No priest showed up for Mass

[Phemie]

However, if there is reasonable access to mass at another location such as a neighboring parish, the communion service does not suffice as meeting the Sunday Obligation.

I have conducted a communion service as a Sunday celebration once; the associate pastor fainted during the morning Sunday mass, and the pastor got sick before the last Sunday mass of the day, so at the order of my pastor I conducted a CS. In this case the obligation is dispensed because of the situation.

We have these Sunday Liturgies of the Word more often than I’d like in my parish but unfortunately the nearest Mass may be 3.5 hours away but more likely 7 hours away because the closer parish is also without a priest on most Sundays.

 

[yellowbird]

Yes, I recall some decades ago where a priest failed to show up for morning Mass at a parish. Someone went to check on him at the rectory and he had died in his sleep.

How sad.

 

[Lapey]

We have these Sunday Liturgies of the Word more often than I’d like in my parish but unfortunately the nearest Mass may be 3.5 hours away but more likely 7 hours away because the closer parish is also without a priest on most Sundays.

So how often do you have mass at your parish, on Sundays I mean?

One of my deacon brothers just transferred to Mississippi and will be working in three parishes there. He will only have a priest occassionally. Sadly this is becomeing the norm.

 

[Phemie]

So how often do you have mass at your parish, on Sundays I mean?

One of my deacon brothers just transferred to Mississippi and will be working in three parishes there. He will only have a priest occassionally. Sadly this is becomeing the norm.

Our parish has been without a Pastor since August. There is a missionary who lives here and has been named administrator but he’s the pastor for the mission 40 minutes down the road, missionary to a parish a 90 minute flight north and missionary to a parish a 90 min. flight south. Not to mention that he’s responsible for his Congregation’s Formation in Kenya. That adds up to a lot of responsibilities which often take him out of town.

When he’s in town (he’s promised he’s through travelling until the end of March) we’ve got Mass twice during the week, if he’s not called away for something, and at least on Sunday morning (he’s notorious for cancelling the Saturday Mass at the last minute).

If he’s going to be away for 3 weekends or more he tries to bring in another priest to replace him but if it’s only 1 or 2 weekends we’re on our own and do Sunday Liturgies of the Word. We don’t have those liturgies on Saturdays when he cancels Mass because that would give people the false idea that they don’t have to come to Mass on Sunday morning.

 

[Palomina]

I am curious. This happened in a neighboring parish this past Sunday for Spanish Mass. The priest did not show up for Mass, so a woman who works in the HIspanic Ministry office at the church (and also as a lector, a Eucaristic Minister, and just about everything else) took it upon herself to put on the priest’s vestments, and celebrated “mass” for everyone that was there. They gave Holy Communion, with already consecrated Hosts from the Tabernacle. She did, however, do the Eucaristic prayers.

I assist with the Spanish Mass in a town about 10 miles away, and I have had people calling me left and right, extremely upset with what she did. I am wondering what to do? Did she really do anything wrong? I feel that it was wrong, but I am a relatively new convert, so I can’t give you a specific rule she broke or anything. I am upset that she took it upon herself to imitate a priest!

What are your thoughts on this issue? What can I do to help the people? Do I need to report this to someone?

 

[Cathryn]

I am curious. This happened in a neighboring parish this past Sunday for Spanish Mass. The priest did not show up for Mass, so a woman who works in the HIspanic Ministry office at the church (and also as a lector, a Eucaristic Minister, and just about everything else) took it upon herself to put on the priest’s vestments, and celebrated “mass” for everyone that was there. They gave Holy Communion, with already consecrated Hosts from the Tabernacle. She did, however, do the Eucaristic prayers.

I assist with the Spanish Mass in a town about 10 miles away, and I have had people calling me left and right, extremely upset with what she did. I am wondering what to do? Did she really do anything wrong? I feel that it was wrong, but I am a relatively new convert, so I can’t give you a specific rule she broke or anything. I am upset that she took it upon herself to imitate a priest!

What are your thoughts on this issue? What can I do to help the people? Do I need to report this to someone?

Very wrong. She should be reported.

 

[Phemie]

I’m shocked that anyone would presume to wear the priest’s vestments and publicly simulate Mass! This woman has obviously not been taught properly. She may have had the best of intentions and simply not known any better but it makes one wonder. Definitely the priest needs to be informed.

Even in my parish where a Sunday Liturgy of the Word with Communion is common we do not vest to lead it, even though the leaders of prayer know that they could quite appropriately wear an alb. It would be misinterpreted and frowned upon by the parishioners and it’s simply not worth the headache.

 

[Jegudiel]

With a shortage of priest it will and does happen to the point the there is a specific liturgy that can be used by a deacon, to be able to celebrate a Sunday mass without a preist. I have one for my parish but haven’t had to use use it.

No. There is no Mass without a priest to offer the sacrifice. A deacon is unable to do that. Either a deacon or a layperson may conduct a communion service however with a communal reading of the day’s readings and the distribution of holy communion.

 

[Jegudiel]

I am curious. This happened in a neighboring parish this past Sunday for Spanish Mass. The priest did not show up for Mass, so a woman who works in the HIspanic Ministry office at the church (and also as a lector, a Eucaristic Minister, and just about everything else) took it upon herself to put on the priest’s vestments, and celebrated “mass” for everyone that was there. They gave Holy Communion, with already consecrated Hosts from the Tabernacle. She did, however, do the Eucaristic prayers.

I assist with the Spanish Mass in a town about 10 miles away, and I have had people calling me left and right, extremely upset with what she did. I am wondering what to do? Did she really do anything wrong? I feel that it was wrong, but I am a relatively new convert, so I can’t give you a specific rule she broke or anything. I am upset that she took it upon herself to imitate a priest!

What are your thoughts on this issue? What can I do to help the people? Do I need to report this to someone?

You know what? Even after being trained and/or disciplined, this person needs to be prohibited from taking part in any liturgical ministry for quite some time. If she is all those things yet still didn’t know she was doing something gravely wrong, something is very suspect with her.

 

[Lapey]

No. There is no Mass without a priest to offer the sacrifice. A deacon is unable to do that. Either a deacon or a layperson may conduct a communion service however with a communal reading of the day’s readings and the distribution of holy communion.

Did this was already stated, a few times? Please read all posts before commenting. Deacon Fab is aware and has stated a correction to his mistakenly used words.

 

[Lapey]

I am curious. This happened in a neighboring parish this past Sunday for Spanish Mass. The priest did not show up for Mass, so a woman who works in the HIspanic Ministry office at the church (and also as a lector, a Eucaristic Minister, and just about everything else) took it upon herself to put on the priest’s vestments, and celebrated “mass” for everyone that was there. They gave Holy Communion, with already consecrated Hosts from the Tabernacle. She did, however, do the Eucaristic prayers.

I assist with the Spanish Mass in a town about 10 miles away, and I have had people calling me left and right, extremely upset with what she did. I am wondering what to do? Did she really do anything wrong? I feel that it was wrong, but I am a relatively new convert, so I can’t give you a specific rule she broke or anything. I am upset that she took it upon herself to imitate a priest!

What are your thoughts on this issue? What can I do to help the people? Do I need to report this to someone?

I too am shocked…so she played priest? This is serious, very serious! You need to talk to your pastor immediately. This person has performed an act that could excommunicate her from the Church. If the pastor doesn’t take action, a call to the diocesan office of worship and/or bishop’s office is warranted. Please let us know what happens.

 

[Jegudiel]

Did this was already stated, a few times? Please read all posts before commenting. Deacon Fab is aware and has stated a correction to his mistakenly used words.

Why would you make such a comment? I read all the posts and while I might have missed something, I did not see anyone make the distinction between a communion service and the Mass. Either way your comments are misplaced.

 

[Lapey]

With a shortage of priest it will and does happen to the point the there is a specific liturgy that can be used by a deacon, to be able to celebrate a Sunday mass without a preist. I have one for my parish but haven’t had to use use it.

Some misinformation by the Lector. Since this was a Sat vigil mass, there were other masses that one could attend and even at another parish, so if those attending did not go to another mass they did not meet their Sunday obligation, since there were other oportunities to do so. It would be the case though if this was the mass available.

Are you sure you meant to say a specific liturgy…to celebrate a Sunday Mass without a priest’? No priest, no Mass.

I stand Corrected View attachment 12744

EXACTLY! What makes Mass the Mass is the most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Only an ordained priest can do that.

I would think the good Deacon Fab knows and fully understands this, as all of us do. With that said, I’m sure Deacon Fab meant to say communion service which consists of the Liturgy of the word and the communion rite as is done in the mass using the reserved hosts from the tabernacle. Take out the liturgy of the Eucharist and there is the communion service which the deacon can conduct.

However, if there is reasonable access to mass at another location such as a neighboring parish, the communion service does not suffice as meeting the Sunday Obligation.

I have conducted a communion service as a Sunday celebration once; the associate pastor fainted during the morning Sunday mass, and the pastor got sick before the last Sunday mass of the day, so at the order of my pastor I conducted a CS. In this case the obligation is dispensed because of the situation.

Why would you make such a comment? I read all the posts and while I might have missed something, I did not see anyone make the distinction between a communion service and the Mass. Either way your comments are misplaced.

Misplaced? I don’t think so. It had already been mentioned in several posts. And corrected by Deacon Fab.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I am curious. This happened in a neighboring parish this past Sunday for Spanish Mass. The priest did not show up for Mass, so a woman who works in the HIspanic Ministry office at the church (and also as a lector, a Eucaristic Minister, and just about everything else) took it upon herself to put on the priest’s vestments, and celebrated “mass” for everyone that was there. They gave Holy Communion, with already consecrated Hosts from the Tabernacle. She did, however, do the Eucaristic prayers.

I assist with the Spanish Mass in a town about 10 miles away, and I have had people calling me left and right, extremely upset with what she did. I am wondering what to do? Did she really do anything wrong? I feel that it was wrong, but I am a relatively new convert, so I can’t give you a specific rule she broke or anything. I am upset that she took it upon herself to imitate a priest!

What are your thoughts on this issue? What can I do to help the people? Do I need to report this to someone?

Yes, please do tell the priest at your parish and the folks at the Hispanic Ministry office. She needs correct formation and possibly the rest of that group needs to be instructed as well. Please also let her/your pastor know about the confusion among the laity because of what happened.

Once you have reported it to the proper authorities, don’t expect though to get any kind of feedback as to what she was told etc. It will then be a private personnel issue.

 

[Irishgal49]

This is so funny, because we almost had the same thing last night. I am a member at a parish that’s 20 minutes west of the parish I attended last night. I was lazy and didnt get up for morning mass so I thought I’d go to the nearest church after work and catch evening mass there instead. Well come to find out my parish’s parochial vicar was on for mass so I was happy about that. Well time seemed to drag on waiting and someone came out and announced that the priest was delayed and would be there in 20 minutes. I was fine, pulled out my rosary, but I heard people complainging and about 4 or 5 people got up and left. I was stunned, I can’t believe you would leave on a weeknight mass over a 20 minute delay. I prayed the rosary and sure enough he showed up and we had a beautiful mass.

He actually admitted that it had slipped his mind as he was swamped all day and then he realized he was saying mass and called and rushed over. He could have made up any number of excuses but he was honest and, frankly, he’s the chaplain at the high school so he always has games, counseling, and all sorts of activities he’s running off to attend.

Priests are human and mistakes happen. I just hope yours was OK. We don’t think of all the driving priest’s do, I pray for travel mercies for my priests all the time.

Lorrie