§ 2. What Things Are Required for the Sacrifice of Mass

— 1. There is required an altar, or certainly a sacred stone, which can hold at least the host with the greater part of the chalice.

Observe that smaller hosts are in themselves to be left during the whole time of the sacrifice upon the same corporal which contains the chalice and the principal host, and, according to the rubrics, are to be placed before or after the chalice. And so he will have acted less rightly who, after the consecration has been performed, immediately hands over to another priest the smaller hosts consecrated by him, so that he may distribute them to the people. For they make one victim and host with the principal host. The following prayers, oblations, and blessings are referred to them no less than to the principal host, nor is the sacrifice whole before the consumption of the blood (cf. Lugo, Euch., d. 20, n. 69). Yet this is not thought mortal, and it can be excused on account of the necessity of expediting the communion of the people.

— 2. There are required three altar cloths, of linen or hemp, whitened and clean. Their blessing seems to be required under venial sin unless a reasonable cause excuses. The upper cloth should flow down on both sides all the way to the ground, morally however, as custom bears, and unless the form or disposition of the altar impedes this.

It would be mortal to celebrate without any cloth, unless the matter is excused by the necessity of Viaticum or of providing Mass to the people on a feast day.

— 3. Under mortal sin there are required a consecrated chalice and paten. Are they consecrated by use itself? The matter is controverted. It can probably be affirmed, since the Sacred Congregation of Rites itself, September 22, 1702 (Gardellini, 3662 ad I, but the response has fallen out of Decr. auth.), admitted this. But it is certain that sacred vestments are not blessed after sacred use.

The paten and cup of the chalice must be gold, or silver gilded within, or of tin gilded within. Pius IX also permitted chalices and patens of aluminum mixed with other metals. Those of bronze are not admitted. But if it is gilded within, a chalice of brass or bronze is used without grave fault. Nor is it clear that it is required under grave obligation that a silver chalice be gilded within. Tamburini permits even a chalice made of gem, since it is very precious, provided it is not fragile and does not absorb the species.

N. B. The use of a spoon for pouring in the water is by no means prohibited. When it is placed in the chalice, it easily harms the gilding by its contact. Wherefore it will be better that, hung from a little chain, it remain over the altar beside the hand towel.

— The pyx and the little lunette of the monstrance must also be gilded. In a poor church, the Sacred Congregation of Rites admitted a little lunette of gilded copper.

The strict necessity of blessing these is denied by several. Yet it is greatly fitting that those things which must contain the Holy Eucharist be endowed with blessing.

— 4. There is required a corporal of linen or hemp, at least as to that part by which it touches the host or chalice; and it must be blessed. But the cross can be marked on the anterior part, where the altar is to be kissed, not in the middle of the corporal.

To celebrate without a corporal, or with a corporal not blessed, is judged grave, unless a grave necessity of celebrating urges.

If others can be had, it will be venial to use a corporal and other paraments less clean, but not very unclean. That you use very unclean ones, necessity is required, for example, of not omitting a prescribed Mass on a feast day.

Yet they are more easily excused from venial sin who, since they do not have care of those things, can obtain others for themselves only with difficulty.

— 5. There is required a purificator, likewise linen, yet not necessarily blessed, since no blessing of it is found in the ritual books. And so, if another is lacking, a clean little cloth will be able to be used, which afterward is no longer to be returned to profane use.

— 6. Under grave sin there is required a Missal containing at least the canon. The gravity of guilt is gathered from the danger of erring. Wherefore he is probably excused who, because of weakness of sight, cannot read, and is morally certain that he will not err. This also seems to be permitted to another in grave necessity. Indeed to him who can judge himself certainly immune from error, it will be lawful from devotion alone to celebrate once or twice without a Missal, when an opportunity of it is not had, with another book used to avoid the wonder of those present.

— 7. There is required an image of Christ crucified, yet not under grave obligation. From the Constitution of Benedict XIV, Accepimus, July 17, 1740, "the crucifix must stand out among the candlesticks in such a way that the priest and people can easily and conveniently look upon the same crucifix, and the image should not be so slight and small that it almost escapes the eyes of the priest himself and of the people" (St. Alphonsus, l. 6, n. 393). But if on the altar there has been a statue or painted image of Christ crucified, it is not necessary that another likeness be added. But when the Venerable is exposed, the image of Christ crucified, as usage bears, can be placed or omitted.

— There are required two candles lit from wax, as to the greater part. But to him who is not a bishop it is not lawful in a strictly private Mass, not even in a parochial one, to use more than two candles. Yet they permit this on account of solemnity or feast, and in a conventual Mass, which is not judged strictly private.

Concerning the quality of the candles, priests celebrating who do not have care of the church ought not be solicitous (cf. Sacred Congregation of Rites, March 5, 1879, not reported in Decr. auth.; cf. Lehmkuhl, II, 320 note).

To perform sacred things without any light is so grave that only for confecting Viaticum, which is a sacrament of necessity, is it lawful to celebrate thus. To celebrate with only a different light is also reputed grave; yet from a moderately grave cause, when an abundance of candles is lacking, this will be lawful (Cappello, n. 775, is more benign). Indeed Suarez and Gobat permit this once or again from devotion alone. To use only one candle is venial.

In its Third greater formula, n. 5, the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide concedes to Ordinaries of missions the faculty of permitting that Mass be celebrated with one light, using in the case any light whatever, provided wax is lacking; and, in a case of true necessity, where neither olives are found nor another substance for feeding lamps, even without lights.

— Various other utensils are required: cushion, candlesticks, burse, veil, hand towel, but not blessed. If something from these is lacking, clean profane things will be able to supply them and then to be restored to their prior use.

The card of the secrets (cartagloria) in the middle of the altar does not seem to be required under sin. The smaller ones, at the side, are placed for convenience alone.

— The use of the antipendium is certainly not prescribed under grave obligation. Nor is the obligation itself clear. And it can be omitted when the altar is marble (St. Alphonsus, l. 6, n. 395), or adorned with gold or precious stone, or made in the manner of a tomb.

— Number of Ministers. Observe that in the present discipline, for from c. 61, D. 1, De consecratione, two persons responding to the priest were required, so that Dominus vobiscum and Orate pro me could have truth; by a priest who is inferior to a bishop, only one minister can be used. Two are tolerated in parochial and similar Masses, as in others which are celebrated with solemnity.

"It is not a small thing to make one Mass; and very happy is he who can worthily celebrate one."

(c. 53, D. 1, De consecratione.)

— I. Things, some consecrated, others blessed, others even not blessed, compose sacred furnishings. Consecrations in themselves require a bishop or privileged priest; blessings in themselves are validly made by priests, although not always licitly.

The sacred oils to be used must always be blessed by a bishop.

2. Sacred furnishings can be blessed for their churches and oratories by Ordinaries, by the pastor, by the rector of the church, by the priest whom the local Ordinary has delegated; for their own churches and those of nuns subject to them, by religious Superiors or by a priest of the same religion delegated by them.

3. Purificators, palls, and corporals to be used in the sacrifice of Mass are regularly first to be washed by a minister in sacred orders. Laypersons who do not have custody of them are forbidden to touch with the bare hand the same things after use in Mass, or the chalice with paten. These prohibitions oblige under venial sin. It would be mortal to handle any vessels whatever while they contain the sacred species.

II. For the sacrifice of Mass there are required: an altar or sacred stone, which holds the host with the greater part of the chalice; three blessed cloths, and one indeed under mortal obligation; a consecrated chalice and paten; a blessed corporal of linen or hemp; a purificator, which can be supplied by a clean little cloth; a Missal, under grave obligation; an image of Christ crucified, under venial obligation; two lit candles of wax, as to the greater part: one candle or at least a light is altogether necessary under grave obligation; cushion, burse, veil, hand towel. Concerning the obligation under sin of the card of the secrets or of the antipendium, it is not clear.

The pyx and little lunette must be gilded within.