Can a private group reserve a church for Mass, in such a way that they can prevent other Catholics in good standing from entering the church or assisting at mass? Does the Church have any provisions for such a practice or would this be illicit?
There is a 1969 Instruction
Actio pastoralis, on Masses with special groups. (It is in the book Documents on the Liturgy, Liturgical Press, 1982, ISBN 0-8146-1281-4, pages 672-676). An example of these groups is: “groups of the faithful of the same category who meet at fixed times for instruction or religious formation especially suited to them;”.
Near the beginning of the document it has: “From experience pastoral activity teaches us how much good having their own celebrations can do for these groups. For when these celebrations have proper and wise planning and direction they are no obstacle to parish unity; instead they serve the parish’s missionary activity by their power to achieve closer contact with some of the people or to deepen the formation of others.”
The document includes: “3. In most cases the eucharistic celebration for special groups is to be held in a place of worship.” So the idea is that there be a Mass for a special group in a church.
The document is not explicit about how attendance is limited to those in the special group. There is nothing about security guards, tickets, limiting the information on Mass times, etc. It does discuss Mass in private homes, in 10(f): “In the case of family celebrations, those reasonably seeking to take part should not be excluded.”
The 2007 POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI, at
vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis_en.html has:
"Eucharistic celebrations in small groups
- A very different situation arises when, in the interest of more conscious, active and fruitful participation, pastoral circumstances favour small group celebrations. While acknowledging the formative value of this approach, it must be stated that such celebrations should always be consonant with the overall pastoral activity of the Diocese. These celebrations would actually lose their catechetical value if they were felt to be in competition with, or parallel to, the life of the particular Church. In this regard, the Synod set forth some necessary criteria: small groups must serve to unify the community, not to fragment it; the beneficial results ought to be clearly evident; these groups should encourage the fruitful participation of the entire assembly, and preserve as much as possible the unity of the liturgical life of individual families. (185)"
