Why are SSPX Masses valid, but not marriages or absolutions?

See http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/09/quaeritur-why-are-sspx-masses-valid-but-not-marriages-or-absolutions/

The Necessity of Last Rites and the Duty of Priests

The New Theological Movement June 19, 2012:

St. Juliana, whose feast is commemorated today, was the niece of St. Alexis Falconieri (one of the seven founders of the Servite Order) and foundress of the Servite Tertiaries, also called the “Mantellate”. She is the patroness of the sick and of those suffering bodily ills – on account of the circumstances of her death, she could well be called the “Patroness of Viaticum”.
When St. Juliana was in her last moments of life, and the priest was called to bring her the Blessed Sacrament as Viaticum, it was determined that she would not be able to receive on account of constant vomiting. She, however, begged the priest to spread a corporal upon her chest and to lay the Host upon it. After the priest did this, in the sight of all present, St. Juliana became radiant and the Host suddenly disappeared – having been miraculously received into her body as the “food for her journey” into eternal life.
We do well then, to consider the importance of Viaticum (Communion before death) as the last Sacrament of the Christian life.
Every baptized Christian of the age of reason is bound to receive Viaticum
Following the canonical tradition, the Church’s liturgical books still explicitly maintain that all Christians of the age of reason are bound to receive Viaticum when in danger of death:

“All baptized Christians who are able to receive communion are bound to receive viaticum by reason of the precept to receive communion when in danger of death from any cause.” (Roman Ritual: Pastoral Care of the Sick, 27)

However, the revised Code of Canon Law (1981) is not quite so explicit in mandating this as a precept:

“The Christian faithful who are in danger of death from any cause are to be nourished by holy communion in the form of Viaticum.” (Can. 921.1)

“Holy Viaticum for the sick is not to be delayed too long; those who have the care of souls are to be zealous and vigilant that the sick are nourished by Viaticum while fully conscious.” (Can. 922)

Still, the theologians have generally maintained that it is not merely a matter of Church law, but even a divine precept that the faithful receive Viaticum when in danger of death. St. Alphonsus Liguori (the Doctor of Moral Theology) maintains that the sick are most likely obligated to receive Viaticum when dying even if they have received Communion within only a few days earlier, and (in some cases) even if they had already received Communion once earlier in that same day if the person was not in danger of death at the time of that previous Communion.
Obviously, this is a major problem for the non-Catholics who do not belong to a Church with valid sacraments. While the Orthodox can certainly fulfill the divine precept of Viaticum, Protestants are in grave danger since they reject our Lord’s gift of the Eucharist and fail to take the food necessary for the journey to eternal life. However, though many fail in their duty to receive Viaticum, we must always trust in the divine Mercy which knows the hearts of all and works in most mysterious ways.
Receiving Communion when death is imminent
So strongly does the Church desire (and insist) that the faithful receive the Eucharist as Viaticum when in proximate danger of death, that she allows for the faithful to receive Viaticum even if they have already received Communion once (or even twice) earlier in the same day.
The Church demands of her priests that they be most attentive to the care of the dying, and that they ensure that all the faithful are given the opportunity to receive Communion in the last moments of life. Indeed, on a practical level, priests will have to work very hard to fulfill all that the Church desires of them. However, it is good to recall that St. Alphonsus insists that the pastoral care of the dying is the most important work in a priest’s life of ministry.
When should Viaticum be given?
The Rite of Viaticum envisions that Mass be celebrated (whenever possible; and, in fact, it is rarely possible) in the home or hospital room of the dying man, and that Communion be given as Viaticum very close to the actual time of death.
However, at the same time, Viaticum is not to be delayed or postponed. Rather, it is desired that the Rite of Viaticum be celebrated when death seems to be close. Then, if the sick person lives on for several days (or even weeks), the Church wishes that the priests return as often as possible, and even daily, to administer the Rite of Viaticum again.
Thus, the Rite of Viaticum can and should be repeated often for those who are close to death. (cf. Pastoral Care of the Sick [PCS], 175-183)

“Priests and other ministers entrusted with the spiritual care of the sick should do everything they can to ensure that those in proximate danger of death receive the body and blood of Christ as Viaticum.” (PCS 176)

“It often happens that a person who has received the Eucharist as viaticum lingers in a grave condition or at the point of death for a period of days or longer. In these circumstances he or she should be given the opportunity to receive the Eucharist as viaticum on successive days, frequently if not daily.” (PCS 183)

Confession and Anointing of the Sick
It goes without saying that those who are in proximate danger of death should make a good confession (perhaps even a general confession of their whole life, if they are able) and (if the death is caused by a sickness or some malady of the body) receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
Even if the sick man has already been anointed at some earlier point in the sickness, as the illness progress and death becomes imminent, it is fitting for him to receive the sacrament of Anointing repeatedly.
The Apostolic Pardon: A final plenary indulgence
When a person is on the point of death, the Church commands priests to offer a plenary indulgence through the Apostolic Pardon. This blessing is not to be given until death is imminent (hence, it ought to be connected more with Viaticum than with Anointing), and the indulgence does not take place immediately upon the act of blessing but rather takes effect upon the very moment of death itself – thus, the temporal punishment for every sin up to the very last moment of life is remitted.
Further, even if a dying person was not able to receive the Apostolic Pardon from a priest, the Church willingly grants the plenary indulgence at the point of death to all those who “have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime.” (Manual of Indulgences, 12.2) The Church recommends that a crucifix be used in disposing the dying person to receive this indulgence.
What is particularly interesting, in the case of a dying person who is not able to receive the Apostolic Pardon from a priest, is that the Church does not require of them the usual conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence – namely, Communion, Confession, and prayers for the Pope. Rather, the Church herself supplies these conditions for all the faithful who are properly disposed at the moment of death!
Who can administer Viaticum?

“The ordinary ministers of viaticum are the parish priest (pastor) and parochial vicars, chaplains, and, for all staying in the house, the superior in clerical religious institutes or societies of apostolic life.

“In the case of necessity or with at least the presumed permission of the competent minister, any priest or deacon may give viaticum, or if no ordained minister is available, any member of the faithful who has been duly appointed.” (PCS 29)

It is clear that the Church firmly desires that priests (and especially pastors) be the ministers of Viaticum. While it is true that this can (in the case of necessity) be delegated to deacons or even to lay people (when there are not even any deacons present), there can be no doubt that it is the duty of priests to provide this most important spiritual care for the dying.
Is this practical?
In the days of modern medicine (in the affluent world, at least), many aspects of the Church’s practical teaching on Viaticum can hardly be followed.
For example, when people die in hospitals it is quite rare for them to be capable of receiving Communion close to death – because they are often either delirious or unconscious for the days leading up to death.
However, what the Church is really asking for is that, so long as the dying man is conscious and able, the priests should regularly bring him Communion as Viaticum. Thus, priests have a grave responsibility to regularly check on the sick and elderly in their parish so as to ensure that they receive Viaticum before becoming so ill as to be unable to receive Communion (either due to delirium or to the inability to swallow).
While it will rarely be possible for Viaticum to be administered within the context of a private Mass in the hospital room or bedroom of the dying patient, and thus Viaticum will scarcely ever be given under both species; nevertheless, the Rite of Viaticum outside of Mass is to be administered by a priest (rather than a deacon or, especially, a lay person) whenever possible.
The faithful have the right and the duty to receive Viaticum from a priest whenever circumstances permit.
There is no other work more important for a priest than the spiritual care of the dying, because there is no other work so closely associated with salvation and final perseverance. If a priest is truly concerned about saving souls, then he will certainly place the care of the dying – especially through Confession, Anointing, and Viaticum (as well as the Apostolic Pardon) – at the very forefront of his life and ministry.
If the Christian faithful have any supernatural love for their dying friends and relatives (especially their parents), they will be sure to call for a priest while the dying person is still conscious and able to receive Holy Viaticum.
St. Juliana, Pray for us!

Be Not Afraid of the Devil

From http://catholicexchange.com/2011/01/26/146529/print/

By Patti Maguire Armstrong On January 26, 2011

Back in the days that I was working on being the bravest person on the planet, there was not much I was afraid to try. I even parachuted out of an airplane the week before I was scheduled to leave for the Peace Corps in Micronesia. One of my favorite things to do with like-minded friends was to backpack through mountains where we had to tie our food up in trees at night so the bears wouldn’t get it (only lost food once). But there was one thing I would NOT do. I refused to see the movie The Exorcist or anything of its ilk. No, jumping out of a plane alone at 3,000 feet was a piece of cake compared to sitting on the ground watching anything that had to do with the devil.
Then, last month, I accepted an invitation to go to Los Angeles to participate in a press junket in January for the movie The Rite starring Anthony Hopkins and also to interview the actors at a press conference afterwards. “Sure, I’ll go!” I responded, remembering how much fun the last junket was. But after getting off the phone, I began also to remember that I had never actually become the bravest person on the planet. I was still afraid of scary movies, particularly anything connected to the devil. That evening, my son, Luke warned, “Mom, you aren’t going to like it.” My husband agreed, “It’s a psycho/drama. You hate those kinds of movies.” When I told my siblings, my brother Brian emailed me. “Have you looked at the trailer? Good luck with that.”
What was I thinking? But then, I did something that took away my fear. I interviewed three exorcists. My intent was to write a series of articles on exorcism to go along with the movie review. After talking with them, my fear evaporated. The bottom line is staying close to God and His sacraments protects us from evil and fills us with grace. What especially uplifted me and drove away the fear was to hear each exorcist and also a bishop state that the sacrament of confession is more powerful than the rite of exorcism. The sacraments confer grace on us while the rite of exorcism is a blessing that moves a person towards grace. Yes, I decided, I could go see this movie after all.
The movie, The Rite (in theaters Jan. 28) starring Anthony Hopkins, follows the training of an exorcist in Rome. It was inspired by the book The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist, in which journalist Matt Baglio followed Fr. Gary Thomas of the United States. Fr. Gary’s bishop asked for someone to volunteer as an exorcist for the diocese and Fr. Gary accepted. He took a class about exorcism at the Pontifical University in Rome, but his real training was under the tutelage of an experienced Italian exorcist. It was there that Fr. Gary assisted during eighty exorcisms.
An increased practice of the occult in Europe is believed to be responsible for an increase in possessions. The Pope John XXIII Community Association puts that number at fourteen million or twenty-five percent of Italians involved in the occult.
Fr. Gary was initially startled by the reality of the possessed: demonic voices, speaking languages they don’t know, taking on a reptilian appearance, vomiting bizarre things, and other extreme manifestations. Although it was more extreme than anything he had expected, Fr. Gary stated, “I am not afraid to confront someone with a demonic attachment. Without Christ, they are more powerful than me but, with Christ — he [Christ] is more powerful. In reality, God is the ultimate power. It is important to say that. They are not equal adversaries.”
When Fr. Gary Thomas returned from Rome, he started a new assignment as a parish pastor. “I didn’t tell anyone, ‘By the way your new pastor is an exorcist’, but my second day on the job, the secretary came in and told me, ‘There’s someone here about an exorcism!’”
In short order Fr. Gary had to assemble quickly his “healing” team. This is something new among modern day exorcists: the use of a deliverance team for support. It typically includes people willing to pray, and a physician, clinical psychologist and psychiatrist. It is a help and support for the exorcist to rely on members of his team for prayers and to screen people for possible mental illness.
Fr. Gary stated that the common signs of possessions are behaviors that have no logical explanation such as fluency in a language a person never studied, ability to know secrets they had no way of knowing, extraordinary strength, and an aversion to sacred objects such as the crucifix. “The exorcist is the ultimate skeptic,” Fr. Gary explained. “An exorcism only happens after everything else has failed. Most of the time, we are dealing with mental health issues.”
Msgr. John Esseff has been an exorcist in this country for 53 years of his 57-year priesthood. According to him, abortion, and the fact that many people no longer believe in the devil, is increasing the power of evil. He also pointed to the growth in occult and New Age practices as likewise increasing the amount of demonic activity in this country.
Fr. Gary agrees with that assessment. “Usually, the ones that come to me realize they opened the door to the occult and something came in that they did not expect.”
In response to the need for more exorcists in this country, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) held a two-day gathering on the exorcism ministry this past November in Baltimore. More than fifty bishops and over sixty priests attended. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield, IL, chairman of the bishop’s Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance spearheaded the event that addressed that fact that there are too few exorcists and they are feeling overburdened. “The conference was to help educate and motivate bishops and priests to provide this ministry in their own diocese,” he said. “There was an overwhelming expression of gratitude and desire for follow up,” Bishop Paprocki reported. “Some priests exchanged telephone numbers and made connections for support and training.”
The training of an exorcist is an elusive term for there is no specific course or book that transforms a priest into an exorcist. Most learn from others in an apprentice-like fashion. Exorcism was established as a rite with specific prayers in 1614 and revised by the Vatican in 1998. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines it as the “liberation from demonic possession through the authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church.” Canon law requires a priest to have the permission of his bishop to perform it. This puts the full weight of the Church behind him. But in cases where an exorcism is not warranted because there is not full possession but rather obsession or oppression, there can be a deliverance from demonic harassment through prayers, the sacraments, and sacramentals.
The good news according to Msgr. Esseff is that possessions are very rare. “The ordinary activity of Satan is temptation; that is his M.O. (mode of operation). In the last two petitions of the Our Father, Jesus teaches us to pray, ‘lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.’ It refers to Satan himself and his activity.”
Fr. Patrick (not his real name) was mentored by Msgr. Esseff and works as a parish priest. Like most exorcists in this country, the fact that he is an exorcist is not advertised. There is a risk it would detract from his daily responsibilities as a priest.
According to Fr. Patrick, exorcism is not magic. “People need to be ready to accept those graces. They have to renounce the occult or the evil in their lives. I can pray over someone but if they are still in tune with the occult, they are still going to be influenced with it.”
Bishop Paprocki explained, “The devil is something people need to be aware of, but his usual activity is temptation. The remedy that the Church offers from her treasures is the sacraments, devotions, blessings, prayers, and holy water; that is the normal work of the priest.”
He contends that we need not fear the devil, but we need to steer clear of him and remain close to God. Bishop Paprocki said that people should also be aware of the consequences of their choices, particularly with the occult. “Possession is a relationship between a human being and a fallen angel. That is something that people enter into freely. They open a door and enter into a relationship. After a while the relationship goes sour and it is not always that easy to get out of. Sometimes, it can take awhile for that relationship to be broken,” he said. “But if you live a sacramental life, you don’t need to worry about the devil.” Bishop Paprocki stated that the sacrament of confession is more powerful than an exorcism. “An exorcism is a help toward grace but the sacraments offer grace.”
I had never heard it put that way before, that the sacraments are more powerful than an exorcism because they confer grace on us. As Catholics in the United States, most of us have easy access to the Mass where we can receive Jesus in Holy Communion and we can readily receive forgiveness and grace through the sacrament of Confession.
After talking to these dedicated and courageous servants of God, their trust in His almighty protection rubbed off on me. I am still not a huge fan of scary movies, but I am not afraid to watch this one now. (At least it beats jumping out of a plane these days.) If you are wondering whether I will recommend The Rite for others to see, stay tuned for the movie review later this week.

Patti Maguire Armstrong is the mother of ten children including two Kenyan AIDS orphans. She is a speaker and the author of Catholic Truths for Our Children: A Parent's Guide (Scepter) Stories for the Homeschool Heart and also the children's book, Dear God, I Don't Get It!" (Bezalel). She was the managing editor and co-author of Ascension Press's Amazing Gracebook series. Her website is RaisingCatholicKids.com.