§ IV. On the Causes Excusing from the Obligation

The excusing causes are:

I. Physical inability; to this belong lack of a breviary and blindness. Nevertheless a blind man and one who lacks a breviary is bound to recite the part which he holds in memory, provided it is both notable in itself, or reaches the quantity of a little hour, and can be recited sufficiently according to the prescribed form. Hence proposition 54 was condemned by Innocent XI:¹ "One who cannot recite Matins and Lauds, but can recite the remaining Hours, is bound to nothing, because the greater part draws the lesser to itself." Therefore he is bound to the possible part who holds in memory some morally entire hour, for example with only the little chapter and prayer unknown; or who from a longer hour can recite from memory, in the order of the breviary, a notable continuous part, or even a somewhat continuous part, such as several psalms of the Nocturns; but not one who knows only parts that are not sufficiently connected (St. Alphonsus IV, 158).

¹ Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1204.

II. Moral inability, or such inability that the office cannot be recited without notable inconvenience. For this reason the following are excused:

1. The sick laboring under grave illness; likewise convalescents or those slightly ill, if the illness is joined with weariness of strength or notable heaviness of the head. If a sick man could not celebrate Mass and recite the office, he can celebrate, with the recitation of the office omitted. Moreover it must be noted "that in doubt whether an illness suffices or not for excusing, he can commit himself to the judgment of a physician ... or acquiesce in the judgment of the Superior, who in such a doubt can also dispense; or finally he can remit himself to the probable judgment of a prudent man; ... and he can also stand by his own judgment, if he himself can prudently form such a judgment" (St. Alphonsus IV, 154).

"If there is doubt that recitation would gravely harm him, then certainly he is not bound; indeed he cannot recite, because the natural right of preserving health is to be preferred to the precept of the Church" (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.).

Finally, "if someone because of his infirmity is certain that he cannot recite the whole Office, and doubts whether he can recite part, he is probably bound to nothing; ... for this man is reasonably excused from the whole Office, lest he be greatly troubled by scruples, not knowing how far he can and is bound to recite. For this anxiety would bring him great inconvenience" (St. Alphonsus, loc. cit.).

2. Those laboring under such weakness of the eyes that recitation becomes hard.

3. The scrupulous; namely, "if someone were suffering grave anxieties, recitation of the Office could sometimes even be forbidden to him, until he seems able to recite without so great an inconvenience; since a great inconvenience excuses of itself from the precepts of the Church" (St. Alphonsus IV, 177 at the end).

III. An occupation to be preferred, that is, such an occupation as cannot be omitted without scandal or some other grave inconvenience, whether one's own or another's, and is incompatible with the recitation of the breviary. For this reason someone can be excused who, for example, is called to a sick person toward night, or by reason of hearing confessions, or of offering assistance to the sick, or of preparing a lesson or giving a sermon. Here, however, note: 1st, he sins who, when he can anticipate the business, does not anticipate it, or after the business has been completed does not recite what he can still conveniently recite; 2nd, he who is habitually so occupied with business that opportunity of reciting the Office is not available should either dismiss some labors or seek a dispensation.

It can also happen that an imprisoned cleric is excused from reciting the office in order to avoid disgrace to his state.

If someone cannot recite the Office without a companion, but can with a companion, he is bound to use that means, which is also consonant with the primitive institution, if the companion can be had without great inconvenience both to himself and to the companion (St. Alphonsus IV, 158).

IV. Dispensation.¹ 1. The Pope can dispense, even with a beneficiary, since the burden of the office annexed to the benefice must be derived from ecclesiastical law alone.

2. Bishops can dispense when recourse to the Holy See is difficult and at the same time there is danger of grave harm in delay (can. 81); likewise, for a just cause, with some particular person for a brief time, namely from immemorial use or privilege (St. Alphonsus IV, 159).

3. Exempt major superiors, with respect to their subjects, can do the same thing as Bishops (can. 81 compared with can. 198). But regular Prelates can dispense their subjects who are not constituted in sacred orders, for a just cause, from the office as from other things (St. Alphonsus IV, 142).

Note. Clerics constituted in major orders who have legitimately been reduced or returned to the lay state are freed from the burden of the divine office; likewise solemnly professed religious not constituted in major orders who, having obtained an indult of secularization, have left the religion (can. 640).

¹ We add dispensation, although in a particular case it rather relaxes the law than excuses from the obligation.