Doesn't just one Mass ensure release from Purgatory?

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A recent question got me thinking about Masses offered for the dead. There seems to be a common consensus that multiple Masses are more effective than a single Mass. My reply in that thread reflects that I also held that position. But, upon further consideration, I am not so sure.

It occurs to me that I cannot think of anything in Catholic teaching that affirms this idea. What is the “unit of measure” of a Mass as it applies to a soul in purgatory? According to Catholic dogma, a Mass is the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary, which has infinite merit. Thus, a single Mass should be no different (from God’s perspective) than a thousand Masses. Regardless of the unit of measure, an infinity of those units is the same. And not even the most undeserving soul in purgatory has infinite sin (because only God can be infinite in any respect), so infinite merit should overcome whatever finite sin he has.

It’s kinda like the well-established doctrine that receiving a small fragment of Eucharist is still complete reception. If we receive a fraction of a Host, it is no different than if we consume an entire ciborium, because we can’t receive “more Jesus” or "less Jesus. " The idea that multiple Masses are more effective seems similar to the idea that receiving multiple Hosts is more effective (which we know is not the case).

Is there any doctrinal basis in Catholic teaching that offering more than one Mass for the dead is more effective than just one Mass?
 
DavidFilmer said:
A recent question got me thinking about Masses offered for the dead. There seems to be a common consensus that multiple Masses are more effective than a single Mass. My reply in that thread reflects that I also held that position. But, upon further consideration, I am not so sure.

It occurs to me that I cannot think of anything in Catholic teaching that affirms this idea. What is the “unit of measure” of a Mass as it applies to a soul in purgatory? According to Catholic dogma, a Mass is the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary, which has infinite merit. Thus, a single Mass should be no different (from God’s perspective) than a thousand Masses. Regardless of the unit of measure, an infinity of those units is the same. And not even the most undeserving soul in purgatory has infinite sin (because only God can be infinite in any respect), so infinite merit should overcome whatever finite sin he has.

It’s kinda like the well-established doctrine that receiving a small fragment of Eucharist is still complete reception. If we receive a fraction of a Host, it is no different than if we consume an entire ciborium, because we can’t receive “more Jesus” or "less Jesus. " The idea that multiple Masses are more effective seems similar to the idea that receiving multiple Hosts is more effective (which we know is not the case).

Is there any doctrinal basis in Catholic teaching that offering more than one Mass for the dead is more effective than just one Mass?
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Just a couple points to ponder:

Altho the graces merited by Jesus on the cross are infinite, yet they are not infinitely bestowed on us in one single instant. Rather they come to us “piecemeal”, so to speak, both timewise and in amount. His infinite merits come to us through 7 sacraments, some received more than once; through charitable acts; prayer; etc.

Why do we pray more than once for the same intention? Why do we have more than one person praying for that same intention? (Sort of similar to that.)

Another thought: God bestows grace to the degree we are capable of receiving it. Even in purgatory, that takes “time”.

And finally: Just as God wants us to ask for what we need, not for His sake as He already knows, but for our sake, so He may want us to continue praying and seeking grace for those in Purgatory so that we remember to care about them.

Just a few things to think about.
 
I agree with Nita.

My own personal thoughts have been that it would depending on each soul’s need for personal purgation: a saintly person who slipped up once or twice would need less purification than an incorrigible sinner who prior to death got, well, “corriged”. 😃

Also, I remember reading in old missals and such about truly temporal (i.e. time-based) effects of prayers etc – partial indulgences measured in weeks or days or whatnot. So it seems that the “time” in Purgatory and the effect of prayer and Mass etc are quasi-quantifiable, inasmuch as they are not one-off immediate-action magic spells: “‘Go in peace. Amen.’ BANG! One more soul out of Purgatory.”

Of course, how many masses, rosaries, prayers are needed to redeem a soul may be different now that much of the world has gone metric: “OK, we think the rate required is around 3.624 kilomasses per purgasecond…”
 
One other thing: your title piqued my interest. It’s not that the Mass (in any quantity) ‘ensures’ release from Purgatory: in fact, it is entry into Purgatory that implicitly guarantees release from Purgatory! That is, Purgatory is never an ‘end-state’; it always gives way to entry into Heaven.

However, prayer for the dead is a spiritual work of mercy; we are advised that we are to pray for our loved ones and all the souls in Purgatory. Doing so in the context of a Mass is even more appropriate way to pray for them. But… that doesn’t mean that our prayers are the means by which a person is released from Purgatory, per se: the means by which that happens is the removal of the imperfections from their soul… and our prayers beg God that this process, through which a soul is perfected, happens expeditiously and with mercy.
 
DavidFilmer said:
Is there any doctrinal basis in Catholic teaching that offering more than one Mass for the dead is more effective than just one Mass?
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Here’s something I came across. catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0812.html
…Therefore, the effects of the Mass bring certain benefits or fruits. The general fruits of the Mass are the effects upon the whole Church — to the living faithful as well as the poor souls in purgatory. For this reason, in the Canon of the Mass (the Eucharistic Prayer), a special mention is made for both the living and the dead.

The special ministerial fruits of the Mass are applied to the particular intention of the Mass, i.e. “for whom the Mass is offered.”

The special personal fruits of the Mass benefit the celebrating priest who acts in the person of Christ in offering the Mass and to the people who are in attendance and participate in the offering of the Mass.

These fruits are both extensively and intensively finite, since each of us is finite. Therefore, the more a Mass is offered, the more benefit is conferred. … I know it might not be as official as you’re looking for, but it may give you some ideas as to what to google - eg. finite fruits of the Mass, etc. If you’re lucky you might come up with a Church document. I’d do it, but we are leaving shortly and it’s time to get off the computer. 🙂

There’s also the Encyclopedia entry on Prayers for the Dead. Might get some helpful info there. newadvent.org/cathen/04653a.htm
 
I’ve read somewhere (probably one of the ‘Quick Questions’) that should a person be already in heaven when a mass is said for them, it is understood that God can apply that mass to other souls in purgatory, or wherever He sees fit. Indeed, even the act of us offering a mass for someone/something doesn’t guarantee it will be applied to that specific intention - God can apply them as He sees fit and in accordance with His every merciful love,
 
DavidFilmer said:
A recent question got me thinking about Masses offered for the dead. There seems to be a common consensus that multiple Masses are more effective than a single Mass. My reply in that thread reflects that I also held that position. But, upon further consideration, I am not so sure.

It occurs to me that I cannot think of anything in Catholic teaching that affirms this idea. What is the “unit of measure” of a Mass as it applies to a soul in purgatory? According to Catholic dogma, a Mass is the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary, which has infinite merit. Thus, a single Mass should be no different (from God’s perspective) than a thousand Masses. Regardless of the unit of measure, an infinity of those units is the same. And not even the most undeserving soul in purgatory has infinite sin (because only God can be infinite in any respect), so infinite merit should overcome whatever finite sin he has.

It’s kinda like the well-established doctrine that receiving a small fragment of Eucharist is still complete reception. If we receive a fraction of a Host, it is no different than if we consume an entire ciborium, because we can’t receive “more Jesus” or "less Jesus. " The idea that multiple Masses are more effective seems similar to the idea that receiving multiple Hosts is more effective (which we know is not the case).

Is there any doctrinal basis in Catholic teaching that offering more than one Mass for the dead is more effective than just one Mass?
Click to expand...
Only God decides which souls are released from Purgatory and when.
While we are encouraged to pray daily for the souls in Purgatory there is nothing we do that can specify how many and when souls are released from Purgatory.
Some of these private revelations really irritate me by saying if you do this and that and say so many prayers then X number of souls will be immediately released. Frankly, that is nonsense and the Church does not teach that any particular prayer/number of prayers/Masses or any actions by us will release specific numbers at a specified time.
 
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