Whether Dispensing of This Sacrament Belongs to a Priest Alone?
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.
Obj. 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.
Obj. 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 (A. 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 Obj. 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 Obj. 2: For the reason given above, it belongs to the same
person to dispense and to consecrate this sacrament.
Reply Obj. 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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