How do they determine the amount of Mass times in an FSSP & Institute of Christ the King parishes?

[Megan7]

When looking at different FSSP parishes as well as Institute of Christ the King,
I noticed that in some FSSP parishes they have 3 Mass times on Sundays & 2 Mass
times during each day of the week.

Some FSSP parishes have only 2 Mass times on Sundays & 1 during each weekday.

And when I looked at Institute of Christ the King parishes, I noticed only 2 Mass times on Sundays & 1 Mass time during the week. An example of this would be the one in Milwaukee Wisconsin for the ICK.

I used to think that the determining factor was the amount of people, but the Milwaukee
ICK parish is a very large one, from what I am told.

So, why do some parishes have 3 Mass times on Sundays & 2 during the week and others do not, when they have the same amount of people?

I have looked at parishes in different parts of the country. I have searched the FSSP
as well as the Institute parishes.

Thanks in advance for your (name removed by moderator)ut.
God bless

 

[malphono]

This is one of those questions that is nearly impossible to answer, since the answer depends on a variety of factors. One of those is the number of priests. If there is a single priest assigned to a particular parish, there will normally be but one Mass on a weekday and 2 on a Sunday/Holy Day. Although it can happen, it’s extremely rare for a priest to trinate in the Usus Antiqiuor.

 

[hwriggles4]

Megan7:

While I attend a Novus Ordo parish, our parish priest gave a short talk on this subject at Mass around the time he became pastor. Our parish was being reduced from three priests to two.

According to Canon Law (and another good priest once told me this too), that during the week a priest can only celebrate two (2) Masses a day. On Sundays, a priest is allowed to celebrate three (3) Masses. Our Sunday Mass schedule consists of five (5) Masses, with one Sunday evening, and a Saturday evening Vigil Mass.

I know some parishes have changed Mass schedules also due to things like attendance, parking, size of the sanctuary, and maintenance costs. Our parish went from having three (3) daily Masses to two (2). What is done is we have a 6:25 a.m. daily Mass three days a week, an 8:00 a.m. daily Mass three days a week (the parish used to have these two Masses daily).

Our parish also has continued to have for many years a 5:30 p.m. daily Mass everyday. My parish is adjacent to several office buildings, and quite a few people attend daily Mass on their way home from work, so the 5:30 p.m. daily Mass is well attended.

Thanks for asking about this too Megan7. I did not know there was a limit on a priest saying Masses until this was spoken about at Mass.

 

[april32010]

there is no such entity as a Novus Ordo parish.

 

[hwriggles4]

there is no such entity as a Novus Ordo parish.

Clarification: What I meant was I attend a diocesan parish that does the new English Translation. Since the OP mentioned the FSSP and the Institute of Christ the King, I wanted to clarify that I did not attend the Traditional Latin Mass on a regular basis (although I do attend a Traditional Latin Mass here once in while that is staffed by the FSSP).

 

[Mrs_Sally]

For the most part it will depend on the number of priests at that parish and other commitments they may have. Cannon law specifies the number of Masses a priest may say in various circumstances (Sundays, Holy Days, week days, etc.) The bishop or superior can make some adjustments to those numbers based on local situations; however, there is a limit.

So whether the parish/chapel is staffed by FSSP priests, diocesean priests, a religious order, etc doesn’t matter. The same limits and the same (or similar) considerations will be in place when the Mass schedule is set.

In my parish (staffed by diocesean priests), we have 3 daily Masses and 6 Sunday Masses. At the next parish over (also staffed by diocesean priests) they have 1 daily Mass and 5 Sunday Masses. We have 3 assigned priests and usually one or two in residence; they have 2 priests. Their pastor is also a dean and has many other responsibilities.

In the examples the OP gave of different Mass schedules, you also need to look at the number of priests and their other responsibilities. Sometimes those other responsibilities aren’t known to the laity. We always need to assume the best when looking at the differences in scheduling at various parishes/chapels.

If it is your parish, you can ask a polite question. “Father, would it be possible to add an additional daily Mass in the evenings?” The pastor may say yes, no, I’ll think about it. If he says no he may offer a reason or not. Our best response is to pray for our priests and to pray for more vocations of all varieties.

 

[Megan7]

For the most part it will depend on the number of priests at that parish and other commitments they may have. Cannon law specifies the number of Masses a priest may say in various circumstances (Sundays, Holy Days, week days, etc.) The bishop or superior can make some adjustments to those numbers based on local situations; however, there is a limit.

So whether the parish/chapel is staffed by FSSP priests, diocesean priests, a religious order, etc doesn’t matter. The same limits and the same (or similar) considerations will be in place when the Mass schedule is set.

In my parish (staffed by diocesean priests), we have 3 daily Masses and 6 Sunday Masses. At the next parish over (also staffed by diocesean priests) they have 1 daily Mass and 5 Sunday Masses. We have 3 assigned priests and usually one or two in residence; they have 2 priests. Their pastor is also a dean and has many other responsibilities.

In the examples the OP gave of different Mass schedules, you also need to look at the number of priests and their other responsibilities. Sometimes those other responsibilities aren’t known to the laity. We always need to assume the best when looking at the differences in scheduling at various parishes/chapels.

If it is your parish, you can ask a polite question. “Father, would it be possible to add an additional daily Mass in the evenings?” The pastor may say yes, no, I’ll think about it. If he says no he may offer a reason or not. Our best response is to pray for our priests and to pray for more vocations of all varieties.

Thank you all for your wonderful replies:thumbsup:
They are all very informative, I learned a lot from you.
Please keep the replies coming, it helps us all.

God bless