Plan and Division of the Volume

Moral theology, such as today is customarily taught, also undertakes arguments to be treated, or rather briefly and summarily described, which, at least principally, must be called canonical and liturgical. Those chiefly are canonical which treat of persons in the Church, of the sacraments, of the precepts of the Church, and of censures. Those, however, are liturgical which are concerned with the sacraments. Yet this is not to be understood as though, apart from liturgy, nothing else were treated in them. For the liturgical treatment of the canonical Hours is set forth among the offices of clerics; and every liturgy is penetrated by canon law. Everywhere, however, moral conclusions are inserted, since everywhere obligations of conscience must be weighed.

How much those things which were formerly done illustrate present laws and usages, everyone will understand who recalls that institutions, insofar as they are human, do not at once arise perfect all together, nor persevere long immobile, but gradually are born from deeper roots, flourish, and are increased by continual increments. But since the dogmatic exposition of the sacraments claims for itself doctrinal history, we almost entirely pass this over. Usually most brief, where it occurs, will be our regard for canonical evolution, because, as to what ecclesiastical discipline prevailed in any age, we are sufficiently instructed by works on canon law. But the lesser frequency of liturgical exposition, and the growing honor which is given to the science of public worship, have led us to subjoin certain historical notes concerning the liturgy chiefly to the chapters on the divine office and the administration of the individual sacraments.

We were able to provide this by using the kindly work of Rev. Fr. Hanssens, S.J., professor of liturgy in the Gregorian University and in the Oriental Institute, and of Rev. Fr. de Moreau, S.J., professor of ecclesiastical history in the Louvain philosophical and theological College of the Society of Jesus. What each has contributed will be indicated by the name appended.

To them and to many others who, in preparing the present work, were of no slight help to us, we willingly repay in this place due thanks for their kindly disposition and beneficent action.

Therefore, in this volume, we shall speak in order:

I. On Persons in the Church.

II. On the Sacraments.

III. On the Precepts and Censures of the Church.

Thus there are three Books of this Volume.