"An in Ecclesiis ubi Functiones Majoris hebdomadae fieri nequeunt, Feria quinta celebrari possit Missa lecta. Negative".
And again:
1. "An toleranda sit consuetudo vigens in quibusdam par[oe]ciis, praesertim in ruralibus celebrandi per parochum Missam lectam Feria V. in Coena Domini quin peragi valeant eadem Feria, et sequenti coeterae Ecclesiasticae functiones praescriptae ob clericorum defectum, vel potius obolenda.
3. "An ad eliminandos abusus, siqui irrepserint, sit consulendum Sanctissimo pro revocatione cujuscumque Indulti celebrandi privatim eamdem Missam, (idest in Sabbato Sancto) firmo tamem remanente singulari privilegio aliquibus Ecclesiis, peculiaribus attentis circumstantiis, concesso unam vel alteram Missam lectam celebrandi post unicam solemnem de die?
"Ad. 1. Affirmative et ad mentem: mens est ut locorum ordinarii quoad Paroecias in quibus haberi possunt tres, quatuorve saltem Clerici Sacras Functiones Feriis V. et VI. ac Sabbato majoris hebdomadae peragi studeant, servata forma parvi Ritualis S. M. Benedicti XIII. anno 1725, jussu editi; Quoad alias paroecias quae Cleris destituuntur, indulgere valeant ob populi commoditatem, ut Parochi (petita quotannis venia) Feria V. in Coena Domini Missam lectam celebrare possint, priusquam in Cathedrali vel Matrice Conventualis incipiat. Et ad D. Secretarium cum Sanctissimo.
"Ad. 3. Affirmative juxta votum videlicet—Consulendum Sanctissimo pro revocatione cujuscumque Indulti celebrandi privatim in Sabbato Sancto, firmo tamen singulari privilegio aliquibus Ecclesiis, peculiaribus attentis circumstantiis, concesso, unam vel alteram Missam lectam celebrandi post unicam Solemnem de die prout in dubio, Die 28 Julii, 1821".
With reference to the first decision, it is to be remarked, how the observance of the Memoriale Rituum is inculcated, and that even in case the clerics cannot be had, the parish priest cannot celebrate a low Mass unless he gets permission to do so from the bishop each year (petita quotannis venia), and we may here observe that the only reasons which would warrant the bishop to grant permission for a low Mass on Holy Thursday, are two: first, to give an opportunity to the faithful of making their Easter Communion; and second, to give Communion to the sick. In these two circumstances the bishop can give permission for a low Mass, if he thinks it necessary, on Holy Thursday, but the parish priest, or, much less, any other priest, cannot say Mass even in these circumstances, without the permission sought and obtained every year from the bishop (venia quotannis petita).
Gardellini, in a very valuable dissertation on this decree, has the following words: "Rem tamen noluit in Parochorum ruralium arbitrio relinquere, sed demandavit ut iidem quotannis et peterent et ab episcopo celebrandi veniam obtinerent". In another passage he (Gardellini) quotes the authority of Benedict XIV., who, when Archbishop of Bologna, had granted permission to some of the parish priests to say a low Mass under the circumstances above referred to, and then he adds:
"Praeter parochum in sua parochia, si sacerdos aliquis cujuscumque conditionis aut dignitatis Missam privatam Feria quinta, sexta, ac Sabbato majoris hebdomodae celebrare ausus fuerit, ipsum graviter puniemus et a Divinis etiam interdicemus".