Question about frequency of Mass

[skc57]

One of our parish priests has a mini cathecism class for adults in between the Sunday services. He was talking about the side altars and telling us they were used in the past because concelebrating mass was not allowed, so sometimes priests used these so they could say mass if the main altar was in use. Are priests required to say mass daily? Do they have so many masses they must say per week? Thanks in advance and God Bless.

 

[LilyM]

I know there’s a MAXIMUM number priests can say - shouldn’t be more than two in a day (without special permission) if I remember rightly.

I think they are required to say Mass daily - I know one of the churches I attend has two Masses per day and two or even three of the priests there will usually concelebrate at the first one.

 

[tee_eff_em]

I know there’s a MAXIMUM number priests can say - shouldn’t be more than two in a day (without special permission) if I remember rightly.

I think they are required to say Mass daily - I know one of the churches I attend has two Masses per day and two or even three of the priests there will usually concelebrate at the first one.

Priests are not *required *by law to offer Mass daily, but they are *earnestly invited *to do so:

Can. 276 §1 Clerics have a special obligation to seek holiness in their lives, because they are consecrated to God by a new title through the reception of orders, and are stewards of the mysteries of God in the service of His people.
§2 In order that they can pursue this perfection:
…
2° they are to nourish their spiritual life at the twofold table of the sacred Scripture and the Eucharist; priests are therefore earnestly invited to offer the eucharistic Sacrifice daily, and deacons to participate daily in the offering;

However, a priest is obliged to offer Masses for those intentions he has agreed to (cf. Canons 945-958). While I do not know the particular law of the earlier CIC, surely it was similar. And as the OP intimates, concelebration was previously not allowed.

My mother tells of her days at the Jebbie St Louis U, when she could go to the chapel just about any time of day and find a Mass starting within 10 minutes at one or another of the altars.

tee

 

[LilyM]

My mother tells of her days at the Jebbie St Louis U, when she could go to the chapel just about any time of day and find a Mass starting within 10 minutes at one or another of the altars.

tee

Those must’ve been the days sigh

 

[chicago]

At one time priests were expected (if not required) to celebrate Mass daily. You also had a lot more priests. So they would regularly offer their personal Masses at the side altars.

 

[asquared]

priests are not allowed to celebrate more than one Mass a day, although most bishops let them celebrate a funeral or wedding if necessary. They used to get an exception for Christmas and All Souls Day for more Masses. Concelebration was rare or just not done at all, I never remember it except for the funeral Mass of our Cardinal in the 50s. Even then, don’t know if it was really concelebrated, or just a bunch of priests and bishops.

Now most bishops give permission for up to 3 Masses on a Sunday, but here where most parishes have only one priest, and often one or more mission churches, many priests say 5-6 Masses on a weekend. Bishop is considering strictly enforcing the 3 Mass rule and making parishes consolidate Masses, especially where they are poorly attended.

Most parishes here have 4-5 Masses Christmas eve because that is the custom