Works › The Book on the Sacrament of the Eucharist
Volume 38 · pp. 423–425
Chapter II, 1-7
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Marginal label (printed p. 424): De loco in quo sacramentum conficitur.
Marginal label (printed p. 424): De hostiis quae ex oblivione in altari remanent, dum sacerdos conficit sacramentum.
Marginal label (printed p. 424): De altari non consecrato.
CAPUT II.
De ritu hujus sacramenti ex parte ministri.
Nunc dicendum est de ritu hujus sacramenti qui sumitur ex parte ministri.
De quo tria sunt quaerenda, scilicet si non sacerdos possit conficere? Et si sacerdos conficiens in conficiendo moriatur, qualiter faciendum sit in confectione? Tertio, utrum plures sacerdotes unam hostiam consecrare valeant, vel non?
1. Primo igitur quaeramus, si non sacerdos possit conficere, vel non?
Videtur autem, quod non: quia nullus actus competit alicui nisi sibi prius insit facultas ad actum: non enim videt qui non habet videndi facultatem, nec audit nisi qui audiendi habet facultatem, et sic de aliis: in ordine autem sacerdotali potestas datur conficiendi corpus Christi: ergo qui non habet ordinem sacerdotalem, nullam habet conficiendi potestatem, et ita conficere non potest.
Adhuc autem, confirmare non potest nisi Episcopus: quia in ordine Episcopali facultas datur ad confirmandum: ergo a simili etiam non potest conficere, nisi sacerdos, cum ultima potestas ordinis sit ad conficiendum: videtur igitur, quod non conficiat qui hanc potestatem ex ordine non suscepit.
Quod si concedatur, videtur in contrarium esse quod dicit Beda: « Accedat verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum. » Ergo a quocumque dicatur verbum super debitum elementum, ille conficit sacramentum.
Adhuc autem, hoc idem arguitur ab eo quod dicit Magister Hugo de sancto Victore: « Sacramentum est visibile et corporale elementum ex institutione signans, ex similitudine repraesentans, ex sanctificatione invisibilem gratiam conferens. » Haec tria sunt in sacramento etiam absque ordine sacerdotali. Ergo videtur, quod sacerdotium non exigatur ad perfectionem sacramenti.
2. Juxta illud quaeritur utrum locus debitus sicut est altare exigatur ad confectionem sacramenti, ita quod sacerdos non celebrans in altari, non conficiat?
Videtur autem, quod altare consecratum ad hoc exigatur: quia sanctiora sunt sacrificia Novi Testamenti quam Veteris: Veteris autem Testamenti sacrificia non poterant offerri, nisi in altari: ergo multo minus Novi Testamenti sacrificia sine altari offerri non possunt: et si praesumptum fuerit, irritum fit sacrificium.
Marginal label (printed p. 424): On the place in which the sacrament is confected.
Marginal label (printed p. 424): On hosts which through forgetfulness remain on the altar while the priest confects the sacrament.
Marginal label (printed p. 424): On an unconsecrated altar.
CHAPTER II.
On the rite of this sacrament on the part of the minister.
Now one must speak about the rite of this sacrament which is taken from the part of the minister.
Concerning this three things must be asked, namely whether one who is not a priest can confect; and if a priest confecting dies in confecting, how it must be done in the confection; thirdly, whether several priests are able to consecrate one host, or not.
1. Therefore first let us ask whether one who is not a priest can confect, or not.
But it seems that he cannot, because no act belongs to anyone unless the faculty for the act is first in him; for he does not see who does not have the faculty of seeing, nor does he hear unless he has the faculty of hearing, and so concerning the others. But in the priestly order power is given for confecting the body of Christ; therefore he who does not have the priestly order has no power of confecting, and thus he cannot confect.
Moreover, no one can confirm except a bishop, because in the episcopal order the faculty for confirming is given; therefore by likeness also no one can confect except a priest, since the final power of order is for confecting. Therefore it seems that he who has not received this power from order does not confect.
But if this is conceded, what Bede says seems to be to the contrary: "Let the word approach the element, and the sacrament comes to be." Therefore by whomever the word is said over the due element, that man confects the sacrament.
Moreover, this same thing is argued from what Master Hugh of Saint Victor says: "A sacrament is a visible and corporeal element, signifying from institution, representing from likeness, conferring invisible grace from sanctification." These three are in the sacrament even without priestly order. Therefore it seems that priesthood is not required for the perfection of the sacrament.
2. Next to that it is asked whether a due place, as the altar is, is required for the confection of the sacrament, so that a priest not celebrating on an altar does not confect.
But it seems that a consecrated altar is required for this, because the sacrifices of the New Testament are holier than those of the Old. But the sacrifices of the Old Testament could not be offered except on an altar; therefore much less can the sacrifices of the New Testament be offered without an altar; and if it has been presumed, the sacrifice becomes void.
Adhuc, Psal. LXXXIII, 4: Passer invenit sibi domum, et turtur nidum sibi, ubi ponat pullos suos. Altaria tua, Domine virtutum, rex meus, et Deus meus. Ibi dicit Augustinus, quod extra Ecclesiam oblatum sacrificium non est acceptum. Ergo etiam extra altare oblatum sacrificium reputatur irritum.
IN CONTRARIUM hujus objicitur: quia in nullo aliorum sacramentorum locus in quo fit sacramentum, est de necessariis ad sacramentum, ita quod extra illum locum perfectum sacramentum fiat irritum et inane: ergo a simili etiam in isto sacramento locus templi vel altaris non videtur esse de necessariis ad sacramentum.
3. Ulterius iterum quaeritur circa locum confectionis sacramenti, si forte ex oblivione aliquae hostiae in altari remaneant dum sacerdos conficit, utrum et illae consecrentur, vel non?
Videtur autem, quod sic: quia altare mensa est in qua quidquid proponitur, benedictioni et consecrationi subjicitur: ergo quidquid in altari est de materia sacramenti, totum in corpus Christi transsubstantiatur. Eadem objectio de gutta una vini vel pluribus, quae forte pedi calicis adhaerent, cum sacerdos conficit de vino calicis: illa enim gutta secundum hoc in sanguinem Christi convertitur.
Si autem hoc concedatur, videtur esse contrarium: quia, sicut dicit beatus Augustinus, intentio exigitur ad omne sacramentum, et sine intentione faciendi nihil fit in sacramento. Sacerdos autem de his quae ignorat, sive de hostiis in altari, sive de guttis vini in pede calicis manentibus nihil intendit. Ergo nihil ex talibus conficit.
4. Ulterius iterum quaeritur de altari non consecrato, utrum super illud confici possit?
Videtur autem, quod sic: quia Dominus mensam super quam comedit in altare non consecravit, et tamen confecit: cum ergo Christi actio nostra sit instructio, etiam sacerdos in altari non consecrato potest conficere. Eadem est objectio de calice non consecrato.
Moreover, Psalm 83:4: The sparrow has found a house for itself, and the turtledove a nest for itself, where it may place its young. Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God. There Augustine says that a sacrifice offered outside the Church is not accepted. Therefore also a sacrifice offered outside the altar is reckoned void.
TO THE CONTRARY of this it is objected that in none of the other sacraments is the place in which the sacrament is made among the necessities for the sacrament, so that outside that place a perfect sacrament becomes void and empty. Therefore by likeness also in this sacrament the place of the temple or altar does not seem to be among the necessities for the sacrament.
3. Further again it is asked about the place of the confection of the sacrament, if perhaps through forgetfulness some hosts remain on the altar while the priest confects, whether those too are consecrated, or not.
But it seems that they are, because the altar is the table on which whatever is placed before it is subjected to blessing and consecration; therefore whatever is on the altar from the matter of the sacrament is wholly transubstantiated into the body of Christ. The same objection concerns one drop of wine or several, which perhaps adhere to the foot of the chalice, when the priest confects from the wine of the chalice; for that drop according to this is converted into the blood of Christ.
But if this is conceded, the contrary seems to be true, because, as blessed Augustine says, intention is required for every sacrament, and without the intention of doing, nothing happens in the sacrament. But the priest intends nothing concerning those things which he does not know, whether concerning hosts on the altar or concerning drops of wine remaining on the foot of the chalice. Therefore he confects nothing from such things.
4. Further again it is asked concerning an unconsecrated altar, whether it can be confected upon it.
But it seems that it can, because the Lord did not consecrate into an altar the table upon which he ate, and nevertheless he confected. Since therefore Christ's action is our instruction, a priest also can confect on an unconsecrated altar. The objection is the same concerning an unconsecrated chalice.
IN CONTRARIUM hujus est, quod ad hoc consecrantur altaria et calices, ut in illis Eucharistia confici possit: cum ergo nihil sit vanum et frustra in consecrationibus Ecclesiae, videtur quod in altari non consecrato et calice non consecrato confici non possit sacramentum.
5. Ulterius quaeritur de vestibus sacris, utrum non indutus vestibus sacris, conficere possit sacramentum?
Videtur, quod non: quia si sine illis posset confici sacramentum, frustra ab Episcopo consecrarentur vestes sacerdotales: non autem frustra consecrantur: ergo sine eis sacramentum non conficitur.
Adhuc autem, quia in veteri lege vestes fuerunt necessariae ad sacrificium offerendum, sicut patet, Levit. VIII, 13. Ergo multo magis necessariae sunt ad sacrificium Novi Testamenti: quia istud est sanctius quam illud.
Hujus autem contrarium videtur: quia cum Christi actio nostra sit instructio, in nullo legitur Evangelistarum, quod vel Christus vestes sacerdotales in confectione sacramenti induerit, vel etiam quod Apostolos induere fecerit: ergo Christus et Apostoli sine talibus sacramentum confecerunt: ergo et adhuc sacerdotes absque talibus possunt conficere.
6. Ulterius quaeritur de his qui ordinati sunt ab haereticis et schismaticis, utrum et illi possunt conficere?
Videtur, quod non: quia dicitur, Malach. II, 2: Maledicam benedictionibus vestris. Ergo quidquid illi benedixerint, maledicitur. Benedicunt autem in sacramento. Ergo sacramentum ipsum convertitur in maledictionem.
IN CONTRARIUM autem hujus est, quod illi in forma Ecclesiae quamvis ab indignis receperunt ordinem sacerdotalem, tamen in conficiendo intendunt facere quod facit Ecclesia: ergo conficiunt sacramenta.
7. Ulterius quaeritur, utrum in altari non cooperto pallis lineis possit confici sacramentum?
Videtur, quod non: quia Joseph ab Arimathaea corpus Domini involvit in sindone munda 1, et ad hoc consecrantur pallae, tam lineae pallae quam aliae: frustra autem ad haec consecrarentur, si sine his sacramentum posset celebrari: ergo sine talibus non potest confici sacramentum.
TO THE CONTRARY of this is that altars and chalices are consecrated for this, that the Eucharist may be confected on them. Since therefore nothing is vain and to no purpose in the consecrations of the Church, it seems that the sacrament cannot be confected on an unconsecrated altar and with an unconsecrated chalice.
5. Further it is asked concerning sacred vestments, whether one not clothed in sacred vestments can confect the sacrament.
It seems that he cannot, because if the sacrament could be confected without them, priestly vestments would be consecrated by the bishop to no purpose; but they are not consecrated to no purpose; therefore without them the sacrament is not confected.
Moreover, because in the old law vestments were necessary for offering sacrifice, as is clear in Leviticus 8:13. Therefore much more are they necessary for the sacrifice of the New Testament, because this is holier than that.
But the contrary of this seems true, because since Christ's action is our instruction, nowhere in the Evangelists is it read that either Christ put on priestly vestments in the confection of the sacrament, or even that he caused the Apostles to put them on. Therefore Christ and the Apostles confected the sacrament without such things; therefore priests also can still confect without such things.
6. Further it is asked concerning those who have been ordained by heretics and schismatics, whether they too can confect.
It seems that they cannot, because it is said in Malachi 2:2: I shall curse your blessings. Therefore whatever they bless is cursed. But they bless in the sacrament. Therefore the sacrament itself is converted into a curse.
But TO THE CONTRARY of this is that, although they received priestly order from unworthy persons, nevertheless they received it in the form of the Church, and in confecting they intend to do what the Church does; therefore they confect sacraments.
7. Further it is asked whether the sacrament can be confected on an altar not covered with linen palls.
It seems that it cannot, because Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body of the Lord in a clean linen cloth 1, and palls are consecrated for this, both linen palls and others. But they would be consecrated for these things to no purpose if the sacrament could be celebrated without them; therefore without such things the sacrament cannot be confected.
Notes
- Matthew 27:59. Compare Mark 15:42 and following; Luke 23:50 and following; John 19:38 and following. (Matth. XXVII, 59. Cf. Marc. XV, 42 et seq.; Luc. XXIII, 50 et seq.; Joan. XIX, 38 et seq.) ↩
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