The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-10-02

to reduce the number of Masses.
We, therefore, again laying grave
burden on the conscience of those who
in this manner do not fulfil their duty,
are strongly impelled by the charity
towards the souls Of the departed,
wherewith We have been inflamed
from boyhood to supply in some wise.
as far as in Us lies, the suffrages
omitted to their great detriment. This
commiseration indeed stirs us all the
more today, when, the torches of the
most calumitous war having been ap-
piled to almost all Europe. We per-
ceive almost before Our eyes such
multitude of men, in the flower of
their age, succumb to premature death
in battle; to purify their souls, though
the piety of kindred be not lacking,
who will say nevertheless that it is
equal to the need? But since by the
divine counsel We have been made
the common father Of all, We wish,
with paternal bounty, to make Our
children who have passed away, who
for Us are most dear and most desired,
partake abundantly of the treasures
accumulated from the merits of Jesus
Christ.
Therefore, having invoked the en-
lightenment of heavenly Wisdom and
consulted some of the Fathers Car
dinals of the Holy Roman Church be-
longing to the S. Congregation of the
Discipline of the Sacramento and Of
the Sacred Rites, we enact in per-
petuity the following:
I. It shall be lawful for all Priests
in the universal Church to celebrate
thrice on the day on which Solemn
Commemoration of all the faithful de-
parted is observed; subject, however,
to this law, that they can apply one
of the three Masses for whomsover
they prefer and accept an offering;
but they shall be bound, having &C.
cepted an offering, to apply the second
Mass by way of suffrage for all the
faithful departed, the third according
to the intention of the Supreme Pom
tiff, which we have more than suffi-
GENTLY declared.
II. What Our Predecessor, Clement
XIII, granted in Letter dated the 10
May, 1861, that is, that on the day of
Solemn Commemoration all affairs
should be as matter of course privi-
legged, the same, as far as may be
necessary, We confirm by Our Author.
ity.
III. The three Masses, of which We
have spoken above, shall be so cele-
brated as Our Predecessor, Benedict
XIV, of happy memory, prescribed for
the Kingdoms of Spain and Portugal.
Whose may wish to celebrate one
Mass only shall celebrate that which
in the Missal is inscribed with the
legend in Cemmemoratione omnium
t1delium defunctorum Tin Commemora-
ton of all the faithful departed);
whose is about to celebrate sung
Mass, shall select the same, power be-
ing granted to him to anticipate the
second and third.
Nv. Wherever it happens that the
Most August Sacrament is exposed for
the Forty Hours Alteration, Masses
of Requiem which must necessarily
be said with sacerdotal vestments of
violet color (Decr. Gen. S. R. G. 3177-
1864 at A., shall not be celebrated at
the Altar of Exposition.
For the rest, We deem it certain
that all the Priests of the Catholic
world, although it will be lawful for
them to celebrate once only on the
day of Solemn Commemoration of all
the faithful departed, will gladly and
zealously wish to use the signal privi-
lege which We have bestowed. But
We earnestly exhort all the children
of the Church, mindful of the duty
whereby they are, on more than one
head, bound towards their brethren
suffering in the Fire of Purgatory, to
assist frequently at Mass on that day
with the greatest devotion. Thus will
it certainly come to pass that, an i'm
mense refreshing wave flowing from
so many salutary expiations into
Purgatory, most numerous souls of the
departed shall every year be assumed
amongst the blessed of the Church
triumphant in heaven.
And what We have enacted by this
Apostolic Letter, the same We declare
to be valid and stable forever, any
law whatsoever, hitherto enacted by
Our predecessors, regarding the nom
repetition of Masses Notwithstanding.
Given at Rome from st. Peters, the
10th day Of the month of August, 1916,
In the first year of Our Pontificate.
P. Card. Gasparri Secrets Status.
Phi. Card. Giustini, S. s. de sacra-
mentis Praefectus.
Loco X Plumb
Visa.
M. Riggi, c. A., Not.
Reg. in Cane. Ap. N. 1915.
IRISH PRISONERS GARNER GER.