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The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (Latin: Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum) is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the Sacraments. Its functions were originally exercised by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, set up in January 1588 by Pope Sixtus V.
The congregation is the direct successor of the Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments (Sacra Congregatio de Disciplina Sacramentorum) (1908–1969).
In 1975 it was given the title "Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship" (Congregatio de Sacramentis et Cultu Divino) and incorporated the functions of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship (Sacra Congregatio pro Cultu Divino) which had been created in 1969 to take on responsibility for the liturgical affairs previously handled by the Sacred Congregation of Rites (Sacra Rituum Congregatio) (1588-1969).
Between 1984 and 1988 it was briefly redivided into the Congregation for the Sacraments (Congregatio de Sacramentis) and the Congregation for Divine Worship (Congregatio de Cultu Divino) under a single Prefect.
The Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, issued by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988, laid down the functions of the congregation, including:
On 30 August 2011, Pope Benedict XVI issued the Motu Proprio Quaerit Semper[1] which modifies the competency of the congregation by taking away responsibility for unconsummated marriages and nullity of ordination cases. According to the Motu Proprio, this was done because "In these circumstances, it appeared adequate that the work of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments be dedicated essentially [potissimum] to a resumption of the Sacred Liturgy in the Church, according to the renewal that the Second Vatican Council desired, beginning with the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium."[2]
The "Vox Clara Committee" is a committee of senior bishops from episcopal conferences throughout the English-speaking world, formed by the Congregation in 2001 to provide advice to the Holy See concerning English-language liturgical books and to strengthen effective cooperation with the Conferences of Bishops in this regard. The Vox Clara Committee is chaired by Cardinal Thomas Olmsted (Phoenix, US), its Second Vice-Chairman is Cardinal Oswald Gracias (Bombay, India), and its treasurer is Cardinal Justin Rigali (Philadelphia, US, Emeritus). The Bishop Secretary is Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli (Paterson, US). The committee's other members are: Cardinal John Tong Hon (Hong Kong), Archbishop Alfred Hughes (New Orleans, US, Emeritus), Archbishop Michael Neary (Tuam, Ireland), Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J. (Ottawa, Canada), and Bishop David McGough (Birmingham, England, Auxiliary). The Committee's Executive Secretary is Monsignor James P. Moroney (US).