The Resolver of Doubts

and especially with an appetite for the future act, in which case it is safer to abstain.

Ar. III.

Resolving 10 doubts emerging concerning the disposition of the mind of the minister about to celebrate, regarding intention, the use of reason, guilt, and grace.

I Whether the intention of the minister is required to confect and celebrate this sacrament.
Solution: Since the intention of the minister is required for the perfection of any sacrament, because that perfection is achieved by a human act proceeding from the will, which is determined and specified by intention, it is certain that the intention of the minister is required most of all for the confecting and celebrating of this most excellent sacrament. Hence, a certain gloss upon Matthew says: As much as you intend, so much do you perform.

II What the intention of the priest ought to be, or what the priest ought to intend when wishing to consecrate.
Solution: In all things, the priest ought to conform his intention to the intention of the Church; that is, he should intend to do that which the Church intends and does, of which he is the minister in such matters. The Church intends to do what Christ did. Christ transubstantiated the bread into His body and the wine into His blood through the words of consecration; the priest must also intend this.

Doubt

III What kind of intention regarding the utterance of the words of consecration is necessarily required: that is, whether an actual one is always required, or if some other suffices.
Solution: An actual intention is not necessarily required. However, a virtual intention is always necessary. A virtual intention is called that when someone has previously had an actual intention to consecrate, and is moved from that to consecrate, provided that he is not actually thinking about it when he utters the words of consecration; for the first intention remains virtually, and this suffices, unless a contrary intention follows. Nevertheless, the priest should studiously strive to apply an actual intention as well; otherwise, it is to be feared that he is not excused from sin.

IV Whether a priest who is mad, lunatic, or for another reason...