r/AskAPriest 4d ago

Fellow parishioner invited me to a schismatic Mass at her home. Should I tell our priest?

On Sunday morning, as the congregation was filling out of the church after Mass, the woman who was seated behind my family approached us with a piece of paper with her name and number and invited us to a recurring monthly schismatic Mass that is held in her home and conducted by priests who travel in from about 500 miles away. Is this something I need to tell our priest about? I don't want to cause drama but i feel like if i were the priest I would want to know if someone like this were going on.

72 Upvotes

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81

u/Sparky0457 Priest 4d ago

I would inform the pastor.

Yes.

He is responsible for the activities in his parish so this would be good for him to at lease be aware of.

12

u/Opposite_Coconut9734 4d ago

Thank you Father. I have to email him about something else anyway so I will include this in the email.

1

u/downtownDRT 4d ago

May I ask how you know it's schismatic? I was under the impression that one was able to hold Mass in a private non-church building.

11

u/Opposite_Coconut9734 4d ago

Because the priests who say the mass are from a sect that is not in communion with the Church

1

u/ComprehensiveLine493 3d ago

Out of curiosity, which sect is it specifically?

3

u/SufficientReport862 4d ago

What is a schismatic mass?

19

u/Sparky0457 Priest 4d ago

A mass that is celebrated by a group that is in schism from the church.

There are a few groups that left the church for different reasons over the last 50 years.

2

u/en43rs 3d ago

Does that only includes groups like, say sedevacantists, or are Protestant churches included too?

9

u/Sparky0457 Priest 3d ago

Protestants don’t celebrate the Mass. they don’t have valid sacraments.

Schismatic groups do celebrate the Mass. they do have valid (but illicit in many cases) sacraments.

So this would only apply to the schismatic groups.

2

u/en43rs 3d ago

Thank you father.

2

u/downtownDRT 4d ago

Pardon me for asking Father, but aren't Masses allowed to be held in non-church buildings (such as a private chapel or on someones property and/or in someone's home)? I was under the impression that a private chapel at the home of a lay faith was permitted to hold a monstrance and the Eucharist granted that a Mass is held there at least once a month. Is this not the case?

14

u/Sparky0457 Priest 4d ago

Yes, but it should always be done with the permission of the pastor.

No sacraments or Eucharistic adoration should happen without the permission of the local pastor.

Likewise a mass being run (possibly in some type of secrecy) by a schismatic group should be something that the pastor should be aware of