(ZENIT News / Prague, 07.06.2025).- In a bold pastoral response to the mounting priest shortage in the Czech Republic, Archbishop Jozef Nuzik of Olomouc has issued a rare dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation, extending temporary relief to the faithful in remote and underserved areas of the Moravian region.
The announcement, delivered in a pastoral letter read across parishes this past Sunday, June 22, acknowledges the growing reality that many Catholics are now unable to attend Sunday Mass through no fault of their own. Nuzik, who has led the Archdiocese of Olomouc since February 2024 and was elected president of the Czech Bishops’ Conference earlier this year, described the move as a “pastoral help for those who, due to the priest shortage, encounter serious obstacles to fulfilling their Sunday obligation.”
The dispensation applies in specific circumstances where parishes are unable to offer regular Sunday Mass due to a lack of clergy. In such cases, the archbishop encourages parishioners to seek out nearby churches offering Mass, attend a Sunday evening liturgy, or participate in a Liturgy of the Word led by a deacon when available. Where travel or logistics make even these alternatives impossible—especially in rural areas with limited public transport—faithful may fulfill their Sunday obligation through private devotion, family prayer, or participation in Mass via radio, television, or the internet.
The measure will remain in place until December 31, 2025.
While canon law remains clear on the significance of Sunday—the «day of the Resurrection» and a central pillar of Catholic life—Canon 1248 of the Code of Canon Law also allows for alternative expressions of participation when genuine impediments arise. Archbishop Nuzik’s letter makes clear that this dispensation is not a license for indifference, but a pastoral accommodation born of necessity.
The priest shortage is not a new challenge in Central Europe, but in regions like Moravia, its effects are now being felt more acutely. Many rural parishes, once served by resident priests, have been forced to consolidate or rely on rotating clergy covering multiple communities over long distances. While vocations to the priesthood in the Czech Republic remain modest, the Catholic population—though small—is still deeply rooted in local traditions, and many elderly parishioners find it increasingly difficult to travel.
Archbishop Nuzik, who spent nearly two decades serving in small village parishes, is deeply familiar with the rhythms of rural Catholic life and its reliance on sacramental presence. His personal experience likely shaped the decision to issue this pastoral accommodation.
His appointment earlier this year as president of the Czech Bishops’ Conference marked a generational shift in Church leadership in the country. Nuzik is known as a quiet but pragmatic figure, with a focus on reinforcing local faith practices in a secularized society. His latest initiative reflects a broader concern among Central European bishops: how to maintain sacramental life in communities where clergy are increasingly scarce.
The archdiocese’s letter emphasizes that the dispensation is temporary and will be reevaluated at the end of 2025. In the meantime, Nuzik has called on the faithful to pray for vocations and to foster a renewed culture of prayer, hospitality, and spiritual resilience at the parish level.
Observers say the dispensation could set a precedent for other dioceses across Europe facing similar demographic and vocational challenges. With Catholic communities aging and seminary numbers dwindling, bishops across the continent are grappling with how to preserve liturgical life in areas where priests are few and far between.
For now, the people of Moravia are being asked not to give up on Sunday—but to find new ways of honoring it in a time of scarcity. As one parish bulletin summarized it: “When the Mass is absent, the Church is not gone. Where two or three are gathered, Christ remains present.”
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