Article II. On the Obligation of Celebrating by Reason of Office

I say. All Pastors of souls are held by natural and divine right at some time to celebrate Mass so that they may apply it for their sheep. The reason is taken both from the fact that to feed someone spiritually necessarily implies procuring for him spiritual goods, which are obtained chiefly through the most excellent Sacrifice of the Mass, and from the Council of Trent, sess. 23, chap. 1, de Reform., where it is said: "Since by divine precept it has been commanded to all to whom the care of souls has been committed, to know their sheep, to offer sacrifice for them," etc.¹

¹ Cf. Addenda, p. 1088, n. 12.

Question 1. What does that particle "at some time" import?

Resp. The Church of God, interpreter of natural and divine right, has now determined its extension. Therefore Pastors of souls are held to celebrating for their sheep "on Sundays and other feast days which are still observed by precept and which have been removed from the number of feast days of precept." These are the very words of Pope Leo XIII in his Apostolic Letters In Suprema. But if you ask how many and which are those feast days, besides Sundays, whether actually observed or suppressed, it is answered that they are 35, and their catalogue is found above under n. 327. - Cf. Acta S. Sedis, vol. 14, pp. 529 and following.

Question 2. Who are the Pastors of souls who, whether by natural and divine right or ecclesiastical right, are held to celebrating for the people?

Resp. Bishops: §1. They also must, after having taken possession of the see, every excuse of scantiness of revenues or any other exception being removed, apply Mass for the people committed to them on all Sundays and other feast days of precept, even suppressed ones.

§2. On the feast of the Nativity of the Lord, and if any feast of precept falls on a Sunday, it is enough that they apply one Mass for the people.

§3. If a feast is so transferred that on the day to which it is transferred not only is the office with the Mass of the transferred feast done, but the obligations also of hearing Mass and abstaining from servile works are observed, Mass for the people is to be applied on the day to which; otherwise on the day from which.

§4. The Bishop himself must apply Mass for the people on the days indicated above by himself; if he is legitimately impeded from its celebration, on the stated days let him apply it through another; if he cannot furnish even this, let him apply it as soon as possible either by himself or through another on another day.

§5. Although a Bishop governs two or more dioceses united equally principally, or, besides his own diocese, has another or others in administration, nevertheless he satisfies the obligation through the celebration and application of one Mass for the whole people committed to him.

§6. A Bishop who has not satisfied the obligation concerning which in the preceding paragraphs should as quickly as possible apply for the people as many Masses as he omitted (Can. 339).

Apostolic Vicars and Prefects:

They must apply the Sacrifice of the Mass for the peoples committed to them at least on the solemnities of the Nativity of the Lord, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, the Most Holy Body of Christ, the Immaculate Conception and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph her spouse, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and All Saints, with the prescription of can. 339, §§2 and following being observed (Can. 306).

Abbots nullius have the same obligations which belong to residential Bishops in their own diocese. - Cf. Can. 323, §1.

The Capitular Vicar is held by the obligation of applying Mass for the people according to the norm of Can. 339. - Cf. Can. 440.

§1. The pastor is held by the obligation of applying Mass for the people according to the norm of can. 339, the quasi-pastor according to the norm of can. 306 (Can. 466).¹

It is fitting from charity that titular Bishops sometimes apply the Sacrifice of the Mass for their diocese, but short of obligation. - Cf. Can. 348.

With relation to the suppressed feasts concerning which in Can. 339, §1, 466, §1, on which namely Mass must be applied by Bishops and Pastors for the people committed to them, nothing in this matter has been changed by the Code of Canon Law from the discipline in force up to this time. Thus the Pontifical Commission for authentically interpreting the canons of the Code. - 17 Feb. 1918.

§2. A Pastor who perhaps governs several parishes equally principally united, or, besides his own parish, has another or others in administration, must apply only one Mass for the peoples committed to him on the prescribed days.²

§3. The local Ordinary, from a just cause, can permit that the pastor apply Mass for the people on another day than that on which he is bound by law.

§4. Let the pastor celebrate the Mass to be applied for the people in the parochial church, unless circumstances of things demand or advise that Mass be celebrated elsewhere (Can. 466).

If someone on the same day is urged by the burden of each Mass, both for the people and conventual, let him himself celebrate and apply this latter by himself, and the former through another or by himself on the following day. - Can. 419, §2.

¹ Cf. Addenda, p. 1106, n. 48.

² Cf. Addenda, p. 1150, n. 124.

Question 3. Are priests who among us have care of souls, by whatever name they are called, held by the aforesaid burden?

Resp. They are held, because they are pastors or quasi-pastors. - Cf. Second Plenary Council of Baltimore, n. 367. - Can. 216, 451. This latter canon has itself thus: A Pastor is a priest or moral person to whom a parish has been conferred as title, with care of souls to be exercised under the authority of the local Ordinary. Quasi-pastors are those who govern quasi-parishes. But Canon 216 is read thus:

§1. The territory of any diocese is to be divided into distinct territorial parts; and to each part its own particular church with a determined people is to be assigned, and its own particular rector, as the proper pastor of the same, is to be placed over it for the necessary care of souls.

§2. In like manner an apostolic vicariate and apostolic prefecture, where this can conveniently be done, are to be divided.

§3. The parts of a diocese concerning which in §1 are parishes; the parts of an apostolic vicariate and apostolic prefecture, if a particular rector has been assigned to them, are called quasi-parishes (Can. 216).¹

¹ Cf. Addenda, pp. 1103, 1104, nn. 44, 45.