Sometimes photos or videos of priests celebrating Mass outdoors, such as on the hood of a Jeep or inside an ice chapel, cause some Catholics to be scandalized.
Celebrating Mass outside of a church building can seem sacrilegious or even illegal in the canonical sense, with some Catholics thinking that the priest is committing a grave sin.
What is the truth? What does the Catholic Church officially say about celebrating Mass outside in the open air?
Permitted, but not ideal
The Code of Canon Law states that the "eucharistic celebration is to be carried out in a sacred place unless in a particular case necessity requires otherwise; in such a case the celebration must be done in a decent place" (932.1).
The "default" place to celebrate Mass is in a parish or chapel, but if a particular need requires celebrating Mass elsewhere, it is allowed.
The most common situation for celebrating Mass outside of a church is when a priest is traveling, especially when it is with a group, such as a backpacking trip. St. John Paul II is well-known for celebrating Mass on an overturned canoe when ministering to young people in the wilderness.
Priest chaplains are similarly forced to celebrate Mass in odd places, such as on the hood of a Jeep or maybe even on a tank (this is what we see in a famous picture of Fr. Emil Kapaun). In those cases, access to a sacred place is impossible and outside is the only place available.
Bishops' permissions
Another important part of the equation is that the local bishop can give priests permission to celebrate Mass in particular places when there is a gray area. Basically, there are some situations where a Catholic church is easily accessible, but for pastoral reasons, an outdoor venue is permitted. The most common scenario for this type of situation is when the number of people attending Mass exceeds the capacity of the local church, and so other arrangements need to be secured.
Celebrating Mass should always be treated with great respect and solemnity and most of the time it should be held inside a church or chapel. This allows for the sacred rites to be performed carefully and without any hindrance from the elements of nature.
Yet, we shouldn't be scandalized if a priest celebrates Mass outside. It is entirely permissible and the priest is to take extra care to make sure Mass is celebrated respectfully in the open air.
