Concerning Regular Concelebration in Seminaries and Religious Houses

Abstract

This article engages the Church's current practice of regular concelebration by priests, especially those who live in community. The author argues that the history of concelebration is often misunderstood and needs clarification, particularly the distinction between sacramental and ceremonial concelebration. Furthermore, he gives subjective reasons as well as objective that more frequent individual celebration of the Mass is preferable. Recurring concelebration can undermine the priest's sense of his own identity. Also, as only one sacrament takes place at each concelebrated Mass, it necessarily reduces the multiplication of the universal grace effected ex opere operato, the "general" fruit of the Mass, to the detriment of the Church and the world.