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 CHAPLAIN

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CHAPLAIN

that the name arose from the tent-like structure erected by the kings of France to canopy the altar for soldiers in the field, and that the word has no rela- tion to the relic of St. Martin.

Court Chaplains. — If the derivation of capella from the capa Sancti Martini be the correct one, we must look for the origin of court chaplains in the clerics who were guardians of the sacred relics in royal palaces. Gradually these clerics were empowered to say Mass in the oratories committed to their care, and thence there was but a step to endowing them with spiritual jurisdiction for the benefit of those living in the palaces. They became the confessors and instructors of all who frequented the court chapel. When such chaplains had increased to a large number, in France, an arch-chaplain was ap- pointed as their superior. From the time of Charle- magne onwards, this latter office was committed to abbots and bishops, and its holder became an im- portant personage in the realm. Not only had he spiritual jurisdiction over the chaplains and members of the royal court, but he was also entrusted with the expedition of such ecclesiastical concerns as were brought to the cognizance of the sovereign from various parts of his kingdom. Both in the Holy Roman Empire and in France, the arch-chaplain or palatine chaplain long held the office of high chan- cellor of the realm. In France, the arch-chaplain was also grand almoner. The revolution of 1789 swept away the office, but it was restored by Pope Pius IX in 1857 and lasted to the fall of the Second Empire.

Beneficed Chaplains. — There are a large number of clerics whose duty it is to say certain prescribed Masses or to procure their celebration, or to take part in various church services, such as choir service. Such persons receive their support from a pious founda- tion erected for the purpose. Such chaplaincies are called either ecclesiastical or lay. They are ecclesiasti- cal if the property donated by a founder has been for- mally erected into a benefice by the proper spiritual authority. If, however, the property designed for the purpose of procuring certain acts of Divine service has not received ecclesiastical erection it is called a lay chaplaincy. The latter is, strictly speaking, not a benefice in the canonical sense of the term. When a founder erects a chaplaincy, he is at liberty to define the duties of the person who is to enjoy the benefit of his foundation. Thus he may prescribe that a certain number of Masses be said by the chap- lain; he may designate the intention for which they are to be offered, the altar at which they are to be said, and other like prescriptions. He can also de- termine whether the chaplain is to say the Masses Eersonally or only be responsible for their due cele- ration. The Church has always been most liberal in confirming the conditions prescribed by such founders and insisting on their due observance. If the testator has left his goods to a layman, with the obligation of procuring the celebration of certain Masses by any priest whom he shall choose, such chaplaincy is called mercenary, and it does not par- take of the nature of an ecclesiastical benefice, as the latter requires generally that the holder should be appointed for life. The controllers of such mercenary chaplaincies can of course be laymen, or even women or children. At times the name of lay chaplains is given to such persons. A chaplaincy is called colla five if the founder bestOWB his goods for spiritual purposes in such a way that the bishop is to ereel the foundation into a benefice, for no layman can erect a sacred edifice or institute a spiritual office without the episcopal authorization. Such benefices arc called collative because the bishop collates or con- fers the right to hold them upon the acceptable can- didate, even if such candidate has been presented or nominated by lay authority. To exclude the epis-

copal confirmation would be to make it impossible for the chaplaincy to be held as an ecclesiastical benefice. Hereditary or family chaplaincies are those to which, by the will of the founder, the holder of the benefice is to be nominated by the testator's heirs or assigns. In such cases also the confirmation of the bishop is of absolute necessity. If the chap- laincy be attached to a definite edifice or to an altar in that edifice, it may not by common law be re- moved to another place. Instances, however, are on record where the Holy See has sanctioned the re- moval of such chaplaincies from one castle of a noble family to another, where the request has been made by the heirs of the founders.

Regulations Concerning Beneficed Chaplains. — When the founder of a chaplaincy has not expressly stipulated that the beneficiary is to celebrate person- ally the prescribed Masses, it is not requisite that the chaplain be in Sacred orders, as he can procure other- wise the celebration of the Masses. If it be an ec- clesiastical benefice, however, the incumbent must at least be a cleric. When the founder explicitly stipulates that the chaplain is to be a priest, this con- dition must be adhered to. If, however, he says merely that the chaplain is personally to celebrate the stipulated Masses, then the benefice can be given to a simple cleric, provided he is of such age that he can receive the priesthood within a year. If the founda- tion requires that the chaplain take part in the Divine Office in a cathedral or collegiate church, then per- sonal service is obligatory on the beneficiary, nor can he employ a substitute, if by obtaining the benefice he becomes a mansionary of that church. In cases where a daily Mass is one of the conditions of the foundation, it is generally held that the chaplain can occasionally intermit this duty for a proper cause. He can also, if hindered by sickness, omit the applica- tion of the daily Mass for a fortnight, without being obliged to secure the fulfilment of the foundation re- quirement by another priest. If the chaplain is obliged to offer his Mass for a definite intention speci- fied by the founder, he may not receive an alms for another intention and satisfy both by the same Mass As to residence, the chaplain is only bound to observe it when local ecclesiastical regulations, or customs, or the will of the founder has imposed it as a duty. The bishop cannot impose on a chaplain any care of souls that will interfere with his peculiar obligations. The duration of the chaplain's office depends on whether his chaplaincy be lay or clerical; if lay, he may be arbitrarily removed by the one who has the right of appointment, unless the will of the founder lie ex- pressly to the contrary; if clerical, the chaplain, like all other holders of benefices, is presumably appointed for life, unless the laws of foundation provide other- wise.

Parochial or Auxiliary Chaplains. — This name is given in Europe to those priests who render assist- ance to a parish priest, who cannot care for his whole parish owing to the large number of the faithful within its confines. The position and duties of such paro- chial chaplains are in many ways analogous to those of vicars and curates (see Curate; Vicar). The Council of Trent allows parish priests to appoint the chaplains necessary for their parish, but in most dio- ceses custom has reserved their appointment to the

ordinary. In case the appointment lie made by the

parish prie8t himself, lie may delegate the chaplain to perform the necessary offices, with the exception of the bearing of confessions. Tin' latter authorization must come from the bishop, » Chaplains have no fixed

powers. The bishop or the parish priest can make the [imitations they judge proper. Whenever they exer cise the care of souls, it must always be with dept nd ence on the parish priest as to time and method They need a special delegation of the pastor to assist validly at a marriage. The support of parochial chap-