Case LXXVI: Indulgence of the Forty Hours

Case.—Felix, a country pastor, holds the devotion of the Forty Hours regularly, as required by the law of his diocese. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed all day and reposed at night. But the pastor is much disturbed because during the day, and for many hours, the Divine King is left absolutely without an adorer. His people live at a distance and cannot, or will not, desert their work to spend an hour or two with the Lord. They are very faithful in coming in the evening to the devotions, and nearly all approach the Sacraments during this time of special grace. But it is impossible to bring even a small number during the day to “watch and pray.” The pastor himself must spend all the day as the guard of honor. He wishes to know whether or not he could repose the Blessed Sacrament during the day and expose it for the usual devotions in the evening, when the good people throng the church, often coming for miles around.

Solution.—It seems that conditions such as just described are quite prevalent in rural districts. We think that under the circumstances, it is the pastor’s duty to consult the bishop, and, having informed him of the case, to abide by his decision. The pastor cannot of his own authority solve the difficulty in his own way. It would not be unreasonable for him to repose the Blessed Sacrament after the morning Mass when the people return to their homes, but the further question of the spiritual good, that is, in the present case, the indulgences, which are extraordinary during the Forty Hours devotion, is not to be forgotten. In the Instruction of the Congregation of Rites concerning this devotion the rule was laid down that the adoration should not be interrupted. Hence in religious houses the custom prevails of nocturnal adoration. The Sacred Congregation ultimately allowed an interruption and sanctioned nocturnal reposition, and granted an indult safeguarding the extraordinary indulgences of the devotion. It is clear that such a concession would not include the interruption suggested by our country pastor. Hence were he to adopt the above-mentioned practice he would seriously interfere with the much-sought-for indulgence. This would not be fair to the people of the parish who, out of their devotion, make the sacrifices entailed in their effort to gain the indulgence, and who, if they knew that they could not gain their object, might be loathe to attend even the evening devotions. Hence, the only thing the pastor can do is to see his bishop and let him, through his ordinary or extraordinary faculties, solve the difficulty and sanction the practice.