Thomas Aquinas · 3142 of 3516
Article. 3 - Whether none but a bishop can confer this sacrament?
Objection 1: It would seem that none but a bishop can confer this . For this consists in an anointing, just as Confirmation does. Now none but a bishop can confirm. Therefore only a bishop can confer this .
Objection 2: Further, he who cannot do what is less cannot do what is greater. Now the use of matter surpasses the act of the matter, since the former is the end of the latter. Therefore since a priest cannot the matter, neither can he use the matter after it has been .
On the contrary, The minister of this has to be brought in to the recipient, as is clear from James 5:14. Now a bishop cannot go to all the sick people of his diocese. Therefore the bishop is not the only one who can confer this .
I answer that, According to Dionysius (Eccl. Hier. v), the office of perfecting belongs to a bishop, just as it belongs to a priest to enlighten. those are reserved to a bishop's dispensation, which place the recipient in a state of perfection above others. But this is not the case with this , for it is given to all. Consequently it can be given by ordinary priests.
Reply to Objection 1: Confirmation imprints a character, whereby man is placed in a state of perfection, as stated above (TP, Q[63], AA[1], 2,6). But this does not take place in this ; hence there is no comparison.
Reply to Objection 2: Although the use of matter is of more importance than the of the matter, from the point of view of the final cause; nevertheless, from the point of view of efficient cause, the of the matter is the more important, since the use of the matter is dependent thereon, as on its active cause: hence the of the matter demands a higher power than the use of the matter does.