Article III. On The Matter And Form Of Order

Preliminary note. We treat this matter, which pertains rather to Dogmatic Theology, very briefly; nevertheless, we note that in practice the safer part is to be followed in the many controversies which are agitated concerning the matter and form of Order; and this is certain if a sacred order is in question.

592. The matter and form of the minor orders.

The remote matter of the minor orders is the instruments proper to the individual orders.

The proximate matter of the minor orders is the handing over of these instruments.

The form of the minor orders is the words of the bishop pronounced in the handing over of the instruments.

1. In the order of porter, the proximate matter is the handing over of the keys of the church, which the individual ordinands must touch with the right hand while the pontiff pronounces the words: "Act in such a manner as though about to render an account to God for those things which are unlocked by these keys."

Concerning the ordination of a porter, the following Roman decisions are to be noted: a) It is lawful to use any key whatsoever.²² Nevertheless, the Sacred Congregation of Rites on June 20, 1899, responded to the doubt: "For the keys which are to be handed over to porters in their ordination, does it suffice that only one be handed over? - Let the Roman Pontifical be observed in practice."²³ Now, the Pontifical prescribes that two keys of the church be handed over. b) It is not necessary for the porter to pull the rope for ringing the bells of the church, but it suffices that he shake the altar bells at the doors of the church.²⁴

2. In the lectorate, the proximate matter is the handing over of the book of lessons, which the individual ordinands must touch with the right hand while the pontiff says: "Receive and be relaters of the word of God, to have, if you faithfully and profitably fulfill your office, a part with those who have well administered the word of God from the beginning."

The book to be handed over can be a Missal, a Breviary, or a volume of Sacred Scripture.²⁵

3. In the order of exorcist, the proximate matter is the handing over of the book of exorcisms, which the individual ordinands must touch with the right hand, the pontiff saying: "Receive and commit to memory, and have the power of imposing hands upon the possessed, whether baptized or catechumens."

The Ritual, the Pontifical, or the Missal can be presented as the book of exorcisms.

4. In the order of acolyte, the proximate matter is constituted by a twofold handing over, namely: 1. of a candlestick with an extinguished candle, which (that is, both the candlestick and the candle) the individual ordinands must touch with the right hand, the pontiff saying: "Receive the candlestick with the candle, and know that you are appointed to kindle the lights of the church, in the name of the Lord. R. Amen"; 2. of an empty cruet, which the ordinands must similarly touch with the right hand while the pontiff says: "Receive the cruet for supplying wine and water for the Eucharist of the Blood of Christ, in the name of the Lord. R. Amen." The response "Amen" is to be made by the ordinand (and not by the bystanders).²⁶

²² Thus the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, September 27, 1843 (Collect. de Prop. Fide, n. 984). Nevertheless, a key of a sacred place appears to be necessary, because the form of this order applied to a key of a profane place could be very irreligious.

²³ Decr. auth., n. 4035 ad 5.

²⁴ Sacred Congregation of Rites, September 27, 1873 (Decr. auth., n. 3315 ad 3).

²⁵ Sacred Congregation of Rites, September 27, 1873 (ibid. ad 5).

²⁶ Sacred Congregation of Rites, November 12, 1831 (Decr. auth., n. 2682 ad 6).

593. The matter and form of the major orders.

In the subdiaconate, the proximate matter is constituted by a twofold handing over, namely: 1. of an empty chalice with an empty paten placed upon it, which the individual ordinands must touch with the right hand while the pontiff says: "See what ministry is handed over to you; therefore I admonish you so to conduct yourselves that you may be able to please God"; 2. of the book of Epistles (the Missal or the Bible), which the individual ordinands similarly touch with the right hand, the pontiff saying: "Receive the book of Epistles, and have the power of reading them in the holy Church of God, both for the living and for the dead; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." R. Amen.²⁷

In the diaconate, the proximate matter is likewise twofold, namely: 1. the imposition of the bishop's hand, during which the pontiff says: "Receive the Holy Spirit for strength and for resisting the devil and his temptations: in the name of the Lord"; 2. the handing over of the book of the Gospels (the Missal or the Bible), which the individual ordinands must touch with the right hand, the pontiff saying: "Receive the power of reading the Gospel in the Church of God, both for the living and for the dead: in the name of the Lord." R. Amen.

²⁷ It is certain among all that neither the handing over of the cruets (made by the archdeacon) nor the putting on of the vestments is an essential rite in the subdiaconate.

594. In the priesthood, theologians have gone into diverse opinions concerning what is the essential proximate matter and essential form. For in the rite of ordination, besides the twofold imposition of hands, there are diverse ceremonies of great importance.

The first imposition of hands takes place at the beginning of the ordination and consists in the imposition of the hands of the bishop and of the priests standing by upon the head of the ordinand, together with the extension of the right hand by the bishop and the priests made immediately afterward over all the ordinands, with the prayer of the bishop. The second imposition of hands takes place after Communion by the bishop saying: "Receive the Holy Spirit, whose ..." The other ceremonies are the handing over of the chasuble, the anointing of the hands, and the presentation of the chalice with wine and water and of the paten with the host.²⁸

The opinion now far more common is: The matter of the order consists in the first imposition of hands.²⁹

This opinion is favored by: 1. Sacred Scripture, which speaks only of the imposition of hands as the matter of ordination (1 Tim. 4:14; 5:22; 2 Tim. 1:6). 2. Tradition, which bears witness to the imposition of hands. All the remaining ceremonies, however, were introduced by the authority of the Church for greater solemnity. Therefore they cannot be the essential matter of the sacrament. For it is incredible that the Church can change the substance of the sacraments. 3. The Council of Trent. For it never speaks of the presentation of the instruments, but it does speak of the imposition of hands (Sess. 14, De extr. unct., c. 3). 4. The usage of the Greeks, according to which priests were always ordained by the imposition of hands alone. There was never any doubt concerning the validity of those ordinations. But the substance of the sacrament of Order ought to be the same among the Greeks as among the Latins.

The other opinions are that the matter of ordination is:

1. the presentation of the instruments alone (the chalice and paten).

Because of the authority of the decree of Eugene IV for the Armenians³⁰ and because of the number of theologians of great name defending this opinion,³¹ in practice the presentation of the instruments also ought to be made, besides the imposition of hands, for the sake of security. Therefore the Holy Office several times decreed that the whole ordination in which something was lacking in the handing over of the instruments, for example, the host upon the paten or wine in the chalice, should be repeated conditionally. Cf. Holy Office, July 6, 1898; January 11, 1899; January 17, 1900.

2. the first imposition of hands together with the presentation of the instruments (Billot, Tanquerey).³²

3. either the imposition of hands alone or the presentation of the instruments alone (Diana, Esparza, Clericatus).

4. the first and second imposition of hands and the presentation of the instruments (Lugo, Gotti, Amort).

5. the presentation of the instruments and the second imposition of hands.

This cannot be said, because: a) those ordained certainly have already received the sacrament of Order before the consecration of the Mass, which they perform with the ordaining bishop; b) the second imposition of hands does not appear to have been in use before the twelfth century.³³

In the episcopate, the proximate matter is the imposition of the hands of the consecrator, and the form is the prayer which accompanies this imposition. For the rest, certainty is lacking in this matter, since several theologians teach that the episcopate is not an order strictly so called, but only the complement of the priesthood.

²⁸ On this question, see Diekamp-Hoffmann, Theologiae Dogmaticae Manuale IV, § 65, p. 403 ff.

²⁹ Cardinal van Rossum (De essentia sacr. ord., n. 100 ff.) cites more than one hundred authors for this opinion and concludes: "Hardly anyone remains who does not follow this opinion."

³⁰ Denz., n. 791.

³¹ Van Rossum (loc. cit., n. 12) cites approximately 90 authors for this opinion.

³² Cf. ibid., n. 79.

³³ Ibid., n. 54 ff.

595. Scholion. On supplying defects committed in ordination. If the minor orders and the subdiaconate were not sacraments, neither would they themselves have matter and form from divine law, as is evident. Therefore the Church could easily supply all defects occurring in these orders and dispense in them. In practice, however, such a dispensation is never granted; but if a founded doubt has arisen concerning the validity of such orders, a new ordination (at least conditional) is prescribed. With regard to defects committed in the ordination of a deacon and priest, let the following be noted:

1. Light accidental defects are not afterward to be supplied. Thus, for example, if in the anointing of the hands the oil of catechumens was not employed, but chrism, nothing is afterward to be repeated.

2. Grave accidental defects are afterward to be supplied, for example, if the anointing of the hands was entirely omitted, or if the third imposition of the bishop's hands was lacking.

3. Defects which probably touch the very essence of ordination are not only to be supplied, but the whole ordination is to be repeated conditionally. Such defects are considered to be: a) if the hand of the bishop did not physically touch the head of the ordinand;³⁴ mediated touch, however, suffices; b) if the hand of the priest being ordained did not physically touch the chalice, paten, and host. Mediated touch suffices; for example, if the ordinand indeed touched the host and paten, but not the chalice, he is considered to have touched the chalice also mediately;³⁵ c) if, in the ordination of a priest, either wine in the chalice or a host upon the paten was lacking.³⁶

³⁴ Holy Office, July 4, 1900.

³⁵ Cf. Holy Office, May 8, 1895; March 17, 1897.

³⁶ Cf. Holy Office, July 6, 1898; January 11, 1899; January 17, 1900.