Vestments, the server, and their obligation

Of the vestments, at least the alb, chasuble, stole, and maniple are required under grave precept; the amice and the girdle, as also a pall, purificator, and crucifix, are required under a less serious obligation.

The server should be a Catholic and of the male sex, but if one cannot be procured, a woman may make responses from outside the altar rails (Can. 813).

It is a disputed point among theologians whether the proper colour of the sacred vestments is of strict precept; and they deny that there is a strict precept with regard to the use of a veil for the chalice, a burse, and a. stand for the Missal.

393. • QUESTION 3. Is the color of the vestments a matter of precept?

Reply. Affirmative, because all the Rubrics which concern the ceremonies accompanying the Mass are regarded as preceptive ². Nevertheless, this Rubric does not seem to bind under grave sin unless scandal is present, for example, if Mass were celebrated on Easter or another solemn day in black vestments. Hence a cause that is not very grave can excuse from this precept. - St. Lig., no. 378.

² St. Alphonsus indeed holds this general principle concerning the proper obligation of the Rubrics as the more probable opinion (bk. 6, no. 578, dub. 5); but, as we have said elsewhere, other Doctors deny this very principle. However that may be, a merely probable principle is not of such a kind that firmer conclusions can be deduced from it; here, therefore, we have a merely probable precept or obligation. Add, moreover, that St. Alphonsus himself (loc. cit.), in support of the opinion denying a strict obligation concerning the use of colors, adduces decidedly more Doctors than he does in support of the affirmative opinion. Moreover, the same St. Alphonsus, after Lacroix (bk. 6, part 2, no. 340), praises the opinion of Sporer, namely, that it is better on any day to celebrate Mass in any color than to omit it; hence, St. Alphonsus adds, Sporer rightly says that, a fortiori, every reasonable cause excuses. From this someone could conclude that, if you must celebrate a votive Mass in order to satisfy an obligation, but the rector of the church, in order to avoid an incongruous diversity of colors, as they are accustomed to object, refuses to give you suitable vestments, you can safely use the counsel of Sporer; especially because, although you hold that some precept has force here, the Author nevertheless also observes that a cause which is not very grave can excuse from it.

QUESTION 4. What colors are required in the vestments?

Reply. Vestments of white, red, green, violet, and black color are required. Vestments made from vitreous silken fabrics are entirely rejected. Thus the S. Congregation of Rites, Sept. 11, 1847, in Atrebatensi. Likewise rejected are vestments of various colors (in French, de toutes couleurs), which not a few persons maintain can be used on every feast because flowers of every color are intermingled in them. The S. Congregation of Rites prohibited these on Sept. 23, 1837; and thus they can represent only that color which is primary and predominant.

Vestments of yellow and blue color are entirely prohibited. - Thus the S. Congregation of Rites, Nov. 12, 1831. Vestments of cloth of gold (drap d'or) are permitted, however, and according to the usage of Rome they are employed for the colors white and red.

389. On the requisites for celebrating. - A. An altar is a quadrangular stone destined and consecrated for sacrificing. "This indeed," says St. Thomas, a. 3, ad 5, "belongs to the signification of this sacrament, both because the altar signifies Christ: for it is said in I Cor. X, 4 [the printed text has X, 3]: But the rock was Christ; and also because the body of Christ was laid away in a stone sepulcher. It also belongs to the use of the sacrament: for stone is solid, and can easily be found everywhere, which was not necessary in the Old Law, where the altar was made in one place."

One altar is fixed, i.e., a stone mensa or table, consisting of one natural, whole, and non-friable stone, together with the supports, consecrated with the same by way of one thing (can. 1197, 1° and 1198, § 1): the stone table or mensa ought to extend to the whole altar, and to adhere suitably to the support (for example with lime or cement); but the support (i.e., the base) should be of stone, or at least the sides or little columns by which the mensa is sustained should be of stone (can. 1198, § 2), although it is not necessary that they be of one stone. It is required that in a consecrated church at least one altar, especially the principal one, be fixed.

Another is movable, namely a stone, for the most part small, which alone is consecrated; or a stone with a support which, however, was not consecrated together with the same (can. 1197, § 1, 2°): in this latter case the altar is called fixatium, which suffices for gaining indulgences; otherwise it is called a sacred stone, which then must be inserted in an altar made of wood or of another material, as the Missal has it. The stone should consist of one natural, whole, and non-friable stone, and should be so broad that it can hold at least the host and the greater part of the chalice (can. 1198, § 1 and 3).

In each altar, fixed or movable, there must be a sepulcher closed with a stone, containing relics (can. 1198, § 4), from parts of the body of several Saints, especially martyrs (S. C. R., Oct. 6, 1837); nevertheless for the validity of the consecration it suffices that the relics of one martyr be included (Feb. 16, 1906).

It is a grave precept to celebrate the sacrifice of the Mass upon a consecrated altar, as is clear from the constant practice of the Church, from the Missal, general rubrics, tit. 20; de def., tit. 10, and from can. 822, § 1 and 2, and indeed in such a way that it is never lawful to celebrate without an altar (S. C. P. F., Sept. 2, 1780), and the Holy See never grants an indult of celebrating outside an altar. Hence scarcely could a case be given in which it would be licit, except "perhaps in a case of threatened death, not however in contempt of religion," says Billuart, diss. VIII, a. 10.

Let it be noted: a) The altar must be consecrated according to the liturgical laws and the proper rite to which the celebrant belongs.

b) When an altar of his own rite is lacking, it is lawful for a priest, in his own rite, to celebrate on an altar consecrated in another Catholic rite; but not upon the antimensions of the Greeks (can. 823, § 2), which are not stone altars but certain cloths, consecrated with the rite and in place of altars, which the Greeks use even outside an altar.

c) On papal altars let no one celebrate without an apostolic indult (can. 823, § 3).

d) An altar, both immovable and movable, must be reserved only for divine offices, and especially for the celebration of Mass, every profane use being entirely excluded (can. 1202, § 1).

e) Beneath the altar no corpse is to be laid away; but corpses which perhaps have been buried near the altar should be distant from it by a space of at least one meter; otherwise it is not licit to celebrate Mass on the altar until the corpse is removed (can. 1202, § 2).

It is a grave sin to perform the sacred rite outside an altar, or upon an altar not consecrated, or execrated, i.e., one which has lost its consecration, or interdicted. According to can. 1200:

"§ 1. An immovable altar loses consecration if the table or mensa is separated from the support, even for a moment of time; in which case the Ordinary can permit that a priest again perform the consecration of the altar with a shorter rite and formula.

"§ 2. Both an immovable altar and a sacred stone lose consecration:

"1° If they are broken enormously, whether by reason of the quantity of the fracture, or by reason of the place of the anointing (as if the table has been divided into two or more notable parts, or if the broken-off part contains one of the lateral crosses specially anointed by the bishop in the consecration of the altar).

"2° If the relics are removed, or the cover of the sepulcher is broken or removed, except the case in which the bishop himself or his delegate removes the cover in order to fasten or repair it, or to replace it, or to visit the relics.

"§ 3. A slight fracture of the cover does not induce execration, and any priest can fasten a small crack with cement.

"§ 4. The execration of a church does not carry with it the execration of altars, whether immovable or movable; and conversely."

B. Ornament of the altar. - From the general rubrics of the Missal, tit. 20, the altar ought to be ornamented in this way:

1° It should be covered with three clean and blessed altar cloths or linens. They ought to be made of linen or fine hemp (S. C. R., May 15, 1819): the upper one ought to be long, hanging down on each side all the way to the ground (June 9, 1899); the other two can be shorter, or one doubled.

2° On the front face it should be adorned with a pallium or antependium, of a color, as far as possible, fitting the feast day or office; unless, however, the structure itself does not need an antependium, as if it is of marble, or adorned with metal or precious stone, or made in the manner of a tomb or urn.

3° With a cross placed upon it in the middle, with the image of the Crucified, and with at least two candlesticks with lighted candles, on this side and that on each side of it. The cross ought to be large enough that the celebrating priest and the people assisting at the sacrifice can easily and conveniently look upon the Crucified. But if on the altar there is a large image of the Crucified, painted or carved, another cross is not required; likewise, if celebration takes place at an altar where the most holy Sacrament is publicly exposed, the cross is not necessary, but each church is to preserve its own custom in this matter (S. C. R., Sept. 2, 1741): nevertheless the practice cannot be tolerated of placing the cross on the throne which serves for the public exposition of the most holy Sacrament (June 2, 1883 and June 11, 1904).

The candles ought, at least for the greater part, to be of wax (S. C. R., Dec. 14, 1909, Dec. 13, 1957). Cardinals and Bishops excepted, in a strictly private Mass it is not licit for other priests to have four candles lit, but by reason of some solemnity it is permitted to have even more (S. C. R., Sept. 12, 1857).

4° With the card of the secret prayers at the foot of the cross, and the missal upon a cushion or a small lectern at the epistle corner. Two other smaller cards are now customarily placed at each corner of the altar; these were introduced by use and for the sake of greater convenience, but are not prescribed.

The Missal adds: a) "On the epistle side let a candle be prepared to be lit at the elevation of the sacrament" until communion. But this usage has almost commonly ceased, and this custom can be observed (S. C. R., June 9, 1899); nevertheless among the Preachers the usage has remained.

b) "Upon the altar let absolutely nothing be placed which does not pertain to the sacrifice of the Mass or to the ornament of the altar itself." Nevertheless for ornament the sacred relics and images and flowers can be placed there, as is clear from condemned proposition 23 of the Synod of Pistoia; but from relics and images one must abstain in the time of Passiontide, and, excepting images of adoring angels, also during the public exposition of the most holy Sacrament; from flowers in the time of Advent and Lent, excepting feasts occurring (S. C. R., May 11, 1878).

It is a sin to transgress the aforesaid prescriptions without necessity or without an indult; but it is grave to celebrate, without grave necessity, without any altar cloth, or without any light, or without a missal; the last of these exposes one to the danger of erring, whence it would not be done licitly except in the case in which the missal was lacking and the priest from experience was truly certain that he would not err.

If light fails during Mass, if before the consecration it fails totally and another cannot be had, one must desist from the celebration; if only one candle is extinguished, or even both but after the consecration, one must not desist, but the sacrifice must be completed. If the candles are extinguished during celebration, they should be lit again, but without meanwhile interrupting the sacred rite.

C. Sacred vessels and accessories. - The sacred vessels required under grave obligation are the chalice with the paten, made of the due material, and indeed consecrated by a bishop or by one having the privilege; it would be gratuitously affirmed that this consecration is conferred by the mere use of the chalice in celebrating Mass. "Consecrations," says St. Thomas, a. 3, "are applied to those things which come into the use of this sacrament, both on account of reverence for the sacrament, and for representing the effect of sanctity which comes from the passion of Christ, according to that Hebr. XIII, 12: Jesus, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood..."

The chalice ought to be of gold or silver, at least as to the cup, as the Missal says, tit. 1, n. 1, - and in a state of poverty, it can be of pewter, or, as has more recently been conceded, of aluminum mixed with other metals (S. C. R., Dec. 6, 1866); the cup and the surface of the paten, if they are not golden, must under grave obligation be gilded inside (can. 1305, § 2). It cannot be of bronze, copper, brass, wood, horn, much less of glass on account of fragility. As St. Thomas reports, ibid., ad 6: "It has been established that 'the chalice of the Lord with the paten should be made either wholly of gold, or of silver, or at least be had of pewter. Let it not be made of bronze or brass, because by reason of the power of wine it produces verdigris and likewise provokes vomiting. But let no one presume to sing Mass in a wooden or glass chalice,'" namely, because wood is porous, and the consecrated Blood would remain in it; but glass is fragile, and danger of breaking could be imminent; and the same reason applies concerning stone. And therefore on account of reverence for the sacrament it has been established that the chalice be made from the aforesaid materials." - In certain regions a small spoon is joined to the chalice, by which water is put into the wine; its use is not prohibited (S. C. R., Feb. 6, 1858): it can be made of any material and is not to be blessed.

As accessories of the most holy vessels there are required:

1° The corporal, pall, and purificator: the first two ought to be blessed, but not the third; yet all three must be clean and made of linen or hemp. Nevertheless nothing prevents the corporal, or the pall in its upper part, from being ornamented with gold or silk, provided that the corporal is not ornamented in the middle; and that the linen pall attached beneath covers the chalice, and the upper cloth is not of black color nor bears any signs of death (S. C. R., June 17, 1894).

2° The veil and burse, each of the same material and color as the vestments of the celebrant; nevertheless they are not to be blessed separately.

3° The cruets with a little basin and clean hand-towel; the cruets should not be golden or silver, except for a bishop, but glass; nevertheless the custom can be tolerated of using golden and silver ones (S. C. R., April 28, 1866).

4° The little bell, the use of which serves so that to those standing by who cannot see and hear the celebrant, the more principal parts of the Mass and the chief actions concerning the sacred things may become known, and that attention and devotion may be impressed upon all. Two ringings are prescribed: at the Sanctus and at each Elevation; a third is often added immediately before the consecration to stir up more the attention of the faithful. In certain regions or churches it is also customary to ring at the signing of the chalice with the sacred host before the Pater noster, and at Domine non sum dignus before communion; this, where it is the custom, can be tolerated (S. C. R., May 14, 1856), but ought not to be observed.

It is a grave sin to celebrate without the due chalice with consecrated paten, or with an execrated chalice, or without a blessed corporal; the pall, purificator, and other accessories are required only under light obligation: in defect of a pall the chalice could be covered either with the corporal, if it is broad enough, as formerly was done, or with the burse or purificator.

From can. 1305 the chalice with the paten is execrated: a) if they have undergone such injuries or changes that they have lost their former form, and are no longer held suitable for their uses: thus a chalice is execrated when it is totally broken or is perforated in the bottom, or when the cup is torn away from the fixed foot; - but not if the cup is separated from the removable foot, because by a separation of this kind it does not lose form, since its parts can be joined without new workmanship; nor do the chalice and paten lose consecration by the consumption or repair of the gilding, saving, however, in the former case, the grave obligation of gilding them again;

b) if they have been applied to indecorous uses or exposed to public sale.

D. Six sacred vestments are enumerated in the Missal, de cel., tit. 1, which are of precept (can. 811): the amice, alb, cincture, maniple, stole, and chasuble or planeta. They must be blessed: the amice and alb ought to be of linen or hemp (S. C. R., Dec. 15, 1819); the cincture is more suitably linen, but it can be of cotton, wool, indeed even silk (Jan. 22, 1701 and Dec. 23, 1862); the maniple, stole, and chasuble ought to be of the same precious material, namely, of silk or half-silk or mixed silk, but not of cotton or linen cloth, or even of wool, nor of glass fabric (Sept. 23, 1837 and Sept. 11, 1847), and of the color fitting the office. They ought to be of one color, at least prevailing, so that they can be used for this alone; they cannot be of yellow color or golden color, but they are permitted of cloth of gold, which can be used for white, red, or even green, but not for violet or black (Dec. 5, 1868); likewise of silver cloth for vestments of white color (Nov. 20, 1885).

Vestments cannot be torn or ripped, but ought to be whole, clean, and beautiful, on account of reverence for the sacrament; nevertheless poverty or necessity can excuse from this if others cannot be had.

To celebrate without sacred vestments is very grave, and similarly without an alb or chasuble, so that it can never or scarcely ever be licit; - likewise it is grave to celebrate without a stole, which is the principal ornament of the priest, or with an alb, stole, or chasuble not blessed or execrated, or with vestments very torn or unclean, unless by reason of grave necessity; - the rest oblige only under light obligation, as also the color of the vestments, unless grave scandal is present.

Question 1. Which vestments are necessarily to be blessed? Resp. The vestments certainly to be blessed by the Ordinary or by a priest having the faculty, as among us, are the amice, alb, maniple, stole, and chasuble. Concerning the cincture, however, the pall, and the purificator, there is dispute. Also concerning the altar cloths, whether they ought to be blessed, there is not one opinion of theologians; and although St. Alphonsus adheres to the affirmative opinion, nevertheless he does not think the opposite altogether improbable. Corporals, however, certainly must be blessed under mortal sin, unless a case of necessity presses. Indeed, in a case of necessity one could celebrate even without a corporal, and a fortiori without a pall, but then a purificator or something else would have to be used in place of the corporal, and a burse or something else in place of the pall. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, nn. 375 and seq.

Question 2. Whether it is mortal to celebrate without any sacred vestment, or without a stole or alb, chasuble, maniple, or cincture? Resp. It is mortal to celebrate without any sacred vestment in every case and from whatever cause. Likewise, to celebrate without chasuble or alb, or without stole and maniple together. But probably it is not mortal to celebrate without a maniple or without a blessed maniple. Likewise, to celebrate without an amice, at least for those who do not use it for covering the head, but only the shoulders. The same also must be said of celebration without a cincture; hence a reasonable cause easily excuses from all these. Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 277. - Baller. note (a) p. 271.

Question 3. Whether the color of the vestments is of precept? Resp. Affirmatively, because all the Rubrics which regard the ceremonies accompanying Mass are held as preceptive. Yet this Rubric does not seem to oblige under grave sin unless scandal is present, for example, if on Easter day or another similar solemnity Mass were celebrated in black vestments. Hence a cause not so grave can excuse from this precept. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 378.

Question 4. Which colors are required in the paraments? Resp. Paraments of white, red, green, violet, and black color are required. Paraments woven together from silk and glass threads at the same time are altogether reprobated. Likewise reprobated are paraments of varied color which, on account of flowers of each color mixed in, not a few had thought could be used on every feast; but S. C. R. prohibited that this could be done, and therefore paraments of this kind can represent only that color which is primary and predominant. Paraments of yellow and blue color are also prohibited. But those which are of gold cloth are permitted, and according to some can be used for every color; according to many, for white, red, and green, but not for black or violet; but according to the use prevailing at Rome, from which one ought not depart, only for white and red.

Observe, however, 1°. that if the silk threads which are mixed with the gold threads are of the prescribed color, they can be used altogether safely for every color, namely, for white if the mixed threads are white, for red if they are red, etc., because then they really exhibit the required color.

Observe 2°. that for the use of paraments of this kind attention must be paid to custom; for when the doubt was proposed: "Whether sacred paraments really woven of gold, at least for the greatest part, can serve for any color, except violet and black," S. C. R. on 28 Apr. 1866 responded: "The custom of places is to be tolerated only in relation to paraments woven of gold." - Cf. De Herdt, vol. 1, n. 147. - Acta S. Sedis, vol. 4, p. 52.

Observe 3°. the response of S. C. R. given on 22 Nov. 1901 to the question: "Whether on the Third Sunday of Advent and the Fourth Sunday of Lent paraments of rose color can be used not only in solemn Mass, but also in private Masses and in the Office of the Sunday." S. C. R. responded: Affirmatively.

Question 5. From what material must the chalice and paten be fashioned, and whether they must necessarily be consecrated? Resp. From the present discipline, at least the cup of the chalice must be of gold, or of silver gilt within. But in a case of necessity a chalice of tin could be used. The paten must be of gold or of gilt silver. But they must always be consecrated under grave sin, because the precept concerns a grave matter. Observe, however, that among us, as is clear from the extraordinary faculties, T. n. 26, a simple priest could be deputed by the Bishop to consecrate a chalice, paten, and even an altar, provided he used oils blessed by the Bishop. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 279. Gousset, n. 323.

Question 6. In what way does sacred furnishing lose blessing or consecration? Resp. §1. Sacred furnishing, blessed or consecrated, loses blessing or consecration:

1°. If it has undergone such injuries or changes that it has lost its former form, and is no longer considered suitable for its uses;

2°. If it has been employed for indecorous uses or exposed to public sale.

§2. A chalice and paten do not lose consecration because of the consumption or renewal of the gilding, yet preserving, in the former case, the grave obligation of gilding them again (Can. 1305).

Question 7. What kind of sin is it to celebrate without a minister? Resp. It is mortal according to all. Yet Doctors commonly say that it is lawful to celebrate without a minister when necessity presses of administering Viaticum or, as others concede, in order that the people may hear a Mass of precept. But according to St. Alphonsus, Card. de Lugo, and others, a lesser necessity suffices for celebrating with a minister who does not know how to answer. Moreover, in a case of necessity a woman, especially a Nun, could answer from afar, but not properly minister at the altar by offering the cruets, etc. Cf. St. Alphonsus, nn. 391 and seq. - Acta S. Sedis, vol. 26, n. 572.¹

¹ Cf. Addenda, p. 1089, n. 15; p. 1115, n. 63.

Question 8. What kind of cross is required on the altar while Mass is celebrated? Resp. The cross which is required must not be slight, but must stand out among the candlesticks, so that the priest and the people can easily look upon it. But if on the altar on which Mass is celebrated there is a large image of the Crucified, whether sculpted or painted, it is not necessary to add another cross in the midst of the candlesticks. Likewise, if Mass is celebrated on an altar where the Most Blessed Sacrament is publicly exposed, a cross is not necessary, but it will be possible to expose it or not expose it according to the custom of places. In any case, however, to omit it does not exceed a venial sin. Indeed Kenrick says: "In missions necessity brings it about that a cross not very large is used." - Cf. Kenrick, n. 101.

Question 9. Whether, how many, and which lights are required? Resp. It is mortal to celebrate without any light at all, except in the single case when, after the consecration has been completed, the light is extinguished and no other can be had; for then the reason of completing the sacrifice presses. But in private Masses not fewer than two must be used, although to use only one is not grave, nor can more than two be lit, unless a Bishop celebrates or some extraordinary solemnity requires otherwise. But these lights must always be of wax, except in a case of absolute necessity, and consequently the use of candles of stearin is illicit. Indeed, according to St. Alphonsus it is mortal to use candles of tallow, because this savors of indecency. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 394. - Acta S. Sedis, vol. 3, p. 600.