Article — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Article II. On the Place of Celebration
The place of celebration includes two things, namely, the space in which and the altar upon which Mass is celebrated.
293. Principle 1. By common law it is not lawful to celebrate Mass except in churches or oratories at least blessed, and these neither polluted, execrated, nor interdicted.
This is evident from the Council of Trent,464 which commands: Let bishops "not permit this holy sacrifice to be performed by any seculars or regulars in private houses and altogether outside a church and oratories dedicated solely to divine worship, to be designated and visited by those same Ordinaries." What churches and public, semipublic, and private oratories are has already been stated above, II, n. 483 ff., in the treatise on religion. No one except the Holy See can grant the faculty of habitually celebrating in strictly private oratories;465 but local Ordinaries or, if there is question of a house of an exempt religion, major superiors can by their own authority grant for just and reasonable causes that, by way of an act,466 that is, in a particular case, Mass be celebrated in any becoming place (but not in a bedroom), and even in the open air, for example, because of a great religious gathering of the people or for an army. Bishops can also grant, in favor of those who already have an indult of a private oratory, that by way of an act Mass be celebrated on those days which are excepted in the indult obtained. In this case, however, just and reasonable causes are required, and indeed causes other than those for which the indult of a private oratory had already been granted (Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, March 22, 1915, ad II). Authors dispute what cause is sufficient for a bishop to be able, by way of an act, to grant the celebration of Mass in a domestic oratory or in any other respectable place. St. Alphonsus467 teaches that a bishop can, by way of an act, permit Mass in a private house in order that some distinguished man suffering from illness may assist at the Sacred Rite or be refreshed with Holy Communion, or that a sick priest may be able to celebrate Mass. The following are enumerated as sufficient causes for a dispensation: if Viaticum could be carried to a dying person neither from a church nor from a properly established oratory; if a large part of the people otherwise would have to be without Sunday Mass. Perhaps to many the following will seem pressing causes: the grave illness of a noble man who has deserved exceedingly well of the Church; a reason for celebrating in the house of such a deceased man while the corpse is present. The local Ordinary, however, cannot then permit the celebration of more than one, a second, and at most three Masses before the corpse in the so-called "burning chamber" (camera ardente).468 For the rest, it seems to be the mind of the Church that Masses of this kind by way of an act be celebrated outside an oratory very rarely.
The pollution or violation of a church is caused by four acts: the crime of homicide, the injurious and grave shedding of blood, impious and sordid uses, and the burial of an infidel or an excommunicated person, as was stated more fully above, II, n. 546, in the treatise on religion; the interdict of churches, however, will be discussed below in the treatise on censures.
464 Session 22, On the Things to Be Observed and Avoided in the Celebration of Mass.
465 Cf. Many, Praelect. de locis sacris, n. 80.
466 Sacred Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments, March 22, 1915; Code of Canon Law, c. 822, § 4. The Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments on July 26, 1924, established that merely profane or political causes do not suffice for a bishop to be able to permit Mass in the open air. Therefore a religious cause is always required (Acta Apostolicae Sedis XVI, 370).
467 Theol. mor. l. 6, n. 359.
468 Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments, May 3, 1926.
294. Concerning the execration or profanation of churches, the following things from Canon Law are briefly to be noted: A church is execrated, that is, it loses the consecration or blessing received, when it is so changed that it is no longer considered the same church. This can occur:
a) If it is destroyed wholly or for the greater part, even though it is rebuilt with the same material.
b) If a new part is added and it is greater than that which existed before. A church is not execrated even though at the same time the whole coating of the walls upon which the crosses had been painted is scraped away or falls off. The contrary opinion was commonly held by the ancient canonists, but the Sacred Congregation of Rites on May 19, 1896, replied to the doubt: "Whether a church, from whose walls the plastering, commonly intonaco, is removed either partly or entirely at the same time in order that it may be renewed, remains consecrated or is execrated?" - "The church remains consecrated, although the plasterwork upon its walls has been renewed."469
c) If it has been reduced to profane uses by the local Ordinary.470
When, while an interdict is in force, it is lawful to say Mass will be indicated below, n. 533.
469 Decr. auth., n. 3907 ad 2.
470 Code of Canon Law, c. 1170.
295. Privileges and indults concerning the place of celebration.
1. Cardinals and bishops, whether residential or titular, can erect private oratories in their houses in which they may celebrate Mass. This applies also to the lodging in which they stay while traveling,471 and indeed also on a ship, as will be said immediately.471a
2. Missionaries are customarily granted an ample faculty of celebrating in any becoming place when a church or oratory is lacking.
3. An apostolic indult is required for Mass to be said on a ship traversing the sea. This indult is not granted except under the condition that the sea be calm and that no danger of irreverence be present. Nor is celebration in the rooms of the ship, commonly called cabins, absolutely prohibited, provided that it is done becomingly.472 Cardinals and all bishops, including titular bishops, can celebrate Mass daily on a ship, provided that: a) the place chosen for this purpose presents nothing unbecoming; b) the sea is so calm that no danger of the shedding of the Most Precious Blood is present; c) another priest, vested in a surplice, is present assisting the prelate who celebrates.473
471 Leo XIII, June 10, 1896. Code of Canon Law, c. 1189. All apostolic protonotaries, except honorary protonotaries, also enjoy the privilege of a private oratory, at home and in the country, which nevertheless is to be visited and approved by the local Ordinary. In these oratories either the protonotaries themselves or another priest can celebrate Mass even on the more solemn days, six days excepted; and blood relatives, relatives by affinity, members of the household, and those dwelling with the protonotaries satisfy the Sunday precept by hearing this Mass. Thus from the motu proprio of Pius X, Inter multiplices, February 21, 1905, nn. 11, 22, and 46 (Analecta ecclesiastica XIII [1905], 63 ff.). - The Knights of the Golden Fleece likewise have the privilege of a private oratory and portable altar. Thus from the Brief of Pius X, February 10, 1913 (cf. Linzer Quartalschrift 1914, p. 991). Likewise Vicars and Prefects Apostolic; likewise Abbots and Prelates nullius; likewise Auditors of the Rota. Pius X, July 26, 1913.
471a Code of Canon Law, c. 239, n. 8; c. 349, n. 1.
472 Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, March 1, 1902, and August 13, 1902 (Collectanea, n. 2130).
473 Code of Canon Law, c. 239, n. 8; c. 349, n. 1.
296. Principle 2. It is never lawful to celebrate Mass except upon an altar duly consecrated.
A twofold altar is distinguished: fixed (immovable) and portable (movable). A fixed altar is again twofold, namely: 1. fixed in the strict or liturgical sense, which consists of: a) a mensa made from one natural stone, not one made by art; b) a stone base,473a joined with the mensa placed above it and with the sepulcher of relics; and 2. fixed in a less strict sense, which is stable in some manner, although made of wood. When a fixed altar is required in the matter of indulgences, it suffices that it be fixed in the less strict sense.474
A portable altar is one which can easily be carried from one place to another. It must consist of one natural stone, hard, whole, and sufficiently large that it can support the host and at least the greater part of the chalice.475 It is not required that the stone be marble; but pumice stone or another friable stone is prohibited.476 It is never lawful to say Mass except upon an altar at least portable and consecrated.
The consecration of all altars belongs by law to the bishop; sometimes, however, a priest is delegated for this by the Supreme Pontiff or by the law.
An altar fixed in the strict sense is execrated in three ways: 1. if the mensa is moved from the base; 2. if the mensa, although unmoved from the base, is enormously broken; 3. if the sepulcher of the relics is broken open.477 A portable altar, however, is execrated: 1. if the stone is enormously broken, or if there is a large crack in it; 2. if the sepulcher is broken open or the enclosed relics are removed. It must be noted: when a church is execrated, the altars are not execrated;478 but when a church is polluted, the altars also are considered polluted. How an execrated or polluted church and altar can be reconciled may be seen in the canonists or liturgists.
473a Either the entire base is to be of stone, or at least the sides or little columns by which the mensa is supported are to be of natural stone. Code of Canon Law, c. 1198, § 2.
474 Cf. our Man. iur. can., q. 267.
475 Code of Canon Law, c. 1198, § 3.
476 Commonly Bimsstein, pierre ponce. - Sacred Congregation of Rites, June 13, 1899 (Decr. auth., n. 4032).
477 Except, however, if the bishop himself or his delegate removes the cover in order to secure, repair, or replace it, or to inspect the relics. Thus the Code of Canon Law, c. 1200, § 2, n. 2, established.
478 Code of Canon Law, c. 1200, § 4.