VALID ADMINISTRATION 109 



called minister necessitatis; in all others, minister 

 solemnitatis. 



Hence the general rule that no Sacrament 

 should be performed or administered by one 

 who is in the state of mortal sin. One who 

 is so unfortunate as to be called upon to adminis- 

 ter a Sacrament in that state, should first cleanse 

 himself by the worthy reception of Penance, if he 

 can conveniently find a confessor (habit a copia 

 confessoris), 2 or else by an act of perfect contri- 

 tion. 



Matrimony is the only Sacrament that is not 

 administered by the priest but by the contracting 

 parties to each other, and hence husband and 

 wife are themselves the ministers. 3 They should 

 receive this holy Sacrament in the state of 

 grace, which means, ordinarily, that they should 

 go to confession and Communion before plighting 

 their troth. 



In regard to the other Sacraments the question 

 arises: If a priest who is in the state of mortal 

 sin be called upon to administer a Sacrament, 

 must he go to confession, or is perfect contrition 

 sufficient ? We answer : Perfect contrition suf- 

 fices for all Sacraments except the Holy Eu- 

 charist (t. e., saying Mass). The reason is 



2 Cone. Trident., Sess. XIII, cap. 8 Cone. Trident., Sess. XXIV, De 



7, can. ii ; Rit. Rom., De Administr. Reform. Matr., c. i; Rit. Rom., 



Sacram., tit. i, n. 4; Codex Iuris De Sacr. Matr., tit. 7, c. 1, n. 17. 

 Can., can. 807. 



