Is this correct?

[Matthew_Holford]

I have come across this table (attached as a PDF). Any comments on whether it is rubrically correct?

 

[Spirithound]

It is at least partly correct.
It is a chart summary of Canons 904, 905.S1 and S2. These verify Rows 1, 2, 7, and 8.

I have heard this about All Souls’ and Christmas, but I cannot find the canon right now.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

It is at least partly correct.
It is a chart summary of Canons 904, 905.S1 and S2. These verify Rows 1, 2, 7, and 8.

I have heard this about All Souls’ and Christmas, but I cannot find the canon right now.

I agree with rows 1 and 7. I’m not too sure about rows 2 and 8; I know parish priests must celebrate a Mass pro populo on Sundays and I suspect all priests must celebrate on Sunday and HODs although I’ve never seen this in black and white.

I agree with row 4 on the basis that parish priests must celebrate a Mass pro populo and again because it’s a HOD all priests probably have to celebrate Mass. I know all priests have the privilege of celebrating up to 3 Masses on Christmas Day.

I’m not sure about row 3; I know all priests have the privilege of celebrating 3 Masses on All Souls’ Day but are they obliged to celebrate Mass on this day?

Row 5 seems OK: as it’s a Sunday parish priests will have to celebrate a Mass pro populo and again I working on the premiss that all priests probably have to celebrate Mass on Sundays; the permission for 2 will work on the basis that any priest who celebrates the Paschal Vigil may celebrate Mass on Easter Sunday.

I’m not sure about row 6: I know any priest who has concelebrated at the Chrism Mass can also celebrate the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper but is there any obligation for priest to celebrate Mass on Holy Thursday?

I’m very dubious about the last two rows - I’ve never heard this before; I thought priests could as a maximum only trinate on any day.

 

[mardukm]

I’ve been to Latin parishes here in California where there are 5 or 6 Masses on Sunday.

In the Philippines, they have Masses every hour on the hour on Sunday.

Is this a merely local agenda?

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[Phemie]

I agree with rows 1 and 7. I’m not too sure about rows 2 and 8; I know parish priests must celebrate a Mass pro populo on Sundays and I suspect all priests must celebrate on Sunday and HODs although I’ve never seen this in black and white.

I agree with row 4 on the basis that parish priests must celebrate a Mass pro populo and again because it’s a HOD all priests probably have to celebrate Mass. I know all priests have the privilege of celebrating up to 3 Masses on Christmas Day.

I’m not sure about row 3; I know all priests have the privilege of celebrating 3 Masses on All Souls’ Day but are they obliged to celebrate Mass on this day?

Row 5 seems OK: as it’s a Sunday parish priests will have to celebrate a Mass pro populo and again I working on the premiss that all priests probably have to celebrate Mass on Sundays; the permission for 2 will work on the basis that any priest who celebrates the Paschal Vigil may celebrate Mass on Easter Sunday.

In a large parish there may well be a need for two Masses on Easter Sunday or the priest may be serving 2 parishes. Our pastor used to have to celebrate the Vigil and then one Mass in our parish and one at the Mission on Easter Sunday.

As for Christmas, I’ve seen our pastor celebrate Mass at 5:30 p.m Christmas Eve in our parish, go to the Mission for a Mass at 8 p.m., return to our parish for Mass at 11 p.m., then celebrate here at 10 a.m. and at the Mission at 12 p.m.

I’m not sure about row 6: I know any priest who has concelebrated at the Chrism Mass can also celebrate the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper but is there any obligation for priest to celebrate Mass on Holy Thursday?

I’m very dubious about the last two rows - I’ve never heard this before; I thought priests could as a maximum only trinate on any day.

Since it requires Papal permission it would not be something that’s encountered on a regular basis. But priests who serve many parishes (my Pastor used to be responsible for seven or eight small parishes scattered in the North) may occasionally have to celebrate 4 Masses on a Sunday or Holy Day. I think that would be in recognition of the fact that it’s much easier for one priest to travel from one parish to another than for many faithful to travel to another parish for Mass, especially in an area where there is no public transit and people are poor and don’t have cars.

 

[Spirithound]

I’ve been to Latin parishes here in California where there are 5 or 6 Masses on Sunday.

In the Philippines, they have Masses every hour on the hour on Sunday.

Is this a merely local agenda?

Whether this can be reconciled with the chart depends on how many different priests are there.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

I’ve been to Latin parishes here in California where there are 5 or 6 Masses on Sunday.

In the Philippines, they have Masses every hour on the hour on Sunday.

Although it is not explicit in your response I am assuming that you are saying priests are celebrating more than three Masses per day.

Is this a merely local agenda?

I can’t quite make up my mind what this question means. Please take my OP completely at face value. It was a table I found on the Internet. I only wanted CAF members to comment on whether it was rubrically correct.

I do not have an issue and there is nothing happening in my parish that gives rise to this question. [To clarify my poor parish priest has to look after two parishes; one of those is a merged parish, so in effect he looks after what was until five years ago an area which was covered by three separate canonical parishes - but he only celebrates Mass 3 times on Sundays.]

The only thing that I thought could definitely be wrong with the table was where it says a priest may celebrate/concelebrate four times per day. This is because I am sure it says in the Latin Code of Canon Law (too lazy right now to check the source) that 3 is the maximum number of times a priest can celebrate per day. I’ve never heard of the possibility of the Holy See granting permission to celebrate four times although, of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not true. I simply wanted the opinion of other folk on here.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

Rather than try to reply to all posts first let me thank those of you who have responded. I realise that the situation in the Church is such that these days it may be necessary for priests to celebrate more than the normal maximum of three Masses per day.

I was intrigued by where the table says four Masses can be celebrated. There are several reasons for this. First, I’d never heard of that before but, of course, that does not mean it isn’t true. Second, I wondered how that would work as in general responses from Rome aren’t usually quick.

The other aspect of my OP that I don’t think has been answered and I’ve never found the answer anywhere is what ordained sacred ministers are required to do on Sundays and HODs. Do they have to celebrate Mass? I hope the question doesn’t sound stupid. I know diocesan bishops (and their equivalents in law) and parish priests must celebrate because they have an obligation to celebrate Mass pro populo. I often wondered if they chose not to celebrate on Sundays and HODs (assuming they have this option) I wondered if like us lay folk they would have the obligation to go to Mass but I also once read on a thread on CAF that sacred ministers are prohibited from going to Mass merely as a congregant.

So do sacred ministers have to celebrate or concelebrate or minister (deacons) at Mass on Sundays & HODs? Could a bishop simply preside? Could a sacred minister just be present in choir? For example, I watched live the Papal Mass that opened the recent Synod on the Middle East. There were lots of cardinals and bishops present in choir dress so did being at the Mass meet their Sunday obligation?

 

[Spirithound]

…what ordained sacred ministers are required to do on Sundays and HODs. Do they have to celebrate Mass? I often wondered if they chose not to celebrate on Sundays and HODs (assuming they have this option) if like us lay folk they would have the obligation to go to Mass.

I found this canon in the chapter entitled “The Obligations and Rights of Clerics”. There was no mention specifically of Sundays or HODs, and so I assume your question falls under this canon inviting “daily” Eucharist, and of course there is the obligation of offering Mass pro populo on the bishop and the pastor. I understand the Church’s precept to attend Sunday Mass to apply to all the faithful, and so if for some reason a priest could only get to a Mass that he was not celebrating or concelebrating, then I guess he would be obligated to be there.

Can. 276 §1. In leading their lives, clerics are bound in a special way to pursue holiness.

§2. In order to be able to pursue this perfection:

2/ they are to nourish their spiritual life from the two-fold table of sacred scripture and the Eucharist; therefore, priests are earnestly invited to offer the eucharistic sacrifice daily and deacons to participate in its offering daily;

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__PY.HTM

So do sacred ministers have to celebrate or concelebrate or minister (deacons) at Mass on Sundays & HODs? Could a bishop simply preside? Could a sacred minister just be present in choir? For example, I watched live the Papal Mass that opened the recent Synod on the Middle East. There were lots of cardinals and bishops present in choir dress so did being at the Mass meet their Sunday obligation?

That would meet their general obligation to assist at Sunday Mass, but would only cover their obligation to offer Mass pro populo if they intended it to. I recall though, that they do have an option to ask another priest to fulfill that obligation in their stead.

 

[mardukm]

Whether this can be reconciled with the chart depends on how many different priests are there.

That’s a most helpful explanation. Thank you.

Blessings

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

So do sacred ministers have to celebrate or concelebrate or minister (deacons) at Mass on Sundays & HODs? Could a bishop simply preside? Could a sacred minister just be present in choir? For example, I watched live the Papal Mass that opened the recent Synod on the Middle East. There were lots of cardinals and bishops present in choir dress so did being at the Mass meet their Sunday obligation?

Can. 904 Remembering always that in the mystery of the eucharistic sacrifice the work of redemption is exercised continually, priests are to celebrate frequently; indeed, daily celebration is recommended earnestly since, even if the faithful cannot be present, it is the act of Christ and the Church in which priests fulfill their principal function.
Can. 905 §1. A priest is not permitted to celebrate the Eucharist more than once a day except in cases where the law permits him to celebrate or concelebrate more than once on the same day.
§2. If there is a shortage of priests, the local ordinary can allow priests to celebrate twice a day for a just cause, or if pastoral necessity requires it, even three times on Sundays and holy days of obligation.

As those canons show, there is no positive obligation for priests to celebrate Mass daily or, for priests in general, on any specific day (and I think we can all recognize that even the requirement to celebrate “frequently” will admit of broad interpretation). That’s why I think the chart really needs to clarify the category of priest for whom it claims an obligation to say Mass on those days. Only those with the cura animarum have to celebrate Masses for their people, so a large number of priests simply wouldn’t incur those obligations.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

Can. 904 Remembering always that in the mystery of the eucharistic sacrifice the work of redemption is exercised continually, priests are to celebrate frequently; indeed, daily celebration is recommended earnestly since, even if the faithful cannot be present, it is the act of Christ and the Church in which priests fulfill their principal function.
Can. 905 §1. A priest is not permitted to celebrate the Eucharist more than once a day except in cases where the law permits him to celebrate or concelebrate more than once on the same day.
§2. If there is a shortage of priests, the local ordinary can allow priests to celebrate twice a day for a just cause, or if pastoral necessity requires it, even three times on Sundays and holy days of obligation.

As those canons show, there is no positive obligation for priests to celebrate Mass daily or, for priests in general, on any specific day (and I think we can all recognize that even the requirement to celebrate “frequently” will admit of broad interpretation). That’s why I think the chart really needs to clarify the category of priest for whom it claims an obligation to say Mass on those days. Only those with the cura animarum have to celebrate Masses for their people, so a large number of priests simply wouldn’t incur those obligations.

I agree with what you say. However, let’s say a priest, Fr. Brown, is the Vicar General of his diocese and has no responsibility for a parish so he has no cura animarum consequently on Sundays and solemnities of precept he has no obligation to offer a Mass pro populo.

Catholics are under obligation to go to Mass on Sundays and solemnities of precept. Is Fr. Brown under the same obligation as the laity (my presumption is that he would be)?

Now, I have read on a thread here on CAF that priests cannot go to Mass just as a member of the congregation. I don’t know if that’s true or not. If Fr. Brown is under an obligation to go to Mass on days of obligation and if he cannot be a congregant doesn’t he have an obligation to celebrate/concelebrate Mass? If a priest cannot be a congregant, can he satisfy the obligation on Sundays and solemnities of precept if he is present in choro?

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

If a priest cannot be a congregant, can he satisfy the obligation on Sundays and solemnities of precept if he is present in choro?

Yes. He must fulfill the obligation of attendance, but is not bound to celebrate or concelebrate. If not (con/)celebrating, he needs to attend in choro.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I’ve been to Latin parishes here in California where there are 5 or 6 Masses on Sunday.

In the Philippines, they have Masses every hour on the hour on Sunday.

Is this a merely local agenda?

Blessings,
Marduk

Bigger parishes has more priests. Smaller parishes that have one priest would have a visiting priest come in for some of the Masses. The parish we used to attend has 5 Masses a day and a visiting priest comes in for 2 Masses.

We don’t really have Masses every hour on the hour. There are no Masses between 1-3pm. I forgot the reason, but you’d be hardpressed to find a Mass at that time. But Masses in some parishes typically begin at 5am and would have 4-5 Masses by noon. Then again by 3:30 or 4pm the afternoon to evening Masses would begin and I’ve known 1 parish that has a Mass as late as 9pm. And all Masses are well attended.