Sine populo
Encyclopedia
Sine populo is an expression that was used used in the Roman Rite
liturgy
to describe a Mass
celebrated by a priest without a congregation.
that was promulgated by Pope Paul VI
in 1969 presented two forms of the Order of Mass
: Ordo Missae cum populo and Ordo Missae sine populo. These two terms appear in the official English translation of the Missal, published in 1973, as "Order of Mass with a congregation" and "Order of Mass without a congregation".
The 1970 General Instruction of the Roman Missal
dealt with the first of these forms of celebrating Mass under the numbers 77–152, and with the second under the numbers 209–231. The latter section began with the explanation: "This section gives the norms for Mass celebrated by a priest with only one server to assist him and to make the responses."
In the revised and expanded 2002 edition of the General Instruction, the term Missa cum populo remains as the heading for the information given under numbers 115–198, but the other section (numbers 252–272) is speaks of Missa cuius unus tantum minister participat (Mass in which only one server participates). Corresponding to the latter form, the Missal presents the Ordo Missae cuius unus tantum minister participat (literally, Order of Mass in which only one server participates).
as Private Mass (Missa privata)".
Josef A. Jungmann defined such a Mass as "a mass celebrated for its own sake, with no thought of anyone participating, a mass where only the prescribed server is in attendance or even where no one is present, as was the case with the missa solitaria".
Monastic priests began, by the seventh century, to celebrate such Masses daily, and side altars were added to the churches to facilitate celebration by priests in a low voice and regardless of the presence of a congregation or religious community. Decrees were issued against solitary celebration by the priest alone, requiring the assistance of at least two persons, so as to justify the use of the plural in liturgical formulas such as Dominus vobiscum. This rule was later relaxed to having at least one server, so that the 1917 Code of Canon Law prescribed: "A priest is not to celebrate Mass without a server to assist him and make the responses." Making explicit the canonical principle that a proportionate cause excuses from an ecclesiastical law, the present Code of Canon Law states: "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."
In the 16th century, the Protestant Reformers expressed opposition to any Mass without a congregation, but the Council of Trent
defended the then existing practice. Canon 6 of session XXII of this council says: The sacred and holy Synod would fain indeed that, at each mass, the faithful who are present should communicate, not only in spiritual desire, but also by the sacramental participation of the Eucharist, ...: but not therefore, if this be not always done, does It condemn, as private and unlawful, but approves of and therefore commends, those masses in which the priest alone communicates sacramentally
Since the word "private" could be understood as opposed to public, the Code of Rubrics
of Pope John XXIII
recommended that the expression "private Mass" be avoided, since every properly celebrated Mass is an act of public worship.
The Second Vatican Council decreed: "It is to be stressed that whenever rites, according to their specific nature, make provision for communal celebration involving the presence and active participation of the faithful, this way of celebrating them is to be preferred, so far as possible, to a celebration that is individual and quasi-private."
Pope Paul VI
also stressed that "No Mass is 'Private'", explaining that "each and every Mass is not something private, even if a priest celebrates it privately; instead, it is an act of Christ and of the Church."
Though the Church no longer uses the term "private Mass", saying instead, as in the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum
, "In Masses celebrated without the people" (In Missis sine populo celebratis), there are some who continue to use the term, even when talking about the content of a present-day document such as that motu proprio.
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
to describe a Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
celebrated by a priest without a congregation.
The present Roman Missal
The revised edition of the Roman MissalRoman Missal
The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-Situation before the Council of Trent:...
that was promulgated by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
in 1969 presented two forms of the Order of Mass
Order of Mass
The Order of Mass , also called the Ordinary of the Mass, is the set of texts of the Roman Rite Mass that are generally invariable. This contrasts with the proper, which are items of the Mass that change with the feast or following the Liturgical Year...
: Ordo Missae cum populo and Ordo Missae sine populo. These two terms appear in the official English translation of the Missal, published in 1973, as "Order of Mass with a congregation" and "Order of Mass without a congregation".
The 1970 General Instruction of the Roman Missal
General Instruction of the Roman Missal
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal —in the Latin original, Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani —is the detailed document governing the celebration of Mass of the ordinary form of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church since 1969...
dealt with the first of these forms of celebrating Mass under the numbers 77–152, and with the second under the numbers 209–231. The latter section began with the explanation: "This section gives the norms for Mass celebrated by a priest with only one server to assist him and to make the responses."
In the revised and expanded 2002 edition of the General Instruction, the term Missa cum populo remains as the heading for the information given under numbers 115–198, but the other section (numbers 252–272) is speaks of Missa cuius unus tantum minister participat (Mass in which only one server participates). Corresponding to the latter form, the Missal presents the Ordo Missae cuius unus tantum minister participat (literally, Order of Mass in which only one server participates).
History
Mass without a congregation was "known until Vatican Council IISecond Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
as Private Mass (Missa privata)".
Josef A. Jungmann defined such a Mass as "a mass celebrated for its own sake, with no thought of anyone participating, a mass where only the prescribed server is in attendance or even where no one is present, as was the case with the missa solitaria".
Monastic priests began, by the seventh century, to celebrate such Masses daily, and side altars were added to the churches to facilitate celebration by priests in a low voice and regardless of the presence of a congregation or religious community. Decrees were issued against solitary celebration by the priest alone, requiring the assistance of at least two persons, so as to justify the use of the plural in liturgical formulas such as Dominus vobiscum. This rule was later relaxed to having at least one server, so that the 1917 Code of Canon Law prescribed: "A priest is not to celebrate Mass without a server to assist him and make the responses." Making explicit the canonical principle that a proportionate cause excuses from an ecclesiastical law, the present Code of Canon Law states: "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."
In the 16th century, the Protestant Reformers expressed opposition to any Mass without a congregation, but the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
defended the then existing practice. Canon 6 of session XXII of this council says: The sacred and holy Synod would fain indeed that, at each mass, the faithful who are present should communicate, not only in spiritual desire, but also by the sacramental participation of the Eucharist, ...: but not therefore, if this be not always done, does It condemn, as private and unlawful, but approves of and therefore commends, those masses in which the priest alone communicates sacramentally
Since the word "private" could be understood as opposed to public, the Code of Rubrics
Code of Rubrics
The Code of Rubrics is a three-part liturgical document promulgated in 1960 under Pope John XXIII, which in the form of a legal code indicated the rules governing the celebration of the Roman Rite Mass and Divine Office....
of Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
recommended that the expression "private Mass" be avoided, since every properly celebrated Mass is an act of public worship.
The Second Vatican Council decreed: "It is to be stressed that whenever rites, according to their specific nature, make provision for communal celebration involving the presence and active participation of the faithful, this way of celebrating them is to be preferred, so far as possible, to a celebration that is individual and quasi-private."
Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
also stressed that "No Mass is 'Private'", explaining that "each and every Mass is not something private, even if a priest celebrates it privately; instead, it is an act of Christ and of the Church."
Though the Church no longer uses the term "private Mass", saying instead, as in the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum
Summorum Pontificum
Summorum Pontificum is an Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, issued "motu proprio" . The document specified the rules, for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, for celebrating Mass according to the "Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962" , and for administering most of the sacraments in...
, "In Masses celebrated without the people" (In Missis sine populo celebratis), there are some who continue to use the term, even when talking about the content of a present-day document such as that motu proprio.