Case LXVIII: May Mass Be Celebrated, and Holy Communion Given, at an Altar Upon Which the Blessed Sacrament Is Exposed?

It happens frequently that at an altar upon which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, Masses are said, and holy Communion is given. The question is whether this usage is in accordance with the precepts of the Church.

The question cannot be answered by a simple yes or no. The answer depends upon various circumstances.

1. It is a generally prevailing precept that at an altar upon which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed no Masses may be said without special papal indult, such as given for the Octave of Corpus Christi, except for the purpose of reposition. The Ceremoniale Episcoporum (lib. I. cap. 12 n. 1). contains about this: It would be not merely fitting, but most becoming, that Masses not be celebrated at the altar where the Most Holy Sacrament is placed, which appears to have been observed from ancient times. And Clement XI., in his famous instruction of January 21, 1705, subsequently confirmed by Innocent XIII., Benedict XIII. and Clement XII., respecting the celebration of the Forty Hours’ devotion (§XII.), provides, as of precept, that upon the altar of Exposition only the solemn Masses at Exposition and Reposition, but no other Masses may be said. It is true, no doubt, that the regulation of the Ceremoniale Epp. is only directive, and the Instructio Clementina of precept only for Rome; but there are other special decrees of the S. Rit. Congr. by which those regulations are made the universally binding law. Thus this Congregation, under date of August 9, 1670, ordained: It is not lawful to celebrate Masses at an altar when the Most Holy Sacrament is exposed upon it, especially since there are other altars at which they can be celebrated, and again, under date of June 13, 1671: Mass ought not to be celebrated at an altar where the Most Holy Sacrament is exposed, unless it is for the purpose of repose. Gardellini, in his commentary upon the Clementine Instruction, writes: The rule is therefore certain which generally prohibits Masses at an altar on which the Sacrament is exposed. For the two decrees must be regarded as general, although they were issued in particular cases.

The reason for this general law is plain: since Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament, and exposed to the view and for the adoration of the faithful, it is at least superfluous to call Him, through consecration, once more from heaven down upon the same altar for the same purpose.

If, therefore, during exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a Mass is to be said, it must be celebrated at an altar other than the altar of exposition. It should be remarked that even at another altar neither a low nor a high Mass pro Requie may be said, also that in private Masses to the orations prescribed by the rubrics the Oratio de Ss. Sacramento may be added, and that at the Sanctus and the Elevatio the striking of the bell must be omitted. Though these rules are explicit and definite, there is even here nulla regula sine exceptione. An exception is permissible by reason of necessity, and also by reason of ancient and established custom. A case of necessity, in which celebration of holy Mass is allowed before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, would be, for instance, if for important reasons holy Mass has to be said and there is no other altar in the church. This is evident from the provision of the decree of August 9, 1670, and it is expressly admitted by Gardellini in the words: Stante praesertim quod adsint alia altaria, in quibus celebrari possit.

In this latter case, when the praeceptum audiendi sacrum presses for fulfilment and another church is not in the neighborhood, the offering of the holy Sacrifice would even then be permitted on the altar of exposition if the other altar is so situated that if Mass is celebrated there it will be necessary to turn the back towards the altar of exposition.

Besides necessity, there excuses from observance of the general rule also an ancient custom, difficult to change. A custom which is truly immemorial and which cannot be abolished without scandal and offense to the people (Gardellini). This exception received indirect approval by the decree of the S. R. Congr. of May 7, 1746. In Poland it frequently happened that while the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, there were at the same altar, in addition to the Mass of Exposition, other private Masses said. To the question whether in these Masses a commemoration of the same Most Holy Sacrament ought to be made, the Congregation answered: A commemoration of the Most Holy Sacrament may be made during the exposition. By not expressing itself about the existing custom of saying Mass at the altar of exposition it tacitly let it be understood that it may be tolerated, according to the popular axiom: qui tacet consentire videtur.

Nevertheless, even if an urgens necessitas and a consuetudo vere immemorabilis allow of exceptions from the general rule, they do not abrogate the latter but rather serve to confirm it. Exceptio firmat regulam. Particular cases, observes Gardellini, do not destroy the universal law and rule, nor can particular cases be equally adapted to everyone so that all alike would not be bound strictly to follow the universal law. For this rule must be observed so strictly and accurately that no one may depart from it. It is evident from what has been said that the celebration upon altars upon which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed must be regarded in general as an offense against ecclesiastical liturgical ordinances.

2. Just as impermissible as it is in general to celebrate at an altar where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed it is also to administer holy Communion from the same, even then if, for some good reason, holy Mass has been said there. The poor Clares of Tarentum were by a foundation obliged to have on the three days of carnival the Blessed Sacrament exposed for adoration in their chapel. As they only had one altar, and in order not to be deprived of holy Mass on these days, they presented a petition to the Holy See that the celebratio Missae might be permitted upon the altar of exposition. The favor was granted, but with the expressed condition: provided that in the Mass the holy Eucharist is not distributed (November 12, 1831). If it is prohibited to distribute holy Communion during holy Mass from the altar of exposition, still less may it be distributed outside of holy Mass. The reason is obvious: the distribution of holy Communion from the altar of exposition would not merely disturb worshipers in their devotion, but the priest giving holy Communion would be guilty of irreverence by turning his back to the Blessed Sacrament. In order that the faithful during exposition may not be deprived of holy Communion, the holy Eucharist should be kept, in a ciborium or chalice, on a side altar and distributed from there. Innocent XI. ordains so in his decree of May 28, 1682: But if holy Communion must be administered at the same time at which the Most Holy Sacrament is exposed, let this be done at another altar, taking the Most Holy Sacrament from the ciborium; and when Communion has been completed, let it be replaced in the tabernacle, or let it be covered with a veil in such a way that it cannot be seen.

If in the church of exposition there is only one altar, must the distribution of holy Communion be omitted altogether, or may it in this case be done from the altar of exposition? The latter view is favored by a decree of the S. R. C. of September 26, 1868, as also by the fact that Masses are allowed at the altar of exposition in case of necessity or custom. In that case care should be taken that holy Communion be distributed as much as possible to the side of the altar to avoid turning the back towards the Blessed Sacrament. It is plain that, after giving holy Communion, the blessing with the ciborium must not be given from the altar of exposition, nor from a side altar.

Hence it is always a gross offense against liturgical ordinances when, no doubt more from lack of information than from indifference, coram exposito Ss. Sacramento, except in cases of necessity, holy Communion is administered from the altar of exposition, and if even the blessing is given with the ciborium.

Bernard Schmid, O.S.B.