Going to Mass For Somebody?

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Anim8

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I was wondering, as a layman can i offer mass up for someone? Or do I have to ask the priest to do it?
 
Hi Anim8, welcome to the forums!

The short answer to your question is: yes. And we are encouraged to do so.

We don’t offer mass in the same way as an ordained priest can, but we may join our offering to the priest’s (who is acting in the person of Christ Himself – our great High Priest).

In fact, by virtue of our baptism we are given a share in Christ’s priesthood. We are baptized “priests, prophets, and kings”.

See the Catechism:
783 Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.

784 On entering the People of God through faith and Baptism, one receives a share in this people’s unique, *priestly *vocation: “Christ the Lord, high priest taken from among men, has made this new people ‘a kingdom of priests to God, his Father.’ The baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are *consecrated *to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood.”
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Because we have a share in this priestly vocation, we are indeed able to offer our sacrifices to God, joined with the sacrifice of Christ which makes it efficacious.

Therefore the catechism states:
1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” “And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. . . this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.”

1368* The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church*. The Church which is the Body of Christ participates in the offering of her Head. With him, she herself is offered whole and entire. She unites herself to his intercession with the Father for all men. In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer, and work, are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire a new value. Christ’s sacrifice present on the altar makes it possible for all generations of Christians to be united with his offering.
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So, we can, and please do! unite your offering with the offering of Christ (and the priest).

But you may be asking whther or not you can ask the priest to offer mass with a *special intention *for someone who as passed away. You can also do that. Sometimes you mayhear the priest mention the special intention, the person’s name, at mass. Sometimes the intentions are listed in the bulletin.

Does that help at all Anim8?

(P.S. You could always stop by Franciscan and ask one of the theology professors for more info!)

God Bless,
VC
 
Verbum Caro:
But you may be asking whther or not you can ask the priest to offer mass with a *special intention *for someone who as passed away. You can also do that. Sometimes you mayhear the priest mention the special intention, the person’s name, at mass. Sometimes the intentions are listed in the bulletin.
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In which case, you’d just go to the rectory office and talk to the secretary. Typically, there is a stipend offering in the neighborhood of ten bucks.
 
Of course, the Mass could also be offered for someone who is living, not just the deceased - though the latter request seems to be the most common these days. I frequently see stuff like “Joe and Mary Smith - 25th wedding anniversary” or “Jonah Jones, birthday”.
 
Thanks.

The reason i ask is that there is someone who I have been in communication with over the internet who is struggling with some aspects of thier faith and i wos wondering if I could offer a mass or two up for her.

This really helps guys, thanks!
 
When you receive Holy Communion, you can also offer the graces received from the reception of the sacrament for someone else.
 
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Didi:
When you receive Holy Communion, you can also offer the graces received from the reception of the sacrament for someone else.
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I would still recive the graces myself though right? God would grant both the party I am praying for and myself the graces?
 
What does it mean to “go to Mass for someone”? I heard a lady say that one of the nicest presents she’d ever gotten was when her mom told her she was going to 40 Masses for her. I’d never heard of that before. What is it?

Many Thanks!
 
It means the prayer intentions are for that person. The priest will remember that person during his prayers and during so forth. Soon, a mass will be said for my grandmother who died years ago. So basically the mass is being said in honor of her and the people and the priest will pray for her soul. We don’t know how heaven time works so it is relevant to pray for the dead no matter how long they’ve been departed (ok, that might be more eastern view).
 
God cannot be outdone in generosity! Yes, you will receive graces as well.
 
Usually when the petitions or the prayers of the faithful are said…and we respond…Lord hear our prayer.

There is also a prayer usually near the end of the list of prayers…for all those intentions we hold deep in our heart, and there is a pause …and this is the recommended time for you to say that prayer for your friend, or whom ever you are praying for…or perhaps it is for yourself, whatever the intention may be.
This is a great way of offering up your prayer intention as well.

Peace and pray always.
 
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