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Has anyone ever requested having a Mass said in their home? If so, what is the protocol?

Thanks for your help.

houston1
 
Masses are supposed to be offered in Churches, oratories, and chapels. There would have to be a severely grave reason (I’m thinking hiding out from persecutors wanting to kill you) and special permissions to permit a Mass in a home.
 
From a previous post by Fr. David:

Two points:
  1. If the celebration occurs regularly let’s say once a month or even more, then it should be referred to the bishop. This would be the case for example in mission areas where a new parish is being established but there is no church building yet available. It would also apply if it’s a large public celebration, or one intended for a specific group (again on a regular basis).
2
To have an occasional Mass in a private home (perhaps once during Lent) many bishops have particular law which says that this sort of thing is permitted without further inquiry. In my own case, my letter of faculties specifically allows me to permit this (delegated authority from the bishop) for a particular occasion. I imagine that most other diocese have similar particular law because I do know for a fact that the situation is similar in many other dioceses which I’ve visited and from conversations. In some areas for example it’s very popular to have Mass in the parish cemetery on Memorial day. One Mass once a year wouldn’t require the bishop’s permission on the condition that the bishop allows the pastor of the place to use his own better judgment. Another example might be a youth group camping trip with Mass in the great outdoors. So long as the setting is dignified this could happen on occasion. The important point to remember here is that bishops delegate this decision to the pastor of the place or to the individual priest. It’s not a matter of ignoring the law, but rather one of a delegated authority to make the decision.
 
houston1 said:
Has anyone ever requested having a Mass said in their home? If so, what is the protocol?

Thanks for your help.

houston1
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Deo_Gratias42 said:
Masses are supposed to be offered in Churches, oratories, and chapels. There would have to be a severely grave reason (I’m thinking hiding out from persecutors wanting to kill you) and special permissions to permit a Mass in a home.
Click to expand...
First, yes this can and does licitly take place. Some bishops, like mine, promote these events as an evangelization tool…it works well in neighborhoods. Also is a critical part of the grieving process, as in my family’s case about 6 months ago. We had Mass at my sister’s house the day after her husband and my brother in law was murdered; it was simply amazing. My entire family was there in the living room at Mass, praise God for His mercy!

It is not only for grave reasons, as I have outlined two instances where our bishop is in favor of Mass in the homes; this is weekday Mass, not Sunday Mass.

All that is needed, when the bishop approves of this practice, is permission from the territory’s pastor if it is not he who presides at the liturgy.
 
The last two or three days my grandmother was on her death bed, and the morning of her wake, the priest came over and said Mass in their living room for our rather large extended family. The priest who celebrated my cousin’s wedding (married a non-Catholic, so no Liturgy of the Eucharist) performed mass for the family at my aunt’s house the morning of the wedding.

I know these are not meant to be the regular, but my understanding was that on certain occasions, exceptions (from the norm) could be made. I am not sure what role the Bishop has in the matter, though - whether total discretion is given by him to the priests, or if cases must be presented singularly for approval.
 
We have mass once a month at the three retirement homes in our parish. Many of the residents cannot get to the church for mass. An EMHC conducts a communion service for them each Sunday.

The priest also gives them the Anointing of the Sick at the mass every fourth month.
 
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