Is a priest limited to the number of masses he can say in a day?

-- Steven S (steven@schneider.net), November 23, 2003

Answers

While someone's at it, can I ask a corollary question? Is a priest required to say a Mass every day or so many times per week?

Thanks.

Dave

-- non-Catholic Christian (dlbowerman@yahoo.com), November 23, 2003.

Canon 905 §1 Apart from those cases in which the law allows him to celebrate or concelebrate the Eucharist a number of times on the same day, a priest my not celebrate more than once a day.

§2 If there is a scarcity of priests, the local Ordinary may for a good reason allow priests to celebrate twice in one day or even, if pastoral need requires it, three times on Sundays or holydays of obligation.

-- Mark (aujus_1066@yahoo.com), November 23, 2003.

thank you Mark.

SS

-- Steven S (steven@schneider.net), November 23, 2003.

In our diocese our priests are not allowed to say more than four masses on a weekend. There are however instances, especially with a Saturday funeral or wedding mass in which they exceed the four regularly scheduled masses.

-- Leon (vol@weblink2000.net), November 23, 2003.

Is a priest required to say a Mass every day or so many times per week?

Saying mass is encouraged, just as having children is encouraged for Catholic couples, but there are no strict numerical requirements attached to either activity.

-- Mark (aujus_1066@yahoo.com), November 24, 2003.

Mark, as you’ve outlined above, the Code of Canon Law sets out strict requirements in the number of masses a priest can celebrate in a day. A priest cannot celebrate more than two masses on a weekday. Much of the discretion is left up to the local Ordinary but nevertheless, there are limits to the number of masses a priests can celebrate in a day. Additionally, a priest may not celebrate a mass on Good Friday during the Sacred Easter Triduum.

A priest cannot celebrate a mass alone, except when there is a justifiable reason. He must have a server present or there must be at least one other person in attendance for him to be able to celebrate Mass. It is worthy to note that convenience or personal preference does not constitute a justifiable reason for a priest to celebrate mass with no one else in attendance.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), November 24, 2003.

Dave, it is my understanding a priest is not obligated to celebrate Mass every day. Some orders however encourage their priests to celebrate Mass everyday, except of course, at Easter.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), November 24, 2003.

Here is the canon law behind some of the rules mentioned by Ed:

Canon 904: Remembering always that in the mystery of the eucharistic Sacrifice the work of redemption is continually being carried out, priests are to celebrate frequently. Indeed, daily celebration is earnestly recommended, because, even if it should not be possible to have the faithful present, it is an action of Christ and of the Church in which priests fulfill their principal role.

Canon 906: A priest may not celebrate the eucharistic Sacrifice without the participation of at least one of the faithful, unless there is a good and reasonable cause for doing so.

-- Mark (aujus_1066@yahoo.com), November 24, 2003.

Translate the Canon of the Mass into the vernacular everywhere. And forbid, I repeat, forbid the Latin everywhere. And translate all liturgical books into the vernacular.

Adapt the Liturgy of the Mass to each and every region and locality and language, so that there is no longer any uniformity throughout the world. And adapt it so that everywhere it is not regarded as a participation in the Sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary. Instead, it is thought of as a communal meal of fellowship with emphasis on the Bible, particularly on the Old Testament, and on social problems. And let the laity, not the priest, have the principal functions. The priest should be merely a master of ceremonies."

-- arathur (arthur@ynkel.com), November 29, 2003.

What's a Canon of the Mass?

Pray for the proud and uncharitable. Have faith in the Holy Spirit, and in the Church of our blessed ancestors. Love one another and obey our holy bishops. God has His Divine Will to bring about; we are only children to Him; Catholics as well as non-Catholics. Allelujah!

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), November 29, 2003.

Only a schismatic would propose leaving his bishop this way. Whatever his faults there isn't any justification for removing Church property or support by the community from the diocese. There is your confession of schism, ''bubbles''. There is no ''indultarian'' diocese, bishop, or community. All are Catholics. The bishop may well be a ''leftist'' (your judgment) but it doesn't make him less a Catholic prelate, with authority.

You can remain a rightist Catholic in that same parish. Just continue in your prayer life, the practice of virtue, faith and commitment to God. That's what we do. I myself am conservative; but have no right to separate myself from the Catholic community. I am therein as ''traditional'' as you or anybody.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), November 30, 2003.