Article I. On the Obligation by Reason of the Priesthood Received

251. Principle. Every priest is bound to celebrate Mass several times a year, unless he is legitimately impeded.

Thus holds the opinion which today is common and certain;³¹⁹ theologians disagree, however, whether this obligation is grave for each priest and whether it arises from divine law or from ecclesiastical law.

a) Concerning the existence of this obligation, St. Thomas argues in this manner:³²⁰ "Some have said that a priest can licitly abstain altogether from consecrating, unless he is bound, by reason of the care committed to him, to celebrate and to furnish the sacraments to the people.³²¹ But this is said irrationally, because each one is bound to use the grace given to him when it is opportune, according to the saying: 'We exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain.'³²² But the opportunity of offering sacrifice is considered not only in comparison with the faithful of Christ, to whom it is necessary that the sacraments be ministered, but principally in comparison with God, to whom sacrifice is offered in the consecration of this sacrament. Hence it is not lawful for a priest, even if he does not have the care of souls, to cease altogether from celebrating; but it seems at least that he is bound to celebrate on the principal feasts."

³¹⁹ The Code of Canon Law, c. 805, establishes: "All priests are held by the obligation of offering the Sacred Mysteries several times a year; the bishop or religious superior, however, is to take care that they perform the divine rites at least on each Sunday and on the other feasts of precept."

³²⁰ S. theol. 3, q. 82, a. 10.

³²¹ This seems to be the opinion of St. Bonaventure, In 4, dist. 12, part 2, a. 2, q. 1, but the Seraphic Doctor does not speak so clearly in this place, and elsewhere he seems to intimate quite the contrary (De praep. ad Miss. c. 5).

³²² 2 Cor. 6:1.

252. b) Concerning the gravity of this obligation, nearly all authors, at least the moderns, agree, teaching that every priest who is not legitimately excused is bound under grave sin to celebrate Mass sometimes. For it concerns a grave matter. Certain older theologians, however, held the contrary, especially Cajetan³²³ and Lugo.³²⁴ St. Alphonsus³²⁵ teaches that every priest is bound under grave sin to celebrate Mass at least three or four times a year on the more solemn feasts, unless he is legitimately impeded. Therefore, those priests who are reported to have lived in the desert for a long time, or who for some other reason abstained from celebrating for an entire year, as did St. Ignatius Loyola, must be said to have done this with due ecclesiastical permission. Per accidens, for example, because of scandal arising therefrom or because of contempt for the sacrifice, a priest who does not celebrate Mass for a long time sins gravely without any doubt.

³²³ Commentary on S. theol. 3, q. 82, a. 10.

³²⁴ De euchar., disp. 20, n. 2.

³²⁵ Theol. mor. l. 6, n. 313.

253. c) Concerning the source of this grave obligation, namely, whether it arises from divine law or from ecclesiastical law, it is not established. Without prejudice to the Catholic faith, it cannot be denied that Christ imposed upon the whole priestly order the command of celebrating Mass.³²⁶ This indeed manifestly follows from the words of the Savior: "Do this in commemoration of Me"; but it is uncertain whether this divine command binds each priest under grave sin. The negative opinion, which is held by Lugo,³²⁷ St. Bonaventure,³²⁸ Ballerini-Palmieri,³²⁹ and others, seems probable, because the Church can permit a priest or even a bishop to be reduced to lay Communion and never again to celebrate Mass.³³⁰ But if every priest were bound by divine law under grave sin to celebrate Mass, such an indult would not be so easily explained.

Today there exists throughout the world the laudable custom that every priest celebrate Mass daily, unless he is legitimately impeded. Wherefore a priest who rather frequently omits Mass without an urgent cause can scarcely avoid scandal. St. Bonaventure³³¹ says fittingly: "A priest who does not celebrate, insofar as lies in him, deprives the Trinity of praise and glory; those existing in purgatory of refreshment; the Church of Christ of a special benefit; and himself of medicine and a remedy against daily sins and infirmities." Similar words are found in the book The Imitation of Christ:³³² "When a priest celebrates, he honors God, gladdens the angels, edifies the Church, assists the living, affords rest to the deceased, and makes himself a participant in all good things."

³²⁶ Thus Benedict XIV, De sacrif. Missae, sect. 2, n. 3.

³²⁷ De euchar., disp. 20, n. 2.

³²⁸ In 4, dist. 12, part 2, a. 2, q. 1.

³²⁹ IV, n. 1005.

³³⁰ Cf. the example of Talleyrand and the Code of Canon Law, c. 211 ff.

³³¹ De praep. ad Miss., c. 5.

³³² Book 4, c. 5.