Article IV. On Rubrics to Be Observed

II. The gravity of the precept. The precept or obligation of rubrics that are truly preceptive is grave from its genus. But the gravity of the matter must be judged not only from the quantity but also from the quality of the rites, as will be clearer from the corollaries. Moreover, one can sin against the precept by omission, addition, change, breaking off, and interruption.

1. Omission. Concerning this, notice with St. Alphonsus (VI, 404 sq.): 1. that the ordinary parts, that is, those which occur in every Mass (such as the principal prayers, Epistle, Gospel, etc.), oblige more gravely than the extraordinary parts (such as the Gloria, Creed, Commemorations); 2. that among the ordinary parts, those oblige more gravely which must be said or performed within the Canon, especially from the Consecration to Communion. With these points noted, with the Doctor mentioned we resolve:

a) It is grave to omit an essential or integral part; the Confession with the other prayers to be said at the foot of the altar; the Epistle; the Gospel; the principal prayers; the mixing of water in the chalice; the oblation of the bread and wine; the Preface; the Pater noster; the Libera nos; the breaking of the host and the mixing of it with the Blood; the purification of the chalice after Communion. Likewise in the Canon it is grave to omit any prayer whatever; or to change its words so that the sense is varied; or to omit some word such that, once it is removed, the remaining words do not make sense; or to omit, for example, ten names of Saints; or finally to omit several extraordinary parts together (St. Alphonsus, VI, 404, 405).

b) It is light to omit the washing of hands before Mass with the accompanying prayers; the prayers to be said while the priest clothes himself in the sacred vestments; the Psalm Judica; Kyrie; Gloria; Creed; Commemorations; or, in place of the proper Preface, Communicantes, or Hanc igitur, to take the said prayers as they occur in the common (St. Alphonsus, VI, 409).

c) An omitted part must always be supplied when it belongs to the essence or integrity of the Mass; likewise the mixing of water in the chalice, if it is noticed before the Consecration. For the rest, one who by error or forgetfulness has omitted something: if indeed it is light, should proceed; if it is grave and the error is noticed shortly afterward, that is, after a few words, he should resume what was omitted. Hence the Gloria or Creed are not to be resumed if the following prayers have already been begun; nor the Epistle, Gospel, Preface, or Communicantes, if he has taken one for another, unless, for example, he detects the error from the beginning of the false Epistle (St. Alphonsus, VI, 403).

2. Addition. a) It is a grave sin to add anything with the intention of introducing a new rite; likewise - even without the aforesaid intention - to add something notable (St. Alphonsus, VI, 411).

b) It is light to add: 1. a collect,¹ Gloria, Creed, Pater, Ave, or something similar; 2. at the elevation, even in a low voice, certain pious words;² otherwise, if it is done only mentally; 3. while the Gloria and Creed are being sung in Mass, to recite a canonical Hour from a book³ (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.).

3. Change. It is light: 1. scandal being excluded, to change the office, that is, to celebrate a Mass which cannot be celebrated on that day; 2. not to sing in solemn Mass the things which are prescribed to be sung; 3. to pronounce the words in a voice other than that prescribed. This, however, is grave: a) when someone pronounces a notable part, especially of the Canon, or the words of Consecration alone, in so loud a voice that they can be heard at a great distance, for example forty paces; b) when the priest forms the words of Consecration so secretly that he cannot even hear himself, unless perhaps deafness or noise prevents hearing. The reason is that he exposes the sacrament to the danger of nullity (n. 24; St. Alphonsus, VI, 413-416). According to the Roman Missal:⁴ 1. those things which are to be said in a clear voice must be pronounced "neither... in a voice too loud, lest he disturb others who perhaps are then celebrating in the same church, nor so low that he cannot be heard by those standing around." 2. "But those things which are to be said secretly he should pronounce in such a way that he himself hears himself, and is not heard by those standing around."

4. Breaking off consists in this, that Mass begun is not continued but is dismissed. Moreover, breaking off can and must take place:

a) Before the Consecration: 1. if the priest before the Consecration notices that he is not fasting, and can withdraw without infamy or scandal; 2. if the church is polluted before the Canon; 3. if before the Canon it is known that a vitandus excommunicate is present and cannot be expelled (St. Alphonsus, VI, 353).

b) Before and after the Consecration: 1. if danger threatens, for example because of an attack by enemies, danger of death, or profanation; in which case the priest, according to the circumstances, should at once consume the sacrament or carry it with him while fleeing; 2. if, once the Consecration has certainly or doubtfully been performed, the priest fails; in which case the following should be observed: If the priest who fails is foreseen after some time - even after taking food or drink - to recover his strength, he should be awaited, so that he may complete the sacrifice. If he cannot complete the sacrifice, another should be sought - even one not fasting, if one fasting is lacking⁵ - who may complete the sacrifice, beginning where the other left off; if the other still lives and can communicate, and another consecrated Host is not available, the priest who supplies the Mass should divide the Host, and give one part to the sick man, and take the other himself⁶ (St. Alphonsus, VI, 355). If, however, Mass cannot be continued within an hour, it need not be completed, because the required unity is probably lacking; nevertheless it can - even after a longer time - be completed, because the said unity is also probably present (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.). If the sacrifice is not completed, the Host and chalice should be placed in the tabernacle, and on the next day they should be consumed by the celebrant before the purification.

5. Interruption is lawful: 1. if an instruction or sermon must be given, or certain things must be announced to the people, which is customarily done after the Gospel; 2. if a religious profession is made within Mass,⁷ or if it is permitted by liturgical law for another reason; 3. if necessity befalls the priest; 4. if one's neighbor falls into danger of death. But if this takes place before the Consecration, the priest can minister Baptism or Penance, Viaticum, and Extreme Unction to the dying person. If it occurs after the Consecration, he can confer Baptism or Penance upon him; he must defer the conferral of Viaticum and Extreme Unction until he has finished Mass, or at least has taken the Most Holy Blood; nevertheless Viaticum can be ministered if the dying person is so near that it is not necessary to take off the sacred vestments⁸ (St. Alphonsus, VI, 353, 354). Besides this, if the necessity of one's neighbor urges after the Consecration, "let the priest take care that the Sacrament meanwhile be guarded, or let him enclose it in the tabernacle; and after he has returned, let him continue Mass from the point where he interrupted it. If the Consecration has not been made, and a short delay has intervened, for example within an hour, let him proceed where he left off; but if the delay is longer, let him begin from the beginning."⁹

¹ Sacred Congregation of Rites, 27 March 1779, ad VI, n. 2514.

² Cf. Sacred Congregation of Rites, 6 November 1925, ad I (Acta Apostolicae Sedis 1926, p. 21).

³ Sacred Congregation of Rites, 20 March 1869, ad IX, n. 3201.

⁴ General Rubrics, title XVI, n. 2.

⁵ Indeed, if no other is available, even an excommunicate, who in the case must, after grace has been recovered, complete the sacrifice.

⁶ Roman Missal, De defectibus, title X, n. 3.

⁷ Sacred Congregation of Rites, 27 August 1894, n. 3836; 5 June 1896, n. 3912.

⁸ Sacred Congregation of Rites, 19 December 1829, n. 2672, ad 1.

⁹ Aertnys-Damen, Theologia moralis, n. 259.

III. The excusing cause. One who because of illness or another cause cannot observe all the rubrics can nevertheless celebrate both privately and publicly, if he must omit or change only certain things that are of lesser importance, for example deep inclinations, genuflections down to the ground. If the matter is of greater importance, for example if the priest cannot approach the altar without a cane, or cannot celebrate except with both arms placed on the altar, privately indeed it is lawful to celebrate; publicly, provided the people are warned (St. Alphonsus, VI, 402). Finally, if the matter is wholly extraordinary, for example if the priest cannot celebrate except sitting or by briefly interrupting Mass or while continuously supported by another, a dispensation must be sought from the Holy See, or, for a transitory case, from the bishop.

Corollary I. In view of the things explained above, St. Alphonsus and most authors rightly teach with Benedict XIV¹ that "Mass should not be shorter than a third of an hour, nor longer than half an hour, because in a shorter space everything cannot be performed with due decorum, and in a longer space it would be tedious to those standing by. Hence we say that a priest who would finish Mass in under a quarter of an hour could with difficulty be excused from mortal sin, even if the Mass is among the shorter ones, or of St. Mary on Saturday; because in so brief a time he must necessarily commit two grave defects, one of grave irreverence toward the Sacrament, the other of grave scandal toward the people... But it is impossible for Mass to be completed in under a quarter of an hour without either words or ceremonies being omitted; or at least without the decency and gravity due to so great a Sacrifice being notably diminished. This must be carefully noticed; for someone perhaps will say that he pronounces the complete words of the Missal well and fulfills all the ceremonies of the Mass well. But although there may be someone so expeditious in tongue and movement that within such a time he would satisfy all the words and ceremonies of the Missal, nevertheless it is at least morally impossible that he celebrate without notably detracting, on the one hand, from the reverence to be offered by him toward the Sacrifice, and, on the other, without himself being the cause that the people assisting fail in the veneration which is owed to that same Sacrifice" (St. Alphonsus, VI, 400).

Corollary II. In conformity with the doctrine stated, St. Alphonsus (loc. cit.) notes with others that "bishops and prelates of regulars are bound under grave obligation to root out disgraceful and scandalous speed."

¹ De Sacrificio Missae, section 2, n. 217.