A new policy, promulgated (somewhat unusually) by the Holy See's Secretary of State specifies that, at Saint Peter's Basilica as of today, individual celebrations of the Eucharist (commonly called "private Masses") are prohibited. This in a basilica with a multitude of side altars originally erected for precisely that purpose and where hitherto a multitude of priests (many of whom presumably are there because they work in the Vatican) have been accustomed to offer daily Mass at those altars, mostly individually!
The practice of celebrating Mass without a congregation is, admittedly, a peculiar one. It is, however, a longstanding practice in Church history and one which is well established in priestly piety and is ostensibly protected by Church law. It was, in fact, explicitly enshrined at Vatican II in Sacrosanctum Concilium 57, 2, 2: Nevertheless, each priest shall always retain his right to celebrate Mass individually, though not at the same time in the same church as a concelebrated Mass, nor on Thursday of the Lord's Supper. (Presumably, the new policy's provision for specifically scheduled concelebrated Masses alternately at the Altar of the Chair and in the Chapel of the Choir may be interpreted as a way of getting around this conciliar guarantee.)
The provision for specifically scheduled concelebrated alternatives "liturgically animated with the assistance of readers and cantors" suggests one motive may be an attempt to make Saint Peter's (prior to the pandemic, one of the most visited churches in the entire world) an exemplary showcase for a post-conciliar style of liturgy. All things considered, this may be a promisingly positive step. One of the problems with the "ideal type" of post-conciliar liturgy is that it is hard to do on a daily basis, but presumably Saint Peter's has the resources to do this. (Typically in parishes, at least in my experience, readers may be found at many daily Masses, but cantors almost never.)
When the pandemic set in a year ago, there was a period of more than two months when public celebrations of Mass were suspended and I regularly offered Mass privately by myself. on weekdays. (Sunday Mass was live streamed with the assistance of a deacon, a reader, and a cantor.) As a parish priest for almost 25 years prior to the pandemic, however, I had only limited occasions without public responsibilities, when I might accordingly celebrate privately all by myself. While I preferred it to no Mass at all, generally speaking, I did not find it as spiritually enriching as I had anticipated, and I certainly would have preferred celebrating or concelebrating Mass with others present. Vatican II's revival of concelebration, whatever else may be said on the subject, has had a very beneficial effect on the Church's liturgical life, vividly expressing the public and communal character of the liturgy. At priests' gatherings (retreats, convocations, study days, etc.), I always looked forward to concelebrating in fellowship with my brother priests, and I cannot imagine preferring the pre-conciliar alternative of everyone celebrating on one's own on such occasions. The post-conciliar liturgical reform may have been only a partial success and may have multiple flaws, but one very positive development has been reclaiming the public communal character of the liturgy and helping priests and people both to learn to pray the Mass together rather than praying alone even while maybe being physically together in the same place.
Of course, especially in a place like Saint Peter's, there are all sorts of special cases - for example, a priest who needs or wants to celebrate in a language different from the one in which the scheduled Mass will be celebrated. Likewise lay people visiting the basilica early in the morning might appreciate the opportunity to find a Mass being celebrated in a familiar language. Hence, the desirability for some more pastoral flexibility than that displayed by this new policy. And, of course, riding roughshod over the rights of others (in this case the priests whose rights are ostensibly guaranteed by Sacrosanctum Concilium), while common, remains regrettable. That said, the Secretariat of State's stated goal of "wishing to ensure that Holy Masses in St Peter's Basilica take place in an atmosphere of recollection and liturgical decorum" is a desirable one, and this policy, if intelligently and sensitively implemented, may perhaps make a contribution to that goal's realization.
(Photo: Saint Peter's Basilica, as seen from the Roof of the Pontifical Urban University, Rome, 2012)
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