For whom Mass may be offered

Apart from special prohibitions, the Mass may be offered for all those for whom the sacrifice of the Cross was offered, and whom it can benefit. It may be offered for all the faithful living and dead. The Council of Trent defined that the souls in purgatory are helped by the sacrifices of the faithful, and it is at least theologically certain that the fruits of the Mass are to some extent, which is known to God, applied to them ex opere operato, when Mass is said for that intention. It may also be offered for the conversion of infidels, and in thanksgiving for all the graces and glory which God has bestowed on the blessed in heaven. The damned in hell can receive no benefit from our prayers or sacrifices. According to the new Code, Mass may be offered for anybody, living or dead, but only privately, and with precautions to avoid scandal for excommunicates, and, moreover, only for their conversion, if they are to be avoided as excommunicates (Can. 809; 2262, sec. 2, ii).

I. The principal minister is Christ the Lord. "It is the same one," says the Council of Trent, "now offering through the ministry of priests, who then offered Himself on the cross."¹

II. The secondary minister is every and only priest. "If anyone says," the same Council of Trent says, "that by those words: Do this in commemoration of me, Christ did not institute the Apostles priests, or did not ordain that they and other priests should offer His body and blood, let him be anathema."²

III. In some sense all the faithful can be called ministers of the sacrifice of the Mass, namely insofar as they contribute something to the sacrifice. They do this insofar as they are members of the Church, in whose name the priest celebrates; insofar as they assist at the sacrifice and conform themselves to the intention of the principal and secondary minister; and insofar as they causally concur in the sacrifice, for example by giving a stipend or by serving the priest celebrating (St. Alphonsus, VI, 307).

Corollary I. Several priests can indeed offer the sacrifice of the Mass together, but this is illicit except in the Mass of the ordination of priests, and in the Mass of the consecration of bishops according to the Roman Pontifical (canon 803; n. 20).

Corollary II. A priest who is a stranger to a church, that is, not assigned to the church in which he asks to celebrate, can be admitted as follows:

1. If he shows authentic and still valid commendatory letters from his Ordinary if he is secular, or from his superior if he is religious, or from the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Church if he is of an Oriental rite, he is to be admitted to the celebration of Mass, unless meanwhile it is clear that he has committed something on account of which he ought to be repelled from the celebration of Mass (canon 804, § 1).

2. If he lacks those letters, but his probity is very well known to the rector of the church, he can be admitted. But if he is unknown to the rector, he can still be admitted once or twice, provided that, clothed in ecclesiastical dress, he receives nothing, under any title, from the celebration from the church in which he sacrifices, and signs his name, office, and diocese in a special book (canon 804, § 2). It is said provided that he is clothed in ecclesiastical dress, that is, provided that the stranger, by the form of his dress, manifests that he is a priest.

3. Special norms concerning this matter, given by the local Ordinary, with the prescriptions of this canon saved, must be observed by all, even exempt religious, unless it concerns admitting religious to celebrate in a church of their own religious institute (canon 804, § 3).

¹ Session 22, chapter 2.

² Session 22, canon 2.

353. QUESTION 5. Does the Mass benefit the dead by an infallible promise of Christ?

Reply. Affirmatively. For the Mass is profitably offered for the dead, as is established from the Council of Trent, sess. 22, ch. 2 and Can. 3. Moreover, this cannot be done except by the promise of Christ, which is declared in Matt. 26:28: This is My Blood... which shall be shed for many unto the remission of sins. This is also established from the words of the form in the conferral of Orders: Receive the power to offer Sacrifice to God and to celebrate Masses both for the living and for the dead, in the name of the Lord. Amen. Nevertheless, temporal punishment is not remitted to the dead by a fixed law, but it profits them only by way of suffrage, according as it shall please God to accept it. - See Perrone, vol. 8, no. 282.

QUESTION 6. Does a Requiem Mass benefit the dead more than a Mass of the Saints?

Reply. Negatively, as regards the substance, or on the part of the Sacrifice; but affirmatively as regards the accidental elements, or on the part of the prayers, the deficiency of which devotion can supply. - St. Lig., no. 309, after St. Thomas, Suppl., q. 71, art. 9. It must be noted here that a Requiem Mass and a Mass in black vestments can be applied for a living person, provided that the one who gave the alms has not expressly declared the contrary. - S. C. of Rites, Nov. 29, 1856.

249. Preliminary note. Some theologians distinguish a threefold application of the Mass: public, if it is publicly announced for whom the Mass is applied; semi-public, if the priest and the one offering the stipend know the application; occult, if the priest alone knows the application of the Mass.

Principle. a) By divine law the Mass (or rather, the ministerial fruit) can be applied to all those whom it is capable of benefiting; b) by ecclesiastical law, however, the application of the Mass is affected by few limitations.

The first part of this principle is evident. For the Mass is nothing other than the application of the fruits of the sacrifice of the Cross. But Christ died for all, and the fruits of the sacrifice of the Cross can accrue to all who are capable of grace. Therefore the same must be said of the application of the Mass. Hence the Mass cannot be applied to the damned in hell, nor to infants who have died with original sin alone. The reason is that all these are incapable of grace and glory. Therefore it is not lawful to accept a stipend for celebrating Mass for an infant who has died without baptism. Some authors³¹⁷ teach that the Mass can be offered not only in honor of the saints, but also for them, namely, so that their cult on earth may be increased, and thus an advantage may accrue indirectly to the faithful on earth. It is better, however, and more true to say that the Mass cannot be offered for the saints, because even their accidental beatitude does not seem mutable on account of human prayers. Nothing prevents someone, however, from offering Mass to obtain the canonization of one who has already been solemnly beatified by the Church. For by such a canonization not only is the accidental glory of the blessed person himself increased, but the devotion of the Christian people is also fostered. The fruit of the Mass can benefit all other men, whether living or deceased, and accordingly can be applied to them, unless the Church has prohibited it.

³¹⁷ For example, Lehmkuhl, Theol. mor. II, n. 245.

250. Ecclesiastical law, according to the discipline now in force, permits the Mass to be applied for any persons whatsoever, both living and deceased in purgatory; for excommunicated persons, however, only privately and with scandal removed.

It is not lawful to apply the Mass for an excommunicated person vitandus, except to obtain his conversion.³¹⁸ Previous statutes, therefore, if any existed, have now been revoked, and the Mass can be applied even for living and deceased non-Catholics, provided this is done privately and scandal is removed.

For deceased persons to whom ecclesiastical burial has been denied, for example, for those who ordered that their body be delivered for cremation, not only the funeral Mass but also the anniversary Mass is prohibited, at least if the application is made publicly.

³¹⁸ Code of Canon Law, cc. 809 and 2262, § 2, n. 2.

S. Th. III, q. 79, a. 3; Suppl., q. 71.

354. Principle I. The sacrifice of the altar is offered in the name of the Church, or of the society of the faithful, by Christ, the head of this society; whence it is offered directly for the good of the faithful and of their society, namely, for its conservation and propagation, and thus indirectly for others, namely, that by their conversion the Church may be increased.

Therefore the general fruit directly profits 1. all living faithful, i.e., all members of the body of the Church which belong to the communion of saints, and 2. the faithful departed, under which name there do not indeed come the damned, such as unbaptized infants, who do not belong to the Church, nor the Saints: for to these and to those the sacrifice does not profit, - but a) all baptized deceased who are in purgatory, although on earth they adhered to heresy or schism: for with the obstacle of adhesion to their sect removed, they now belong perfectly to the Church, and are of those who have preceded us with the sign of faith; indeed b) also probably all who, though not baptized, are in purgatory, because they belong to the Church in the manner in which it exists in purgatory, and are simply of the mystical body of Christ: for in purgatory the distinction between the body and soul of the Church is lacking.

That the sacrifice is offered for the dead is proved both by the example of the Old Law (II Macc. XII, 43), and from tradition, which is established by the Liturgies, the Fathers¹ (n. 342), and the sense and practice of the Church; and also from the definition of faith by the Council of Trent, sess. 22, c. 2, can. 3, and sess. 25, de purg., confirming the doctrine of the Council of Florence, decree of union.

¹ There can be compared: Did. ap. VI, 59; Tertullian, de cor., 3; de exh. cast., 11; de monog., 10; Cyprian, ep. 66, n. 2; Cyril of Jerusalem, c. XXIII, n. 8-10; Chrysostom, hom. 3 in Phil., n. 4; hom. 21 in Acts, n. 4; Epiphanius, anacephal. II; Ambrose, de off. I, 48; Augustine, in Hept., q. 57, n. 4; conf. IX, 12.

355. Principle II. The Church generally and regularly does not pray except for the faithful and for the conversion of others; exceptionally, however, it sometimes prays for others and for goods of theirs of whatever kind. - Thus for catechumens, heretics, schismatics, unbelievers, or a nation or homeland of unbelievers, as is established both by examples of the Old Law (I Esdr. VI; II Macc. III), and from the doctrine of the Apostle (I Tim. II, 1 sq.), and from the history of the Church.

It can also pray for them through the sacrifice of the Mass, and similarly the priest has the power of offering for them and applying the special fruit for them; in which cases Christ too would pray for them, unless perhaps they placed an obstacle.

356. Principle III. The priest validly applies the sacrifice to whomever he wishes, living or dead, provided that this person is not incapable; nevertheless not licitly, because the Church prohibits certain applications.

According to the discipline now in force, the following is prohibited:

1. Public application, such as can be known to the community from an announcement made, or from the nature of the thing, as in a funeral Mass and a sung anniversary:

a) for any living excommunicated persons (can. 2262), because the effect of the censure is privation of the public suffrages of the Church;

b) for the deceased to whom ecclesiastical burial was denied (can. 1241).

Such are unbelievers (catechumens excepted), notorious apostates, those notoriously addicted to a heretical or schismatic sect or to the Masonic sect or to others of the same kind, those excommunicated or interdicted after sentence, those who ordered their body to be handed over to cremation, public and manifest sinners. But if in doubt the Ordinary has granted ecclesiastical burial to any of these, a public Mass can also be said.

2. Private application, namely, one which is made secretly and hiddenly, and is known only to the priest or to one or another person, is prohibited for excommunicated persons to be avoided, unless for their conversion (can. 2262, § 2, 2).

Therefore privately it is now licit for all, faithful and unbelievers, even heretics and schismatics, living and dead, also with a stipend accepted, or according to their intention, to apply, scandal nevertheless being excluded (S. Off., July 12, 1865), and only excommunicated persons to be avoided being excluded. Whence can. 809: "It is permitted to apply Mass for any persons whatever, both living and also the dead expiating admitted faults by the fire of purgatory, with due regard for the prescription of can. 2262, § 2, n. 2," in which it is said: "Priests are not prohibited from applying Mass privately and with scandal removed for an excommunicated person (such as by can. 2314, § 1 a heretic and schismatic is judged to be); but, if he is to be avoided, only for his conversion."

357. Corollaries. - 1. A priest is not prohibited from praying privately for an excommunicated person, even one to be avoided, also during the memento of the Mass.

2. An application made against the prohibition of the Church, although illicit, nevertheless is valid; whence a priest who has accepted a stipend for such an application, once the application has been made, is not bound to restitution.

Question 3. Can the Sacrifice of the Mass be offered for all indiscriminately?

Resp. It is permitted to apply Mass for any persons whatsoever, both living and also the dead expiating their offenses by the fire of purgatory, with due regard for the prescription of Can. 2262, §2, n. 2. (Can. 809). This prescription has itself thus: "Nevertheless Priests are not prohibited from applying Mass privately and with scandal removed for him (i.e. an excommunicated person); but, if he is one to be avoided, only for his conversion." This power is indeed most ample, for any persons whatsoever, living as well as dead, expiating their offenses by the fire of purgatory; and although an excommunicated person does not become a participant of indulgences, suffrages, and the public prayers of the Church, priests are not prohibited from applying Mass privately and with scandal removed for him; but if he is one to be avoided, only for his conversion; therefore for any living excommunicated persons it is lawful so to apply it, indeed for one to be avoided, provided it is only for his conversion; for all souls of the dead, provided they are purging. We see, therefore, the opinion of Cardinal Bellarmine confirmed, which Benedict XIV explains in the Constitution Ex quo primum: "Now heretics and schismatics are subject to the censure of major excommunication. But the sacred Canons of the Church forbid public prayer for excommunicated persons. For this reason the Venerable Cardinal Bellarmine writes most excellently to our matter: 'Someone asks whether at this time it is lawful to offer the Sacrifice for the conversion of Heretics or of some Infidels. The reason for doubting is that the whole Liturgy of the Latin Church, which is now in use, is referred to the faithful, as is clear from the prayers of oblation both outside and within the Canon. I answer. I judge that this is lawful, provided nothing is added to the Mass, but the Sacrifice is applied only through the intention of the priest to the conversion of infidels or heretics: for pious and learned men do this, whom we cannot reprehend, nor does there exist an express prohibition of the Church.'" But Cardinal Bellarmine here speaks of the application of Mass in the ordinary sense. Therefore, the Supreme Pontiff makes this doctrine of Bellarmine his own. And what pious and learned men did at that time, many pious priests do even today, that is, secretly apply the special fruit in diverse cases, without public announcement and without a special liturgical prayer. Nor do various recent responses demonstrate that this is illicit. The following cases are resolved thus.

For tolerated excommunicated persons, a secret celebration can be made, both for their conversion and, according to others and not improbably, for any other honest end; nor is secret application forbidden for those same persons when dead, if their good faith and repentance are probable. Cf. Wernz, v. 3, n. 542. Gasparri, n. 483. Concerning heretics and schismatics, living and dead, the same must be said: secret celebration is permitted for the conversion of the living or for other honest ends, and for the rest of the dead if their good faith is probable. Concerning living infidels, these things certainly seem able to be rightly established: for their conversion and any other honest intention, secret celebration is licit; for those same persons dead in infidelity, secret celebration is licit provided before death they gave probable signs of repentance. But in all these cases scandal must be avoided, communication with one to be avoided must be avoided, the stipend from him must be avoided, etc., lest men judge that the Church esteems faithful and pious sons and heretics, excommunicated persons, or other outcasts by one and the same valuation; furthermore, if there is any other special law in this matter, it must be diligently observed.

And therefore it is not lawful to say Mass and to accept alms from a heretic or schismatic for their intention, unless it is established that the alms are offered by them for obtaining conversion. - Cf. Response of the Holy Office, 19 April 1837. On the other hand, we can celebrate Mass for the intention of infidels and accept alms from them, provided there is no scandal and nothing is added in the Mass, and as regards the intention it is established that nothing evil or erroneous or superstitious underlies it in the infidels offering the alms. Holy Office, 12 Jul. 1865. Therefore stipends are licitly accepted from infidels, and Mass is applied for their liberation from illness, etc. S. C. de Prop. Fide, 11 March 1848. But it is not lawful to accept stipends for infidels or heretics or schismatics or excommunicated persons dead in manifest infidelity, heresy, schism, or contumacy: this prohibition is valid not only when an application of this kind would be known to many, but also when it would be known only to the priest and to him who gives the alms. Holy Office, 7 April 1875. Marc, n. 1601. A priest to whom a stipend is offered for some heretic in particular will be able to respond that he can apply Mass for all the faithful departed, with the intention also of helping that soul, if it is acceptable before God. It is not illicit sometimes to pray publicly and say Mass for living infidel, heretical, or schismatic kings as governing the state; but to do the same for those same persons when dead is forbidden by the old and new discipline of the Church. Gregory XVI to the Bishops of Augsburg, 16 Feb. 1842. - Cf. Gasparri, nn. 478 and following. "Il Monitore Eccles." v. 13, p. 132. - Wernz, v. 3, n. 542. - Genicot, n. 221. - Bulot, nn. 375 and following. - Sebastiani, n. 453.

Question 7. Does Mass benefit the dead from the infallible promise of Christ?

Resp. Affirmatively, for Mass is usefully offered for the dead, as is established from Trent, sess. 22, can. 3; but this cannot be done except from the promise of Christ, which is reported in Matt. xxvi, 28: "This is My Blood ... which will be poured out for many unto the remission of sins." This is also established from the words of the form in the conferral of Orders: "Receive the power to offer sacrifice to God, and to celebrate Masses both for the living and for the dead in the name of the Lord. Amen." - Nevertheless, temporal punishment is not remitted to the dead by a certain law, but it benefits them only by way of suffrage, according as it shall have pleased God to accept it. - Cf. Perrone, n. 282.

Question 8. Does a Mass of Requiem benefit the dead more than a Mass of the Saints?

Resp. Negatively, as to the substance or from the part of the sacrifice; but affirmatively as to accidentals or from the part of the prayers, the defect of which devotion can supply. - Note here that a Mass of Requiem and in black vestments can be applied for a living person, provided he who gives the alms has not expressly declared the opposite. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 310, after St. Thomas, Suppl. q. 72, art. 3. - S. C. Rit., 29 Nov. 1856.

I. QUESTION I. Is the value of the Sacrifice of the Mass infinite? ANSWER. There is a twofold value: one ex opere operato, which proceeds from the work itself immediately instituted by Christ; another ex opere operantis, which is the effect of the merit and dignity of the minister. Theologians dispute on either side whether the value ex opere operato be infinite: for that the other is finite we all maintain. In few words I resolve the question. If the value be regarded absolutely, and inasmuch as it expresses power and sufficiency, without doubt it is infinite: since the Sacrifice of the Mass is the same as regards sufficiency as the Sacrifice of the Cross; the manner only of offering is diverse. But if it be regarded as it is offered by ministers and in second act, thus it is limited and finite. What of this, that the Sacrifice of the Cross itself as regards the application produces a limited effect in us, because the disposition of the subject is finite? If the effect of the Sacrifice of the Mass were infinite, it would profit all equally as much as one or another; a single Mass would free all the souls of Purgatory; and yet the Church never ceases from offering sacrifices for the dead.

II. QUESTION II. What are the effects of the Sacrifice of the Mass? ANSWER. The Council of Trent, session 22, chapter 2, teaches here that the Sacrifice of the Mass is rightly offered, according to the tradition of the Apostles, not only for the sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities of the living faithful, but also for the dead in Christ not yet fully purged. Since the Sacrifice of the Mass is propitiatory, it avails for the pardon of sins and for satisfaction, as the same Council in the same place, canon 3, defined. Through the Sacrifice sins are remitted mediately, inasmuch as God bestows upon the sinner actual graces by which he is stirred up and disposed to penitence. Upon the just it confers an increase of grace, and profits them for the remission of venial sins. By this Sacrifice also we obtain temporal goods, inasmuch as the use of them conduces to eternal life. The Sacrifice of the Mass therefore is ordained to temporal goods not as to an end, but as to means whose use marks out the way to the end.

III. QUESTION III. To whom and for whom is the Sacrifice of the Mass offered? ANSWER. All Catholics teach that the Sacrifice of the Mass is offered to God alone, and that as temples and altars are erected and consecrated to God alone, as Trent defined, session 22, chapter 3.

IV. But the Sacrifice of the Mass can be offered for all men — pagans, Jews, schismatics, heretics, the excommunicated — but especially for catechumens, and for the faithful. And this is drawn from St. Paul himself, who in 1 Timothy 2 says: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Christ suffered for all: therefore for all the Sacrifice can be offered. By a stronger right it is offered for the faithful, who are joined to Christ by the bond of faith. That the sacrifice is not to be offered for the damned all teach. Neither is sacrifice offered for the saints reigning with God, because there is nothing to be sought in them.

V. QUESTION IV. Can the Sacrifice be offered for the pious souls detained in Purgatory? ANSWER. All Catholics affirm it, and this is gathered from the perennial tradition of the Church and from holy Scripture, especially from 2 Maccabees, chapter 12. And this Trent defined, session 22, chapter 2: that the Sacrifice of the Mass is offered not only for the sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities of the living faithful, but also for the dead, rightly, according to the tradition of the Apostles. This same it declared in canon 3. The testimonies of the Fathers and of other councils I pass over for brevity's sake.

VI. QUESTION V. Who is the minister of the Sacrifice of the Mass? ANSWER. That priests alone are the ministers of this Sacrifice the Catholic Church has always taught, and against the innovators Trent defined, session 7, canon 10: If anyone shall say that all Christians have power in the word and in administering all the sacraments, let him be anathema. And again, session 22, canon 2, it adds: If anyone shall say that by those words, "Do this for a commemoration of me," Christ did not institute the Apostles priests, or did not ordain that they and other priests should offer his body and blood, let him be anathema. Christ the Lord, as the eternal priest according to the order of Melchisedech, is the principal offerer. Priests offer as ministers and vicars of the same Christ. They offer indeed as true priests ordained to this ministry, but ministerially. The faithful people offers by desire, by will, and by spiritual conjunction with the offerer.

VII. QUESTION VI. Do wicked priests — heretics, schismatics, the suspended, the excommunicated, the degraded — validly perform the sacrifice? ANSWER. That priests stained with mortal sin validly consecrate all Catholics teach. That the others recounted also validly perform the Sacrifice all theologians teach with St. Thomas, III, q. 82, art. 7, reply 3. Since although the exercise of the order can be suspended by a lawful superior, the power of the order nevertheless cannot be blotted out. It is not lawful nevertheless either to assist at the Sacrifice or to seek communion from excommunicated, suspended, degraded, heretical, or schismatic priests.

VIII. Private Masses, in which the priests alone communicate, are lawful, as the Council of Trent defined, session 22, chapter 6, against the innovators.

Caius, an old missionary in England, recently indeed poured forth private prayers to God for the deceased Queen, but thought it would be a sin to do anything else. Not therefore without astonishment did he hear that in a neighboring Catholic church an evening memorial service, as it is called, had been held with a special sermon; that in another a Mass had been privately applied, as the priest there afterwards publicly announced; and that in another a Requiem Mass had been publicly celebrated for the soul of the deceased. Wondering, therefore, Caius consulted a theologian about what was to be judged concerning the aforesaid things. Hence it is asked:

1. Is it prohibited by divine or natural law to pour forth prayers publicly or privately, or to apply Mass, for any persons whatsoever?

2. What is prohibited in this matter by ecclesiastical law?

3. What is to be said of the case?

1. Is it forbidden by divine or natural law to pray publicly or privately or to apply Mass for any one?

Apart from scandal or other extrinsic reasons we are not forbidden by divine or natural law to pray or to offer Mass for any one whom it will benefit. It is useless to pray or to offer Mass for the damned.

2. What is forbidden in this matter by ecclesiastical law?

The Church by her sentence deprives excommunicated persons of a share in the public suffrages offered by her ministers in her name. All acknowledge that by this law it is forbidden to pray or offer Mass publicly for those who are to be avoided as excommunicates. Some hold that it does not prohibit public prayer for those excommunicates who are tolerated. Some think that it is a law which has force only in the external forum, and that privately we may offer Mass for all whom it will benefit, as we may and certainly should pray for all men privately.¹

1 Manual of Moral Theology, vol. ii, p. 116.

3. The case. The wonder felt by Caius at an evening memorial service with sermon being held in a Catholic Church for one who had died out of her communion, was not without grounds. Such a thing savors of heterodoxy, not of Catholicism, which does not allow such things to be introduced into her public worship by private authority. If the priest who said Mass privately for the dead Queen had kept it to himself, nothing could have been said against him, but when he announced publicly that he had done it, it was much the same as if he had publicly announced beforehand that he was going to do it, and this is not tolerated by the usage of the Church. The Requiem Mass publicly offered for the dead Queen was contrary to the practice of the Church, which we should follow in all things, and against the express declaration of Gregory XVI, 16 Feb. 1842: “By both ancient and new discipline it is forbidden that persons who have died in the external and notorious profession of heresies be honored with Catholic rites.”

Caius, a priest of a certain religious Order, hears that Julius, a companion of the same Order, has recently died and is to be buried on that very day. The following day is of the double rite; if it is lawful by ecclesiastical laws, Caius and the other priest-companions who serve the same church would like to celebrate a Requiem Mass for the soul of Julius. Caius therefore asks whether this is lawful either by the decree of May 19, 1896, or by the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites of Dec. 11, 1897, by which the Rubric of the Missal On Masses of the Dead, no. 2, is changed in this manner: in place of the words—“except on double feasts and Sundays”—the following are read: “Private Masses for the Dead, as on the day of death or burial, may be celebrated even on doubles when the body is present and unburied, or even when it has been buried for not more than two days; except on doubles of the first class, days excluding doubles of the first class, and feasts of precept.” Hence it is asked:

1. When is a funeral Mass permitted and prohibited?

2. When is a private Mass for the Dead permitted and prohibited?

3. What is to be said of the case?

1. On what days may a solemn or sung Mass for the dead be said?

In the presence of the body it can be celebrated on any day, provided that the conventual Mass, where it binds, or the parish Mass, if it is a Sunday or feast day, and the divine offices are not impeded, and a great solemnity of the day does not prevent it.¹

1 De Herdt, Sacra lit. Praxis, n. 56.

A list of the days on which according to this rule solemn or sung Mass for the dead is forbidden is usually given in the Ordo.

2. When may a private Mass for the dead be said?

It is prohibited on all Sundays and double feasts;

on days within the octaves of the Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, the Most Holy Body of Christ, and the Nativity of the Lord; on Ash Wednesday; throughout Holy Week; on the vigils of the Epiphany, Pentecost, and the Nativity of the Lord; during exposition of the Most Holy Sacrament for a private cause, at the altar of exposition only; but when it is exposed for a public cause, at all the altars of the church; and on days of the station of the church or of another solemnity. On all remaining days a private Requiem Mass is permitted.²

2 De Herdt, n. 63.

Moreover, According to the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites of May 19, 1896, in any cemetery chapel duly erected or to be erected, the Masses which are permitted to be celebrated there can be Requiem Masses on days not impeded by a double feast of the first or second class, by Sundays and other feasts of precept to be observed, nor by privileged ferias, vigils, and octaves. Ibid. n. 64. And, “For a poor deceased person whose family is unable to pay the expenses of a sung funeral Mass, this Mass can be read under the same clauses and conditions under which a sung Mass is granted, provided that on Sundays and other feasts of precept the Mass corresponding to the office of the current day is not omitted.

“In a church or oratory, whether public or private, and in chapels belonging to seminaries, colleges, and religious or pious communities of either sex, on the day on which a funeral is held there with a solemn funeral Mass, throughout the time in which the body of the deceased is physically or morally present, private Requiem Masses are permitted, provided that they are applied for the deceased himself; except on the following days: all Sundays; all double feasts of the first class; the privileged ferias of Ash Wednesday and Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week; the vigils of the Nativity of the Lord and Pentecost; and the octave days of the Nativity of the Lord and the Epiphany.”¹

1 De Herdt, n. 57.

3. The case. Caius may have one solemn or sung Mass de Requie on the day mentioned, as De Herdt says, n. 58. Private Masses de Requie are forbidden, as the body of Julius is not present either physically or morally. If the body of Julius were present all the priests might say a private Mass de Requie for the repose of his soul, but if they were said in a church or public oratory they should be said on the day when a solemn or sung Mass was said for the funeral.