Article I. On The Person Of The Minister

Since it has been demonstrated that Christ as God is the principal cause and the minister by authority of the sacraments, we must now discuss the ministerial cause, or the human minister. For although God is the author of the sacraments, He nevertheless wills to administer them in the Church neither by Himself nor by angels, but through man.

53. Proposition. Only a wayfaring man who is consecrated or at least legitimately deputed is a minister of the sacraments.

We speak of ordinary cases, for in a miraculous manner God can administer sacraments through angels or through the souls of the departed. In ecclesiastical history sacraments administered by angels are recounted, for example, according to the testimony of Nicephorus,²⁰⁵ St. Amphilochius was consecrated a bishop by angels, and the other bishops ratified this consecration; according to the testimony of the bull of canonization of St. Agnes of Montepulciano, an angel often gave her Communion. Likewise, if a dead priest returned to life, he could duly celebrate Mass, since the priestly character remains forever; yet God would certainly prevent a damned priest from consecrating the body of Christ. But we do not speak here of these extraordinary cases. It is also evident in itself that the greatest prudence must be employed before a narrative of miraculous deeds of this kind is believed.

The reason why wayfaring men alone are ministers of the sacraments is first of all the will of God. Hence St. Paul says: "For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things that pertain to God."²⁰⁶ Then it is very fitting that, just as Christ as man was the primary minister of the sacraments, so also other men deputed by Christ should be secondary ministers.²⁰⁷ But that not every man is a minister of every sacrament was defined against Luther and the Reformers by the Council of Trent: "If anyone says that all Christians have power in the word and in administering all the sacraments, let him be anathema."²⁰⁸ The same is evident from Sacred Scripture, in which Christ is said to have constituted in the Church some apostles, some pastors, and some teachers for the work of the ministry, unto the edification of the body of Christ.²⁰⁹ Especially concerning the sacrament of order St. Paul warns: "Neither does any man take the honor to himself, but he who is called by God, as Aaron was."²¹⁰ Therefore, if not everyone can receive the sacrament of order, a fortiori it cannot be administered by just anyone.

Finally, reasons of congruity can be adduced: a) In the Old Law God gravely commanded that no one involve himself in sacred ministries except those consecrated from the stock of Aaron; hence King Uzziah was gravely punished because he usurped the priestly office. Therefore, a fortiori, in the New Law, where the ministries and sacraments are much more sacred, not all can administer the sacraments. b) In every ordered kingdom not all can fulfill every office by the authority of the king. Therefore, it is fitting that this diversity of offices also be found in the Church.

Corollary. Since Christ is the principal minister of all the sacraments, the human minister is only a mandatory of Christ, and therefore he must conform himself to the intention of Christ as regards the matter, form, and necessary power. Accordingly, the things required on the part of the minister for the valid administration of the sacraments are the following:

1. due power, for not all can administer every sacrament, as was said above;
2. due intention, namely, of doing what the Church does, as will be said below;
3. the right application of the form to the matter, as was explained above, n. 19.

All other things required on the part of the minister pertain indeed to the liceity, but not to the validity, of the administration.

²⁰⁵ Callistus, l. 11, c. 20 (Migne, Patr. graec. 146, 630).

²⁰⁶ Heb. 5:1.

²⁰⁷ Cf. S. theol. 3, q. 64, a. 7.

²⁰⁸ Sess. 7, can. 10 on the sacraments in general (Denz., n. 853).

²⁰⁹ Cf. Eph. 4:11 sq.

²¹⁰ Heb. 5:4.

54. Distinctions. The minister of the sacraments is customarily distinguished in diverse ways:

1. A consecrated and a nonconsecrated minister.

A consecrated minister, as the word itself already indicates, received a special consecration for ministering the sacraments. Such a minister is required in five sacraments, namely, in confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, and order. A nonconsecrated minister lacks such a consecration. A nonconsecrated minister, however, suffices in the sacraments of baptism and matrimony. For the sacrament of baptism, which is so necessary for eternal salvation, God deputed all men as ministers, at least in a case of necessity. But for matrimony, on account of the peculiar nature of this sacrament, which cannot be separated from the matrimonial contract, the spouses themselves were deputed as ministers.

2. An ordinary and an extraordinary minister.

He is called ordinary upon whom it devolves by office to administer such sacraments. Thus, for example, a bishop is the ordinary minister of confirmation and order. He is extraordinary who can administer a sacrament only in a case of necessity and by special delegation; for example, a priest is an extraordinary minister of confirmation, and a deacon can administer Communion extraordinarily.

3. Certain authors further distinguish a public and a private minister. The former is he who, employing all the ceremonies prescribed in the Ritual, solemnly administers a sacrament. The latter is he who, in a case of necessity, with all other things omitted, applies only the form to the matter of the sacrament; for example, if someone, even if he is a priest, baptizes under the compulsion of necessity with all things omitted except the matter and essential form, he is a private minister of baptism.