potest." We should bear in our recollection that the Council of Trent assigns, as one of the most effectual remedies against evil habits, the "poenæ satisfactoriae " which follow absolution. That the same Holy Council has defined that the sacrament of Penance was instituted "non solum da tollenda peccata præterita sed etiam ad præcavens a futura;" that this sacrament bestows not only Sanctifying but also Sacramental graces; and that to postpone absolution (unless under the pressure of strict theological necessity) would be, as Henno says, to imitate the "insanus medicus, qui non vellet adhibere præcipuum remedium nisi ægroto jam sanato." Finally, taking it for granted that, unless in cases of rare occurrence, permission to receive Holy Communion is attached to the giving of absolution, we should be anxious, when possible, to communicate to our penitents, as a remedy against sin, that Sacrament which is the "Fortitudo Fragilium" (and who so fragile as the recidivus?); the "Antidotum quo a peccatis mortalibus præservamur; "quo fugantur dæmones et Angeli ad nos alliciuntur; "vitiorum nostrorum evacuatio, concupiscentiæ et libidinis exterminatio, omniumque virtutum augmentatio." C. J. M. LITURGY. The Tabernacle. No well-instructed Catholic, much less any priest, needs to be reminded that in our concern for the beauty of God's house, the Tabernacle must hold the first place in our thoughts. It is the Sanctum Sanctorum in the house of God -the little apartment in which He lives. Respect then for Him whom it holds demands this care; and, moreover, it is a duty which we, priests, owe to the people to give them an example not only of prayerful devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, but of that too which is inseparable from a lively faith, a reverential anxiety reaching to the minutest particulars about the little home where our Lord dwells. I purpose to set down in order the prescriptions of the rubrics and rubricists regarding the Tabernacle. 1. The Tabernacle must be not only scrupulously clean and neat both inside and outside, and furnished in accordance with the liturgical prescriptions, but also as elegant and costly as the revenues at the disposal of the priest for church-decoration can conveniently afford. In St. John Lateran's the Tabernacle sparkles with precious. gems, and in St. Peter's it is made of gilt bronze and ornamented with columns of lapis lazuli. It would be a manifest inversion of intelligent and well-ordered zeal to be lavish in the expenditure of care and money on the various articles of church furniture and decoration-such as even the pictures and statues of saints-and to neglect the Tabernacle. 2. Material of the Tabernacle.-The Tabernacle is commonly made of wood, as being dry and well suited for keeping the Sacred Hosts; but other solid and more costly materials, such as marble, iron, or bronze, may be also used. When the material is such as admits or retains moisture, it is always advisable, and in some cases necessary, to insert an inner Tabernacle of wood in order to protect the Blessed Sacrament from damp. In this case it would be well if the wood Tabernacle were not in contact with the outer one. It is now very common to have an iron safe for the Tabernacle, and this is sometimes enclosed in an outer one of wood or marble. The iron safe gives additional security for the protection of the Blessed Sacrament in case of fire, or of an attempt at sacrilegious robbery, and is also proof against damp. 3. Its Shape and Size.-No particular shape is prescribed for the Tabernacle. It may be round, or square, or of six or eight sides. In determining its shape, a good deal will depend on the character of the church and altar. A common form is that of a rectangular little chest with a cupola or dome, surmounted with a little cross. It may be remarked in passing, that this little cross will not suffice for the cross required at Mass. The Tabernacle is to have no opening except the door in front, and it is also forbidden to put in any part of it little windows through which the Blessed Sacrament might be seen Montault. Traité Pratique de la construction, &c., des Eglises. "Tabernaculem regulariter debet esse ligneum, extra deauratum, intus vero aliquo panno serico decenter contectum." S.C. Episc., 26th Oct., 1575. 8 Authors generally. 4 S.R.C. 3 Ap., 1821 (4578, 6). 1 within. On the dome or top of the Tabernacle, a place is usually prepared to receive the Monstrance at the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The only other object which may be placed on the top of the Tabernacle is the cross of the altar, as it is specially forbidden to make the Tabernacle a support or resting place for statues, or relics, or anything, except the Monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament, and the altar-cross." The Tabernacle is to be sufficiently large to hold the sacred vessels in which the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. In parochial and other churches we frequently have in reserve two large ciboriums, a lunette, and a pyxis; and accordingly the Tabernacle should be so large as to hold all these conveniently. But this want being provided for, the size of the Tabernacle should be in proportion to the altar on which it stands. It is very inconvenient when it encroaches so far on the table of the altar that but little room is left for altar-stone or corporal. 4. The Interior Decoration.-The interior of the Tabernacle is to be lined all round, including the door and on top and bottom, with white silk or damask. If nails are used in putting on this lining, they ought to be noncorrosive, and with gilt heads. It is the Roman custom, and indeed the common custom elsewhere too, to suspend from inside at the opening made by the door a curtain of rich white silk, suitably decorated with fringe, to prevent the ciborium from being seen, when the Tabernacle is opened by the priest, and also to shut out any dust. This curtain is divided in the middle in order that the sacred vessels can be conveniently put in and taken out, and also so arranged that it can be moved back, so that the ciborium in a private Exposition may be visible to the people when the door is open, without taking it out of the Tabernacle. The rubrics prescribe that a corporal (blessed) be placed in the Tabernacle, on which the sacred vessels are to stand. The corporal will of course vary in shape with the Tabernacle. When necessary, a pall will serve instead of Gard. IS.R.C. 20 Sept., 1806 (4505, ad 2.) S.R.C. 16 Junii, 1663 (2231). 17 Sept., 1882 (4590), et Nota $ De Herdt. Sac. Liturg. Praxis. Tom i., n. 181. De Conny. Ceremonial Romain, p. 9. *S.C. Episc. 26 Oct., 1575. Ben, xiii. Instructio. Ben. xiii. Ibid. De Herdt. Ibid. Tom. ii., n. 32. a corporal.1 The Tabernacle is intended to hold only the sacred vessels actually containing the Blessed Sacrament, and it is forbidden to place in it anything else-even relics, or the holy oils, or the purified sacred vessels, or the little vase containing the purification occasionally held over from first to second Mass, in fact, .anything except the vessels containing the Blessed Sacrament and the corporal on which they stand. 5. The Exterior Ornamentation.-When made of wood or bronze, the Tabernacle is richly gilt on the outside.3 The Capuchins, however, in consideration of their vow of extreme poverty are privileged to use a Tabernacle of plain wood without gilding. The exterior is usually decorated with emblems of the Blessed Sacrament, such as bunches of wheat, grapes, or with figures of adoring angels. On some Tabernacles there are suitable inscriptions. Montault' tells us that in the Church of the Holy Cross at Jerusalem, the words "Hic Deum Adora " were inscribed on the Tabernacle; and on that of the cathedral of Grenoble, the inscription on the frieze is the text from St. John, "Hic est panis vivus, qui de coelo descendit. Si quis ex hoc manducaverit, non morietur in aeternum." He mentions other similar instances. The door of the Tabernacle is specially rich in its material and ornamentation. In the Church of St. Cecilia at Rome, it is of silver gilt, and set with precious stones.6 It is usual to paint or work on the door some figures relating to the Blessed Sacrament, or to the mysteries of the Passion, such as the Good Shepherd, the Last Supper, a Chalice with a Host over it, a Pelican, a Cross, or any other appropriate emblem. It is prescribed in the ritual' and by the Congregation of Rites that the Tabernacle when containing the Blessed Sacrament should be covered with a veil. The rubrical name for it is the conopeum. It cannot be dispensed with, even though a veil hangs inside the Tabernacle door. The inside veil is not necessary, but the conopeum is.9. The conopeum or veil is supposed to cover the Tabernacle on 1 Gard, Ciement Instruc.. § v. 4, b. 2 Rit. Rom. De Sacra, Euch. S.C.R. 22 Feb., 1593. S.C. Episc., 13 Maii., 1693. S.C. Episc., 26 Oct., 1575. 4S.C. Episc. et Regul. 13 Jul. 1694. 8 In Briocen. 21 Jul., 1855 (5221 ad 13.) 28 April, 1866 (5368.) S.R.C. 28 Ap., 1866 (5368.) all sides. It is divided at the middle in front, so as to allow of the opening of the Tabernacle door, and usually hangs from a little brass rod which is easily removed when necessary. It is manifestly very desirable that this veil, which is the liturgical cover and ornament of the Tabernacle when containing the Blessed Sacrament, should be elegant and rich. It is sometimes made of the costly material used for vestments, and more commonly of silk ornamented with gold lace, or expensive coloured fringe. St. Charles recommends the priest to have a special conopeum of real cloth of gold or silver, or some other material distinguished for its richness and appropriateness for the great feasts of the year. It is well, however, to understand that no special material is prescribed, and the Sacred Congregation decided that mere linen or even cotton fabric can be used for this veil. A veil of one colour will suffice for all seasons of the year, and where only one colour is used, white is recommended as the most suitable, as it is the colour appropriated to the Blessed Sacrament. In some poor but well-regulated churches, they use veils of two colours, namely, violet for the penitential seasons, and white for the rest of the year. It is the Roman custom, recommended by the Congregation of Rites, to change the colour of this veil, and of the antependium with the colour of the day. It is the Mass that determines the colour. Hence, if the colour of the Mass is different from that of the Office, as happens on Rogation Days, the conopeum is to have the colour of the Mass. Black, however, is never used for the conopeum or antependium, and its place is supplied by violet.3 When the Blessed Sacrament is not in the Tabernacle, the conopeum is removed or drawn aside, and the Tabernacle door left open. 6. The Key of the Tabernacle.-The Tabernacle is to be protected with a good lock; and the parish priest, in the first place, and after him the chaplain or priest who has to administer Holy Communion, is responsible for the keeping of the key. The key should not be left in the Tabernacle door (except when required for a function), or in an exposed place, or open drawer in the sacristy. We are forbidden to entrust the keeping of it to lay persons, even 2 Ibid. 1 21 Jul., 1855 (5221 ad 13.) 3 S.R.C. Ibid. Rit. Rom. de Euch. Caer. Epist. lib. I., cap. 6. Pont. Rom. Or do ad Synodum. S. Cong. Concilii, 14 Nov., 1693; 25 Jun., 1789. |