THE PRACTICE OF MASS INTENTIONS

It has long been the practice in the Catholic Church for Masses to be Celebrated for particular Intentions. Any Catholic may ask that a Mass be celebrated, in which he or she participates, for any good intention. Certainly, graces will accrue in accordance with the intensity of that person’s participation and sincerity.

However, the custom of requesting a priest of offer the Mass for a specific intention, even when one cannot be physically present at the Mass, is a longstanding tradition in the Church.

This is because the Church considers the Mass as the greatest possible prayer of intercession insofar as it is the perfect offering of Christ to the Father by making present the paschal mystery of his death and resurrection.

What has happened is that the priest has committed himself to celebrate a Mass according to the intentions of the person making the offering.

The person who has offered the stipend has not “bought a Mass,” a thing which is patently impossible.

The priest’s intention is essentially a spiritual and internal act through which he commends the intention to God in a particular way even though he is free to offer up any number of other personal intentions.

He does not necessarily have to know the person for whom he is offering up the Mass. And in some cases – for example, if unaware of the customs of the church where he is celebrating – it is enough for him to know that an intention was requested and he celebrates the Mass according to the intention of the donor.

The faithful generally make an offering, called a stipend, to the priest in order to apply the Mass to a specific intention. By making this offering, the faithful, by parting with something that is their own, associate themselves more intimately with Christ who offers himself in the sacred Host, and obtain thereby more abundant fruits (Se Pope Paul VI’s letter “Firma in Triditione” of June 13, 1974 )

The intention for a particular Mass is usually published in the parish bulletin so that the faithful can know the intention for which the Mass is being celebrated.

This sacrifice, which the faithful participate in by offering a stipend, has an infinite value and can be offered for almost any intention. Most Masses are celebrated for the intention of the dead. These Masses are usually offered for any needs of the deceased, that is, for the expiation of venial sins, for the acquisition of heaven, etc. Masses can also be offered for the many needs of the living, for example, before surgery, for hot health, for rain – for virtually any noteworthy intention.

Thus in normal circumstances, a priest may only accept one stipend for any one Mass. The requested offering for a Mass in the Dioceses of Lincoln is $10.00

Likewise, if a priest celebrates more than one Mass a day he may keep only one stipend and must apply the others to some charitable cause determined by the bishop, often to help support the seminary, the foreign missions, etc.

Mass request must be fulfilled within the space of one year.

If you wish to have a Mass celebrated for a particular intention, you may drop the intention in the collection basked, in the mail or contact the rectory.