertiendam), June 16, 1972
    AAS 64 (1972) 510-514; DOCUMENTA 12
    OR 14.7.1972, 1-2 [Lat./Ital.]; Notitiae 8 (1972) 312-317; Communicationes 4 (1972) 100-105; DocCath 69 (1972) 713-715 [Gall.]; EV 4, 1042-1053; LE 4060; Dokumenty, I, 12
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Risposta riguardante l’obbligo di premettere la confessione sacramentale prima della sacra comunione quando c’è la coscienza del peccato grave, July 11, 1968
    DocCath 66 (1969) 349; LE 3674 

• Sacred orders

   

  • General Decree regarding the delict of attempted sacred ordination of a woman (December 19, 2007)
    Decretum generale – De delicto attentatae sacrae ordinationis mulieris
    AAS 100 (2008) 403
    OR 30.5.2008, Notitiae 44 (2008) 135
    [Czech, English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

   

  • Decreto che respinge il ricorso di alcune donne scomunicate, 21 dicembre 2002
    Recursus quarundam excommunicatarum mulierum reicitur
    AAS 95 (2003),  271-273; DOCUMENTA 101
    Communicationes 35 (2003) 56-59; Origins 32 (2003) 566-567
    [French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish]

   

  • Decree of Excommunication [regarding the attempted priestly ordination of some Catholic women by a schismatic Bishop], 5 August 2002
    DOCUMENTA 99
    OR 5-6.08.2002, 5
    [English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
     

  • Responsum ad propositum dubium concerning the teaching contained in “Ordinatio Sacerdotalis”
    (Responsum ad dubium circa doctrinam in Epist. Ap.“Ordinatio Sacerdotalis” traditam), October 28, 1995
    AAS 87 (1995) 1114
    OR 19.11.1995, 2; Notitiae 31 (1995) 610s; Communicationes 27 (1995) 212; EV 14, 1958-1961; LE 5622;  Doc. Cath. 92 (1995) 1079-1081
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    • Concerning the Reply of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the Teaching Contained in the Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
      [English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

   

  • Procedural Norms regarding the dispensation of priests from celibacy
    (Normae de dispensatione a sacerdotali coelibatu ad instantiam partis), October 14, 1980
    AAS 72 (1980) 1136-1137; DOCUMENTA 41
    EV 7, 562-567; LE 4800; Dokumenty, I, 41
    [German, English, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

   

  • Letter to all local Ordinaries and General Moderators of clerical religious communities regarding the dispensation of priests from celibacy
    (Litterae circulares omnibus locorum Ordinariis et Moderatoribus generalibus religionum clericaliumde dispensatione a sacerdotali coelibatu), October 14, 1980
    AAS 72 (1980) 1132-1135; DOCUMENTA 40
    Communicationes 8 (1981) 21-26; DocCath 77 (1980) 1177-1178 [Gall.]; EV 7, 550-561; LE 4800; Dokumenty, I, 40
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

   

  • Declaration on the Question of Admission of Women to the Ministerial Priesthood  – Inter insigniores
    (Declaratio circa quaestionem admissionis mulierum ad sacerdotium ministeriale), October 15, 1976
    AAS 69 (1977) 98-116; DOCUMENTA 30
    OR 28.1.1977, 1-3 [Lat./Ital.]; Notitiae 13 (1977) 51-66; Communicationes 9 (1977) 36-50; CEE 97-131 [Lat./Hisp.]; DocCath 74 (1977) 158-164; EV 5, 1392-1423; LE 4471; Dokumenty, I, 30
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Declaration concerning the interpretation of the Norms regarding petitions for reducing priests to the lay state
    (Declaratio quoad interpretationem quarundam dispositionum, quae Normis, die XIII Ianuarii 1971 editis, statutae sunt), June 26, 1972
    AAS 64 (1972) 641-643; DOCUMENTA 13
    Communicationes 5 (1973) 21-23; DocCath 70 (1973) 16-17 [Gall.]; LE 4067; Dokumenty, I, 13
    [English, French, Italian, Latin, Polish, Spanish]
    
    
  • Risposta a un dubbio circa l’imposizione delle mani da parte di più vescovi nell’ordinazione sacerdotale, May 16, 1972
    Notitiae 16 (1980) 272; LE 4641
    [Latin]
    
  • Norms for preparing petitions in diocesan or clerical religious Curias for reducing priests to the lay state with a dispensation from all the obligations arising from Sacred Orders
    (Normae ad apparandas in Curiis dioecesanis et religiosis causas reductionis ad statum laicalem cum dispensatione ab obligationibus cum sacra Ordinatione conexis), January 13, 1971
    AAS 63 (1971) 303-308; DOCUMENTA 8
    Communicationes 3 (1971) 138-144; DocCath 68 (1971) 764-768; EV 4, 62-81; LE 3947; Dokumenty, I, 8
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Letter to Bishops and General Superiors regarding the reduction to the lay state
    (Litterae circulares omnibus locorum Ordinariis et Moderatoribus generalibus religionum clericalium de reductione ad statum laicalem), January 13, 1971
    AAS 63 (1971) 309-312; DOCUMENTA 7
    Communicationes 3 (1971) 144-147; EV 4, 54-62; LE 3946; Dokumenty, I, 7
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

• Matrimony

   

  • Norms on the preparation of the process for the dissolution of the marriage bond in favour of the faith
    (Normae de conficiendo processu pro solutione vinculi matrimonialis in favorem fidei), 30 aprile 2001
    Typis Vaticanis, 2001
    [Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish]
  • Summarium (cf. art. 25 § 1 Normae)
    [English, French, German, Italian, Spanish]

  • Summarium - attachment
    [English, French, German, Italian, Spanish]

  • Cautiones (cf. art. 5 Normae)
    [English, French, German, Italian, Spanish]

   

  • Decree regarding cases in which impotence renders marriage null
    (Decretum circa impotentiam quae matrimonium dirimit), May 13, 1977
    AAS 69 (1977) 426; DOCUMENTA 31
    Communicationes 9 (1977) 222; DocCath 74 (1977) 809; LE 4515; Dokumenty, I, 31
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Polish, Spanish]
    
    
  • Norms for the procedure for the dissolution of marriage in favor of the faith
    (Normae procedurales pro conficiendo processu dissolutionis vinculi matrimonialis in favorem fidei), December 6, 1973
    DOCUMENTA 20
    EV 4, 1791-1799; LE 4244; Dokumenty, I, 20
    [English, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Instruction on the dissolution of marriage in favor of the faith – Ut notum est
    (Instructio pro solutione matrimonii in favorem fidei), December 6, 1973
    DOCUMENTA 19
    EV 4, 1786-1791; LE 4244; Dokumenty, I, 19
    [English, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Letter regarding the indissolubility of marriage
    (Litterae circulares de indissolubilitate matrimonii et de admissione ad Sacramenta fidelium qui in unione irregolari vivunt), April 11, 1973
    DOCUMENTA 15
    DocCath 70 (1983) 707 [Gall.];EV 4, 1508-1511;LE 4187; Dokumenty, I, 15
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
    
    
  • Instruction on mixed marriages – Matrimonii sacramentum
    (Instructio de matrimonii mixtis), March 18, 1966
    AAS 58 (1966) 235-239; DOCUMENTA 1 
    OR 19.3.1966, 1-2 [Lat./It.]; DocCath 63 (1966) 577-584 [Gall.]; LE 3422; Dokumenty, I, 1
    [English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

• Anointing

   

  • Note regarding the Minister of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, 11 February 2005
    DOCUMENTA 105
    Notitiae XLI (2005) 479-483
    [English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]