Ecclesiae Unitatem

Ecclesiae Unitatem (Unity of the Church) is a motu proprio issued by the Holy See on 8 July 2009. It was signed by Pope Benedict XVI on 2 July.

Restructuring Ecclesia Dei

It attaches the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the prefect of the CDF, now ex offico president of Ecclessia Dei. William Cardinal Levada will now lead the dialogue with groups dealing with the Missal of Bl. John XXIII. Cardinal Levada's role will princapally focus on bringing the Society of Saint Pius X back into communion with Rome, through disscussions which are expected to begin with SSPX in September 2009. This is clear when Pope Benedict states in the motu proprio that "With this decision I wish in particular to show paternal solicitude towards the Society of Saint Pius X, with the aim of rediscovering the full communion of the Church"

Liturgical competences

The liturgical competences granted to the PCED by Summorum Pontificum and other pontifical acts remain with the PCED, even after this restructuring. The liturgical governance of the extraordinary form (e.g. liturgical calendar questions) are not discussed within Ecclesiae Unitatem and are to remain with the PCED and its principal officer dealing with the extraordinary form, its secretary, Msgr. Guido Pozzo. Thus, all the (extraordinaary form liturgical) authority of the Apostolic See is exercised by the PCED. Which means that, until the liturgical competences are eventually transferred to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, all questions and complaints regarding the EF are to be addressed to Cardinal Levada. The original mandate and scope of action of the PCED was much larger than the SSPX question (and was princapally to maintain good relations with the communities who now celebrate, or who will celebrate the Latin Mass under Summorum Pontificum, such as the IBP, the FSSP and others, which remains the principal function of the PCED until it is transferred to the CDWDS.