Chapter VI. On the Requisites for Celebrating Mass

I say. For celebrating Mass licitly the following things are required: 1°. a stone altar, fixed or portable, consecrated by a Bishop; 2°. a triple cloth made of linen or hemp; 3°. sacred vestments, blessed by the Ordinary; 4°. a consecrated chalice and paten; 5°. a corporal of linen or of hemp, blessed by the Ordinary; 6°. a pall likewise of linen or of hemp; 7°. a linen purificator; 8°. a missal with a cushion; 9°. a crucifix, but not a cross alone; 10°. two candles of wax; 11°. burse, veil, towel, cruets; 12°. a male minister.¹

¹ Ibid., n. 14.

Question 1. Which vestments are necessarily to be blessed? Resp. The vestments certainly to be blessed by the Ordinary or by a priest having the faculty, as among us, are the amice, alb, maniple, stole, and chasuble. Concerning the cincture, however, the pall, and the purificator, there is dispute. Also concerning the altar cloths, whether they ought to be blessed, there is not one opinion of theologians; and although St. Alphonsus adheres to the affirmative opinion, nevertheless he does not think the opposite altogether improbable. Corporals, however, certainly must be blessed under mortal sin, unless a case of necessity presses. Indeed, in a case of necessity one could celebrate even without a corporal, and a fortiori without a pall, but then a purificator or something else would have to be used in place of the corporal, and a burse or something else in place of the pall. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, nn. 375 and seq.

Question 2. Whether it is mortal to celebrate without any sacred vestment, or without a stole or alb, chasuble, maniple, or cincture? Resp. It is mortal to celebrate without any sacred vestment in every case and from whatever cause. Likewise, to celebrate without chasuble or alb, or without stole and maniple together. But probably it is not mortal to celebrate without a maniple or without a blessed maniple. Likewise, to celebrate without an amice, at least for those who do not use it for covering the head, but only the shoulders. The same also must be said of celebration without a cincture; hence a reasonable cause easily excuses from all these. Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 277. - Baller. note (a) p. 271.

Question 3. Whether the color of the vestments is of precept? Resp. Affirmatively, because all the Rubrics which regard the ceremonies accompanying Mass are held as preceptive. Yet this Rubric does not seem to oblige under grave sin unless scandal is present, for example, if on Easter day or another similar solemnity Mass were celebrated in black vestments. Hence a cause not so grave can excuse from this precept. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 378.

Question 4. Which colors are required in the paraments? Resp. Paraments of white, red, green, violet, and black color are required. Paraments woven together from silk and glass threads at the same time are altogether reprobated. Likewise reprobated are paraments of varied color which, on account of flowers of each color mixed in, not a few had thought could be used on every feast; but S. C. R. prohibited that this could be done, and therefore paraments of this kind can represent only that color which is primary and predominant. Paraments of yellow and blue color are also prohibited. But those which are of gold cloth are permitted, and according to some can be used for every color; according to many, for white, red, and green, but not for black or violet; but according to the use prevailing at Rome, from which one ought not depart, only for white and red.

Observe, however, 1°. that if the silk threads which are mixed with the gold threads are of the prescribed color, they can be used altogether safely for every color, namely, for white if the mixed threads are white, for red if they are red, etc., because then they really exhibit the required color.

Observe 2°. that for the use of paraments of this kind attention must be paid to custom; for when the doubt was proposed: "Whether sacred paraments really woven of gold, at least for the greatest part, can serve for any color, except violet and black," S. C. R. on 28 Apr. 1866 responded: "The custom of places is to be tolerated only in relation to paraments woven of gold." - Cf. De Herdt, vol. 1, n. 147. - Acta S. Sedis, vol. 4, p. 52.

Observe 3°. the response of S. C. R. given on 22 Nov. 1901 to the question: "Whether on the Third Sunday of Advent and the Fourth Sunday of Lent paraments of rose color can be used not only in solemn Mass, but also in private Masses and in the Office of the Sunday." S. C. R. responded: Affirmatively.

Question 5. From what material must the chalice and paten be fashioned, and whether they must necessarily be consecrated? Resp. From the present discipline, at least the cup of the chalice must be of gold, or of silver gilt within. But in a case of necessity a chalice of tin could be used. The paten must be of gold or of gilt silver. But they must always be consecrated under grave sin, because the precept concerns a grave matter. Observe, however, that among us, as is clear from the extraordinary faculties, T. n. 26, a simple priest could be deputed by the Bishop to consecrate a chalice, paten, and even an altar, provided he used oils blessed by the Bishop. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 279. Gousset, n. 323.

Question 6. In what way does sacred furnishing lose blessing or consecration? Resp. §1. Sacred furnishing, blessed or consecrated, loses blessing or consecration:

1°. If it has undergone such injuries or changes that it has lost its former form, and is no longer considered suitable for its uses;

2°. If it has been employed for indecorous uses or exposed to public sale.

§2. A chalice and paten do not lose consecration because of the consumption or renewal of the gilding, yet preserving, in the former case, the grave obligation of gilding them again (Can. 1305).

Question 7. What kind of sin is it to celebrate without a minister? Resp. It is mortal according to all. Yet Doctors commonly say that it is lawful to celebrate without a minister when necessity presses of administering Viaticum or, as others concede, in order that the people may hear a Mass of precept. But according to St. Alphonsus, Card. de Lugo, and others, a lesser necessity suffices for celebrating with a minister who does not know how to answer. Moreover, in a case of necessity a woman, especially a Nun, could answer from afar, but not properly minister at the altar by offering the cruets, etc. Cf. St. Alphonsus, nn. 391 and seq. - Acta S. Sedis, vol. 26, n. 572.¹

¹ Cf. Addenda, p. 1089, n. 15; p. 1115, n. 63.

Question 8. What kind of cross is required on the altar while Mass is celebrated? Resp. The cross which is required must not be slight, but must stand out among the candlesticks, so that the priest and the people can easily look upon it. But if on the altar on which Mass is celebrated there is a large image of the Crucified, whether sculpted or painted, it is not necessary to add another cross in the midst of the candlesticks. Likewise, if Mass is celebrated on an altar where the Most Blessed Sacrament is publicly exposed, a cross is not necessary, but it will be possible to expose it or not expose it according to the custom of places. In any case, however, to omit it does not exceed a venial sin. Indeed Kenrick says: "In missions necessity brings it about that a cross not very large is used." - Cf. Kenrick, n. 101.

Question 9. Whether, how many, and which lights are required? Resp. It is mortal to celebrate without any light at all, except in the single case when, after the consecration has been completed, the light is extinguished and no other can be had; for then the reason of completing the sacrifice presses. But in private Masses not fewer than two must be used, although to use only one is not grave, nor can more than two be lit, unless a Bishop celebrates or some extraordinary solemnity requires otherwise. But these lights must always be of wax, except in a case of absolute necessity, and consequently the use of candles of stearin is illicit. Indeed, according to St. Alphonsus it is mortal to use candles of tallow, because this savors of indecency. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 394. - Acta S. Sedis, vol. 3, p. 600.

Warning. It is indeed laudable and most highly necessary to adhere to the responses of S. R. C. concerning those things which are required for celebrating, but since the same reckoning does not belong to all, discretion is needed. Prudence likewise is needed in weighing the necessities which among us, especially in the country, are wont to occur. Nor ought zeal or piety to proceed so far that someone would seem to wish to reform everything and to teach the Bishops themselves. For when a certain priest recently had complained before S. R. C. that "the candles which are lit for reciting or singing Mass are not of wax except for a very small part, for example, a fifth or sixth part," - and furthermore that "albs, though of linen in the upper part and sleeves, had been made of cotton in the whole remaining and certainly much greater part," and at the same time had asked what he was to do, etc., S. R. C., on 8 March 1879, responded, "Let the petitioner acquiesce in the judgment of his Bishop." - Cf. Acta S. Sedis, vol. 2, p. 644.