President Col. James Bogle | Affiliations Catholic Church | |
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Formation 8 January 1967; 50 years ago (1967-01-08) Key people Dr Eric Vermehren de Saventhem (founding President), Michael Davies | ||
The Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce or simply Una Voce (Latin for "[With] One Voice"; from the preface to the Roman Canon) is an international federation of Catholic lay organizations attached to the Tridentine Mass, colloquially known as "the Latin Mass" (though there are several rites, i. e., versions, of Catholic Masses in Latin).
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History
The Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce (or FIUV) was founded on December 19, 1964 in Paris by Georges Cerbelaud-Salagnac in order to promote the Tridentine Mass from the Pre-Vatican II Missale Romanum (1962). The organization argues that while the Second Vatican Council had introduced vernacular liturgies, it did not actually forbid the Latin Mass, and that regular weekday and Sunday Masses in Latin should be maintained. The organization also seeks to promote Latin Gregorian Chant, sacred polyphony and sacred art. Unlike some of the other Catholic traditionalist organizations, Una Voce seeks to remain faithful to the Pope within the Roman Catholic Church, and asserts that the Tridentine and the vernacular masses should be allowed to co-exist. Among its prominent early members were the composers Maurice Duruflé and Olivier Messiaen.
A number of national associations developed during 1964 and 1965, and in 1966 an international association, the Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce was formed. It currently has over two dozen national affiliates.
FIUV members value the traditional Latin Mass as direct link with the early Church and for conveying the mystery and majesty of God, but have been critiqued for elitism and for its emphasis on private religious devotion. The group has been described as an "arch-conservative" organization by Episcopal Church organist James E Frazier. Traditionalist Catholics usually uphold orthodox Catholic moral teaching on abortion, contraception and marriage. However, members of the FIUV reject comparisons to fundamentalism.
FIUV was enthusiastic about the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as the Pope in 2005. He took the name of Benedict XVI. He had spoken at a conference, and had praised FIUV's role in supporting the use of the Roman Missal within the guidelines set out by the Vatican. The organization's influence at the highest levels of the Vatican has led to the authorization of the Tridentine Mass without specific permission or indult by local bishops, and the wider implementation of the motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum.
Membership
The International Federation represents 41 member associations in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, England and Wales, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine and the USA. Since 2010 the International Federation has made remarkable progress. Requests for information and assistance have come from Denmark, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Kenya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Panama, Sarawak (Borneo) and Slovenia.
Council
At the XXI General Assembly, held in Rome from 9 December to 10 December 2013, the Council was elected and constituted as follows:
In addition, the Council elected the following:
Following the election of the new Council and the President, the General Assembly conferred upon His Excellency Dr. Helmut Ruckriegel from Germany, the title of President d'Honneur. Dr. Ruckriegel is a founding member of the International Federation Una Voce and he decided to stand down from the Council after many years of unbroken service.