Q re consecration/desecration of a church

[lily]

Are all Catholic churches consecrated or must the parish be debt-free before a church (the building itself) can be consecrated?  And, if a church is consecrated and it is then used for a Jewish service, or even a Protestant service, is the church then desecrated?  If a church is not consecrated does using it for services other than Catholic ones make it unsuitable for future consecration?

Any info about the consecration or desecration of a church, not related to the building deteriorating, would be welcome.  I am trying to locate a passage I found several months ago, which I thought was on the Vatican's website, and which I cannot locate now.  Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed more light on this subject.

[Herr_Mannelig]

On another thread, I stated this:


I do know that only the altar stone, or the mensa, is required for saying mass and these can be quite small, so a building does not need to be consecrated for mass to be said in it, so I imagine that some churches could be unconserated, but the altar stone must be consecrated and kept intact.

That is probably the strictest requirement, so strictly speaking, the building could be used for anything and still be used as a church. This may not be prudent, practical or desirable, but it seems perfectly possible.


I posted it here again so people could correct/affirm it as needed.

[lily]

Thanks, I probably should have done that.

[glgas]

Churches are dedicated (blessed) by the bishop.

Can.  1212 Sacred places lose their dedication or blessing if they have been destroyed in large part, or have been turned over permanently to profane use by decree of the competent ordinary or in fact.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P4G.HTM#8R

The dedication has nothing to do with the debt. In the traditional times many masses were celebrated in un-dedicated places, usually in schools, also many times masses were celebrated in open places, which could accommodate more crowd than a building.

Are all Catholic churches consecrated or must the parish be debt-free before a church (the building itself) can be consecrated?  And, if a church is consecrated and it is then used for a Jewish service, or even a Protestant service, is the church then desecrated?  If a church is not consecrated does using it for services other than Catholic ones make it unsuitable for future consecration?

Any info about the consecration or desecration of a church, not related to the building deteriorating, would be welcome.  I am trying to locate a passage I found several months ago, which I thought was on the Vatican's website, and which I cannot locate now.  Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed more light on this subject.

[DarkKnight]

Parrish churches have opened with Masses under "crushing" debt loads, even in pre-VII days.

[DesperatelySeeking]

I can't recall ever having been at a parish that was debt-free.  Always some capital expenditures hanging out there.

[lily]

Thanks for everyone's replies.  I didn't think debt had any bearing on consecration but, while researching this question, I ran across an odd post from a parish... somewhere, that stated something about that so I went ahead and included it in my question, just in case.

What I am really trying to find out is whether it's permissible for a Catholic church to be loaned out to various sects for the purpose of holding Jewish or Protestant services.  I could have sworn I read something on the Vatican website about this, and it stated that once a church was used for services other than Catholic, it was somehow no longer suitable for use as a Catholic church.   Maybe the term was profaned instead of desecrated.  Maybe I'm just confused.

[Herr_Mannelig]

I could have sworn I read something on the Vatican website about this, and it stated that once a church was used for services other than Catholic, it was somehow no longer suitable for use as a Catholic church.   Maybe the term was profaned instead of desecrated.  Maybe I'm just confused.

That is highly likely, but I doubt it is a strict requirement. Perhaps there is a requirement of reconsecrating it or somehow purifying it.