The public celebration of Holy Mass outside of a sacred space requires the permission of the Chancellor of Spiritual Affairs in all cases, as follows:

1. Permission to celebrate a Mass outside of a sacred space will be considered  based on the following criteria:
   
   1. Location: is there a church in the local area where the Mass is planned to take place?
   2. Number of faithful attending:  is there a local church that can accommodate the number of faithful expected to be attending the Mass?
   3. Scheduling: is there a local church that is able to accommodate the Mass for the planned event in its schedule?
            
2. Letter of Request:  A formal letter of request is to be sent to the Chancellor of Spiritual Affairs outlining the pastoral reason for the Mass to be celebrated outside of a sacred space, detailing the following items:
   
   1. The occasion for the Mass being celebrated.
   2. The reason (as per item 1 above) that the Mass cannot be celebrated in a local church.
   3. The alternate location (i.e. non sacred space) where the Mass is being requested to be celebrated.
   4. When the Mass will be celebrated.
   5. Who will celebrate the Mass.
   6. ​How many people are expected to attend the Mass.
      
      If the Mass is being celebrated for a Lay Movement, or for a community of the Ethnic or the Francophone Faithful, the request must first be sent to the respective Episcopal Vicar for his review.
      
      
3. ​​Visiting Cle​rgy Protocol: If the celebrant is not from the Archdiocese of Toronto he must follow the directives of the Visiting Clergy Protocol before any permissions will be considered.
   
   
4. Parameters for the Celebration:  Once the above prerequisites (as applicable) have been provided to the Chancellor of Spiritual Affairs, a letter will be sent to the identified celebrant of the Mass, granting or denying him permission to celebrate the Mass. If permission to celebrate is Mass is granted, the norms identified in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal are to be followed.

Please contact the Office of Spiritual Affairs for further information.

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