The few questions which were answered in the last number of the _Record_
have given occasion to other questions of a practical nature in
connection with the Office and Mass for the Dead. There is a variety of
practice in some points--for instance, 1st, at the end of the
absolution, if the office and mass be celebrated for one person, should
_requiescat in pace_, or _requiescant_, be said?
2nd, Should the _Anima ejus et animae omnium_, etc., be said, and is
there any definite rule about it?
3rd, When is the _De profundis_ to be said, and when is it to be
omitted?
With regard to the first question we beg to quote the following decree
of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, which settles the question.
"Dec. 2709. An dicendum sit in fine absolutionis mortuorum
requiescat vel requiescant?
"Resp. Quando absolutio est pro uno defuncto, in singulari;
pro pluribus, in plurali. In missa vero semper
_requiescant_. Die 22 Januarii, 1678".
In reply to the second question, it appears to us that the Rubrics of
the Ritual will lead us to a safe conclusion. The Ritual clearly lays
down that, if the remains for any reason are not carried to the cemetery
immediately after the office, the Benedictus, and the prayer, etc.,
having been said, the _Anima ejus et animae_, etc., is also to be said.
In such a case there is no doubt, inasmuch as the Ritual lays down the
entire order of the ceremony, and ends with the words _Anima ejus_,
etc., in full without any comment. If the remains are brought to the
cemetery the same practice is to be observed, for at the sepulchre the
same prayers are prescribed by the Rubrics, and there is no change
mentioned. Hence, we consider we are correct in stating that the _Anima
ejus_, etc., is to be said at the end of the prayers for burial,
praesente corpore, whether these are recited in the church or in the
cemetery. But is the verse _Anima ejus_ to be said at the end, after the
_Requiescant in pace_, if the remains are not present? There is no
mention of this in the Ritual nor in the Missal, and it is certain that
on All Souls' Day, when the remains, as a rule, are not supposed to be
present, the _Anima ejus_ is not to be said. There is a decree of the
Sacred Congregation of Rites referring to this subject.
"Dec. 2924. An post absolutionem quae fit super cadaver in
die obitus, vel supra tumulum in die anniversario aut super
lecticam seu castrum doloris in die commemorationis omnium
fidelium defunctorum, dicto versiculo requiescant in pace,
subjungi debeat Anima ejus et animae omnium, etc.
"Resp. Servetur Rituale: et in commemoratione omnium
fidelium defunctorum nihil superaddendum. Die 2 Decembris,
1684".
We do not mean to say that this decree decides the point clearly in our
favour, but the Ritual certainly does not prescribe it. We have before
us an excellent ceremonial published in Bologna by a missionary priest
of St. Vincent, and he is clearly of opinion that the _Anima ejus_
absente cadavere ought not to be said, and adduces the decree above
quoted referring to the office on All Souls' Day.
With regard to the third question, it is well we should observe, in
order to avoid any misunderstanding, that we are speaking of the _De
profundis_ which is said after Mass at the end of the absolution, when
the clergy are proceeding to the sacristy. The Rubrics are clear as to
when the _De profundis_ is to be said at the end of Lauds: "Psalmus
lauda anima mea in vesperis similiter et Psalmus _De profundis_ in fine
laudum non dicuntur in die commemorationis omnium fidelium defunctorum,
neque in die obitus seu depositionis defuncti". We think that much the
same answer is to be given about the _De profundis_ at the end of the
absolution, as was given above about the _Anima ejus et animae omnium_,
etc. This opinion is held by the author above quoted, and it is only in
case the corpse is present that the Ritual prescribes the _De
profundis_. "Deinde a sepultura in ecclesiam vel in sacristiam
revertentes dicant sine cantu antiphonam si iniquitates etc. cum Psalmo,
De profundis, etc.", and there is a decree of the Sacred Congregation of
Rites which appears to confirm our views.
"Dec. 4543. Antiphona et Psalmus De profundis nec non
versiculus animae eorum in die commemorationis omnium
fidelium defunctorum post absolutionem ad tumulum sunt
omittenda juxta. Decr. 2 Decembris, 1684".
"Die 28 Julii, 1832".
We must add that the practice in Rome is, even absente corpore, to say
the _De profundis_, and hence our readers will perceive there is some
difficulty in settling the question.
We wish, however, to state that, being pressed for time, we were not
able to examine this question as fully as we would wish, and we hope
soon to return to it; and if, in the mean time, any light were thrown on
the subject by any of our learned readers who study such matters, we
shall be very glad to receive any remarks or suggestions that may be
forwarded to us.