CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

Letter to the bishops of the Catholic Church
and to the Ordinaries and Hierarchs,
regarding the modifications introduced
in the Normae de gravioribus delictis

Nine years after the promulgation of the Apostolic Letter Motu proprio data, «Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela», regarding the norms de gravioribus delictis reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, this Dicastery held it necessary to proceed with a reform of the above mentioned text, emending it not in its entirety, but only in certain areas, in order to render the text more useful.

After a thorough and attentive study of the proposed modifications to the norms, the Fathers of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith presented the Roman Pontiff with a draft. The Holy Father approved and ordered the promulgation of these revised norms on 21 May 2010.

Attached with this letter is a brief description of the changes and amendments of the normative text, «Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela». In this way, the modifications are rendered more immediately accessible.

Rome, from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 21 May 2010.

William Cardinal Levada
Prefect

Luis F. Ladaria, S.I.
Tit. Archbishop of Thibica
Secretary