Chapter I

_Appendix ad Rituale Romanum_ sive Collectio Benedictionum et
Instructionum a Rituali Romano exsulantium, Sanctae Sedis
auctoritate approbatarum seu permissarum, in usum et commoditatum
Missionariorum Apostolicorum digesta. Romæ, Typis S. Con. de
Propagande Fide, 1864.

This book has been compiled by authority, to serve as an appendix to the Roman Ritual, and is intended for the convenience of priests on the mission. In Ireland especially, where the Catholic instincts of the people have ever maintained pious confraternities in the honour which is their due, the clergy must have felt the want of a manual containing the _formulæ_ to be used in enrolling the faithful in the various religious societies approved by the Holy See. These forms are not to be found in the Roman Ritual, nor in the books easily accessible to the great body of priests. Besides, since every creature of God may be blessed by prayer, the Catholic Church, whilst she refuses to be reconciled with whatever is defective in modern progress, hastens, on the other hand, to sanctify by her blessing whatever this progress contains of good. Hence, new forms of prayer are rendered necessary from time to time, such as the form for blessing railways, and the Benedictio ad. OMNIA, to be used in blessing all objects for which a special benediction is not contained in the Roman Ritual. These forms are to be found in this appendix. The instructions which the Holy See issues from time to time on various subjects for the guidance of missionary priests, also find their place in this collection. Among them is the Instructio, issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, for those who have permission to say two Masses on the same day in different churches, and which is inserted in the Ordo for use of the Irish clergy. To this is added, in the book under notice, the ritus servandus a _Sacerdote cum utramque Missam in eadem Ecclesia offere debet_. It runs as follows:—

“Hoc itaque in casu Sacerdos post haustum in prima Missa
diligenter Sanguinem Domini, omissa consueta purificatione, patena
calicem et palla patenam tegens ac super corporale relinquens
dicet junctis manibus: _Quod ore sumpsimus Domine_, etc. Deinde
digitos, quibus SS. Sacramentum tetigit, in aliquo vase mundo ad
hoc in Altare praeparato abluet, interim dicens _Corpus tuum
Domine_, etc., abstersisque purificatorio digitis calicem velo
coöperiet, velatumque ponet super corporale extensum. Absoluta
Missa si nulle in Ecclesia sit sacristia calicem eodem modo super
Altare relinquet; secus vero in Sacristiam deferet, ibique super
Corporale vel pallam in aliquo loco decenti et clauso collocabit
usque ad secundam Missam, in qua, cum eodem calice uti debeat,
ilium rursus secum deferet ad Altare, ac super corporale extensum
reponet. Cum autem in secunda Missa Sacerdos ad Offertorium
devenerit, ablato velo de Calice hunc parumper versus cornu
Epistolae collocabit sed non extra corporale, factaque hostiae
oblatione cavebit ne purificatorio extergat calicem, sed eum intra
corporale relinquens leviter elevabit, vinumque et aquam eidem
caute imponet, ne guttae aliquae ad labia ipsius Calicis
resiliant, quem deinde nullatenus ab intus abstersum more solito
offeret.”

The contents may be reduced to three heads. The first regards the sacraments, and embraces a short form for blessing the baptismal font; the rite of confirmation when administered by a simple priest by delegation from the Apostolic See; instruction for priests who duplicate; manner of carrying the Eucharist in secret to the sick among unbelievers; decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites concerning the oil for the lamp of the Blessed Sacrament. The second contains various forms of blessing, twenty-two in number, and including those for erecting the Via Crucis, and for enrolling in the scapulars of the different orders. The third part contains the ceremonies appointed by Benedict XIII. to be performed in the smaller parish churches on the great festivals of the Christian year.