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Objection 1: It seems that the dispensing of this sacrament does not
belong to a priest alone. For Christ's blood belongs to this
sacrament no less than His body. But Christ's blood is dispensed by
deacons: hence the blessed Lawrence said to the blessed Sixtus
(Office of St. Lawrence, Resp. at Matins): "Try whether you
have chosen a fit minister, to whom you have entrusted the dispensing
of the Lord's blood." Therefore, with equal reason the dispensing
of Christ's body does not belong to priests only.
Objection 2: Further, priests are the appointed ministers of the
sacraments. But this sacrament is completed in the consecration of the
matter, and not in the use, to which the dispensing belongs.
Therefore it seems that it does not belong to a priest to dispense the
Lord's body.
Objection 3: Further, Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. iii, iv)
that this sacrament, like chrism, has the power of perfecting. But
it belongs, not to priests, but to bishops, to sign with the chrism.
Therefore likewise, to dispense this sacrament belongs to the bishop
and not to the priest.
On the contrary, It is written (De Consecr., dist. 12):
"It has come to our knowledge that some priests deliver the Lord's
body to a layman or to a woman to carry it to the sick: The synod
therefore forbids such presumption to continue; and let the priest
himself communicate the sick."
I answer that, The dispensing of Christ's body belongs to the
priest for three reasons. First, because, as was said above
(Article 1), he consecrates as in the person of Christ. But as
Christ consecrated His body at the supper, so also He gave it to
others to be partaken of by them. Accordingly, as the consecration of
Christ's body belongs to the priest, so likewise does the dispensing
belong to him. Secondly, because the priest is the appointed
intermediary between God and the people; hence as it belongs to him to
offer the people's gifts to God, so it belongs to him to deliver
consecrated gifts to the people. Thirdly, because out of reverence
towards this sacrament, nothing touches it, but what is consecrated;
hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the
priest's hands, for touching this sacrament. Hence it is not lawful
for anyone else to touch it except from necessity, for instance, if it
were to fall upon the ground, or else in some other case of urgency.
Reply to Objection 1: The deacon, as being nigh to the priestly
order, has a certain share in the latter's duties, so that he may
dispense the blood; but not the body, except in case of necessity, at
the bidding of a bishop or of a priest. First of all, because
Christ's blood is contained in a vessel, hence there is no need for
it to be touched by the dispenser, as Christ's body is touched.
Secondly, because the blood denotes the redemption derived by the
people from Christ; hence it is that water is mixed with the blood,
which water denotes the people. And because deacons are between priest
and people, the dispensing of the blood is in the competency of
deacons, rather than the dispensing of the body.
Reply to Objection 2: For the reason given above, it belongs to
the same person to dispense and to consecrate this sacrament.
Reply to Objection 3: As the deacon, in a measure, shares in the
priest's "power of enlightening" (Eccl. Hier. v), inasmuch as
he dispenses the blood. so the priest shares in the "perfective
dispensing" (Eccl. Hier. v) of the bishop, inasmuch as he
dispenses this sacrament whereby man is perfected in himself by union
with Christ. But other perfections whereby a man is perfected in
relation to others, are reserved to the bishop.
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