"renting" out a priest and church

[Orate]

Your own words which out and out say that you’re afraid the Bishop would not approve of what you’re doing if he knew and you’d “loose” your home Bible study shows that you at least suspect you’re not following the diocesan regulations.

Re-read my post. It was not directed towards what I am currently doing, but what we would do in the future. “Would not approve of what you’re doing”? I was simply noting that I would be disapointed that I would have to loose the bible study, Not that we were doing anything wrong, not that the bishop wouldn’t approve. Simply that I couldn’t keep the bible study because that’s the rules for being sponsored by the diocese. Guess what? I’m not sponsored by the diocese… so why would that constitute rule breaking? There is no rule to break. For the record, I think the bishop would approve of what we’re doing… I just asked here thinking someone might know firsthand how to go about doing that… sorry I asked

 

[corsair]

Well, here is what we did (and do). We petitioned our local NO priest to provide a EF Mass. When he admitted he hadn’t a clue on how to say the EF, we asked him to help us with the Archbishop. He agreed to take our petition to HE.

After some time we did get permission from HE. We then found a Dominican priest who agreed to come up once a month to say the old Dominican Rite.

Our local NO priest then said that the parish would pay the priests mileage fee and stipend, as dictated by the Chancery which is 58 cents per mile and $50.00 stipend but we would need to take a collection at each Mass. So far we are in the black. But because of the evening (a monday) Mass attendence has been down. We are working on getting a Sunday afternoon Mass but things are moving slowly.

Guess beggers can’t be choosers.

 

[OhMalley]

Hello all, I’m a member of a small young adult group and we’re looking to have monthly group masses and short seminars on matters of faith and morals. We aren’t attached to the local Church or the Diocese, so we don’t have unlimited or easy access to a church. Has anyone ever done something like this? We have a priest friend who would be willing to offer mass according to the roman missal of 1962, and we have a church where we would love to have private masses held (it is central in the diocese and easy access for anyone anywhere), but I just don’t know how you do it.

So in essence these are my questions:

1. How do you go about renting a church out? Can anyone do it or do you have to be a parishioner? Does the priest offering mass have to be in residence at the parrish?
2. Do you pay the priest if he preaches? How much do you give him for his trouble?
3. Our charism is geared towards the promotion of the Latin mass and we would like to invite our novous ordo friends to witness high masses and big feasts, do you have to be offically connected to the diocese to advertise in local churches?

Thanks for any and all help!

You need to let the Catholic Church be in charge. You are trying to control things that you shouldn’t be in control of. Find a pastor/parish that suits your group’s needs. Work through that pastor.

Given that you already have a priest lined-up and a small group he should be delighted to help you – unless there is more to the story. We used to have a local “Latin Mass group” that would fly a priest in and have a “private” Mass in the local Marriott ballroom. Very disruptive…

 

[OhMalley]

I think some people are a bit confused about what I’m doing. I want to thank everyone who does and has shown words of encouragement!

I’m just a guy who has his altar server friends and some other guys and gals who join us regularly for Sunday mass (at a real parish) and adoration over to his house for bible study and discussion and dinner.

We think wer’re doing something pretty cool, because most young adults who go to our Latin mass come alone and leave right after. They don’t get a sense of community. My friends and I just think it would be a great idea to spread out and get more people, young adults from other parts of the diocese involved. We just want to share the beauty of the Latin mass with other young adults who haven’t had the opprotunity to experience it. The best place to do that isn’t at our parish, it’s too far out of the way, what would be a 30-45 minute drive for most can be made into 10-15 minutes by moving to a different location.

Of course I know you need the permission of the pastor! I’ve met him a few times and think he would let us (I hope) I just want to know if I have to pay the church for using the facilities (none of us are parishioners at his parish) it’s just us guys and we’re all college students and poor.

All I wanted to know was weather or not anyone has ever had a private mass held in a parish and if they did what the rules were about doing that. I’m not doing anything wrong, I’m not trying to look for trouble. If my bishop would personally sponsor us I would jump twenty feet with joy! The point is this: I just came looking for advice as to how you start a non-parish specific young adult group. How that works and who you have to go to for sponsorship.

I’m sorry if I came off as hostile and renegade, I’m really not.

It sounds as though you have chosen a parish church. You’ve even met the pastor. Ask him these questions. But I certainly would not do it from a position of wanting to “rent out” his parish…