Bodily defects

Any bodily defect which makes it impossible to say Mass and fulfil the other functions of Orders, or prevents the person afflicted from exercising the sacred ministry with decency and edification, constitutes an irregularity. Thus the blind, deaf, mute, lame, crippled or maimed in limb or even necessary fingers, notably deformed, and those who cannot drink wine, are irregular.

In case of doubt the bishop may decide as to whether a person is irregular, and in such a case he may dispense as far as is necessary. If the irregularity is certain, only the Pope or his delegate can dispense. A dispensation from this impediment is more easily granted after ordination than before, to enable a priest to exercise his functions,

616. 3. Defect of body is a bodily fault on account of which orders cannot be exercised either safely because of weakness or becomingly because of deformity.

The following are irregular from defect of body:

a) the mutilated, for example, those lacking a foot, hand, thumb, or index finger, or those who cannot becomingly break the host with thumb and index finger.

b) those impaired or so weakened that they cannot becomingly perform the offices connected with orders, for example, the blind (or those so dim-sighted that they cannot read in the Missal); the deaf, who hear nothing; the mute or those who stammer so much that they cannot pronounce complete words; the lame, who cannot stand at the altar without a staff; paralytics, who cannot hold the sacred vessels or perform the prescribed ceremonies.

c) the deformed, who labor under an external fault so easily perceptible that they excite horror or laughter in others, for example, those whose noses have been cut off, those who are true dwarfs,¹²⁹ or, on the contrary, giants,¹³⁰ and those who are notably hunchbacked.

Note. It pertains to the bishop to judge whether, in a particular case, a defect of body is so great that it causes irregularity. This judgment indeed ought to be more severe before ordination than afterward. For it is hard to lose through misfortune the exercise of an order rightly received.¹³¹

¹²⁹ In German: Zwerge [dwarfs]; in French: nains [dwarfs].

¹³⁰ In German: Riesen [giants]; in French: géants [giants].

¹³¹ Code of Canon Law, c. 984, n. 2.

2°. Those defective in body are those who, because of a defect of body, cannot perform the functions of the altar either safely because of weakness or decently because of deformity. Concerning this defect note that a graver one is required for impeding the exercise of an Order received, and not all functions of the order are prohibited. To this defect are reduced any defects, and only those, which have as a consequence either weakness, so that the functions of Order cannot be exercised safely, or deformity, so that they cannot be exercised decently, without scandal. Truly the canon itself explains the matter.

This irregularity is incurred under a twofold head: 1°. if someone is unfit for the exercise of Order; 2°. if he brings notable horror to others, or presents indecency.

Hence the following are held irregular: 1°. the mutilated, those wearing a wooden leg, those unable to use the hand, thumb, or index finger; 2°. the blind, totally lacking sight or so becoming blind that they cannot read in the Missal; 3°. the deaf, who hear nothing, so that in no way can they hear the voice of the minister responding; 4°. the mute or stammering, who cannot pronounce whole words, or cannot except with great difficulty, so that they move the laughter or contempt of those standing by; 5°. the lame, who cannot present themselves at the altar without a staff; 6°. those lacking a nose, or having one enormously distorted, lowered, or extended; 7°. the monstrous, for example, those having an enormous hump, which induces great deformity, etc. - Cf. St. Alph., nn. 403 and following.

Question. Whether one who lacks one eye is irregular?

Resp. Negatively, if he lacks only the right eye, because it is less necessary for the celebration of Mass, provided no notable deformity is born from it. But it must be said otherwise if he lacks the left eye, which is called the eye of the canon, because it is necessary for reading the canon of the Mass. Except, unless he can read the canon with the right eye without deformity. But this is to be subjected to the judgment of the Bishop. - Cf. St. Alphons., n. 404.¹

3°. Epileptics; see the Canon, n. 3.

¹ Cf. Addenda, p. 1087, n. 5.