Can i buy a Mass for a living person?

  • Thread starter Thread starter blaskoman
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If you mean “Can I have a mass offered for a living person?” the answer is yes.
 
The reason people bristle at use of the term “buy” is because it is a spiritual good obtained for a donation. The stipend is paid to the priest and sometimes is the chief way he earns money.

You can have a Mass offered for any person, living or dead, Catholic or non-Catholic, saint or sinner, or a group. As a receptionist in the parish, I have taken intentions for married couples, whole families, ministries in the parish, in thanksgiving to Mary, St. Anthony, beloved relatives. You can offer a Mass for Barack Obama or Nancy Pelosi if you want.

If the Mass is for a deceased person, the intention is usually for the repose of his/her soul. If for a living person, it is for his/her special intentions.
 
On the right track --but still need a further clarification.

not “pays”

but “gives an offering”
 
This is beginning to sound like a semantic battle about “praying” to saints.

Paying is what you do with money. One can pay a donation or pay a fee. The Mass stipend is a donation that is freely offered. But I really don’t see a problem with saying that it is “paid” to the priest in support of his work.
 
Elizium23 said:
The reason people bristle at use of the term “buy” is because it is a spiritual good obtained for a donation. The stipend is paid to the priest and sometimes is the chief way he earns money.

You can have a Mass offered for any person, living or dead, Catholic or non-Catholic, saint or sinner, or a group. As a receptionist in the parish, I have taken intentions for married couples, whole families, ministries in the parish, in thanksgiving to Mary, St. Anthony, beloved relatives. You can offer a Mass for Barack Obama or Nancy Pelosi if you want.

If the Mass is for a deceased person, the intention is usually for the repose of his/her soul. If for a living person, it is for his/her special intentions.
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Hmmm, we need a campaign to have as many Masses said as possible for Obama, Pelosi, Biden and all pro-abort politicians.
Elizium23 said:
This is beginning to sound like a semantic battle about “praying” to saints.

Paying is what you do with money. One can pay a donation or pay a fee. The Mass stipend is a donation that is freely offered. But I really don’t see a problem with saying that it is “paid” to the priest in support of his work.
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It isn’t the word ‘paid’ but the word ‘buy’ that is the issue. You ‘buy’ something material - a house, car, computer, plane ticket.

But interestingly you ‘pay for’ the taxi ride from the airport, you ‘pay for’ your hotel room and you ‘pay for’ the sightseeing tour the next day. Why? Because transport, accommodation and tours are more services than physical goods. ‘Buy’ usually implies literal ownership of something, and you don’t in any sense own that taxi or hotel or tour bus.

Likewise you pay for an employee’s wages rather than ‘buying’ their work - unless for example the employee is an artist and so produces something tangible like a painting or sculpture that can be literally owned.

The issue is that ‘buying’ a Mass implies the sin of simony - that the spiritual benefit was quite literally sold by the priest. Whereas a payment or stipend means he was compensated for other things such as the time he spent saying it.

Rather like the difference between paying a tip to a cab driver and buying the vehicle he is driving (when he is not the owner and therefore not legally permitted to sell it to you).
 
aemcpa said:
Yes.

Can I be bothered to read three posts totaling eight lines before responding to a question that has already been answered? Apparently not.
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I imagine he would thank us again, but a lot of times people thank others in advance as well. Expressing gratitude even before receiving something is not something to be criticized!
 
I don’t see the need to be flip about the situation. Too many non-Catholics accuse us Catholics of “buying” our way into heaven. Correcting the proper language is not something we should overlook.
 
PatriceA said:
I don’t see the need to be flip about the situation. Too many non-Catholics accuse us Catholics of “buying” our way into heaven. Correcting the proper language is not something we should overlook.
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I understand this and everything else said, however, at my parish, the “donation” is not freely given, it is a set fee and while I admit I do not know what would happen if one refused to pay the fee, I do know that fee is expected to be paid.

My understanding is that stipends like this and giving the priest a stipend after confirmation, weddings, etc. were at one time the only way a priest madea salary…as was noted a few posts ago. However, Diocesan priests receive a salary as well as housing, car allowances, insurance, food, travel (if they take a large group on a trip, the priest many times goes free) and in our diocese, housekeeping and cooks. So while salaries are small, expenses are nil. Is it appropriate to collect a stipend for sacraments when it is a diocesan priest performing them?
 
Philomeena said:
I understand this and everything else said, however, at my parish, the “donation” is not freely given, it is a set fee and while I admit I do not know what would happen if one refused to pay the fee, I do know that fee is expected to be paid.

My understanding is that stipends like this and giving the priest a stipend after confirmation, weddings, etc. were at one time the only way a priest madea salary…as was noted a few posts ago. However, Diocesan priests receive a salary as well as housing, car allowances, insurance, food, travel (if they take a large group on a trip, the priest many times goes free) and in our diocese, housekeeping and cooks. So while salaries are small, expenses are nil. Is it appropriate to collect a stipend for sacraments when it is a diocesan priest performing them?
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There is a “set” offering sure. But it is wee amount (like $10).

It is called an offering. And the Church too encourages Priests to celebrate Masses for the intentions of the Christian faithful -even if no offering has been received (and especially for the needy).

Christians contribute to the good of their Priests. As Paul wrote in one of his letters – it is something that we are to do --support those who are at our service in the Gospel.

And heck – a Priest can only keep the offering for a single Mass per day (except for Christmas) – even if he says more than one. The other offerings are to go elsewhere…
 
LilyM said:
This. No-one buys a Mass, they pay for a Mass to be offered for themselves or others.
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Nor do they “pay for a Mass”. They offer the priest a stipend as a means of attaching themselves to the Mass being offered.

Mass stipends are highly regulated by Canon Law to prevent simony, and even the appearance of simony.
 
the Mass is priceless

But you can “buy” the intention attached to it. Kind of like sponsorship rights :D. Then again it’s not like it’s a sale for profit, so donation is a better word.
 
Hello blaskoman,
Yes, please have Masses said for those who you love and care about. I’ve been told that there are infinite graces that flow from the Sacrifice of the Mass which benefit one’s soul. It is very kind to have Masses said for the special people in our lives whether living or deceased.
 
Neithan said:
the Mass is priceless

But you can “buy” the intention attached to it. Kind of like sponsorship rights :D. Then again it’s not like it’s a sale for profit, so donation is a better word.
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No, you do not buy an intention. You do not buy anything spiritual. That is simony. You give the priest a stipend.

My friend gives all his stipends away to the poor.
 
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