Question
Question
Our pastor is getting rid of the Saturday night Mass because there is minimal attendance and he says that he usually has a wedding or funeral or both on Saturday mornings or afternoons. Can he do this?
--Seething in Summerville
Answer
Answer
Canon Law supports that a priest may not binate (celebrate 2 Masses) on a Saturday. This would include an evening, vigil Mass or anticipated Mass for Sunday on a Saturday night. In this day and age when there are fewer priests, but more sacraments or sacramentals to be celebrated, priests are being stretched to do a lot more Masses.