Sacramental Concelebration: Historical and Theological Perspectives on Contemporary Practice

Sacramental concelebration has become increasingly common in the Roman Rite since the Second Vatican Council and today it is the regular form of Mass at clergy meetings and for priests living in community. This article first offers a brief overview of historical evidence for sacramental concelebration in the Church's tradition. Secondly, I look at the discussions on the subject around the time of the council and at the post-conciliar development of the rite of concelebration up to the present liturgical norms. This will allow me, thirdly, to consider some of the important theological, liturgical, and spiritual questions raised by the current practice.