Was this Mass kosher?

[Whidbey]

My son just got back from a retreat for his confirmation class. A dozen teens went to a camp about a half hour away for 3 days as part of their discernment process.

They were about 5 miles away from a Catholic church, maybe less, and I’d assumed they’d go there for Mass, but they didn’t. Instead a Priest came to them. He has substituted at our church before but we don’t really know him.

He set up a card table in a big meeting room and held Mass.

After the homily he told the kids they’d be doing confessions and each kid would have 7 minutes. He then stepped across the hall and they were sent in one at a time. It took about an hour. Then he returned and continued with the Mass.

I don’t know what to make of this. A card table in a meeting room? Interrupting the Mass? ‘Surprise’ confession with little to no time for some to examine their conscience?

Should I discuss this with the Youth Director and/or our Priest? Or is this acceptable and normal and I should let it go?

 

[runningdude]

I wouldn’t worry about the “card table”. Five miles isn’t far, but it would still eat up a half hour, and these retreats are usually jammed packed!

The interruption seems a bit odd, but honestly, I’m glad the priest held confession before the Eucharist (it just never makes any sense to me to wait till afterward, since reception of the Body of Lord forgives venial sins!).

The priest did set aside a fair amount of time guide each student. Again, its odd, and a friendly call asking the youth director wouldn’t be out of the question.

 

[Phemie]

My son just got back from a retreat for his confirmation class. A dozen teens went to a camp about a half hour away for 3 days as part of their discernment process.

They were about 5 miles away from a Catholic church, maybe less, and I’d assumed they’d go there for Mass, but they didn’t. Instead a Priest came to them. He has substituted at our church before but we don’t really know him.

He set up a card table in a big meeting room and held Mass.

After the homily he told the kids they’d be doing confessions and each kid would have 7 minutes. He then stepped across the hall and they were sent in one at a time. It took about an hour. Then he returned and continued with the Mass.

I don’t know what to make of this. A card table in a meeting room? Interrupting the Mass? ‘Surprise’ confession with little to no time for some to examine their conscience?

Should I discuss this with the Youth Director and/or our Priest? Or is this acceptable and normal and I should let it go?

The celebration of the Mass at the camp is not a problem, nor is the location or the card table as long as it’s done reverently.

But joining reconciliation to Mass so as to make them one liturgy is a problem. It’s not allowed.

adoremus.org/confessions1001.html

And you’re right, springing confession on them when they have not had a chance to prepare is not right at all.

 

[Maureen1125]

My catholic youth group went on many over-night trips. Ski trips, beach trips…We always held mass in the common room of the cabin we rented. It was very intimate and informal, but it was a valid mass, with reading and a homily and communion.

Remember…where 2 or more are gathered in my name, there will I be also.

 

[Whidbey]

The celebration of the Mass at the camp is not a problem, nor is the location or the card table as long as it’s done reverently.

But joining reconciliation to Mass so as to make them one liturgy is a problem. It’s not allowed.

adoremus.org/confessions1001.html

And you’re right, springing confession on them when they have not had a chance to prepare is not right at all.

Thank you so much for the link - this is exactly what I was looking for!

I don’t really have a problem witht he card table thing except that my son’s perception was that it was just ‘thrown up’ with no covering, no blessing, no reverance.

 

[William_Pitts]

I have photos of Mass being held on the hood of a truck, with the priest in body armor.

 

[William_Pitts]

I have a photo of a priest in camo body armor saying mass on the hood of a truck.

 

[runningdude]

The celebration of the Mass at the camp is not a problem, nor is the location or the card table as long as it’s done reverently.

But joining reconciliation to Mass so as to make them one liturgy is a problem. It’s not allowed.

adoremus.org/confessions1001.html

And you’re right, springing confession on them when they have not had a chance to prepare is not right at all.

I’m slightly confused by the last paragraph. It almost describes the OP’s situation as acceptable, but I’m not sure. Any help ?

Consequently, it is clearly lawful, even during the celebration of Mass,to hear confessions when one foresees that the faithful are going to askfor this ministry. In the case of concelebrations, it is earnestly to be desired that some priests would abstain from concelebrating so as to be available to attend to the faithful who wish to receive the sacrament of Penance.It should be borne in mind, nevertheless, that it is not permitted to unite the sacrament of Penance with the Mass, making of them both a single liturgical celebration.

Edit: Found my answer!

On the other hand, this does not in any way prohibit priests, except the one who is celebrating Mass, from hearing confessions of the faithful who so desire, including during the celebration of Mass

Seems that if there were two priests, then the mass in question would have fully conformed to the liturgical forms of both sacraments.

 

[runningdude]

Thank you so much for the link - this is exactly what I was looking for!

I don’t really have a problem witht he card table thing except that my son’s perception was that it was just ‘thrown up’ with no covering, no blessing, no reverance.

Well, you wouldn’t bless the table, because then one risks the blessed table being profaned in future. Blessings aren’t temporary!

 

[Phemie]

Well, you wouldn’t bless the table, because then one risks the blessed table being profaned in future. Blessings aren’t temporary!

But at minimum it should have had a white cloth and a corporal, after all, this is not a Mass-at-the-Front scenario.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

When I worked at an Air Force Station with no chapel several years ago, an old and very conservative Jesuit used to come and say mass for us on Holy Days. He used the bar in the Officers Club for the altar, with proper coverings of course. It was the only available room with sufficient seating and space.

He had been a chaplain in WWII and participated in the D-Day landings. I was impressed by his always including those who had fallen on both sides in the commemoration of the dead.

 

[Spirithound]

Seems that if there were two priests, then the mass in question would have fully conformed to the liturgical forms of both sacraments.

Additionally, I’m sure this regulation is a recognition that sometimes confessions simply take longer than was initially estimated. So, ideally, even in a 2-priest scenario, the second priest still starts hearing confessions before Mass starts.

 

[laszlo]

Additionally, I’m sure this regulation is a recognition that sometimes confessions simply take longer than was initially estimated. So, ideally, even in a 2-priest scenario, the second priest still starts hearing confessions before Mass starts.

This is the practice in our Church too (2 priest, both rite).

One of the priest exposes the holy Sacrament 30 minutes before the mass and enters the confession seat. He is there until the end of the Pater noster (athere is line always) and leaves then, to help with distributing communion.

The other priest removes the exposed Eucharist back to the tabernacle, and celebrates the Mass. It there is visiting priest from the nearby seminary, then two priests are hearing confessions, and there is always line in both confessional.

Moral: people confess their sins if they have opportunity to do so.

 

[puzzleannie]

my advice to OP is to speak to the confirmation or retreat director and find out what actually happened, in what order. I got several reports of the same thing from our retreat, but actually first Father gave an extended instruction on the parts of the Mass. Then he led a guided examination of conscience, then heard confessions. Only then was Mass begun. This was at a campus ministry center with proper altar, but had it been in a campground or similar facility it could have been done on an ordinary table. It was the responsibility of the retreat director to bring everything necessary for Mass but perhaps she forgot the table cover, or assumed one would be available (I forgot candles but we found some). But some of the kids confused the explanation of Mass with Mass itself.

Your son is probably better informed and more aware, but do follow up and first to get the facts straight.