Article II: On the Mode in Which the Effects Are Produced

S. Th. III, q. 82, a. 6 and a. 7, ad 3.

345. General principle. - The effects of the sacrifice do not so much depend upon the dignity of the thing offered and upon the mode of offering as upon the dignity of the one offering (Gen. IV, 4; Luke XXI, 3; Mark XII, 42); whence, according as the offerers are diverse, the effects are diverse. Hence there can be considered:

1. Effects from the work of the one working, both of the priest and of the faithful offering. For by the sacrifice, as by other good works, they can merit, satisfy, and impetrate according to the degree of their devotion; these effects are greater in a holier or good priest than in a less holy or bad one.

2. Effects from the work of the Church working. She cannot merit or satisfy, because she does not have an actual will but only a habitual one, while merit supposes a personal action; nevertheless through the priest she can impetrate goods for the faithful, and indeed better than by other prayers, because the Mass is more excellent than these. But if the priest is not a member of the Church, as a public heretic or schismatic, or an excommunicated person to be avoided, he does not obtain these effects, because he does not act in the name of the Church.

3. Effects from the work of Christ working, who offers Himself and applies the merits of the cross. These are ex opere operato (i.e., from the dignity of the thing offered and of the principal minister) with respect to the other offerers and to the Church; and concerning these we shall treat at present.

The two latter effects are the same whether the sacrifice is offered by a good priest or by a bad one: for Christ and the Church are always holy and pleasing and acceptable to God.

346. Principle I. The effects of the sacrifice, insofar as it is latreutic and eucharistic as regards God, are had immediately, infallibly, and at once after the consecration. - For from the very immolation of Christ, honor and thanksgiving spontaneously arise and are presented to God.

347. Principle II. The effects of the sacrifice, insofar as it is propitiatory for us and impetratory, are had some immediately, others mediately. - For the same thing must be said of the effect of the impetration of the sacrifice as of the effect of every other prayer.

And indeed:

1. There is not given immediately:

a) the remission of mortal sins: for according to Catholic doctrine no one is justified except from the work of the one working, or ex opere operato through the sacraments;

b) the remission of venial sins: for these are not remitted except through acts of contrition or charity, which include their retractation;

c) habitual grace making one pleasing: for this is not immediately caused or increased except from the work of the one working, or by the sacraments; but if it were given by the sacrifice, it would follow that a baptized little child, for whom many sacrifices were offered, could be holier than he who had passed a long life in the practice of all virtues, which is contrary to the common sense of the Church.

Nevertheless these are obtained mediately: for sins can be the cause why God, from just anger, does not grant more abundant graces, which He would grant if sins did not stand in the way; through the sacrifice the just anger of God is placated, lest as a punishment He deny graces to the sinner; indeed His goodness is moved to give more abundant graces; whence "the Lord, being placated, grants grace unto repentance," i.e., unto contrition or unto the fitting reception of the sacrament of penance, and through these mediating, not only venial sins but "even enormous ones He forgives" (cf. C. Trid., sess. 22, c. 2). In a similar way the sacrifice obtains actual graces for meritorious works or for the reception of the sacraments, through which as mediating habitual grace can be obtained and increased.

2. Immediately there are given, as can happen by other prayers:

a) relaxation of satisfactions to be performed by the living for remitted sins: for the sacrifice can be substituted in place of satisfactions to be performed by the living, or of works of penance by which punishments are redeemed;

b) remission of temporal punishments to be discharged by the living or the dead for remitted sins: for Christ paid the debts of the punishment of sins, and God, accepting the payment made on their behalf, condones them, so that the faithful now need not suffer or make satisfaction for them;

c) other spiritual and corporal goods.

348. Principle III. The effects of the sacrifice, insofar as it is propitiatory for us or impetratory, are not always obtained infallibly. - For the Mass obtains them by impetrating them; but prayer, in order that it impetrate infallibly, must have several conditions, namely, on the part of the one praying, that it be pious; on the part of the subject, i.e., of him for whom it is made, that he not be indisposed and that he ask for himself; on the part of the prayer, that it be persevering; on the part of the object, that things necessary for salvation be asked.

The first condition, on the part of the one praying, is always verified, namely, on the part of Christ, the principal offerer: who always prays well and is worthy to be heard, because He is an infinite person and one who through His passion merited for us all things necessary for salvation.

The second condition is on the part of those for whom the sacrifice is offered. Now it is not required that one offer it for himself: for by its nature the sacrifice is made for all, and from its institution it is propitiatory for the offerer and for others; nevertheless it is required that these not place an obstacle of unworthiness against the impetration of Christ: for Christ does not impetrate goods for a man who places an obstacle against them.

Hence a) remission of sins is not obtained by him who adheres to them, or even is not at all sorry for mortal sins, or in no way trusts in their remission. But if he does not place an obstacle and receives grace unto repenting for sins, the remission of these does not yet infallibly follow, because God can give sufficient grace with which man can fail to cooperate.

b) remission of punishments and satisfactions is not obtained except by him who is in the state of grace and who has obtained the remission of that sin from whose punishment he is to be purged: for temporal punishment cannot be remitted to him who is guilty of eternal punishment, or to him who has not yet been absolved from fault.

c) the placation of divine anger, the bestowal of grace, or the remission of punishments can be fuller or less full according to the gravity of the sin, according to the actual disposition of the subject, according to other good works previously done, etc.

The third condition, on the part of the prayer, requires that it be persevering, whence it happens that by one sacrifice we are not always heard; how many sacrifices are required depends upon the dispositions of the subject, upon the gravity of his sin, and upon the will of God.

The fourth condition, on the part of the object, requires that things necessary for salvation be asked. Whence it is required:

a) that the thing be expedient for salvation: for Christ does not impetrate what is not expedient for salvation; but that He then grants some other good is a pious but not certain opinion;

b) that it be according to the ordinary course of Providence: for an ordinary means cannot be instituted in the Church for infallibly obtaining miracles or extraordinary benefits.

349. Observation. - The effects described above, which belong to the sacrifice insofar as it is propitiatory for us, are given, some at once when the sacrifice has been placed, or when the consecration has been completed, namely, the placation of divine anger and the remission of punishments and satisfactions; others at the opportune time, namely, actual graces for the remission of sin or for other spiritual necessities, and temporal goods; nevertheless some right to them is given at once.

Hence 1. the application of the fruits by the priest does not seem able validly to be made after the consecration.

2. Although many hold it as probable that the application can validly be made after the first consecration has been completed and before the second, because each is of the essence of the sacrifice, nevertheless in practice it is not licit so to act for a priest who from justice, for example from a contract, stipend, or benefice, is bound to apply, because the value of the application is committed to him, and therefore he is bound to make an application certainly valid and not expose it to the danger of nullity.¹ This solution is still to be urged in present times, because certain theologians still judge that the first consecration alone is of the essence; nor from the most recent disputes has greater certitude been made in this matter, but rather less.

¹ Cf. Haine, o. c. q. 99; Gasparri, o. c., n. 470.

3. It is better to make the application before Mass, or from its beginning, namely so that the prayers and orations also may profit those for whom the sacrifice is offered.