ARTICLE I: ON THE REQUISITES FOR MASS

1330. - These things are required: 1° A stone altar, fixed or portable, consecrated by the Bishop, or among us, if there is question of a portable altar, while the See is vacant and in a case of necessity, by the Administrator of the diocese, or, while the See is full, by a priest deputed by the Bishop in places subject to him, with oils nevertheless blessed by the Bishop (see p. LXXII. n. 28 and p. LXXIII. n. 6). 2° A triple cloth made from linen or hemp; wherefore "the custom," says Kenrick,² "of certain persons using cloths which are found in the house in which they celebrate in the country is to be corrected, one shorter corporal cloth being placed beneath, or those which are not made from linen or at least from hemp. There is at least venial fault in not using three cloths; mortal fault in omitting all, unless grave necessity excuses." 3° Sacred vestments, or vestments blessed by the Ordinary, or among us by a priest delegated by the Ordinary by force of the faculty which is referred to on p. LXXI. n. 13. 4° A chalice and paten, consecrated by the Bishop, or among us by those deputed by him, as above 1°. 5° A linen corporal, or one made of hemp, blessed by the Ordinary, or among us by a priest delegated as above 3°. 6° A pall likewise linen or made of hemp. 7° A linen purificator. 8° A missal with a cushion. 9° A crucifix. 10° A double lighted candle made of wax. 11° A burse, silk veil, towel, cruet. 12° A male minister.¹ Cf. n. 1247. V. a).

But as regards candles, in strictly private Masses it is not lawful to light more than two wax candles, unless the Bishop celebrates, or unless there is question of low conventual or parochial Masses or similar ones on more solemn days, or of those which are celebrated in place of a solemn and sung Mass on account of celebrity and solemnity, or unless exposition of the Most Holy Sacrament requires a greater number. - De Herdt.²

1331. Questions. - Query 1° Must the altar cloths necessarily be blessed?

Resp. Affirmatively. The reason is because this is prescribed in the Rubric, and whatever some may say, there does not appear a sufficient reason for acting against the Rubric, by which it is thus determined: "Let the altar be covered with three cloths ... blessed by the Bishop or by another having power." Nevertheless, to celebrate over a cloth not blessed does not exceed venial fault, and therefore, when a reasonable cause urges, it is without any fault, according to St. Alphonsus.³

Query 2° Is it mortal to celebrate without any sacred vestment, or without stole, or alb, chasuble, maniple, or cincture?

Resp. 1° It is mortal to celebrate without any sacred vestment, in every case, from whatever cause. 2° Likewise to celebrate without chasuble, or alb, or stole and maniple together. 3° Likewise to celebrate with an ornament notably unclean and torn. 4° More truly also to celebrate without maniple, or stole, or (outside grave necessity) with these not blessed. 5° Probably it is not mortal to celebrate without amice, at least for those who do not use it to cover the head, but only the shoulders. The same is also to be said of celebration without cincture; hence a reasonable cause easily excuses from all these things.⁴

Query 3° Is the color of the vestments of precept?

Resp. Affirmatively, because all Rubrics which regard ceremonies accompanying Mass are held as preceptive. Nevertheless this Rubric does not seem to oblige under grave obligation, unless scandal is present, e.g. if on Easter day or on another solemn day Mass were celebrated with black vestments. Hence a reasonable cause, which will often be present to our Missionary priests, can excuse from this precept.¹ (13) p. 418.

Query 4° What colors are required in the paraments?

Resp. Paraments of white, red, green, violet, and black color are required. - Paraments made of glassy silk fabrics are altogether reprobated. Thus S. C. R.² - Likewise paraments of various color (of the various colors) are reprobated, which, on account of flowers of each color mixed in, not a few wish could be used on every feast. These the S. C. R. prohibited on 23 Sept. 1837; and therefore they can represent only that color which is primary and predominant.

Paraments of yellow and blue color are altogether prohibited.⁴ Paraments made of gold cloth are tolerated, which, according to the use of the City, are used for white and red color, and, where custom is present, also for green; indeed they can be used for every color, if the silk threads intermingled with the gold threads are of the prescribed color.⁵

Query 5° Must the chalice and paten be consecrated under grave obligation or only under light obligation; and from what material are they to be fashioned?

Resp. to the first. They must be consecrated under mortal obligation; for the precept concerns a grave matter.⁶

Resp. to the second. From present discipline, at least the cup of the chalice must be gold, or silver gilt within.⁷ But in a case of necessity a chalice with a cup of tin could be used. The paten must be of gold, or of gilt silver.

Query 6° Do the chalice and paten lose consecration if the gilding perishes?

Resp. No, more probably, but after new gilding they need a new consecration, because gold newly added and not consecrated intervenes, immediately touching the Blood.¹ The Declaration of the S. C. R. agrees.²

But it is to be held as an abuse that a priest should wish to execrate the aforesaid sacred vessels before he hands them over to an artisan to be repaired or refashioned. Therefore they must be handed over to him, if there is need, without the priest trying to execrate them either by his own hand directly, or by means of some instrument. - Thus S. C. R.³

Query 7° Must the alb, cincture, amice, small altar cloths, corporal, purificator, and pall necessarily be made from linen or hemp?

Resp. Affirmatively as regards all. Thus from the practice and precept of the Church. - Nevertheless, from the general Decree of the S. C. R.,⁴ amices, albs, and small altar cloths, if any were made from cotton, could meanwhile be used until they were consumed, yet not to be renewed unless from linen or hemp. But it was prescribed that Corporals, palls, and purificators, after the lapse of one month from the publication of the Decree, could be used only if made of linen or hemp. - The cincture can also be made from wool or silk. S. C. R. 23 Dec. 1862. n. 5326.

Query 8° Must the pyx necessarily be consecrated?

Resp. See n. 1247. V. a). 4°.

Query 9° What sort of sin is it to celebrate with a corporal not blessed?

Resp. This cannot be excused from mortal sin, unless grave necessity of celebrating urges. But in a case of necessity one could even celebrate without a corporal. - Thus commonly.⁵ Likewise, unless the precept of hearing Mass urges, it is mortal to use a very unclean corporal; light, if it is not very unclean; but none, in this case, if another cannot be had.⁶

Query 10° Is it mortal to celebrate without a pall, or with a pall not blessed?

Resp. It is controverted. The first opinion, probable, affirms. The reason is because formerly the pall was the corporal itself with which the chalice was covered; hence, although now it is separated from the corporal, it is equally necessary as it.

The second opinion, itself also probable, denies. The reason is because today the same reason of reverence does not apply to the pall as to the corporal, which immediately touches the Sacred Species. In necessity, when the pall is lacking, a purificator or burse can be used to cover the chalice.

Query 11° Is it lawful to use a pall covered with silk cloth and woven with gold?

Resp. Affirmatively. For although this is prohibited, nevertheless, at the request of several Bishops of Gaul, it was granted that it can be used. Hence to the question: Whether, notwithstanding the Decrees issued by the S. C. R., it is lawful to use a pall covered on the upper part with silk cloth and woven with gold? The S. C. responded: It can be permitted, provided that a linen pall joined underneath covers the chalice, and that the upper cloth is not of black color, nor displays any signs of death.²

Query 12° Must the purificator be blessed?

Resp. No. See n. 1247. V. a). Indeed, if a purificator cannot easily be had, it is probably lawful to celebrate without it, and in its place a clean small towel can be used, which afterwards is not to be used for profane use.³

Query 13° What sort of sin is it to celebrate without a minister?

Resp. It is mortal according to all. Nevertheless, Doctors commonly say that it is lawful to celebrate without a minister when the necessity of administering Viaticum urges. Others concede the same, that the people may hear Mass of precept.⁴ - Yet to our Bishops and to priests to whom it is communicated by them, there is the faculty "of celebrating ... without a minister, ... if it cannot be celebrated otherwise." See p. LXXII. n. 23. (14) p. 418.

Query 14° Can a priest ever celebrate with a woman responding?

Resp. Affirmatively, if necessity urges, especially among nuns, provided the woman responds from afar, and does not immediately minister at the altar by presenting the cruets, etc.; for this could not be excused from mortal sin, because the Church altogether forbids women to minister to one celebrating.⁵ - This is confirmed by a Decree of the S. C. R.⁶

Query 15° Is it mortal to celebrate without a cross; and what sort of cross ought it to be?

Resp. to the first. No; for this does not appear grave, wherefore a reasonable cause excuses even from venial sin. - Thus commonly the Theologians.

Resp. to the second. The Cross which is required in the celebration of Mass ought not to be small, but to stand out among the candlesticks, so that the priest and the people can easily and conveniently look upon it. Thus Benedict XIV, c. Accepimus, 16 July 1746. "In Missions, however," says Kenrick,¹ "necessity brings it about that a Cross not very large is used; but care must be taken that, as far as can be done, it be conspicuous to the people." He adds that, in a case of necessity, which however is to be guarded against, a small cross attached to a Rosary can be used. If on the altar on which Mass is celebrated there is a large statue, or a painted or carved image, in which the Crucified One obtains the first place, this suffices. - S. C. R.² - If Mass is celebrated on an altar where the Most Holy Sacrament is publicly exposed, the cross can be exposed or not exposed according to the custom of places. - Thus Benedict XIV, Const. cited. - A crucifix is not required with such great rigor as a Cross.³

Query 16° What sort of sin is it to celebrate without light, and is it ever lawful?

Resp. to the first. It is mortal to celebrate without any light at all.⁴

Resp. to the second. In one case it is lawful to complete the Sacrifice without any light, namely when, after the Consecration has been completed, the light is extinguished and no other can be had; for then the reason of completing the Sacrifice urges.

Query 17° Is it lawful to celebrate with candles made from another material than wax, or with one wax light?

Resp. to the first. No, except in the case of an Apostolic indult, or of necessity, e.g. lest one dying lack Viaticum, or the people lack Mass of precept; and St. Alphonsus⁵ reproves this as a mortal sin. With the former part of the response agrees the declaration given to the Bishop of Charleston. S. C. R. 10 Dec. 1857.⁶

Resp. to the second. No, likewise with the more common and more probable opinion; but if it is done, it does not exceed venial sin, and any reasonable cause excuses from every fault; wherefore, when the other wax candle is lacking, a priest could celebrate even from mere devotion.⁷

Note. Kenrick¹ observes that in Missions the cushion to be placed under the Missal cannot easily be had; the cloth or antependium almost nowhere among us; for cruets, any vessels whatever can be used in Missions.