---
title: "Summa Theologica, Second Half"
author: "Thomas Aquinas"
translator: "Fathers of the English Dominican Province"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Medieval"
section: 556 of 935
url: https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-second-half/556/
cite: "Thomas Aquinas, tr. Fathers of the English Dominican Province, Summa Theologica, Second Half, section 556. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-second-half/556/"
---

# Summa Theologica, Second Half

*Thomas Aquinas, tr. Fathers of the English Dominican Province*

Courage and temperance, the states of life, then Christ, the sacraments and the last things.

## 556. III · Question 82: Of the Minister of This Sacrament (ten Articles)

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-second-half/556/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/thomas-aquinas-summa-theologica-second-half/556/#p-N

[¶0] OF THE MINISTER OF THIS SACRAMENT (TEN ARTICLES)

[¶1] We now proceed to consider the minister of this sacrament: under which head there are ten points for our inquiry:

[¶2] (1) Whether it belongs to a priest alone to consecrate this sacrament?

[¶3] (2) Whether several priests can at the same time consecrate the same host?

[¶4] (3) Whether it belongs to the priest alone to dispense this sacrament?

[¶5] (4) Whether it is lawful for the priest consecrating to refrain from communicating?

[¶6] (5) Whether a priest in sin can perform this sacrament?

[¶7] (6) Whether the Mass of a wicked priest is of less value than that of a good one?

[¶8] (7) Whether those who are heretics, schismatics, or excommunicated, can perform this sacrament?

[¶9] (8) Whether degraded priests can do so?

[¶10] (9) Whether communicants receiving at their hands are guilty of sinning?

[¶11] (10) Whether a priest may lawfully refrain altogether from celebrating?

[¶12] [*This is the order observed by St. Thomas in writing the Articles; but in writing this prologue, he placed Article 10 immediately after Article 4 (Cf. Leonine edition).]