St. Thomas

Question: : Father, I was at a church in the Midwest, and a woman said Mass. The priest was sick and she filled in. Is that permissible?
Answer:       Well, let me ask you something? Did she say the Eucharistic Prayer? If not, it is perfectly acceptable. When a non-priest leads the worship service when a priest is lacking (either for illness or there just is not one that is available due to the clergy shortage), then a Communion Service may be held. This requires there being Eucharist in the Tabernacle that has already been consecrated. The deacon, pastoral associate, or lay minister (male or female) would then go through the various parts of the Mass, but omit the Eucharistic Prayer. At the time for Communion, the ministers take the Eucharist from the Tabernacle and distribute it to the congregation. There are liturgical guidelines on Communion services when lacking a priest. Now, if the person got up at church and went through all the portions of the Mass, including the Eucharistic Prayer, then that would not be permissible. That celebration would be illicit and invalid. So the answer to the question depends on whether or not the liturgy included the Eucharist Prayer with Consecration or not.