According to the English translation of the 1917 Code of Canon Law by Dr. Edward N. Peters:
Canon 813
§ 1. A priest should not celebrate Mass without a minister who assist him and responds.
§ 2. The minister serving at Mass should not be a woman unless, in the absence of a man, for a just cause, it is so arranged that the woman respond from afar and by no means approach the altar.
An explanation of this Canon is found A Commentary on the New Code of Canon Law by the Rev. Chas. Augustine, O.S.B., D.D., published in 1918:
A priest shall not say Mass without a minister who serves and answers him. Women may not serve Mass unless no man is present and there is a just cause, and then they must answer from a distance and not approach the altar.
The obligation to have a server at Mass is per se grievous, as it is prescribed by the rubrics. However, by reason of the faculties formerly granted to our Ordinaries and communicated by them to all their priests, we have become accustomed to say Mass without a server for reasons which really would not stand the canonical and moral test. Does custom even now excuse us from grievous transgression in this matter? Where normal conditions exist in a regularly established parish it would be difficult to excuse the old custom. But where missionary conditions still prevail we believe priests need not scruple to say Mass without a server, especially when there are some frequent communicants and the boys are in school or on vacation. For there can hardly be a doubt that the spiritual benefit is proportionately greater than the observance of a law which, if too strictly enforced, would diminish religious fervor. This is our view. For the rest, all authors " agree that Mass may be said without a server if the Viaticuм has to be consecrated, or on holydays of obligation for the people as well as the priest, or if the server should leave after Mass is considerably advanced. Attention may be called to the fact that in our country people are neither scandalized nor surprised to see a priest say Mass without a server.
As to women, Benedict XIV ruled that they shall not serve at the altar, but the sacred Congregation has since permitted girls in institutions or Sisters to answer the priest from behind a railing in case of necessity. It seems to us that it would be preferable, for reasons of mere devotion, to employ a woman server, than to say Mass without any server at all. But the faculty granted in virtue of Form I, Art. 23, to say Mass without a minister can no longer be made use of.
Thank you very much for this!
So if only women attended the Mass. Would it be better for a women to make the responses from the pew or to remain silent?
One Monday years ago, my wife was at our mission church cleaning with my five-year-old son. Our priest's flight was cancelled and he was stuck at the mission and needed to say his Mass. My son had never served before, but knew most of the movements and responses.
My son served, but the priest asked my wife to also say the responses from the pew in the event my son stumbled. Had my son not been there, under those conditions, the priest still would have said Mass and my wife would have responded from the pews.
Incidentally, my son had been praying for God to allow him to serve by the time he was five years old like St. Dominic Savio. The flight cancellation allowed for his request to be granted
one week before he turned six.God answers prayers.
Topic: English Translation of Code of Canon Law 1917 (Read 1621 times)