Mass of Reparation

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Recently, a church in our diocese was broken into and the tabernacle was stolen. Inside the tabernacle were chalices some of which contained Communion hosts. The diocese announced that one of our auxiliary bishops will lead a Mass of Reparation at that church.

What is a Mass of Reparation? Is there a special ritual or prayers? On what type of occasions is such a Mass held? Does a bishop always celebrate that Mass?
 
Recently, a church in our diocese was broken into and the tabernacle was stolen. Inside the tabernacle were chalices some of which contained Communion hosts. The diocese announced that one of our auxiliary bishops will lead a Mass of Reparation at that church.

What is a Mass of Reparation? Is there a special ritual or prayers? On what type of occasions is such a Mass held? Does a bishop always celebrate that Mass?
Wow… I’m sorry, I’ve never been to such a mass so I can’t say, although I know they’re generally held on occasions when a church has been desecrated and needs to be restored back to it’s sacred nature…

I’m truly mortified by this and what I just read in the news about the Trinity Cathedral break in… that’s HORRIBLE. I’m glad the church has put out a reward for the Eucharist though… that speaks volumes about the church’s commitment to the True Presence of Christ in the sacrament…

Peace be with you all in these dark times…
 
Chapter 20 “Public Prayer After the Desecration of a Church” is in Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 289. In the Latin edition it is Caeremoniale Episcoporum, Liberia Editrice Vaticana, 1995, ISBN 88-209-4217-8, page 247.

It begins: "1070 Crimes committed in a church affect and do injury to the entire Christian community, which the church building in a sense symbolizes and represents.
The crimes in question are those that do grave dishonor to sacred mysteries, especially to the eucharistic species, and are committed to show contempt for the Church, or are crimes that are serious offenses against the dignity of the person and of society.
A church, therefore, is desecrated by actions that are gravely injurious in themselves and a cause of scandal to the faithful. In the judgment of the local Ordinary, they are so serious and so offensive to the sanctity of the church building that divine worship may be celebrated in the church only after penitential reparation for the wrong done. [footnote 388: See The Roman Ritual, *Public Prayer. The rite described in chapter 20 must be followed not only in the case of the desecration of a church but also in the case of any other sacred place that has been desecrated: see CIC, can. 1205-1213.

I am not familiar with this book “Public Prayer”. In the Latin edition it is called “De supplicationibus”.

Later in the chapter it has:

“1075. The rite most suitable for use in reparation for the desecration of the church is one in which the penitential service is aptly joined to the celebration of the eucharist. …
1077. The proper texts required for the celebration of the Mass are all indicated in their place in The Roman Ritual. But the Mass celebrated may also be one that is best suited to the reparation of the wrong done, for example, one of the votive Masses of the holy eucharist in the case of profanation of the blessed sacrament (RM, Votive Masses, Holy Eucharist) …”.
 
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