Matter and Form

Rules on the Invalid Use of the Matter and Form of the Sacraments.—(a) Since the matter and form are essential constituents without which the Sacraments are not had, it is sacrilegious to invalidate a Sacrament by substantial changes in either of these parts. The matter is changed substantially when it is so modified as currently to be considered and called something different from the element appointed by Christ. Thus, wine is unfit for the Eucharist if corrupted into vinegar, or made unsuitable as a drink (e.g., probably as long as it remains frozen), or notably adulterated (e.g., when it is mixed half and half with water). The form is changed substantially when it is so modified that to a listener it no longer conveys the sense intended by Christ. This happens when the changed form does not express the chief ideas of the correct form, as when it does not determine who is the minister of Penance (e.g., “You are absolved”), or who is the subject of Baptism (e.g., “Ego baptizo in nomine, etc.”), or what is the effect of the Eucharist (e.g., “Hoc non est corpus meum,” “Hoc est corpus,” “Hic meum est corpus”), or the action of the minister of Penance (e.g., “Ego abluo te a peccatis”), or the profession in Baptism of faith in the Trinity (e.g., “Ego te baptizo, Amen”).

(b) Since the matter and form are parts of a single composite sign, it is sacrilegious to invalidate a Sacrament by substantial separations, which destroy the continuity or unity of signification. There is a substantial separation within the form when such long intervals occur between the pronunciation of its syllables or words that it is not in common estimation a united sentence or proposition; for example, if the celebrant says, “Hoc est cor-,” then sneezes two or three times, and (instead of repeating the words) concludes “-pus meum,” or says “Hoc est corpus” and after an interruption of several minutes (instead of repeating) finishes with: “meum.” There is substantial separation between the matter and form, if the former is applied by one minister and the latter is spoken by another, although the form declares that the matter is applied by the speaker of the form: for example, if Titus pours the water while Claudius says: “I baptize thee, etc.” Even when the same minister applies both matter and form, there is a substantial separation between these parts when the form is not spoken at the same time or for the same time that the matter is posited, and thereby, from the special character of the Sacrament, leaves the signification of the sacramental matter unsettled. This happens when the form is spoken too long before or too long after the presence or application of the matter, or when the form is limited by a future condition which will not be verified during the continuance of the matter (see 2668).

Simultaneity of Matter and Form.—The simultaneity of matter and form which validity requires must be either moral or physical according to the character of the Sacrament.

(a) There is physical simultaneity when matter and form are present in the same instants of time. This kind of union is demanded in the Eucharist, for it has the character of a transubstantiation of bread and Wine present at the moments the words of consecration are said over them. There would be no Sacrament if the bread were absent even during a part of the consecration.

(b) There is a moral simultaneity like to the physical contemporaneousness when the matter and form are partly present in the same instants of time, and perhaps also (as some hold) when one follows the other with such close succession that not more than a Pater or Ave could be said between them. This kind of union is the maximum in Penance and Matrimony, for absolution must follow after confession, and conjugal acceptance must follow after conjugal offer. It suffices in Baptism, Confirmation, Extreme Unction, and Orders; for these four Sacraments do not consecrate the matter (and hence some little separation is allowed), but they do signify in the present tense the bestowal of grace through the application of the matter (and hence any separation must be of the slightest).

(c) There is a purely moral simultaneity when the form follows the matter after a somewhat considerable interval of time has elapsed, but with a connection between the two based on human usage which carries the matter on in human estimation over to the time the form is employed. This suffices in Penance and Matrimony. Penance has the character of a judicial process, whose unity is not destroyed by some little delay between the discussion and the sentence; and hence it seems that absolution could be given validly an hour after confession. Matrimony has the character of a contract, whose unity is preserved even in spite of a long interval between the date of consent of the first party and the date of consent of the second party.

Lawfulness of Moral Simultaneity in the Sacraments Other than the Eucharist.—(a) In Baptism, Confirmation, Extreme Unction, and Orders, it would seem on account of the danger of nullity to be a serious sin to exclude all physical simultaneity between matter and form (e.g., to pour all the water and then to begin the words: “I baptize thee, etc.,” or vice versa). In practice the Rubrics should be followed.

(b) In Penance and Matrimony it is more or less sinful to make needless, though not invalidating, delays. In ordinary practice the confessor should absolve as soon as the confession has been heard and the penance accepted, and the bride should express her consent immediately after the bridegroom has expressed his.

Accidental Changes or Separations as to Matter and Form.—(a) These administrations are not invalid, for they preserve the essence of the elements or the sense of the words appointed by Christ. Examples of accidental change of matter are baptismal water to which a relatively very small quantity of wine has been added, or wine for the Eucharist to which a relatively trifling amount of water has been added. The form is accidentally modified if translated into the vernacular or rendered by synonymous words (e.g., “Ego abluo te, etc.”), or if an unimportant word (e.g., “enim”) is added or subtracted, or if the words are transposed or partially repeated or unintentionally mispronounced without detriment to sense (e.g., “Hoc est meum corpus,” “Hoc, hoc, est, est, etc.,” “Hoc est copus meum”). There is accidental separation when slight pauses are made between words, or when an interval not destructive of the sense falls between the use of the matter and the use of the form (see 2655, 2656).

(b) These administrations are unlawful and from their nature mortally sinful, since they are transgressions of a precept of the Church meant to safeguard respect for the Sacraments of Christ, and they are therefore opposed to the virtue of religion (2147). But the sin may be venial by reason of lightness of matter (e.g., omission of the word “enim”), or of imperfection of the act. Scandal, danger of invalidity, contempt, and bad intention would make even a small change a serious sin. In practice the rule to follow is to observe exactly the prescribed matter and form and entire rite, to pronounce the words clearly and slowly, to repeat the form when any involuntary interruption happens between its essential parts, and to unite the matter and form as closely as possible.

Substantial Changes or Separations.—Substantial changes or separations a fortiori are grave sins. They offend against religion (since they make a mockery of the sacred signs appointed by Christ), against obedience (since they disregard a most serious precept of the Church), against charity (since they deprive the recipient of sacramental grace), and against justice (at least when the minister is bound ex officio to confer the Sacrament, since there is then a quasi-contract with the recipient to administer the Sacrament correctly).

Doubtful Matter.—It is sometimes probable but not certain that an element suffices for the matter of a Sacrament (e.g., coffee or tea for Baptism, chrism for Extreme Unction). Hence the question: “Is it lawful to use probable matter in the administration of a Sacrament?”

(a) If certain matter cannot be had and the Sacrament is urgently necessary or very useful, probable matter may be used. For the Sacraments were instituted by Christ to benefit man (“The Sacraments are for men”), and hence it is not irreverent to give to one in need a probably valid Sacrament when a certainly valid Sacrament is impossible. Thus, a dying infant may and should be baptized with coffee, if no pure water can be procured in time; the last anointing may be conferred with chrism, if the oil of the sick cannot be had before a dying man will have expired.

(b) If certain matter can be had, or if the Sacrament is not urgently necessary or useful, probable matter may not be used without grave sin; for there is then no reason of necessity to justify the risk to which the Sacrament and perhaps also the recipient are exposed, Thus, it is not lawful to baptize with coffee when pure water can be secured, or to confirm with chrism not blessed by a bishop a dying man who had just received the last Sacraments, even though other chrism is unobtainable (see 661, 678, 711, and Denziger, n. 1151).