Section — Bucceroni, Institutions of Moral Theology
On the Satisfaction of Masses
To n. 627 bis.
By this Decree of the Sacred Congregation of the Council, Recenti, May 22, 1907, it is declared an abuse and violation of the law to deduct something on one's own authority from the accepted stipend of Masses, and, with part of the money retained for oneself, to commit the Masses themselves to others to be celebrated, because of the consent of the priest receiving with a more or less even mind, or because of the end of helping some pious work or exercising charity.
Likewise it is declared an abuse and violation of the law to collect a great number of Masses, gathered in immense quantity in the hands of private persons, always liable to the danger which always threatens things committed to private trust.
Finally, it is declared an abuse and violation of the law to commit Masses to be celebrated not only more abundantly than it would be lawful to distribute to private persons, but also more inconsiderately to entrust them to unknown priests, because of the appearance of some name or title of theirs, or because of the recommendation of others who do not know them sufficiently. Hence it is deduced that it is enough if someone does not personally know the Priest, but from the trustworthy recommendation of others who fully know him, knows that he is upright and deserves all confidence.
But since Bishops and Ordinaries of places are admonished to employ every care and vigilance in this matter, and to teach the clergy and administrators of pious legacies the gravity of the matter, it is evident that not only ecclesiastics but also laymen are bound by these Decrees.
To extirpate the evil by the roots, the Sacred Congregation decrees three things under grave fault.
First, that in the future whoever wishes to commit Masses to be celebrated to Priests, whether regular or secular, residing outside the diocese, must do this through the Ordinary of those Priests, who for regulars is their Superior, or at least after he has been heard and has consented. For the Ordinary can have those Priests well known to himself.
But the Bishop of these Priests cannot prevent Masses from being transmitted to those Priests if the aforesaid Priests are worthy persons and deserve all confidence. Likewise the Bishop of those who send the Masses cannot prevent the transmission of Masses, unless it is a question of those Masses which, by his subjects not having been celebrated or caused to be celebrated within a year, according to the Decree Ut debita, article 4, must be handed over to their own Bishop.
Nor indeed do those seem to be comprehended by the present Decree who commit their own Masses to others, but those who commit the Masses of others to Priests to be celebrated. For each one can dispose of his own things as he wishes, provided he does this without unjust harm to others.
Second, that each Ordinary, as soon as it is permitted, draw up a catalogue of his Priests, and describe the number of Masses which each is bound to satisfy, so that thereafter he may proceed more safely in assigning Masses.
The obligation, as is evident, is for the Bishop, so that he may know which Masses each one is bound to celebrate from obligation of benefice, chaplaincy, or commission, so that he himself may thereafter proceed more safely in assigning Masses. The same obligation belongs to the Regular Superior. But by the present Decree no obligation is imposed also on Priests that they give an account to the Ordinary of Masses privately committed to them.
Third, finally, if any Bishops or Priests wish in the future to send Masses, of which there is an overflowing quantity, to Prelates or priests of churches which are situated in the East, always and in individual cases they must do this through the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide.
"If any Bishops or Priests": wherefore this Decree does not touch laymen. "Of which there is an overflowing quantity": not others; of which there is an overflowing quantity, whether for themselves, as regards Priests, or also for their subjects, as regards Bishops, and as regards Masses accepted from others; not as regards their own Masses, which they themselves hand over, with their own money, to be celebrated.
Through the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide; or also through Apostolic Delegates, or Superiors of Religious to their subjects. Sacred Congregation of the Council, September 9, 1907. Cf. also the Decree of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide, July 15, 1908, which is had in the text under n. 627 bis at the end.
His Holiness held and confirmed the preceding prescriptions as ratified, and ordered them to be published so that they may be observed, anything whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding.