Liturgical Questions. (From M. Bouix's “Revue des Sciences Ecclesiastiques”).

1. Is it lawful or obligatory to insert, at the letter N, in the collect A cunctis, the name of the patron of the locality (if there be one) when the titular of the church is the Blessed Virgin or a mystery of our Saviour?

2. Is it right to place on the corner of the altar the finger-towel, which in some churches is fastened to the altar-cloth, from which it hangs suspended?

3. Is there any obligation to ring the bell at the Sanctus and at the Elevation, even when there is no one at Mass?

4. Is it lawful for a priest to use a cincture of the kind generally used by bishops?

1. The name of the titular of the church in which the Mass is said is that which ought to be inserted at the letter N in the collect A cunctis. In the application of this general rule various cases may occur; the title may be a mystery of our Lord or of our Blessed Lady; or it may be a saint already named in the collect—for example, Saint Peter or Saint Paul; or Mass may be said in an oratory which has no titular saint. The following are the rules to be observed in such cases:

1o. That it is the name of the titular saint which is to be inserted at the letter N is clear from the following decrees:

1 Decree. Question. “In missali romano praecipitur, ut post nomina Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, in oratione A cunctis, etc., dicatur nomen patroni praecipui illius ecclesiae, seu diocesis. In Hispania est praecipuus illius regni patronus B. Jacobus apostolus et ex concessione Apostolica in ecclesia dioecesi Guadicensi est patronus specialis S. Torquatus, B. Jacobi apostoli discipulus, et ejusdem ecclesiae [pg 090]et civitatis primus episcopus. Quaeritur: An in praedicta oratione A cunctis debeat dici nomen B. Jacobi apostoli, an B. Torquati?” Answer. “In oratione A cunctis post nomina sanctorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli, nomen Torquati tanquam Ecclesiae cathedralis Guadicensis Patroni dumtaxat ponendum esse”. (Decree of 22 January, 1678, No. 2856, q. 8.)

2 Decree. Questions. “... 15. S. Jacobus est patronus universalis regnorum Hispaniae, sancti vero martyres Stemeterius et Caledonius fratres sunt patroni particulares ecclesiae cathedralis, et totius dioecesis Santanderiensis rite electi, et novissime approbati a S. R. C. Quaeritur igitur: Quis ex his patronis debeat nominari ... in oratione A cunctis, quando in missis haec oratio dicitur in ecclesia matrice et in caeteris dioecesis? 16. In casu, quo ob dignitatis praestantiam nominari debeat S. Jacobus, quaeritur an ... exprimi etiam possint nomina SS. Stemeterii et Caledonii in praedicta oratione ..., praecipue in ecclesia matrice ubi sacra eorum capita ... venerantur? Et si negative, supplicatur pro gratia ad promovendum cultum qui ipsos decet in ecclesia cathedrali ac tota dioecesi ratione sui specialissimi patronatus”. Answer. “Ad 15. In qualibet ecclesia nominandum esse patronum seu titularem proprium ejusdem ecclesiae. Ad 16. Provisum in praecedenti”. (Decree of 23 January, 1793, No. 4448, q. 15 and 16.)

3 Decree. Question. “An patronus nominandus in oratione A cunctis intelligi debeat patronus principalis loci?” Answer. “Nominandus titularis Ecclesiae”. (Decree of 12 November, 1831, No. 4669, q. 31.)

2o. If the titular of the church has been already named in the collect A cunctis, no name is to be inserted at the letter N. The same holds if the Mass happens to be that of the same saint. This rule depends on the following decision:

“Quis nominandus sit ad litteram N. si patronus vel titularis jam nominatus sit in illa oratione, aut de eo celebrata sit missa?” Answer. “Si jam fuerit nominatus omittenda nova nominatio”. (Ibid.)

3o. If the oratory in which the Mass is said have no titular saint, the name of the patron of the locality is to be inserted. This rule is proved from a decree of 12th December, 1840, No. 4897, No. 2:

“Sacerdos celebrans in oratorio publico vel privato quod non habet sanctum patronum vel titularem, an debeat in oratione A cunctis ad litteram N. nominare sanctum patronum vel titularem ecclesiae parochialis intra cujus limites sita sunt oratoria, vel sanctum patronum ecclesiae cui adscriptus est, vel potius omnem ulteriorem nominationem omittere?” Answer. “Patronum civitatis, vel loci nominandum esse”.

4o. If the titular of the church be a mystery of the life of our Lord, or of our Lady, authors differ in opinion whether the name of the patron of the locality is to be inserted at the letter [pg 091] N, or whether no addition should be made. M. de Conny is for the latter opinion, and his authority is a safe guide for us. The second rule we have laid down is sufficient to show that no name is to be inserted in cases where the title of the church is a mystery of the Blessed Virgin, seeing that the august Mother of God is always named in the body of the prayer. The words of the conclusion are enough perhaps to excuse from the obligation of naming the patron of the locality in cases where the church is dedicated to a mystery of the life of our Lord.

2. The usage here alluded to is not only not becoming, but it is also contrary to the Rubric of the Missal. (part i., tit. xx.):

“Ab eadem parte epistolae ... ampullae vitreae vini et aquae, cum pelvicula et manutergio mundo in fenestella, seu in parva mensa ad haec praeparata. Super altare nihil omnino ponatur, quod ad Missae sacrificium vel ipsius altaris ornatum non pertineat”.

3. The sole reason for ringing a bell at Mass is to give a signal to the faithful. “Ad excitandos circumstantes”, says Gavantus (t. i. part i., tit. XX., l. c.), “ad laetitiam exprimendam et ad cultum sanctissimi Sacramenti adhibetur campanula”. Other writers coincide with this opinion. It seems but natural, therefore, not to ring the bell when there are no assistants present, and when there is no need of any signal. Besides, it is clearly the teaching of authors, and even of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, that whenever a signal is not required, the bell is not to be rung. Thus, the following decision forbids the bell to be rung during the celebration of the divine office in the choir, at least in certain circumstances:

“Exposito in S. R. C. ecclesiam collegiatam civitatis Senarum habere chorum adeo subjectum oculis populi, et tali loco positum, ut canonici dicto choro pro divinis celebrandis, et praecipue Missae cantatae assistentibus, omnino altaria ejusdem coliegiatae pernecesse inspiciantur, et exposito quoque tempore, quo canonici choro ut supra assistunt, consuevisse in dictis altaribus celebrari Missas privatas et sine scandalo prohiberi non posse: ideo supplicatum fuit pro declaratione: an ipsi canonici in elevationibus quae fiunt in Missis privatis, genuflectere teneantur?” Answer. “Non esse genuflectendum, ne sacra, quibus assistunt, per actum privatum interrumpantur, sed ad evitandum scandalum, quod in populo et adstantibus causari possit ob non genuflectionem esse omittendam pulsationem campanulae in elevatione Sanctissimi, in dictis Missis privatis.” (Decret of 5 March 1667, No. 2397.)

Nor, as a general rule, is the bell rung when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, for then it is unnecessary to summon the faithful to adore the Eucharist. “During the private Masses”, says the Instructio Clementina, “that are celebrated during the exposition, the bell is not to be rung”. Cavalieri, commenting on this passage, [pg 092] says: “Ex rubricarum praescripto ... interdicuntur”. He is of opinion that this rule of the Instructio regards only low Masses, but Gardellini holds that it refers also to High Masses:

“Non erat, cur instructio etiam Missas solemnes commemoraret, pro quibus Rubrica, non jubet, ut in privatis, eadem pulsari ad finem prefationis, et ad elevationem Sacramenti. Romae saltem in majoribus ecclesiis obtinet mos etiam non pulsandi, praeterquam in Missis solemnibus pro defunctis: gravis organorum sonitus supplet vices tintinnabuli, et populi adstantis excitat attentionem”.

From all this it is clear that the bell is not to be rung whenever there is no signal to be given. This is certainly the case when there is no one to assist at Mass.

4. The cincture for the use of a priest does not differ from that for the use of a bishop. It may be made either of linen thread or silk, but it is better that it should be of linen. It may be either white or of the colour of the vestments. These rules are drawn from two decrees of the Sacred Congregation:

1 Decree. Question. “An sacerdotes in sacrificio Missae uti possint cingulo serico?” Answer. “Congruentius uti cingulo lineo”. (22 Jan. 1701, No. 3575, q. 7.)

2 Decree. Question. “An cingulum, tertium indumentum sacerdotale, possit esse colons paramentorum; an necessario debeat esse album?” Answer. “Posse uti cingulo colore paramentorum”—(8 Jun. 1709, No. 3809, q. 4.)

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