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: