4. The decree 4394 makes it clear that on all the ordinary doubles throughout the year, the Missa pro sponso et sponsa may be celebrated; and it declares, moreover, that it is a votive private Mass, and, as such, to be said sine Gloria et Credo, with the second and third prayers of the day occurring, and to conclude with the Benedicamus Domino and the Gospel of St. John. This decree, clear as it may appear, gave rise to another question about privileged octaves which exclude doubles, which was afterwards proposed to the Sacred Congregation of Rites, and to which an answer was given on the 20th April, 1822, in the Decree 4437, already quoted, question 5.
Gardellini, in a valuable note, explains the matter fully, and we quote his words on the subject:—
“Hisce decretis compositae quaestiones omnes videbantur: secus tamen accidit, nam nova excitata sunt dubia. Quippe nonnulli sunt, qui opinantur Missam hanc dici posse etiam diebus qui excludunt duplicia per annum, praesertim vero infra octavam Epiphaniae, in vigilia Pentecostes et infra octavam privilegiatam sanctissimi Corporis Christi. In hac autem opinione versantur quia in primo illo Decreto dies isti expressim et nominatim non excipiuntur. Ast hi errant quam maxime. Non enim declaratione indigebat id, quod sub generali prohibitione, utpote a Rubricis jam vetitum continebatur. Jubet Decretum, ne Missa nuptiarum celebretur in duplicibus primae vel secundae classis sed vult ut in hujusmodi occursu solam obtineant commemorationem: ergo includit in regula etiam dies, in quibus per easdem Rubricas fieri nequit Festum duplex secundae classis vel occurrens vel translatum si in octava Epiphaniae duplicia isthaec non admittuntur, potiori jure nec Missa votiva privata non obstante Indultu admitti poterit, utpote quae in occursu hujusmodi duplicium celebranda non est”.
We must refer our readers to this very instructive note of Gardellini, which we regret we cannot insert here in full, owing to its great length. Indeed it is not necessary to do so, inasmuch as the answer given to the question 5 in the Decree 4437, already quoted, puts an end to further discussion, and settles the question definitively.
There are other questions connected with the ceremony of marriage, but we must reserve them for another occasion.
Correspondence.
I. The See Of Down And Connor.
To the Editors of the Irish Ecclesiastical Record.