Temporary tabernacles apart from Holy Thursday

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I am a brand new priest, about 7 months ordained. In my parish we have two separate tabernacles, one for the chapel, and one for the church. They are connected by an office hallway, but the chapel is considered a separate building, since it was the original church.

There are times when we would need to empty the tabernacle of one of the two places and transfer them over to the other one, such as when we are changing lights, doing maintenance work, or having a passion play in the main sanctuary. However, I saw that whenever we would do so, the tabernacle would tend to be overcrowded. We generally have 2 ciboria in the main church’s tabernacle, and in the chapel we would have a little monstrance, an uncovered ciborium that holds a large host when we want to use the bigger monstrance, and a covered ciborium holding the extra hosts from daily mass. To try and fit everything would be impossible, and we would have to do a little bit of rearranging.

My question is this: I sometimes set up a temporary tabernacle and set it up in the sacristy or in the confessional in order to easily transfer the Eucharist back and forth from the tabernacle from which it came. Is this an abuse? I understand that on Holy Thursday temporary tabernacles are set up all the time. However, this particular temporary tabernacle is in a hidden, although venerable, place. I would like to know so that I can do the right thing in the future. Thanks.
 
I’m not a priest or knowledgeable on how to answer your question, but perhaps one of CAF’s priests could.

@FrDavid96 @edward_george1
 
Our FSSP parish has only one regular tabernacle, but we also have a repository for such situations. It is a converted closet with a tabernacle on a little altar.
 
My pastor is also a brand new pastor as well. In fact, I have been here longer than he because of our recent change in pastors. He doesn’t seem to like to put it in the temporary tabernacle, though he has not outrightly expressed opposition. I plan on asking neighboring priests as well, but would like to remain anonymous first when asking this question. I also wanted to ask here before my conversation with him.

I also remember that my home parish converted a confessional to house the Eucharist. But my question is, what about a room that was always and is still used for something else, i.e. a confessional that is still used or the sacristy? And is using a temporary tabernacle unnecessary because of the other existing one?
 
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My parish church had to major construction work to the interior of the church some years ago. For weekday evening Masses we were in the largest room in the basement and the repository tabernacle was used for the 11 weeks when we couldn’t be in the church sanctuary. For Sunday Masses we were in a neighbouring non Catholic parish so people were told to put a host in the ciboria if they were going to receive Holy Communion during that Mass. There were those who didn’t understand so the priest had to break the hosts for the last persons receiving as there weren’t enough consecrated hosts or consuming the “extra” hosts as there was no tabernacle at that church.
 
Hello @Tacocatholic,
First off, congratulations on your Ordination! I will be praying for you.

Second, the following canon from the 1985 Code of Canon Law is relevant:

Can. 938 §1. The Most Holy Eucharist is to be reserved habitually in only one tabernacle of a church or oratory.

§2. The tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved is to be situated in some part of the church or oratory which is distinguished, conspicuous, beautifully decorated, and suitable for prayer.

§3. The tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved habitually is to be immovable, made of solid and opaque material, and locked in such a way that the danger of profanation is avoided as much as possible.

§4. For a grave cause, it is permitted to reserve the Most Holy Eucharist in some other fitting and more secure place, especially at night.

§5. The person responsible for the church or oratory is to take care that the key of the tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved is safeguarded most diligently.

What you need to be concerned about is §4. If they all cannot fit within the chapel tabernacle without jamming them in, this may constitute grave cause. It may be considered as detrimental to the dignity of the Eucharist to have the tabernacle so crowded. To determine if this is a valid reason for the grave cause, I would simply call the Liturgy Office of your diocese. They will be able to give you an official ruling.

Personally, I think that it would constitute grave cause to uphold the dignity of the Eucharist, but I am not your Bishop or his designated Vicar for Liturgy.

God Bless,
Br. Ben, CRM
 
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