E SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

1 82 FROM THE AGNUS DEI TO THE END.
disappeared. Benedict XIV. quotes approvingly Le
Brun on the Mass (Vol. i. p. 588), who maintains that
the reason of the omission of the priest s blessing is
the Church s desire to deprive the Requiem Mass of all
unnecessary solemnity.
Our knowledge of Purgatory is extremely limited.
No Pope or Council has by authoritative utterance told
us where it is, or how long the soul may suffer there,
or has described to us the nature of its agony. The
Council of Florence teaches that the souls in Purgatory
are cleansed by pains ; and the Council of Trent adds
(Sess. xxv.)
"
that the souls detained there are helped
by the suffrages of the faithful, and especially by the
acceptable Sacrifice of the Altar." Mass, and espe
cially Requiem Mass, is that
"
acceptable Sacrifice."
It is the most precious gift we can offer on behalf of the
holy
souls. So far as the essence of the Sacrifice is
concerned, all Masses are equal, but we should never
forget that the prayers of the Requiem Mass are said in
the Church s name and by the Church s order, and
consequently secure special graces for the departed.
The piety and devotion of the priest in any Mass may
compensate, says St. Thomas, for the loss of this special
grace.
PIE JESU DOMINE,
DONA EIS REQUIEM. AMEN.
MERCIFUL LORD JESUS,
GRANT THEM REST. AMEN.