Daniel del Castillo González
Catholic canon law dictates that attending Mass every Sunday is obligatory for Catholics:
Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation.
But what happens when there is no priest available to celebrate the Mass? Canon law provides an answer for that too:
If participation in the eucharistic celebration becomes impossible because of the absence of a sacred minister or for another grave cause, it is strongly recommended that the faithful take part in a liturgy of the word.
This is supposed to be the exception of course, not the norm. But because of dwindling resources and a shortage of vocations, many communities only have what is known as the “Celebration of the Word.”
It is the norm, unfortunately, across many parts of the world, and the vocation crisis in the Church is especially felt in rural and depopulated areas.
FR. JOSÉ ALBERTO SUTIL
Priest, Diocese of Zamora, Spain
These are very small communities with aging populations. But they are humble people with deep faith, and Sunday is extremely important to them. It is the Lord’s Day, like it is for every Christian. That is why, for years — even decades — Celebrations of the Word have been organized throughout this region and in different parts of our diocese.
Without a priest present, the celebration centers on the proclamation of the Word of God. And according to guidelines, the altar should only be used as a place for the Blessed Sacrament—but no consecration can take place.
FR. JOSÉ ALBERTO SUTIL
Priest, Diocese of Zamora, Spain
In this way, churches can remain open. People can gather, listen to the Word of God, and receive the Bread of Life—the consecrated bread of the Body of Christ. And that helps keep the rhythm of faith alive. Many people are truly grateful that these celebrations can still take place.
And although it may seem unusual, Communion can be distributed here—but the host must first have been consecrated by an priest previously.
A layperson can never replace a priest, and the rubric for this liturgical celebration stresses the importance of not confusing the Eucharist with what it calls a “Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest.”
But for many believers, this celebration is the only way to receive Sunday Communion. The numbers reflect the challenge: worldwide, there is one priest for every 3,500 faithful Catholics.
MARGA LÓPEZ CALVO
Celebration of the Word leader in Spain
When a priest cannot attend, we step in, those of us who lead Celebrations of the Word, myself included. We don’t celebrate Mass, because we cannot consecrate the bread, but we do carry out a full liturgical service. Everything is included except the consecration.
It is also a way to stay connected with our neighbors. A way to come together, to know the people around us, and to understand the needs of people in these villages, which are often so forgotten.
The Holy See allows this form of liturgy in cases where celebrating Mass is impossible, as long as it is not confused with Mass itself. It is a provisional way for the faithful to participate in the Eucharist.
In sparsely populated areas, faith remains one of the key pillars that sustains local culture and community life. And while these celebrations are different from those led by a priest, the Church recognizes that the spiritual needs of the faithful cannot simply be left unmet.
