Article II: On the Value and Fruit of the Sacrifice of the Mass

1590. "VALUE is that efficacy which the Mass has from the dignity of the one offering and of the thing offered, for conferring goods on the one offering and on those for whom it is offered. But the FRUITS are the goods themselves which, in view of the Sacrifice, God confers. Whence value differs from fruit as cause from effect."¹³

The fruits or effects of the Mass are distinguished from a threefold head: 1. on the part of the thing; 2. on the part of the cause; 3. on the part of those participating.¹⁴

1591. I. On the part of the THING, the EFFECT of the Mass is fourfold: namely adoration and thanksgiving in relation to God; remission both of sins and of punishments, and impetration of goods in relation to men. It is clear from the definition of the Church in Trent, sess. 22, can. 3, where it is said thus: "If anyone has said that the Sacrifice of the Mass is only of praise and thanksgiving, or a bare commemoration of the Sacrifice accomplished on the cross, and not propitiatory; or that it profits only the one consuming, and that it ought not to be offered for the living and the dead, for sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities: let him be anathema" (cf. n. 1599).

Moreover, concerning the effects of the Mass, or concerning the fruits in relation to men, let the following be noted: 1. Remission of sins, whether mortal or venial, is not made immediately through the Sacrifice of the Mass, but only mediately, insofar namely as "God is immediately placated in view of this Sacrifice, and then is moved to conceding the gift of penance, through which sins are immediately deleted."¹⁵ 2. Remission of punishments is conceded immediately to just men for whom the Sacrifice is offered. For the Tridentine Synod teaches that "the souls detained in Purgatory are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, and especially by the acceptable Sacrifice of the altar." But the dead cannot be helped in another way than by immediate remission of punishments.¹⁶ 3. The impetration of goods regards especially spiritual goods: actual graces are immediately obtained for performing acts by which habitual grace increases. Secondarily temporal goods are obtained, insofar as these profit the soul.¹⁷

It is asked: Whether the Sacrifice of the Mass produces its effects INFALLIBLY?

Resp. Affirmatively, unless there is an obstacle in the subject. But it works according to the measure of the good disposition which is in the man; or, if it concerns a Mass for the dead, according to an ordination of divine Wisdom unknown to us.

1592. II. On the part of the CAUSE, a twofold FRUIT is distinguished: namely ex opere operato, and ex opere operantis. The fruit ex opere OPERATO is that which is conferred in view of the merits of Christ: it is the principal fruit, independent of the probity of the celebrant, and it is conceded equally whether the Mass is celebrated by a good or by a bad priest. And the same must be held concerning the prayers which are said in the Mass: they avail, although they are said by a priest who is a sinner; for he prays in the name of the Church, which is always pleasing to God. The fruit ex opere OPERANTIS is that which is conferred in view of the merit and devotion of the celebrant: it is an accidental fruit, and is greater or lesser according to the holiness of the celebrant. Hence Pope Alexander says: "The more worthy priests have been, the more easily they are heard for those for whom they cry out."¹⁸

1593. III. On the part of those PARTICIPATING, a fourfold FRUIT is had, namely: most general, general, special, and most special.

1. The most general fruit, called general by others, is that of which all the faithful, both living and dead, somehow become participants. For since the minister, in any Sacrifice whatever, acts in the name of the Church, the Sacrifice profits the whole Church.

2. The general fruit, included by others under the special, is that which falls to the faithful who assist at the Sacrifice, or concur in it by ministering vestments, lights, hosts, etc. This fruit does not depend on the intention of the celebrant, but on the devotion of the faithful, who by their own peculiar work become, in a certain way, offerers.

3. The special or ministerial fruit is that which falls to those to whom the Mass is applied. This is ordinarily intended where speech is made simply of the fruit of the Mass.

4. The most special fruit is that which falls to the priest alone celebrating, and it is altogether proper to him.¹⁹

1594. It is asked: Whether the Sacrifice of the Mass has INFINITE value?

Preliminary note. It is certain that the Sacrifice of the Mass in itself, and with respect to sufficiency, is of infinite value, by reason of the infinite dignity of Christ, who in this Sacrifice is victim and principal offerer.

But the question is whether the Mass, even from the institution of Christ, has infinite efficacy or virtue of working?

Resp. A twofold opinion is present. - The first, probable, denies, and teaches that the Sacrifice was instituted by Christ in such a way that it produces a determined effect, namely so that, applied for several, it profits each less than if it were applied for only one. It is proved from the prohibition of the Church, which forbids that satisfaction be made by one Sacrifice for several asking for Mass. But the second opinion, more probable, affirms, and holds that the VIRTUE of the Sacrifice of the Mass is infinite both intensively and extensively. It is called intensively infinite insofar as it can cause a greater and lesser fruit according to the measure of the disposition of the man; but extensively insofar as it can produce infinite effects, and profit one alone and infinite men in this way. But with respect to EFFECT, the Sacrifice of the Mass is said to be finite, not now from its institution, but from the finite capacity of men for whom it is offered. The reason of this opinion is that the Sacrifice of the Mass is the same, although offered in a diverse manner, as the Sacrifice of the Cross, which was of infinite value. Whence, according to this opinion, the Mass profits equally when applied for several as if it is applied for one. But the prayers of the Mass instituted by the Church profit someone more if they are applied to him singly than if by the priest to several: as is evident from the Council of Constance, where this article of Wyclif was condemned: "Special prayers applied to one person by prelates or religious do not profit the same more than general prayers, other things being equal."¹

1595. Let it be noted for practice: 1. However much this second opinion seems true, nevertheless it is not licit by one Mass to satisfy several stipends; for the stipend is not given as the price of the fruit of the Mass, but for the support of the minister; whence, since he already has support from one stipend, the title fails why he should receive another. The same is evident from proposition 10 condemned by Alexander VII: "It is not against justice to accept a stipend for several Sacrifices, and to offer one Sacrifice."²

2. The probability of the first opinion standing, the priest cannot, for a certain stipend, apply an uncertain fruit of the Mass. Yet, the Mass having been applied for him who gave the stipend, he can apply it at the same time for himself, or from charity for others, not indeed absolutely, but under condition: namely with the right of him preserved for whom he is held to apply the Mass³ (cf. n. 1601, q. 10).