Is Quo Primum still binding?
By Raymond Taouk
Quo Primum is a solemn papal decree binding on the Church "in perpetuity" and condemning any whom would depart from it, as the pope indicated.
First, in issuing the solemn decree, the pope is carrying out the decrees of a dogmatic council. Second, the Mass contains much essential doctrine (remember: lex orandi legem credendi statuit). Third, the Traditional Roman Rite of Mass is not an exceptional rite, but the universal rite of the Church, being the rite of the See of Rome. The pope was simply restating the 16-century Sacred Tradition of the Church in this case.
At no time in the future can a priest, whether secular or order priest, ever be forced to use any other way of saying Mass. Thus it can be said that the refusal of the new liturgy and adherence to the Traditional Mass, the suspension and any canonical pain are invalid in virtue of the Bull Quo Primum of St Pius V which give to all priest the perpetual right to celebrate the Mass of "St Pius V" and declares null and void any censures against a priest who celebrates this Mass". Further St. Puis V would not have made us of the severe condemnatory language that is used in Quo Primum if he were making some minor editions but rather it is because he was binding for all eternity the Mass of the Roman rite.
We must not wrongly think that Pope Pius V was "binding" something new. He was simply acknowledging that he was bound, as all popes are, by the Sacred Tradition of the Church. The fallacy that may be made is the "Tridentine Mass" idea. There is no essentially "Tridentine Mass." What is being talked about is the Latin (Roman) Mass of Sacred Tradition, as it was said at the Roman See, in essence from the beginning, but basically in the form we know it since at least the 6th century, and in most parts even earlier. Pope St. Pius V, was not introducing a new Mass; he was canonizing the Roman Mass which has been handed down to us from the Apostles. To further confirm this venerable Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) himself said in response to a request that he add the name of St. Joseph to the Canon of the Mass, "I am only the pope. What power have I to touch the Canon?"
Lets us not forget that when Pius V wrote "in perpetuum," he knew exactly what he meant by those words:
"By declaring Ex Cathedra that Quo Primum can never be revoked or modified, St. Pius V infallibly defined that Quo Primum is of itself irreformable. --Fr. Paul L. Kramer, B.Ph., S.T.B., M.Div., A Theological Vindication of Roman (Nazareth, India: Apostle Publications, 1997).
Further is the fact that this issue can be compare with the Gelasian decree in which the fourth century Pope attempted to name for all time which books constituted scripture and which did not. Was he attempting to bind all his successors to the same set of Biblical books? (Of course he was!) Could a later pope validly change that list by adding new books to scripture, or deleting any long accepted New Testament writings? (Of course not!)
The unification of scripture at that point so very clearly resembles the unification of the Liturgy under Pius V. Prior to that point there was some amount of local variation between various dioceses and even parishes and so certainly , if the pope and council (of Trent) would not permit even local variations from the Roman Rite and wished to make it uniform, they would not countenance a whole NEW rite, such as the Novus Ordo . In the case of Scripture, you had a number of congregations, which used the Epistle of Barnabas, the Revelation to Peter, the Shepherd of Hermas, and even the letters of Polycarp, Ignatius, and Pope Clement I. There were even some outright forgeries, such as the Revelation to Paul, the Acts of Andrew, or the Gospel of James which were also beginning to receive some recognition. On the other hand, some Christian communities still had their doubts about the Revelation to John, the letters of Peter, John, and Jude, and the letter to the Hebrews. The Gelasian decree settled on the exact list of scripture as we have it today. Likewise, there were a number of local variations in the Liturgy, resulting from some prayer or rubric being introduced here, but not there, or being omitted or changed there, but not here, and worst of all, some priests, for fear for their lives, were beginning to Protestantize their Liturgy so as to avoid any trouble by deleting out prayers and rubrics on their own initiative. Quo Primum merely did what the Gelasian decree had done.
Thus, 'Quo Primum' in not merely an ecclesiatical (human) law, because the rite of Mass codified in the Tridentine Missal is the "received and approved rite of the Roman Church" that has been "handed down by the Holy Roman Church." The status of Quo Primum, therefore, pertains to Divine Law in-as-much as it codifies what is contained in Sacred Tradition. For this reason, it has the infallibility of the Ordinary Magisterium, indirectly, as it touches on the Church's teachings on the Sacrifice of the Mass and Real Prescene protecting them from the innovations of heretics. Therefore, no pope can ever licitly abrogate 'Quo Primum Tempore' *without* betraying the Deposit of Faith. Pope Paul VI, in introducing the Novus Ordo Missae, did not even attempt to abrogate Quo Primum, Pope John Paul II has also recognized this fact (Latin Mass Magazine, May 5,1995).
The canonic principle is that laws are interpreted by the legislator (here the pope) and in accord with their proper meaning considered in their text and context (Canon 16.1, 17 [1983]). The strict censures imposed by the pope, even including excommunication upon printers who introduce defects and errors into their printings of the Roman Missal, leave no doubt that the pope considered the force of the bull perpetual and most grave.
What about those who appeal to Second Vatican ecumenical Council?
Vatican I affirms the following:
"And since, by the divine right of Apostolic primacy, one Roman pontiff is placed over the universal Church, We further teach and declare that he is the supreme judge of the faithful, and that in all causes the decision of which belongs to the Church recourse may be had to his tribunal, but that none may re-open the judgment of the Apostolic See, than whose authority there is no greater, nor can any lawfully review his judgment. Wherefore they err from the right path of truth who assert that it is lawful to appeal from the judgments of the Roman pontiffs to an ecumenical council, as to an authority higher than that of the Roman pontiff.
Thus such an appeal from the faithful Popes such as Pope Paul III, Julius III, Gregory XVI, Pius IX, Leo XIII, Pius X, Pius XI, and Pius XII, to an "ecumenical council," Vatican II, as to an authority greater than the Popes is clearly in violation of Vatican I and places such people under its harsh condemnation.
One might argue however that there was an old Roman Rite, which was different from our Tridentine Mass. The Tridentine Mass was a development resulting from a mixing of the Roman Rite with the Gallican Rite at the time of Charlemagne.(and the Mass wasn't even said in Latin that long ago)."
This however only meant that, there were a few Gallican prayers assimilated through Milan (remembering that the great St. Ambrose of the 4th century was the Archbishop of Milan), but the rite was essentially as we know it. The Roman Mass dates back from Apostolic times; specifically from the time of Sts. Peter & Paul in Rome.
Latin was most probably used in early times as traditionally, Sts. Peter and Paul founded the Roman Rite when they were in Rome before their martyrdom. Excavations at Pompeii, which was preserved in situ when Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, show evidence that the Christian liturgy was already being celebrated in Latin in Italy. Roman citizens would not be likely to take kindly to the use of the (Greek) language of a conquered people (the Romans having conquered Greece two centuries before the Christian era). Latin Mass itself as it did not did NOT change drastically up to1500 as some may say. It changed very little since Pope St. Gregory the Great (ca. 600), and relatively little for at least three centuries before that.
However, the Novus Ordo has changed the Mass completely. The changes go far beyond the use of the vernacular. The actual form of the Consecration has been changed. The Canon of the Mass, which according to the council of Trent cannot be removed, has been destroyed...
In addition to Quo Primum, two other documents have traditionally been printed at the front of every approved Roman Missal: Pope Clement VIII's Cum Sanctissimum (1604) and Pope Urban VIII's Si Quid Est (1634). Although both of these papal bulls renew the censure of excommunication imposed by Pope St. Pius V, neither of them contains this most grave imprecation.
The Mass is not simply an ecclesiastical law, a matter of discipline for the Latin (Western) Church, as even laymen are familiar with the principle enunciated by Pope St. Celestine I to the bishops of Gaul (422): "Legem credendi, lex statuit supplicandi" [the law of praying has established the law of believing], often shortened to "Lex orandi, lex credendi" [the law of praying (is) the law of believing]. In other words, it is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that teaches us our theology, not the other way around. The Mass comprises the Apostolic Tradition of faith and morals in its very essence. Every doctrine essential to the faith is taught in the text of the Mass. The notion that one pope can "overrule" his predecessors in such a matter is in implicit denial of the credal dogma that the Church is Apostolic.
The traditional Roman Mass in all its essentials was passed on by St. Peter, the first pope, to the Church, was according to St. Ambrose elaborated by the Apostles themselves, and reached its complete perfection with Popes St. Damasus (fourth century) and St. Gregory the Great (sixth century). As the great liturgical scholar Fr. Adrian Fortescue wrote, this Mass is "the most venerable in all Christendom, with a history of unbroken use far longer than that of any Eastern rite, there being no doubt that the essential parts of the Mass are of Apostolic origin."
Thus, the Mass that Pope St. Pius V was confirming in Quo Primum was not some new construct like the Novus Ordo Missae, but was essentially the Apostolic Mass of Sts. Peter and Paul at Rome. Nor is it the Mass of some particular area of the Church like the Eastern rites, but it is the universal rite of the Church, the rite of the Roman See.
We also note that accordig to the Canon Law now in force that a custom which is centuries old or exists from time immemorial may be considered abrogated only when such an abrogation is explicitly declared. This is stated in Canon 30. Now no document of the New mass has ever explicitly revoked the Latin Mass (not that it could be done anyhow in view of Quo primum without a serious departure from Catholicism).
Further according to the common opinion of Catholic theologians throughout the centuries, any pope who "wished to overturn the rites of the Church based on Apostolic Tradition" would become a schismatic, not to be obeyed. --Francisco Suarez (1548-1617), S.J., "Most Exalted and Pius Doctor," De Charitate, Disputatio XII de Schismate, sectio 1
"The way we worship is the way we believe" (lex orandis, lex credendi) -- Pope St Pius V
QUO PRIMUM
A BULL OF POPE ST. PIUS V
Pius Bishop
Servant of the Servants of God
For a Perpetual Memorial of the Matter
Upon Our elevation to the Apostolic throne, We gladly turned
Our mind and energies, and directed all Our thoughts, to the
matter of preserving incorrupt the public worship of the Church;
and We have striven, with God's help, by every means in Our power
to achieve that purpose.
Whereas amongst other decrees of the holy Council of Trent,
We were charged with revision and re-issue of the sacred books,
to wit, the Catechism, the Missal and the Breviary; and whereas
We have with God's consent published a Catechism for the
instruction of the faithful and thoroughly revised the Breviary
for the due performance of the Divine Office, We next, in order
that the Missal and Breviary might be in perfect harmony, as is
right and proper (considering that it is altogether fitting that
there should be in the Church only one appropriate manner of
Psalmody and one sole rite of celebrating Mass), deemed it
necessary to give Our immediate attention to what still remained
to be done, namely the re-editing of the Missal with the least
possible delay.
We resolved accordingly to delegate this task to a select
committee of scholars; and they, having at every stage of their
work and with the utmost care collated the ancient codices in Our
Vatican Library and reliable (original or amended) codices from
elsewhere, and having also consulted the writing of ancient and
approved authors who have bequeathed to us records relating to
the said sacred rites, thus restored the Missal itself to the
pristine form and rite of the holy Fathers. When this
production had been subjected to close scrutiny and further
amended We, after mature consideration, ordered that the final
result be forthwith printed and published in Rome, so that all
may enjoy the fruit of this labor; that priests may know what
prayers to use, and what rites and ceremonies they are to observe
henceforward in the celebration of Masses.
Now therefore, in order that all everywhere may adopt and
observe what has been delivered to them by the Holy Roman Church,
Mother and Mistress of the other churches, it shall be unlawful
henceforth and forever throughout the Christian world to sing or
to read Masses according to any formula other than that of this
Missal published by Us; this ordinance to apply to all churches
and chapels, with or without care of souls, patriarchal,
collegiate, and parochial, be they secular or belonging to any
religious Order, whether of men (including the military Orders)
or of women, in which conventual Masses are or ought to be sung
aloud in choir or read privately according to the rites and
customs of the Roman Church; to apply, moreover, even if the said
churches have been in any way exempted, whether by indult of the
Apostolic See, by custom, by privilege, or even by oath or
Apostolic confirmation, or have their rights and faculties
guaranteed to them in any other way whatsoever, saving only those
in which the practice of saying Mass differently was granted over
200 years ago simultaneously with the Apostolic See's institution
and confirmation of the church, and those in which there has
prevailed a similar custom followed continuously for a period of
not less than 200 years; in which cases We in no wise rescind
their prerogatives or customs aforesaid. Nevertheless, if this
Missal which We have seen fit to publish be more agreeable to
these last, We hereby permit them to celebrate Mass according
to its rite, subject to the consent of their bishop or prelate,
and of their whole Chapter, all else to the contrary
notwithstanding. All other churches aforesaid are hereby denied
the use of other missals, which are to be wholly and entirely
rejected; and by this present Constitution, which shall have the
force of law in perpetuity, We order and enjoin under
pain of Our displeasure that nothing be added to Our newly
published Missal, nothing omitted therefrom, and nothing
whatsoever altered therein.
We specifically command each and every patriarch,
administrator and all other persons of whatsoever ecclesiastical
dignity, be they even Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church or
possessed of any other rank or preeminence, and We order them by
virtue of holy obedience to sing or to read the Mass according to
the rite and manner and norm herein laid down by Us, and
henceforward to discontinue and utterly discard all other rubrics
and rites of other missals, howsoever ancient, which they have
been accustomed to follow, and not to presume in celebrating Mass
to introduce any ceremonies or recite any prayers other than
those contained in this Missal.
Furthermore, by these presents and by virtue of Our
Apostolic authority We give and grant in perpetuity that for the
singing or reading of Mass in any church whatsoever, this Missal
may be followed absolutely, without any scruple of conscience or
fear of incurring any penalty, judgment or censure, and may be
freely and lawfully used. Nor shall bishops, administrators,
canons, chaplains, and other secular priests, or religious of
whatsoever Order or by whatsoever title designated, be obliged to
celebrate Mass otherwise than enjoined by Us. We likewise order
and declare that no one whosoever shall be forced or coerced into
altering this Missal and that this present Constitution can never
be revoked or modified, but shall for ever remain valid and have
the force of law, notwithstanding previous constitutions or
edicts of provincial or synodal councils, and notwithstanding the
usage of the churches aforesaid, established by very long and
even immemorial prescription, saving only usage of more than 200
years.
Consequently it is Our will, and by the same authority We
decree, that one month after publication of this Our constitution
and Missal, priests of the Roman Curia shall be obliged to sing
or to read the Mass in accordance therewith; others south of the
Alps, after three months; those who live beyond the Alps, after
six months or as soon as the Missal becomes available for
purchase.
Furthermore, in order that the said Missal may be preserved
incorrupt and kept free from defects and errors, the penalty for
non-observance in the case of all printers resident in territory
directly or indirectly subject to Ourselves and the Holy Roman
Church shall be forfeiture of their books and a fine of 100 gold
ducats payable by that very fact to the Apostolic Treasury. In
the case of those resident in other parts of the world, it shall
be automatical excommunication and other penalties at Our
discretion; and by Our Apostolic authority and the tenor
of these presents, We also decree that they must not dare or
presume either to print or to publish or to sell, or in any way
to take delivery of such books without Our approval and consent,
or without express permission of the Apostolic Commissary in the
said parts appointed by Us for that purpose. Each of the said
printers must receive from the aforementioned Commissary a
standard Missal to serve as an exemplar and agree faithfully
therewith, varying in no wise from the first impression printed
in Rome.
But, since it would be difficult for this present
Constitution to be transmitted to all parts of the world and to
come to the notice of all concerned simultaneously, We direct
that it be, as usual, posted and published at the doors of the
Basilica of the Prince of Apostles, at those of the Apostolic
Chancery, and at the end of the Campo dei Fiori; moreover, We
direct that printed copies of the same, signed by a notary
public and authenticated with the seal of an ecclesiastical
dignitary, shall possess the same unqualified and indubitable
validity everywhere and in every country that would attend the
display there of Our present text. Accordingly, no one whosoever
is permitted to infringe or rashly contravene this notice of Our
permission, statute, ordinance, command, direction, grant,
indult, declaration, will, decree and prohibition. Should any
person venture to do so, let him understand that he will incur
the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles Peter and
Paul.
Given at St. Peter's, Rome, in the year of Our Lord's Incarnation
one thousand five hundred and seventy, on the fourteenth day of
July in the fifth year of Our Pontificate.
Caesar Glorierus
===================================================================
"DE DEFECTIBUS"
ON DEFECTS THAT MAY OCCUR IN THE CELEBRATION OF MASS
I
1. The priest who is to celebrate Mass should take every
precaution to make sure that none of the things required for
celebrating the Sacrament of the Eucharist is missing. A
defect may occur with regard to the matter to be consecrated,
with regard to the form to be observed and with regard to the
consecrating minister. There is no Sacrament if any of these
is missing: the proper matter, the form, including the
intention, and the priestly ordination of the celebrant. If
these things are present, the Sacrament is valid, no matter
what else is lacking. There are other defects, however, which
may involve sin or scandal, even if they do not impair the
validity of the Sacrament.
II - Defects of the matter
2. Defects on the part of the matter may arise from some
lack in the materials required. What is required is this:
bread made from wheat flour, wine from grapes, and the presence
of these materials before the priest at the time of the
Consecration.
III - Defect of bread
3. If the bread is not made of wheat flour, or if so much
other grain is mixed with the wheat that it is no longer wheat
bread, or if it is adulterated in some other way, there is no
Sacrament.
4. If the bread has been made with rose-water or some
other distillation, the validity of the Sacrament is doubtful.
5. If the bread has begun to mold, but it is not corrupt,
or if it is not unleavened according to the custom of the Latin
Church, the Sacrament is valid but the celebrant is guilty of
grave sin.
6. If the celebrant notices before the Consecration that
the host is corrupt or that it is not made of wheat flour, he
is to replace that host with another, make the offering at
least mentally and continue from where he left off.
7. If he notices this after the Consecration, or even
after having consumed the host, he is to put out another host,
make the offering as above and begin from the Consecration,
namely from the words Qui pridie quam pateretur. If he
has not consumed the first host, he is to consume it after
taking the Body and the Blood, or else reserve it somewhere
with reverence. If he has already consumed the first host,
he is nevertheless to consume the one that he has consecrated,
because the precept of completing the Sacrament is more
important than the precept of fasting before Communion.
8. If this should happen after the Blood has been
consumed, not only should new bread be brought, but also wine
with water. The priest should first make the offering, as
above, then consecrate, beginning with the words Qui pridie.
Then he should immediately receive under both species and
continue the Mass, so that the Sacrament will not remain
incomplete and so that due order will be observed.
9. If the consecrated host disappears, either by some
accident such as a gust of wind or by some animal's taking
it, and it cannot be found, then another is to be consecrated,
beginning from the Qui pridie quam pateretur, having first been
offered as above.
10. In the cases referred to in paragraphs 5-9 above, the
elevation of the Sacrament is to be omitted, and everything is
to be done so as to avoid, as far as possible, any scandal or
wonderment on the part of the faithful.
IV - Defect of wine
11. If the wine has become mere vinegar, or is completely
bad, or if it has been made from sour or unripe grapes, or if
so much water has been mixed with it that the wine is
adulterated, there is no Sacrament.
12. If the wine has begun to turn to vinegar or to become
corrupt, or if it is souring, or if it is unfermented, being
made from newly pressed grapes, or if it has not been mixed
with water, or if it has been mixed with rose-water or some
other distillation, the Sacrament is valid, but the celebrant
is guilty of grave sin.
13. If the celebrant notices before the consecration of
the Blood, even if the Body has already been consecrated, that
there is no wine in the chalice, or no water, or neither wine
nor water, he should immediately put in wine and water, make
the offering as above and consecrate, beginning with the words
Simili modo, etc.
14. If after the words of the Consecration he notices that
there was no wine in the chalice, but only water, he is to pour
the water into some vessel, put wine and water into the chalice
and consecrate, starting again from the words Simili modo, etc.
15. If he notices this after consuming the Body, or after
drinking the water in question, he is to set out another host
to be consecrated, together with wine and water in the chalice,
offer both, consecrate them and consume them, even though he is
not fasting.
16. In the cases referred to in paragraphs 13-15 above,
the elevation of the Sacrament is to be omitted, and everything
is to be done so as to avoid, as far as possible, any scandal
or wonderment on the part of the faithful.
17. If he finds out, before or after the Consecration,
that the wine is completely vinegar or otherwise corrupt, he is
to follow the same procedure as above, as if he were to find
that no wine had been put into the chalice, or that only water
had been put in.
18. If the celebrant remembers before the consecration of
the chalice that there was no water added, he is to put some in
at once and say the words of the Consecration. If he remembers
this after the consecration of the chalice, he is not to add
any water, because the water is not necessary to the Sacrament.
19. If a defect either of bread or of wine is discovered
before the consecration of the Body, and the material needed
cannot be obtained in any way, the priest should not continue
any further. If after the consecration of the Body, or even of
the wine, a defect in either species is discovered, and the
material needed cannot be obtained in any way, then the priest
should continue and complete the Mass if the defective material
has already been consecrated, omitting the words and signs that
pertain to the defective species. But if the material needed
can be obtained with some little delay, he should wait, in
order that the Sacrament may not remain incomplete.
V - Defects of the form
20. Defects on the part of the form may arise if anything
is missing from the complete wording required for the act of
consecrating. Now the words of the Consecration, which are the
form of this Sacrament, are: Hoc est enim Corpus meum, and Hic
est enim Calix Sanguinis mei, novi et aeterni testamenti:
mysterium fidei: qui pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in
remissionem peccatorum. If the priest were to shorten or
change the form of the consecration of the Body and the Blood,
so that in the change of wording the words did not mean the
same thing, he would not be achieving a valid Sacrament. If,
on the other hand, he were to add or take away anything which
did not change the meaning, the Sacrament would be valid, but
he would be committing a grave sin.
21. If the celebrant does not remember having said the
usual words in the Consecration, he should not for that reason
be worried. If, however, he is sure that he omitted something
necessary to the Sacrament, that is, the form of the
Consecration or a part of it, he is to repeat the formula and
continue from there. If he thinks it is very likely that he
omitted something essential, he is to repeat the formula
conditionally, though the condition need not be expressed. But
if what he omitted is not necessary to the Sacrament, he is not
to repeat anything; he should simply continue the Mass.
VI - Defects of the minister
22. Defects on the part of the minister may arise with
regard to the things required in him. These are: first of all
the intention, then the disposition of soul, the bodily
disposition, the disposition of vestments, the disposition in
the rite itself with regard to the things that may occur in it.
VII - Defect of intention
23. The intention of consecrating is required. Therefore
there is no consecration in the following cases: when a priest
does not intend to consecrate but only to make a pretense; when
some hosts remain on the altar forgotten by the priest, or when
some part of the wine or some host is hidden, since the priest
intends to consecrate only what is on the corporal; when a
priest has eleven hosts before him and intends to consecrate
only ten, without determining which ten he means to consecrate.
On the other hand, if he thinks there are ten, but intends to
consecrate all that he has before him, then all will be
consecrated. For that reason every priest should always have
such an intention, namely the intention of consecrating all the
hosts that have been Placed on the corporal before him for
consecration.
24. If the priest thinks that he is holding one host but
discovers after the Consecration that there were two hosts
stuck together, he is to consume both when the time comes. If
after receiving the Body and Blood, or even after the ablution,
he finds other consecrated pieces, large or small, he is to
consume them, because they belong to the same sacrifice.
25. If, however, a whole consecrated host is left, he is
to put it into the tabernacle with the others that are there;
if this cannot be done, he is to consume it.
26. It may be that the intention is not actual at the time
of the Consecration because the priest lets his mind wander,
yet is still virtual, since he has come to the altar intending
to do what the Church does. In this case the Sacrament is
valid. A priest should be careful, however, to make his
intention actual also.
VIII - Defects of the disposition of soul
27. If a priest celebrates Mass in a state of mortal sin
or under some ecclesiastical penalty, he does celebrate a valid
Sacrament, but he sins most grievously.
IX - Defects of the disposition of body
28. If a priest has not been fasting for at least one hour
before Communion, he may not celebrate. The drinking of water,
however, does not break the fast.
29. The sick, even though they are not bed-ridden, may
take non-alcoholic liquids as well as true and proper medicine,
whether liquid or solid, before the celebration of Mass,
without any time limit.
30. Priests who can do so are earnestly invited to observe
the ancient and venerable form of the Eucharistic fast before
Mass.
X - Defects occurring in the celebration of the rite itself
31. Defects may occur also in the performance of the
rite itself, if any of the required elements is lacking, as in
the following cases: if the Mass is celebrated in a place that
is not sacred, or not lawfully approved, or on an altar not
consecrated, or not covered with three cloths; if there are no
wax candles; if it is not the proper time for celebrating Mass,
which is from one hour before dawn until one hour after noon
under ordinary circumstances, unless some other time is
established or permitted for certain Masses; if the priest
fails to wear some one of the priestly vestments; if the
priestly vestments and the altar cloths have not been blessed;
if there is no cleric present nor any other man or boy serving
the Mass; if there is not a chalice, with a cup of gold, or of
silver with the inside gold-plated; if the paten is not
gold-plated; if both chalice and paten are not consecrated by a
bishop; if the corporal is not clean (and the corporal should
be of linen, not decorated in the middle with silk or gold; and
both corporal and pall should be blessed); if the priest
celebrates Mass with his head covered, without a dispensation
to do so; if there is no missal present, even though the priest
may know by heart the Mass he intends to say.
32. If, while the priest is celebrating Mass, the church
is violated before he has reached the Canon, the Mass is to be
discontinued; if after the Canon, it is not to be discontinued.
If there is fear of an attack by enemies, or of a flood or of
the collapse of the building where the Mass is being
celebrated, the Mass is to be discontinued if it is before the
Consecration; if this fear arises after the Consecration,
however, the priest may omit everything else and go on at once
to the reception of the Sacrament.
33. If before the Consecration the priest becomes
seriously ill, or faints, or dies, the Mass is discontinued.
If this happens after the consecration of the Body only and
before the consecration of the Blood, or after both have been
consecrated, the Mass is to be completed by another priest from
the place where the first priest stopped, and in case of
necessity even by a priest who is not fasting. If the first
priest has not died but has become ill and is still able to
receive Communion, and there is no other consecrated host at
hand, the priest who is completing the Mass should divide the
host, give one part to the sick priest and consume the other
part himself. If the priest has died after half-saying the
formula for the consecration of the Body, then there is no
Consecration and no need for another priest to complete the
Mass. If, on the other hand, the priest has died after half-
saying the formula for the consecration of the Blood, then
another priest is to complete the Mass, repeating the whole
formula over the same chalice from the words Simili modo,
postquam cenatum est; or he may say the whole formula over
another chalice which has been prepared, and consume the first
priest's host and the Blood consecrated by himself, and then
the chalice which was left half-consecrated.
34. If anyone fails to consume the whole Sacrament aside
from cases of necessity of this kind, he is guilty of very
grave sin.
35. If before the Consecration a fly or spider or anything
else falls into the chalice, the priest is to pour out the wine
in a suitable place, put other wine into the chalice, add a
little water, offer it, as above, and continue the Mass. If
after the Consecration a fly or something of the kind falls
into the chalice, he is to take it out, wash it with wine, burn
it after the Mass is over, and throw the ashes and the wine
which was used for washing into the sacrarium.
36. If something poisonous falls into the chalice after
the Consecration, or something that would cause vomiting, the
consecrated wine is to be poured into another chalice, with
water added until the chalice is full, so that the species of
wine will be dissolved; and this water is to be poured out into
the sacrarium. Other wine, together with water, is to be
brought and consecrated.
37. If anything poisonous touches the consecrated host,
the priest is to consecrate another and consume it in the way
that has been explained, while the first host is to be put into
a chalice full of water and disposed of as was explained
regarding the Blood in paragraph 36 above.
38. If the particle of the host remains in the chalice
when he consumes the Blood, he is to bring it to the edge of
the cup with his finger and consume it before the purification,
or else he is to pour water in and consume it with the water.
39. If before the Consecration the host is found to be
broken, it is to be consecrated anyway, unless the people can
see plainly that it is broken. But if there may be scandal for
the people, another host is to be taken and offered. If the
broken host has already been offered, the priest is to consume
it after the ablution. If the host is seen to be broken before
the offerings however, another complete host is to be taken,
if this can be done without scandal and without a long delay.
40. If the consecrated host falls into the chalice,
nothing is to be repeated on that account, but the priest is to
continue the Mass, performing the ceremonies and making the
usual signs of the Cross with the part of the host that is not
moistened with the Blood, if he can conveniently do so. But if
the entire host has become wet, he is not to take it out; he is
to say everything as usual, omitting the signs of the Cross
that pertain to the host alone, and he is to consume the Body
and the Blood together, signing himself with the chalice and
saying: Corpus et Sanguis Domini nostri, etc.
41. If the Blood freezes in the chalice in winter time,
the chalice should be wrapped in cloths that have been warmed.
If this is not enough, it should be placed in boiling water
near the altar until the Blood melts, but care should be taken
that none of the water gets into the chalice.
42. If any of the Blood of Christ falls, if it is only a
drop or so, nothing need be done except to pour a little water
over the spilled drops and dry it afterwards with a
purificator. If more has been spilled, the corporal or the
altar cloth or other place is to be washed in the best way
possible, and the water is then to be poured into the
sacrarium.
43. If, however, all the Blood is spilled after the
Consecration, the little that remains is to be consumed, and
the procedure described above is to be followed with the rest
which has been spilled. But if none at all remains, the priest
is to put wine and water into the chalice again and consecrate
from the words Simili modo, postquam cenatum est, etc., after
first making an offering of the chalice, as above.
44. If anyone vomits the Eucharist, the vomit is to be
gathered up and disposed of in some decent place.
45. If a consecrated host or any particle of it falls to
the ground or floor, it is to be taken up reverently, a little
water is to be poured over the place where it fell, and the
place is to be dried with a purificator. If it falls on
clothing, the clothing need not be washed. If it falls on a
woman's clothing, the woman herself is to take the particle and
consume it.
46. Defects may occur in the celebration of the rite
itself also if the priest does not know the rites and
ceremonies to be observed, all of which have been fully
described in the above rubrics.
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