http://sedevacantist.com/newmass/denplish.htm

"DENOTES" DOES NOT IMPLY "ACCOMPLISHES"

Some persons erroneously believe that transubstantiation is the only thing that must necessarily be signified, or denoted, in the sacramental form for the wine-consecration. This mistaken belief plants in their minds the false notion that the first few words of the form, namely, "This is the Chalice of My Blood," which denote the transubstantiation of the wine into the Precious Blood, would suffice as a valid (though not licit) form for consecrating the wine. They assume that these few introductory words of the form, since they denote the conversion of the wine into Christ's Blood, automatically accomplish this conversion just as soon as they have been pronounced by the priest.

No one (at least, no Catholic) will deny that the words, "This is the Chalice of My Blood," do in fact denote transubstantiation. Although St. Thomas holds that the entire form is necessary for validity, he does acknowledge that "by the first words, This is the Chalice of My Blood, the change of the wine into blood is denoted" (Summa Theologica, III, Q. 78, Art. 3). In the same Summa (III, Q. 60, Art. 3) he also teaches: "In the Sacrament of the Altar two things [emphasis added] are signified, viz., Christ's true body and Christ's Mystical Body, as Augustine says (Liber Sent. Prosper.)."

The final words of the form, "for you and for many unto the remission of sins," are the words that denote, or signify, the union of the Mystical Body of Christ. This union of the Mystical Body is the effect or grace proper (the res sacramenti) of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist; and these signifying words, namely, "for you and for many unto the remission of sins," are therefore essential for the validity of the Sacrament, and, perforce, for the validity of the Mass.

Although transubstantiation is clearly denoted by the first words of the form, "This is the Chalice of My Blood," it is not brought about, or accomplished, just as soon as these words have been uttered. The remaining words of the form, namely, "of the new and eternal testament ... for you and for many unto the remission of sins," which have not yet been pronounced by the priest, contain essential determinations of the statement "This is the Chalice of My Blood."

Analyzing the sacramental form for baptism brings home the distinction between "denotes" and "accomplishes." The words "I baptize thee" denote the washing away of sin. But the cleansing from sin, the infusion of sanctifying grace, as well as the imprinting of the indelible sacramental character of baptism are not brought about, or accomplished, just as soon as the words "I baptize thee" have been uttered, as all will admit. On the contrary, these effects await the completion of the sacramental form with those necessary additional words, "in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." The statement "I baptize thee" is not true at the moment those three words are pronounced, because the recipient of the sacrament in very fact at that precise moment has not yet been validly baptized.

Similarly, upon the utterance of the mere statement, "This is the Chalice of My Blood," nothing as yet happens. The additional words of the form, which are essential "determinations of the predicate" (as St. Thomas puts it), have not yet been expressed. Hence the statement "This is the Chalice of My Blood" does not become true until the recitation of the entire form has been completed.

Patrick Henry Omlor

March 10, 1995
The Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste