Chrism and the Holy Oils

86. On the remote matter. The valid remote matter of confirmation is chrism made from olive oil and balsam and blessed by a bishop¹ with the special blessing of chrism.

1. Chrism is a mixture composed of oil and balsam. Olive oil is certainly required for the value of the sacrament; for only olive oil is and is called simply oil. Balsam must certainly be mixed in by necessity of precept; that it must also be mixed in by necessity of sacrament cannot be demonstrated. That chrism is the matter of this sacrament is clear from the words of Eugenius IV and from the constant tradition of the Church.

a. Balsam seems to have to be mixed in by necessity of precept, but not by necessity of sacrament. For oil consecrated with the special blessing of confirmation was in the first times called chrism. Moreover, before the fifth century there is found no document from which it is clear that balsam was mixed with the oil of confirmation. Finally, to the question whether confirmation administered with oil without balsam ought to be repeated, Innocent III responded that nothing was to be repeated.²

b. It does not matter whether balsam of this or that species or region is mixed in; but it must be mixed in in such a quantity that the oil gives off the odor of balsam, yet it is not necessary that it be mixed with each single part of the oil.

c. In the Greek Church, from ancient usage, several other aromatics are mixed with the chrism; yet for this reason the matter of confirmation does not become invalid or illicit, provided oil and balsam are present, which alone are necessary.³

2. That chrism must be consecrated by a bishop is necessary for the value of the sacrament, even if the sacrament is conferred by a presbyter. This is rightly deduced from the fact that this proposition, "the sacrament of extreme unction can be validly ministered with oil not consecrated by episcopal blessing," was condemned as rash and close to error; for the same holds a fortiori concerning confirmation.⁴

To most it seems certain that a simple priest cannot validly consecrate chrism, not even by delegation of the supreme pontiff. For in the decree of Eugenius IV it is said that the matter of confirmation is chrism blessed by a bishop. Moreover, although the power of administering confirmation is sometimes conferred on a simple priest, nevertheless it is always prescribed that he use only chrism blessed by a bishop.⁵ But concerning the facts which are brought forward to the contrary, they say that it is not certainly clear.⁶ Nevertheless it can scarcely be doubted that Eugenius IV, on 28 Jan. 1444, gave the vicar provincial of the Friars Minor in Bosnia the power of making chrism.⁷

3. In order that it be certainly valid matter, the chrism must have been blessed by the special blessing of chrism, by which it is constituted the matter of this sacrament; other oil blessed by a bishop is doubtful matter of the sacrament of confirmation.⁸

Therefore confirmation administered with the oil of catechumens or of the sick is doubtful, because it has not been consecrated with the blessing which is prescribed for chrism. Since nevertheless the sacrament is not certainly invalid, in the article of death, or if someone otherwise would always lack this sacrament, if chrism is lacking, confirmation could be conferred under condition with another oil; and in the same way, if it can be done, confirmation which was conferred with oil alone is to be repeated under condition.⁹

4. For administering confirmation licitly, from the precept of the Church fresh chrism must be used, i.e., chrism consecrated on the Lord's Supper just past. Only where new chrism cannot be had and there is an urgent cause of conferring confirmation is it licit to use old chrism.

¹ From the decree of Eugenius IV for the Armenians. Cn. 780, 781.

² Cf. Dolger, p. 192 f.

³ Benedict XIV, constitution Ex quo primum, 1 Mar. 1756.

⁴ Holy Office, 13 Jan. 1611; 14 Sept. 1842. Cf. Lehmkuhl, Theol. m., II, n. 93 (n. 126); Ballerini-Palmieri IV, n. 788; cn. 781.

⁵ Benedict XIV, De synodo, l. 7, c. 8, n. 1 s.

⁶ Cf. Benedict XIV, l. c., l. 7, c. 7; Ballerini-Palmieri IV, n. 789.

⁷ Cf. Linz. Quartalschrift, 1904, p. 805 ff.

⁸ Threefold oil is blessed by the bishop on the Lord's Supper, each with a special blessing of the Roman Pontifical: oil of the sick (O. I.), oil of catechumens or of salvation (O. S.), and holy chrism (S. Ch. or Ch.). The oil of the sick is used in administering extreme unction and in the consecration of bells for the exterior anointing; the oil of catechumens is used in baptism for the anointing which is made before baptism itself, in the ordination of a presbyter, and in some other consecrations, e.g., in the consecration of kings; chrism is used in confirmation, in baptism after baptism itself has been conferred, in the consecration of a bishop, and in various consecrations, e.g., of a chalice, paten, altar, bell (interiorly), etc.

⁹ St. Alphonsus, n. 162.

THE first of the sacraments, the door by which men enter into the Church of God, by which they are made her children and the sons of God, is Baptism. The Catechism of the Council of Trent defines Baptism as the sacrament of regeneration by water in the word. This is but expressing in other words what our Lord said to Nicodemus, “‘ Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”¹ The new birth which takes place in Baptism is the new life of grace which is given to the soul by the sacrament, and by this vivifying grace the soul which was dead to God lives to him with a supernatural life.

Baptism, then, is a total washing of the soul from the stains of sin, both original and actual, if any have been committed, and a complete cancelling of all the debt of punishment which may be due to sin. This is brought about by the infusion of sanctifying grace into the soul, together with the habits of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Moreover, by Baptism a character is imprinted on the soul by which it is known to God and his angels as that of a baptized Christian; and the person baptized becomes a member of the Church, a child of God, and heir to the kingdom of heaven.

¹ John iii 5.

Divines are not agreed as to what constitutes the matter of Confirmation. Some hold that the general imposition of hands by the bishop who confirms at the beginning of the rite is the essential matter; while the subsequent anointing of each person to be confirmed belongs to the matter accidentally. Others maintain that this general imposition of hands and the anointing form the essential matter of the sacrament. The common opinion is that the anointing with chrism, together with the simultaneous imposition of the hand of the Bishop on the forehead of the confirmed person while he makes on it the sign of the cross with the chrism, is the adequate and essential matter of the sacrament.

Chrism, which is thus the remote matter of Confirmation, is made of olive oil and balsam. It is a disputed point whether the mixture of balsam is only of precept or whether it is necessary for the validity of the sacrament. However, balsam of any country will suffice. The chrism thus made must be blessed by a bishop, and this, according to the common opinion, is necessary for the validity of the sacrament.

Three kinds of holy oils are blessed by the bishop on Maundy Thursday—the oil of the sick, with which Extreme Unction is given; the oil of catechumens, with which those about to be baptized are anointed in administering Baptism; and chrism. It is probable that any one of these holy oils will serve for the others, so that Confirmation given with oil of the sick would be probably valid. Still it is not lawful to follow this opinion except in case of necessity.

A fresh supply of holy oils should be procured every year after they have been blessed by the bishop on Maundy 'Thursday, and the old ones burned. However, if the new oils cannot be obtained at the proper time, especially in the missions where Vicars Apostolic without episcopal consecration have faculties to give Confirmation, the old oils may be used as long as the difficulty of obtaining new ones lasts.

I. Remote matter. 1. For validity, so that this be undoubted, there are required: 1. chrism, that is, a composition from olive oil and balsam; 2. consecrated; 3. by a bishop; 4. and this by a special consecration of chrism. Now from the aforesaid:

a) Olive oil is certainly required, as is clear from the universal and constant tradition of the Church¹ (St. Thomas, III, q. 72, a. 2; St. Alphonsus, VI, 162).

b) The admixture of balsam is most probably required, regard being had both to the decree of Eugene IV for the Armenians, which hands down that the matter is chrism confected from oil and balsam, and from the practice of the Church. The reason for doubting is taken from the fact that Paul IV and Pius V conceded to the Indians the privilege of using in place of balsam a liquid which is called balsam by them, but is not; likewise from the fact that the use of balsam does not appear before the sixth century, although even before that oil came under the name of chrism.

c) Some consecration or blessing likewise seems to be required, attention again being paid to the decree of Eugene IV and to the practice of the Church (St. Alphonsus, VI, 163).

d) Consecration by a bishop is certainly prescribed, but it is not so certain that it is required for validity (cf. canon 781, § 1). The power of consecrating chrism seems in antiquity sometimes to have been conferred on a simple priest.² It is also certain that the faculty of confirming with chrism consecrated by a bishop can be granted to a simple priest (canon 781, § 1).

e) A special consecration or blessing, that is, the consecration proper to chrism, likewise seems to be required; this is already suggested by the very necessity of chrism.

Corollary. Since olive oil is certainly required for validity, note that nut oil or other kinds of oil can never be used.

2. For liceity it is required that certainly valid matter be used, and that the chrism have been consecrated on the most recent Lord's Supper day (canon 734, § 1). Hence it is not permitted to confirm with old chrism, unless necessity urges. It is said, certainly valid matter; this does not prevent Confirmation from being conferred under condition, at least in danger of death, with oil of catechumens if chrism consecrated by a special blessing cannot be had; for the great usefulness of the sacrament suffices so that it can be exposed to the danger of nullity (St. Alphonsus, VI, 162).

¹ Cf. Innocent III, Decretals, book I, title 15, at the beginning of chapter 1, Cum venisset.

² Dolger, op. cit., pp. 108-112.

In how many ways is simony of ecclesiastical law committed? - In the following ways. 1. By exchanging benefices, making transactions about them, making pacts, resigning them in favor of another, reserving pensions in them, without license of the superior. C. Quaesitum 5, de Rer. perm.; C. Constituimus 4; C. Super eo 7, de Trans.; C. Nobis 27, de Sim.; C. Ex multis 9, q. 3, caus. 1. The reason of the law is the danger lest this be done in view of a temporal thing, since these include some advantage. S. Th. 2. 2, q. 100, a. 1 ad 5, a. 4 ad 3.

Add: to sell benefices, even according to that which is temporal in them, namely according to the right of receiving fruits. "Yet more probably," says St. Alphonsus, n. 70, "they say that it is simony by divine law from S. Thomas, 2. 2, q. 100, a. 4 ad 2... as is gathered from C. Si quis 15, caus. 1, q. 3, and from C. Ex diligenti 17, de Simon." Cf. also L. 76. Add also: to sell the right of patronage of presenting to a benefice. C. De iure 16; C. Praeterea 23, de Iure patr. Yet Lessius, Palaus, Laymann, etc., affirm that this sale is forbidden also by divine law. L. 71; S. Th. 2. 2, q. 100, a. 4 ad 3. Transactions concerning the right of patronage and concerning another spiritual thing annexed, an oratory, a temple, etc., are likewise prohibited, if namely on one side something spiritual is given and on the other something temporal, C. Praeterea 9, 10, de Trans. But they are licit if on both sides something spiritual or annexed to the spiritual is given. C. Ad quaestiones 6, de Rer. perm. "The right of patronage cannot be sold per se, nor given in fief; but it passes with the village which is sold or ceded." S. Th. 2. 2, q. 100, a. 4 ad 3. "Trent, sess. 24, c. 14, de R., commands Bishops not to permit any payment or promise for admission to possession of a benefice, as having the stain of simony or suspicion of avarice, any custom to the contrary being rejected. The Council permits only that, if there is a custom, something be given to be converted to pious uses." L. 99; C. Cum in Ecclesiae 9; C. In tantum 36, de Simonia.

2. By giving or accepting anything, even spontaneously offered, before or after, on occasion of an examination for parochial care, for example, when there is a question of choosing a pastor in a competition, from Trent, sess. 24, c. 18, de R. On occasion of the examination; for to give or receive for the examination itself would be simony of divine law. From the Decree of S. C. Cons., 15 Feb. 1612, synodal examiners and parochial consultors, on occasion of their office, neither before nor after, can receive anything, by the oath taken, even offered under the appearance of a gift. Likewise any gift whatsoever is prohibited to be received by ministers of whatever order in the Roman curia. Ord. serv. in Rom. Cur., Norm. comm., c. 3.

3. By accepting anything, even spontaneously offered, on occasion of the conferral of an order, or of letters for the order itself, or even of first tonsure, from the same Trent, sess. 21, c. 1, de R. Yet there is excepted there the tenth part of a gold coin for the notary, if no salary has been established for him and custom permits him to receive it. But the Sacred Congregation, 8 Oct. 1678, permitted Bishops to receive a candle, and also a cloth from those to be ordained priests; indeed the same Congregation, deputed by Innocent XI, also fixed the emoluments which are required for dimissorial and testimonial letters, etc. "It is granted to Bishops in dispensations (of marriages) to accept something to be distributed in alms, provided that nothing comes to themselves or their own, by way of penalty or commutation, but not by way of sustenance. For this is forbidden to them from... Trent, sess. 25, c. 18, de R." L. 96.

It is not permitted to a Bishop in the visitation of a diocese to receive gifts besides victuals. Council of Trent, sess. 24, c. 3, de R.; Collectan. S. C. de P. F., n. 1502 seqq. Innocentian Tax: Innocent XI, Decree of 8 Oct. 1678, established what emoluments could be required for various acts and writings of non-contentious ecclesiastical jurisdiction. But with the conditions of times having changed, S. C. C., 10 June 1896, issued a new Decree concerning this matter. According to the norms of this Decree, a description or schedule of these taxes is to be made in individual dioceses and transmitted for approval to the same S. C. C. In France, a determined tax for sacred worship to be imposed on the faithful from obligation is not approved. Secretariat of State, 8 Oct. 1907.

4. By selling or buying temporal ecclesiastical offices ordered to sacred things, of procurator, sacristan, steward, defender of the Church; this indeed has been done in view of religion. C. Si quis 3; C. Salvator 8, c. 1, q. 3; Suarez, c. 29. But to sell spiritual ecclesiastical offices, for example of vicar general, coadjutor of a pastor, chaplain, is simoniacal by its nature.

5. By selling a part of a cemetery; indeed it will be simony of divine law if it is sold as a sacred place, or if the right of burial is sold. Yet the right of a tomb can be bought, so that someone may be buried in such a place, because then burial would not be sold even by reason of the earth, but the price would be required by reason of the burden which is assumed, of not burying others there; this indeed is something temporal, and law does not prohibit it; indeed usage approves it. The same must be said if more is required for carrying a silver cross instead of an iron one; for one is not of greater blessing than the other, but this is a worldly honor, which certainly can be sold. C. Abolendae 13, de Sepult.; L. 71; S. Th. 2. 2, q. 100, a. 3 ad 2.

6. By selling blessed oil or sacred chrism, even according to its physical species; yet the usage has prevailed in cathedral churches that something is accepted from particular churches for compensating the expenses which have been made in procuring the matter. C. Placuit 102, c. 1, q. 1; C. Ea quae 16, de Simonia. Nor indeed is it permitted to accept anything for administration of the sacraments beyond that which has been established by custom and ordination of the superior. Cf. 505, 512. Likewise every shameful profit, trade, and species of business with stipends of Masses is prohibited. S. C. C., 11 May 1904.

7. By requiring money for admission into religion, not for the state itself, which would be simony of divine law, but by reason of sustenance, unless either law, or custom, or the poverty of the monastery excuses. Cf. 518.

8. By accepting something for the erection, institution, communication, or aggregation of Confraternities, against the Constitution Quaecumque of Clement VIII. And reception into a Confraternity will be invalid if anything is received contrary to the laws of the Church, even under the title of alms.

9. By publishing Indulgences and other spiritual graces, some wage having been accepted, Trent, sess. 21, c. 9, de R., and by making gain from the concession or publication of Indulgences and other spiritual graces. St. Pius V, Const. Quum plenum, 2 Jan. 1569. By several decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences it was forbidden that blessed rosaries, crosses, or medals be exposed for sale. And if otherwise is done, the indulgences are lost. Decret., tit. de Simonia, l. 5, tit. 3; Struggl 23; L. 68, 69, 72, 74, 77; E. M.

What is the matter of confirmation? - It is twofold: the imposition of hands and the anointing of chrism. The imposition of hands is not that which is done at the beginning of the sacred function over all those to be confirmed, but that which is had when the minister anoints each one to be confirmed with blessed chrism. But chrism is confected from olive oil and balsam of any region. Florence, Decree for the Armenians; St. Pius V, Brief, Aug. 2, 1571; Benedict XIV, Const. Ex quo primum, March 1, 1756; S. C. de P. F., Aug. 6, 1840; Roman Catechism 7; Roman Pontifical, de Confirm.; St. Thomas 3 p., q. 72, a. 2; Lugo Resp. Mor. l. 1, d. 8; E. M.

107. A sacramental etymologically is that which pertains to a sacrament; whence the ceremonies accompanying the essential rite of the sacraments are often called sacramentals by the ancient theologians. Yet in present-day use, under this name come ecclesiastical rites which have a peculiar likeness with the sacraments, and are, as it were, lesser sacraments.¹ They have both difference from and analogy with the sacraments: they are practical signs which in some measure depute to divine worship, and they have an effect, but one inferior to sacramental grace. For they are things or actions which the Church is accustomed to use, in a certain imitation of the sacraments, in order to obtain effects, especially spiritual ones, from her own impetration (can. 1144). They can be defined: sensible and sacred rites instituted by the Church for signifying and producing certain effects, both spiritual and temporal. They are called:

¹ The word sacramentalia is already used by Peter Lombard, in IV, d. 6, H.

1. sensible rites: for they are things, such as holy water, an Agnus Dei, the paschal candle, or actions such as blessings of persons or things, the sign of the cross, the prayer Confiteor;

2. instituted by the Church, which nevertheless received from Christ Himself the power of instituting them; whence if certain ones existed independently of the Church, nevertheless they have from the Church that they are sacramentals, namely, stably instituted;

Hence can. 1145: "Only the Apostolic See can constitute new sacramentals, or authentically interpret those received, abolish or change any of them";

3. for signifying and producing certain effects, both especially spiritual and temporal: namely, effects to be obtained from her own, i.e., the Church's, impetration.

Hence they are distinguished a) from mere ceremonies of the sacraments, such as the white garment in Baptism or sacred vestments, which are ordered solely to the adornment of worship, and to reconciling reverence to the sacraments and to signifying their efficacy; b) from the sacraments, both by reason of origin, and by reason of the effect, which is not justification itself and habitual grace or its increase, and by reason of the mode of operating, because they are not efficient causes ex opere operato, but as moral causes they have influence ex opere operantis Ecclesiae and by force of her impetration.

108. Benedictions for the most part constitute sacramentals, or are even sacramentals. - Benedictions are distinguished:

1. Constitutive, by which a thing or person becomes sacred, i.e., is deputed or consecrated to divine worship: thus the blessing of a church, oratory, bell, vessels, vestments; the consecration of a church, altar, chalice; the blessing of an abbot or virgin; the deputation of a cleric to divine ministry through tonsure. They are the efficient cause of a sacred thing, and per se they are not properly sacramentals; yet per accidens they can be such if by the blessing itself or by the use of the blessed thing they obtain for us goods that are to come to us as by a moral cause, as, for example, a blessed rosary or scapular.

2. Invocative, by which some particular benefit is obtained for a thing or person from the goodness of God. They are sacramentals, as moral causes obtaining an effect: thus the blessing of a woman, of an infant, of the sick, of nuptials, of a field, of a house, of a table, of foods, of animals.

3. Constitutive and at the same time invocative, by which things are blessed for this end, that from their application or use some good may permanently redound to man or some evil may be averted: thus blessed breads or ashes, blessed palms, medals, an Agnus Dei, lustral water, etc.

4. To these last are referred exorcisms for repelling the harmful action of the devil upon persons or things: in these, invocative formulas are mingled, and at the same time the devil is commanded and a necessity is established for him to desist from harmful action.

Hence sacramentals are reduced to three species: a) to the blessings of the Church, b) to the use of blessed things, and c) to exorcisms.

Formerly other divisions were customarily handed down, but they were neither scientific nor sufficiently founded.

109. The efficacy of sacramentals is sufficiently understood from what has thus far been set forth. Namely, they obtain four effects:

1. the conferral of actual grace for carrying out special offices, for salutary works, or for the fervor of charity;

2. the remission of venial sin, or also of temporal punishment, insofar as they excite a movement of contrition, or contain at least implicitly a retraction of sin, or satisfaction;

3. the restraint and repulsion of the devil;

4. the bestowal of a temporal good, for example, health, or prosperity of fields, insofar as it can be useful for salvation.

They are obtained ex opere operantis Ecclesiae, not from the dispositions of the one ministering or of the one receiving, although in a greater or lesser degree according to the dispositions of the one receiving, upon which they depend as upon a condition; but they do not depend upon the dispositions of the one ministering, for example, of a most holy man, although from these another effect ex opere operantis ministri can be added.

Nevertheless they are not obtained immediately, nor infallibly, because the conditions required so that prayer may be infallibly efficacious can be lacking, and an obstacle can be present on the part of the thing asked or on the part of man; but when the required conditions are given, the impetrations of the Church are infallibly heard.

110. Dispositions of canon law. - A. Concerning the minister it is established:

can. 1146: "The legitimate minister of sacramentals is a cleric to whom power for this has been conferred and who has not been prohibited by competent ecclesiastical authority from exercising that power"; as it is prohibited to the excommunicated and personally interdicted, even if they are required after sentence, except in danger of death (can. 2261 and 2275).

can. 1147: "§ 1. No one who lacks the episcopal character can validly perform consecrations, unless one to whom this is permitted either by law or by apostolic indult."

§ 2. "But any presbyter can impart blessings, except those which are reserved to the Roman Pontiff or to the Bishop or to others." Reserved to the Pontiff are the pallium or Agnus Dei; to the pastor, the nuptial blessing and the blessing of homes on Holy Saturday; to the bishop, the solemn blessing of a church or bell.

§ 3. "A reserved blessing which is given by a presbyter without necessary license is illicit, but valid, unless in the reservation the Apostolic See has expressed otherwise."

§ 4. "Deacons and lectors can give validly and licitly only those blessings which are expressly permitted to them by law."

B. Concerning the rite to be observed:

can. 1148: "§ 1. In confecting or administering sacramentals, the rites approved by the Church are to be observed accurately.

§ 2. Consecrations and blessings, whether constitutive or invocative, are invalid if the formula prescribed by the Church has not been used."

C. Concerning the subject:

can. 1149: "Blessings, to be imparted first of all to Catholics, can also be given to catechumens; indeed, unless a prohibition of the Church stands in the way, even to non-Catholics, for obtaining the light of faith or, together with it, health of body." Nevertheless, the excommunicated and personally interdicted after sentence are prohibited from receiving them (can. 2260 and 2275), as are those who have dared to enter a mixed marriage without the dispensation of the Church (can. 2375).

can. 1152: "Exorcisms can be performed by legitimate ministers not only upon the faithful and catechumens, but also upon non-Catholics or the excommunicated."