On not celebrating the Mass every where in the vulgar tongue; the mysteries of the Mass to be explained to the people. Etsi missa magnam contineat populi fidelis eruditionem; non tamen expedire visum est patribus, ut vulgari passim lingua celebraretur. Quamobrem, retento ubique cujusque Ecclesiæ antiquo et a sancta Romana Ecclesia, omnium ecclesiarum matre et magistra, probato ritu, ne oves Christi esuriant, neve parvuli panem petant et non sit qui frangat eis, mandat sancta synodus pastoribus et singulis curam animarum gerentibus, ut frequenter inter missarum celebrationem vel per se vel per alios ex iis, quæ in missa leguntur, aliquid exponant; atque inter cetera sanctissimi hujus sacrificii mysterium aliquod declarent, diebus præsertim dominicis et festis. Although the mass contains great instruction for the faithful people, nevertheless, it has not seemed expedient to the Fathers that it should be every where celebrated in the vulgar tongue. Wherefore, the ancient usage of each Church, and the rite approved of by the holy Roman Church, the mother and mistress of all churches, being in each place retained; and, that the sheep of Christ may not suffer hunger, nor the little ones ask for bread, and there be none to break it unto them, [251] the holy Synod charges pastors, and all who have the cure of souls, that they frequently, during the celebration of mass, expound either by themselves, or others, some portion of those things which are read at Mass, and that, amongst the rest, they explain some mystery of this most holy sacrifice, especially on the Lord's days and festivals.
Caput IX. Chapter IX. Prolegomenon canonum sequentium. Preliminary Remark on the following Canons. Quia vero adversus veterem hanc in sacrosancto evangelio, apostolorum traditionibus sanctorumque patrum doctrina fundatam fidem hoc tempore multi disseminati sunt errores, multaque a multis docentur et disputantur; sancta synodus, post multos gravesque his de rebus mature habitos tractatus, unanimi patrum omnium concensu quæ huic purissimæ fidei sacræque doctrinæ adversantur damnare et a sancta Ecclesia eliminare, per subjectos hos canones constituit. And because that many errors are at this time disseminated and many things are taught and maintained by divers persons, in opposition to this ancient faith, which is based on the sacred Gospel, the traditions of the Apostles, and the doctrine of the holy Fathers; the sacred and holy Synod, after many and grave deliberations maturely had touching these matters, has resolved, with the unanimous consent of all the Fathers, to condemn, and to eliminate from holy Church by means of the canons subjoined, whatsoever is opposed to this most pure faith and sacred doctrine. DE SACRIFICIO MISSÆ. ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS. Canon I.--Si quis dixerit, in missa non offerri Deo verum et proprium sacrificium, aut quod offerri non sit aliud quam nobis Christum ad manducandum dari: anathema sit. Canon I.--If any one saith, that in the mass a true and proper sacrifice is not offered to God; or, that to be offered is nothing else but that Christ is given us to eat: let him be anathema. Canon II.--Si quis dixerit, illis verbis: Hoc facite in meam commemorationem, Christum non instituisse apostolos sacerdotes, aut non ordinasse, ut ipsi aliique sacerdotes offerrent corpus et sanguinem suum: anathema sit. Canon II.--If any one saith, that by those words, Do this for the commemoration of me (Luke xxii. 19), Christ did not institute the apostles priests; or, did not ordain that they and other priests should offer his own body and blood: let him be anathema. Canon III.--Si quis dixerit, Canon III.--If any one saith,
missæ sacrificium tantum esse laudis et gratiarum actionis, aut nudam commemorationem sacrificii in cruce peracti, non autem propitiatorium; vel soli prodesse sumenti; neque pro vivis et defunctis pro peccatis, poenis, satisfactionibus et aliis necessitatibus offerri debere: anathema sit. that the sacrifice of the mass is only a sacrifice of praise and of thanksgiving; or, that it is a bare commemoration of the sacrifice consummated on the cross, but not a propitiatory sacrifice; or, that it profits him only who receives; and that it ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, pains, satisfactions, and other necessities: let him be anathema. Canon IV.--Si quis dixerit, blasphemiam irrogari sanctissimo Christi sacrificio in cruce peracto per missæ sacrificium, aut illi per hoc derogari: anathema sit. Canon IV.--If any one saith, that, by the sacrifice of the mass, a blasphemy is cast upon the most holy sacrifice of Christ consummated on the cross; or, that it is thereby derogated from: let him be anathema. Canon V.--Si quis dixerit, imposturam esse, missas celebrare in honorem sanctorum et pro illorum intercessione apud Deum obtinenda, sicut Ecclesia intendit: anathema sit. Canon V.--If any one saith, that it is an imposture to celebrate masses in honor of the saints, and for obtaining their intercession with God, as the Church intends: let him be anathema. Canon VI.--Si quis dixerit, canonem missæ errores continere, ideoque abrogandum esse: anathema sit. Canon VI.--If any one saith, that the canon of the mass contains errors, and is therefore to be abrogated: let him be anathema. Canon VII.--Si quis dixerit, ceremonias, vestes et externa signa, quibus in missarum celebratione Ecclesia Catholica utitur, irritabula impietatis esse magis quam officia pietatis: anathema sit. Canon VII.--If any one saith, that the ceremonies, vestments, and outward signs, which the Catholic Church makes use of in the celebration of masses, are incentives to impiety, rather than offices of piety: let him be anathema. Canon VIII.--Si quis dixerit, missas, in quibus solus sacerdos Canon VIII.--If any one saith, that masses, wherein the priest alone
sacramentaliter communicat, illicitas esse ideoque abrogandas: anathema sit. communicates sacramentally, are unlawful, and are, therefore, to be abrogated: let him be anathema. Canon IX.--Si quis dixerit, Ecclesiæ Romanæ ritum, quo submissa voce pars canonis et verba consecrationis proferuntur, damnandum esse; aut lingua tantum vulgari missam celebrari debere; aut aquam non miscendam esse vino in calice offerendo, eo quod sit contra Christi institutionem: anathema sit. Canon IX.--If anyone saith, that the rite of the Roman Church, according to which a part of the canon and the words of consecration are pronounced in a low tone, is to be condemned; or, that the mass ought to be celebrated in the vulgar tongue only; or, that water ought not to be mixed with the wine that is to be offered in the chalice, for that it is contrary to the institution of Christ: let him be anathema.
[240] Heb. vii. 11, 18.
[241] Heb. v. 10.
[242] Heb. ix. 12.
[243] Psa. cix. 4.
[244] Luke xxii. 19.
[245] Col. i. 13.
[246] Mal. i. 11.
[247] 1 Cor. x. 20 sqq.
[248] Heb. iv. 6.
[249] John xix. 34.
[250] Apoc. xvii. 15.
[251] Lam. iv. 4.
Sessio Vigesimatertia, Twenty-third Session, celebrata die XV. Iulii 1563. held July 15, 1563. VERA ET CATHOLICA DOCTRINA DE SACRAMENTO ORDINIS. THE TRUE AND CATHOLIC DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE SACRAMENT OF ORDER. Caput I. Chapter I. De institutione sacerdoti novæ legis. On the institution of the Priesthood of the New Law. Sacrificium et sacerdotium ita Dei ordinatione conjuncta sunt, ut utrumque in omni lege exstiterit. Cum igitur in Novo Testamento sanctum Eucharistiæ sacrificium visibile ex Domini institutione Catholica Ecclesia acceperit, fateri etiam oportet, in ea novum esse visible et externum sacerdotium, in quod vetus translatum est. Hoc autem ab eodem Domino Sacrifice and priesthood are, by the ordinance of God, in such wise conjoined, as that both have existed in every law. Whereas, therefore, in the New Testament, the Catholic Church has received, from the institution of Christ, the holy visible sacrifice of the Eucharist; it must needs also be confessed, that there is, in that Church, a new, visible, and external priesthood, into which the old has been translated. [252]
Salvatore nostro institutum esse, atque apostolis eorumque successoribus in sacerdotio potestatem traditum consecrandi, offerendi et ministrandi corpus et sanguinem ejus, necnon et peccata dimittendi et retinendi, sacræ litteræ ostendunt et Catholicæ Ecclesiæ traditio semper docuit. And the sacred Scriptures show, and the tradition of the Catholic Church has always taught, that this priesthood was instituted by the same Lord our Saviour, and that to the Apostles, and their successors in the priesthood, was the power delivered of consecrating, offering, and administering his body and blood, as also of forgiving and of retaining sins. Caput II. Chapter II. De septem ordinibus. On the Seven Orders. Cum autem divina res sit tam sancti sacerdotii ministerium, consentaneum fuit, quo dignius et majori cum veneratione exerceri posset, ut in Ecclesiæ ordinatissima dispositione plures et diversi essent ministrorum ordines, qui sacerdotio ex officio deservirent, ita distributi, ut, qui jam clericali tonsura insigniti essent, per minores ad majores ascenderent. Nam non solum de sacerdotibus, sed et de diaconis sacræ litteræ apertam mentionem faciunt, et quæ maxime in illorum ordinatione attendenda sunt gravissimis verbis docent; et ab ipso Ecclesiæ initio sequentium ordinum nomina, atque uniuscujusque eorum propria ministeria, subdiaconi scilicet, And whereas the ministry of so holy a priesthood is a divine thing; to the end that it might be exercised in a more worthy manner, and with greater veneration, it was suitable that, in the most well ordered settlement of the Church, there should be several and diverse orders of ministers to minister to the priesthood, by virtue of their office; orders so distributed as that those already marked with the clerical tonsure should ascend through the lesser to the greater orders. For the sacred Scriptures make open mention not only of priests, but also of deacons; and teach, in words the most weighty, what things are especially to be attended to in the Ordination thereof; and, from the very beginning of the Church, the names of the following orders, and
acolythi, exorcistæ, lectoris et ostiarii in usu fuisse cognoscuntur, quamvis non pari gradu; nam subdiaconatus ad majores ordines a patribus et sacris conciliis refertur, in quibus et de aliis inferioribus frequentissime legimus. the ministrations proper to each one of them, are known to have been in use; to wit, those of subdeacon, acolyth, exorcist, lector, and door-keeper; though these were not of equal rank; for the subdeaconship is classed amongst the greater orders by the Fathers and sacred Councils, wherein also we very often read of the other inferior orders. Caput III. Chapter III. Ordinem vere esse sacramentum. That Order is truly and properly a Sacrament. Cum Scripturæ testimonio, apostolica traditione et patrum unanimi consensu perspicuum sit, per sacram ordinationem, quæ verbis et signis exterioribus perficitur, gratiam conferri, dubitare nemo debet, ordinem esse vere et proprie unum ex septem sanctæ Ecclesiæ sacramentis. Inquit enim apostolus: Admoneo te, ut resuscites gratiam Dei, quæ est in te, per impositionem manuum mearum. Non enim dedit nobis Deus spiritum timoris, sed virtutis et dilectionis et sobrietatis. Whereas, by the testimony of Scripture, by Apostolic tradition, and the unanimous consent of the Fathers, it is clear that grace is conferred by sacred ordination, which is performed by words and outward signs, no one ought to doubt that Order is truly and properly one of the seven sacraments of holy Church. For the Apostle says: I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of God, which is in thee by the imposition of my hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sobriety. [253] Caput IV. Chapter IV. De ecclesiastica hierarchia et ordinatione. On the Ecclesiastical hierarchy, and on Ordination. Quoniam vero in sacramento ordinis, sicut et in baptismo et But, forasmuch as in the sacrament of Order, as also in Baptism
confirmatione, character imprimitur, qui nec deleri nec auferri potest, merito sancta synodus damnat eorum sententiam, qui asserunt Novi Testamenti sacerdotes temporariam tantummodo potestatem habere, et semel rite ordinatos iterum laicos effici posse, si verbi Dei ministerium non exerceant. Quod si quis omnes Christianos promiscue Novi Testamenti sacerdotes esse, aut omnes pari inter se potestate spirituali præditos affirmet, nihil aliud facere videtur, quam ecclesiasticam hierarchiam, quæ est ut castrorum acies ordinata, confundere; perinde ac si contra beati Pauli doctrinam omnes apostoli, omnes prophetæ, omnes evangelistæ, omnes pastores, omnes sint doctores. Proinde sacrosancta synodus declarat, præter ceteros ecclesiasticos gradus episcopos, qui in apostolorum locum successerunt, ad hunc hierarchicum ordinem præcipue pertinere, et positos, sicut idem apostolus ait, a Spiritu Sancto regere Ecclesiam Dei; eosque presbyteris superiores esse, ac sacramentum confirmationis conferre, ministros Ecclesiæ ordinare, atque alia pleraque peragere and Confirmation, a character is imprinted which can neither be effaced nor taken away, the holy Synod with reason condemns the opinion of those who assert that the priests of the New Testament have only a temporary power; and that those who have once been rightly ordained can again become laymen, if they do not exercise the ministry of the Word of God. And if any one affirm, that all Christians indiscriminately are priests of the New Testament, or that they are all mutually endowed with an equal spiritual power, he clearly does nothing but confound the ecclesiastical hierarchy, which is as an army set in array; [254] as if, contrary to the doctrine of blessed Paul, all were apostles, all prophets, all evangelists, all pastors, all doctors. [255] Wherefore, the holy Synod declares that, besides the other ecclesiastical degrees, bishops, who have succeeded to the place of the Apostles, principally belong to this hierarchical order; that they are placed, as the same apostle says, by the Holy Ghost, to rule the Church of God; [256] that they are superior to priests; administer the sacrament of Confirmation; ordain the ministers of the Church; and that they can perform very many other things; over which