Mass with no congregation?

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If the mass had an intention requested wouldn’t the priest have to celebrate the Mass. Mrs. Jones has a mass intention for her deceased husband at the 8AM mass on SUnday. There is a blizzard and no one shows up. Isn’t the priest required to offer the Mass for Mr Jones?
 
svid2 said:
Perhaps this has been asked before…

If nobody shows up for a Mass (except the celebrant), does the priest still say the Mass? Perhaps it’s a weekday Mass and the weather is bad.

If only the priest is present (along with the angels and saints), is the Mass still said?
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Priests say Mass everyday even if there isn’t a daily Mass or regular Mass scheduled. It’s what they are required to do. It keeps them close to Jesus and his faith. They have travel kits for Mass 👍 talk about awesome!!!😃
 
Joannm said:
If the mass had an intention requested wouldn’t the priest have to celebrate the Mass. Mrs. Jones has a mass intention for her deceased husband at the 8AM mass on SUnday. There is a blizzard and no one shows up. Isn’t the priest required to offer the Mass for Mr Jones?
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Yes and no. By the literal letter of the law, yes. However, the family of Mr. Jones is going to request that another Mass be said so that they can attend.
 
Bballer32 said:
Priests say Mass everyday even if there isn’t a daily Mass or regular Mass scheduled. It’s what they are required to do. It keeps them close to Jesus and his faith. They have travel kits for Mass 👍 talk about awesome!!!😃
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Priests are not required to say Mass every day. It is highly recommended, but not required.
 
NewEnglandPries said:
Priests are not required to say Mass every day. It is highly recommended, but not required.
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Not to muddy the waters that much but…

Byzantine priests are actually prohibited from celebrating the Divine Liturgy during the week days of Great Lent.

They are also unable to celebrate without a congregation.
 
NewEnglandPries said:
Yes and no. By the literal letter of the law, yes. However, the family of Mr. Jones is going to request that another Mass be said so that they can attend.
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When my husband died, people requested masses be said for him. I got notices of some of them, but not all of them. Some I could attend, some I could not, as I had other obligations for some weekdays. Some I was notified after the fact that a mass had been said specifically for him.

So based on that, I would HOPE that if a specific mass was requested for a person a specific day, that the priest say the mass, as intended, regardless if the family or anyone else is there!
 
Catholic90 said:
So based on that, I would HOPE that if a specific mass was requested for a person a specific day, that the priest say the mass, as intended, regardless if the family or anyone else is there!
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If the Mass isn’t said on that day because no one came to church then the intention for the deceased would be moved to another Mass, it wouldn’t just be skipped.
 
Old_Salt said:
I have many priest aquaintences who say Mass alone, with a server, or without.

The Offering of the Sacrifice is not dependant on there being anyone there other than the priest.
The Mass is primarily offered for Adoration, which does not require a congregation.
The Sacrifice still occurs.

Many times I have gone into a Catholic church and see a priest offering Mass on a side altar, with no one there but the server.

Many orders of priests. are required to offer the Sacrifice daily
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In the EF, the server represents the entire congregation. The priest is not saying mass alone if there is another person there (i.e. the server). In earlier days, this was extremely common where a number of priests lived in community. Monasteries or seminaries, etc., would have basements with ten altars all alongside one another so everybody could say their daily mass (with a server for each priest).
 
It may depend on if they know of regulars who could be late. Depending on their own schedules of course then they might wait for the parishioner to arrive. Or start so that the parishioner joins in on arrival.
In autumn I was often the only one and it was hard but I didn’t know how to stop going so was relieved when he changed the time… which by pure chance, I cannot actually do but it did let me out of being the one who stopped going 😃
 
Leon_Bloy said:
In the EF, the server represents the entire congregation. The priest is not saying mass alone if there is another person there (i.e. the server). In earlier days, this was extremely common where a number of priests lived in community. Monasteries or seminaries, etc., would have basements with ten altars all alongside one another so everybody could say their daily mass (with a server for each priest).
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Thats awesome!! 😃
 
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