§ 2. On the Fruits of the Mass in Particular, Insofar as They Are Participated

243. All the fruits enumerated up to this point are customarily distinguished fourfold according to the persons to whom they accrue: 1. the general fruit; 2. the special fruit; 3. the most special fruit; 4. the ministerial fruit. Some authors, however, distinguish only three fruits: the general, the special or ministerial, and the personal. The dispute is about words, since all theologians agree on the matter itself.

1. The general fruit of the Mass accrues to the whole Church, that is, to all the faithful, living and deceased, provided they place no obstacle. For the priest offers the sacrifice of the Mass in the name of Christ and of the Church; and just as Christ and the Church pray for all, so also the priest must apply this general fruit to all, without being able to make any other disposition of it. All theologians concede that this general fruit is propitiatory and impetratory; but some doubt whether it is also satisfactory, since it seems incredible that each just person always receives the remission of temporal punishment from so many thousands of sacrifices offered daily.³¹⁰ For the rest, the matter is entirely hidden from us. Certainly, not all always receive the satisfactory fruit, since some most holy men do not need it, inasmuch as they have already satisfied in another manner for the punishments due.

2. The special fruit is that which is received by the faithful who assist at Mass, who, as it were, co-sacrifice with the celebrating priest. Hence it is said of them in the Canon: "who offer unto Thee ... for themselves and all their own." This fruit arises both ex opere operato and ex opere operantis, and nothing prevents the faithful from assigning this fruit to others. In this sense one can say to another: I will hear Mass for you. It is self-evident that such an application produces excellent fruits. If someone is present in a church in which several Masses are being said at the same time, and if he then joins himself spiritually with each of the celebrating priests, he seems to receive the special fruits of all those Masses.

3. The most special fruit (which is also sometimes called personal) is that which the celebrating priest himself receives. For it seems equitable that the priest who bears the person of Christ and accomplishes the sacrifice should acquire a special fruit for himself. Whether the priest can apply this personal fruit to another is not certain, nor do theologians agree.³¹¹ Nevertheless, no solid reason is adduced why this should be impossible or unlawful. Moreover, nothing concerning this matter is found in Sacred Scripture, in tradition, or in the definitions of the Church. Alexander VII, on September 24, 1665, indeed condemned the proposition: "A priest can licitly accept a double stipend for the same Mass by applying to the petitioner also the most special part of the fruit corresponding to the celebrant himself, and this even after the decree of Urban VIII."³¹² But from this condemnation it follows only that the priest cannot accept a stipend for the application of the personal fruit; it by no means follows that the priest cannot apply this fruit gratuitously to another. For a stipend is not the price of any fruit whatsoever of the Mass, since this would be putrid simony, but it is a contribution for the support of the priest, as will be said below.

4. The ministerial fruit (which is called special or intermediate by others) is intermediate between the general and the personal fruit and accrues to those for whom the Mass is applied. For just as it is lawful to pray for a determinate man or for a special intention, so also nothing prevents the Mass from being efficaciously offered for a special intention. This ministerial fruit seems to have a threefold effect, namely, propitiatory, satisfactory, and impetratory.

³¹⁰ Cf. Noldin, De sacr., n. 173.

³¹¹ Cf. St. Alphonsus, Theol. mor. l. 6, n. 318.

³¹² Denz., n. 1108.

244. Scholion. On the value of a Mass celebrated by a bad priest. Theologians ask whether the Mass of a bad priest produces lesser effects than that of a good priest. The answer is: If the Mass is considered insofar as it is celebrated in the name of Christ or of the Church, it produces fruits ex opere operato, and accordingly is independent of the goodness of the priest. But if the Mass is regarded as a personal work of the priest, then a good priest can communicate more abundant fruits than a bad one.³¹³ Since, however, the fruit of the Mass proceeding ex opere operato is principal, it does not matter so greatly by which priest the Mass is said for the faithful.

³¹³ Cf. St. Thomas, In 4, dist. 13, q. 1, a. 1, solut. 5, and S. theol. 3, q. 82, a. 6.