The Essence of the Sacrifice of the Mass: (An Analysis of Fr. Doronzo’s Theory)

THE ESSENCE OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE 1\IASS (AN ANALYSis oF FR. DoRoNzo's THEORY) I SING the definition of sacrifice in its broad sense as a point of departure, theologians divide the numerous theories about the essence of the sacrifice of the Mass, proposed since the Council of Trent, into two groups. The first group includes those theories which regard the oblation of Christ's past immolation of the cross as the essence of the Eucharistic sacrifice. The second group includes those theories which require Christ's immolation as well as His oblation. The second group is further subdivided into several categories , each differing in its concept of immolation. Modern theologians belonging to this group generally agree that Christ's bloody immolation is represented in the twofold distinct consecration performed by the priest. Some, however, restrict the immolation of Christ to the external separation of the species of bread and wine, while others affirm that Christ is internally immolated under the sacramental species. In the first hypothesis, the separation of species seems to be a mere picture of the sacrifice of the cross (L. Billot). In the second hypothesis, the separation of species refers to the body and blood of Christ; this seems to make the immolation of Christ a new one which supplements the immolation of the cross (A. Michel). The Benedictine School (Dom Odo Casel, Abbot Ansgar Vonier) proposes a new Mass-theory, which claims that the immolation of the cross is essential to the Mass. According to Fathers Vonier and Casel, the drama of Calvary is made present before us in the Mass; the Eucharistic Rite (in their view) is the sacrament-sacrifice o:r the sacramental sacrificeo It 525 ADOLPH TYMCZ.AK effects what it signifies; since it signifies the body and blood of Christ in the state of separation, it makes Christ immolated on Calvary sacramentally present.1 The Eucharistic sacrifice, in contrast to natural sacrifice, is not subject to human observation and experience; it is rather a mystical sacrifice. " The sacramental presence and the sacramental offering are not historical events in the career of Christ." The Mass " cannot be a new sacrifice, but it must be the representation, pure and simple, of the historic and natural sacrifice." 2 Both sacrifices, that of the Mass and that of the cross, belong to different modes of being: one to the natural order and the other to the sacramental order. One represents the other: " We are dealing with His representative life, representing the natural life." 8 Dom Casel accepts this viewpoint and stresses even more the r~al mystical meaning of the sacramental sign (the dynamic side of the mystery). The sacraments are mystical actions (Mysterienhandlungen); through them past soteriological facts are made present the faithful participate them " not only by faith or disposition, but also in a physical and a concrete form, in a mystery." 4 Thus, according to the Benedictine School, the sacrifice of the Mass is real, though sacramental; it is performed in the supernatural «esse of the mystery." Fr. Emmanuel Doronzo, 0. M. I., professor of Dogmatic Theology at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C., subscribes (at least partly) to the Benedictine theory of the sacrifice of the Mass.5 He does not accept the theory of 1 Dom Ansgar Vonier. 0. S. B., A Key to the doctrine of the Eucharist, (West minister, Md.: The Newman Press, 1948), pp. 60, 80 ff., 97, 138. 2 Loc. cit., pp. 88 f., 135 f. • Ibid., pp. Ill, 94, 118. • Odo Casel, 0. S. B., "nicht etwa bloss im Glauben oder in der Gesinnung, sondem in physisch-konkreter Form, im Mysterium." Das Christliche Kultmysterium (Regensburg, ( 1932), p. 41. 5 Cf. for other viewpoints especially Fr. J. B. Umberg, S. J., Zeitschrift fur katholische Theologie (quoted abbrev. ZKT), v. 52 (1928) and v. (1930) :and P. Rupprecht , 0. S. B., "Sacrificium Mediatoris," Divus Thomas, 9 (1931) -11 (1933). I repeat here the arguments of these authors in connection with the theory of Fr. THE ESSENCE OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS 527 the physical presence of the cross in the Mass proposed by Dom Casel, nor Masure's theory of the efficacious...