Having a Mass said for someone or something

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JoyToTheWhirled

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How is it done? I realized today that I’d quite like to have Masses said for various people in my life, living and deceased but I’ve no idea about the protocol around it. Donations, yes? How much is reasonable? Are there restrictions on who you can have a Mass for?

All answers appreciated.
 
Call your parish office if you wish to have a Mass said at your parish. The Diocese sets a recommended offering, here it is $10. They will give you a greeting-type card to mail to the person or their family.

Easy peasy.

Many missions also take Mass intentions.
 
@JoyToTheWhirled

Nice idea, there is also a Gregorian Mass

What are Gregorian Masses?
Gregorian Masses are a series of Holy Masses traditionally offered on 30 consecutive days as soon as possible after a person’s death. They are offered for an individual soul.

The custom of offering Gregorian Masses for a particular soul recognizes that few people are immediately ready for heaven after death, and that, through the infinite intercessory power of Christ’s sacrifice, made present in Holy Mass, a soul can be continually perfected in grace and enabled to enter finally into the union with the Most Holy Trinity – our God, Who is Love Itself.

We will send you or the person you designate a certificate announcing the Gregorian Masses.
History of Gregorian Masses
Gregorian Masses take their name from Saint Gregory the Great, who was sovereign Pontiff from 590 to 604. St. Gregory the Great contributed to the spread of the pious practice of having these Masses celebrated for the deliverance of the souls from purgatory. In his Dialogues, he tells us that he had Masses on thirty consecutive days offered for the repose of the soul of Justus, a monk who had died in the convent of St. Andrew in Rome. At the end of the thirtieth Mass, the deceased appeared to one of his fellow monks and announced that he had been delivered from the flames of Purgatory.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur267.htm

Let Us Help the Souls in Purgatory

An all too common error among many believing Catholics is their attitude toward death and what happens immediately after death. All too many are convinced that their loved ones, immediately after passing from this life to the next, are already in heaven, even though such loved ones did not live...
catholicexchange.com catholicexchange.com

2 Maccabees 12:43 He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. 44 For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. 45 But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.

Job 1:1-5 There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another’s houses in turn; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” This is what Job always did.
 
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If your parish is not helpful, or their book is full, then simply google “Request a Mass online” and you can choose from Cnewa.org and dozens of monastic orders and shrines, all ready and willing to take your Mass intentions via the Internet. That’s what I normally do. Many of them also have options for enrolling someone in a series of Masses, or getting Gregorian Masses for a particular deceased soul.

I try to pick a place to say the Mass that relates somehow to the person. Like if their name is Anthony, maybe I ask St. Anthony’s Shrine to say the Mass.
 
It’s most straightforward to go to your personal parish and ask the secretary how to go about it. But it’s also one way you can support the Missions, or you can request Masses to be said at a particular church or shrine.

For example-- you can support the Franciscan Missions or the Seraphic Mass Association, request a Mass at the St. Jude Shrine or the Guadalupe Shrine; you can do a Spiritual Enrollment at the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception or the Vatican.

Be aware that there’s a good chance that once you contact one organization, though, you’ll start getting solicitations from other places/entities as well. So if you’d like to stay off their radar, be local— but if you’d like a free lifetime supply of address labels, pick three or four or five places to support. 😛
 
Thanks everyone! I know the parish secretary quite well, so I will drop in and discuss it at some point - it’s just one of those things that I guess you probably learn as you grow up in a Catholic environment, but hasn’t ever been explained to me, and sometimes you feel a bit daft asking.

Thanks also for all the links - knowing I can arrange for Masses to be said that way and support, missions in the process is a really good thing to learn!
 
@JoyToTheWhirled . I wouldn’t “have a Mass said for someone or something”.

I would go to Mass myself and celebrate the Mass for someone or something .

As prayed in the 1st Eucharistic Prayer - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Remember, Lord, your servants N. and N.
and all gathered here,
whose faith and devotion are known to you.
For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise
or they offer it for themselves
and all who are dear to them:
for the redemption of their souls,
in hope of health and well-being.”
 
It’s good to do BOTH things.
Having the priest specifically offer the Mass for the person or intention is one form of prayer.
Offering your own Holy Communion and prayers, either at that Mass, or at a different Mass that the priest might be saying for some other person or intention is a different form of prayer.
Both good, but not the same.

Do you not “have Masses said” for your deceased loved ones especially? It is normal to do so…
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
It’s good to do BOTH things.
Having the priest specifically offer the Mass for the person or intention is one form of prayer.
Offering your own Holy Communion and prayers, either at that Mass, or at a different Mass that the priest might be saying for some other person or intention is a different form of prayer.
Both good, but not the same.

Do you not “have Masses said” for your deceased loved ones especially? It is normal to do so…
Click to expand...
There is the Funeral Mass for deceased loved ones , other than that I attend a Mass and offer it for a particular person .

I can give a Mass card to someone which says that i will/have attended Mass for - - - - - - - ’

Again , as it says in the 1st Eucharistic Prayer - - - - - - -

"“Remember, Lord, your servants N. and N.
and all gathered here,
whose faith and devotion are known to you.
For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise
or they offer it for themselves
and all who are dear to them:
for the redemption of their souls,
in hope of health and well-being.”

It is not two forms of prayer . It is the same sacrifice being offered , be it by the priest or by others also present at the Mass .
 
I’m sorry, but we differ here. Having a Mass said for a deceased person is what one normally does. The Mass is said by the priest specifically for them.

Unless you are a priest, it’s not the same for you to just go to a Mass and pray for the person.
It’s still a great thing to do, but it is not quite as great as the priest offering Mass for the person.if it was the same to go to Mass for them as to have one said, then Gregorian Masses for example would make no sense because I could just go to Mass myself for a person for 30 days and not give a large donation to a priest to say a Mass for that person for 30 days.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
I’m sorry, but we differ here. Having a Mass said for a deceased person is what one normally does. The Mass is said by the priest specifically for them.

Unless you are a priest, it’s not the same for you to just go to a Mass and pray for the person.
It’s still a great thing to do, but it is not quite as great as the priest offering Mass for the person.if it was the same to go to Mass for them as to have one said, then Gregorian Masses for example would make no sense because I could just go to Mass myself for a person for 30 days and not give a large donation to a priest to say a Mass for that person for 30 days.
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Yes , @Tis_Bearself , we will have to differ .

Going to Mass to offer it for a deceased person is what I do .

I prefer the doctrine as it is expressed in the traditional Liturgy (see my quote from the 1st Eucharistic Prayer) than that expressed by an EWTN website which only uses the words it is “usually considered” . I for one do not usually consider it .

It is the same Mass being offered by both priest and people .

"For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise
OR THEY OFFER IT FOR THEMSELVES
AND ALL WHO ARE DEAR TO THEM .
for the redemption of their souls,
in hope of health and well-being.”

It couldn’t be clearer than that .

When I have asked priests about this , whether there is any difference between my asking them to offer a Mass for someone or something and my going to Mass to offer that Mass myself for that intention , they have always said that there is no difference .

As one priest has said regarding celebrating a Mass for a particular intention , “The simplest method is the most obvious: go to Mass! Carry the intention in your heart as you journey to the church. Silently offer up that intention.”

I am not saying that what you do is wrong , though we disagree on the fruitfulness of the offerings .

But it is a practise I would like to see fade away .

If through illness I became housebound and unable to attend Mass , then I would see it as appropriate to ask a priest to celebrate Mass for my intention .
 
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@JoyToTheWhirled

99.9% of Catholics Do Not Know These Facts about the Mass

There are two blocks of fascinating information that very, very few Catholics are aware of. The first is some...
catholicbooks.net catholicbooks.net

99.9% of Catholics Do Not Know These Facts about the Mass
Posted April 2, 2014

There are two blocks of fascinating information that very, very few Catholics are aware of. The first is some seldom explained theological information regarding the benefits of Masses offered for deceased persons. The second block of information includes some rarely explained benefits that the living can obtain for themselves by devout attendance at Mass.

As you read this, don’t be surprised to find yourself surprised…

But first—not too surprising is the fact that through the centuries there have been literally thousands of earthly apparitions of souls in purgatory; their most common and urgent plea is for prayer for them, but especially to arrange to have Masses offered for them to diminish the duration and intensity of their suffering—which is an extremely intense but frustrated mystical love-hunger for the vision of God—an incandescent love-hunger ignited at the moment of death and described biblically in the Song of Songs, 8:6. This consoling appraisal of Mass for the dead is supported, not just by private revelations, but also by sacred tradition, by pristine Church teaching, and is alluded to, even in ancient catacomb inscriptions.

Any prayer, but especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, when offered for any or all souls in purgatory, is appreciated far, far more than a starving person appreciates a banquet of delicious food. It exceeds our imagining!

But here’s the rub: In spite of countless private revelations to visionaries, and even many apparitions of souls in purgatory about the value of Masses for the dead—supported by centuries of Church teaching—some further revelations and Church teachings are even more significant—namely, Masses offered for still-living persons (including yourself) are more beneficial than Masses offered for deceased persons.

Masses for the dead will provide for them a God-assigned “indulgence” (a curtailing of the duration and/ or intensity of purgatorial suffering). But if Mass is offered as intercession for persons while still alive and in the state of grace—i.e., no unrepented serious sin (1 John 5:16), these living persons receive three added benefits not available to the dead, namely:
  1. Increase of merit (assigned heavenly joy and glory) forever—CCC 2010).
  2. Added sanctifying grace (a deeper sharing in the life of God—2 Pet. 1:4).
  3. Actual graces (conscience-nudges to do good and avoid evil—CCC 2000),
Read on …
 
Rob2 said:
When I have asked priests about this , whether there is any difference between my asking them to offer a Mass for someone or something and my going to Mass to offer that Mass myself for that intention , they have always said that there is no difference .

As one priest has said regarding celebrating a Mass for a particular intention , “The simplest method is the most obvious: go to Mass! Carry the intention in your heart as you journey to the church. Silently offer up that intention.”
Click to expand...
Sorry, but the teaching I received was along the lines of the EWTN article, of which you are being quite overly dismissive IMHO.

I go to Mass almost every day, so I can certainly offer intentions there, but if I can also have a Mass said for a specific person, they are getting an additional benefit, as they are remembered at both the Mass I am at and the Mass that I usually cannot be at because it is in Asia or something.

Perpetual Mass enrollments provide prayers for a person for years, which may include after I am deceased.

I think the priests told you what they did because this idea of “having a Mass said” for someone is a delicate one.
First, they don’t want to give the idea that Masses are bought and sold. We’ve been over this on the forums many times.

Second, they want to be sensitive to the needs of people who do not have the money to pay for a Mass. Otherwise it appears that the people who do have money to pay for a Mass, or for many Masses, have some spiritual advantage.

Third, given the priest shortage in a lot of Western countries, it can be very hard for a person to reserve a Mass at the particular parish because there aren’t enough Masses to go around. Not everyone is aware of or comfortable with the practice of sending a donation to a distant monastery or to the missions far away, and having a Mass said in that manner.

For all these reasons, the priests do not push the idea of “paying for a Mass”, but among those of us who are in a financial position to donate to the Church anyway, I just see it as me making a donation that I should be making anyway, so why not get the benefit of the Mass for someone as well, if it is available. I made a donation to a church a few months ago because they were kind enough to send a deacon out to pray at my late husband’s memorial service. I just made it as a gift without asking for anything, and the deacon without asking me scheduled five Masses for my husband. Many churches and orders are happy to take these donations and happy to say the Masses.

And there are still priests in some parts of the world who rely heavily on the daily Mass stipends for their actual upkeep and living expenses. So if everyone stopped having Masses said, these priests might have difficulty supporting themselves.

So, I will be continuing with my practice of having Masses said for people as well as offering the intention myself at the Mass I personally attend, which may be in some other part of the country.

It is fine if you do not wish to do this practice, but I hope others will not be discouraged from it just because you apparently think it’s unnecessary.
 
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Tbh, I probably wouldn’t be a Catholic if I was someone who thought the extra bits and pieces weren’t really necessary!🤣

I am totally cool with daily mass and personal mass intentions, and also arranging for someone to say some masses for my loved ones and being generous in support in the process. I mean, to use an obvious example, I can speak directly to God myself, but that won’t stop me also asking for prayers from all the angels and saints too.
 
To me, it is the modern-day equivalent of the Jewish people in the OT taking their animal or cereal sacrifice to the Temple, where the priest would take care of the ritual and offering it to God. In the case of many of these sacrifices, the priest and his family were permitted to keep some part of the sacrifice to eat, so you were essentially giving something of your own to support the priests in their full-time work while at the same time honoring God.
 
http://www.catholictradition.org/Eucharist/roman-mass3.htm

THE VALUE OF THE MASS

At the hour of death the Holy Masses you have heard devoutly will be your greatest consolation.
Every Mass will go with you to Judgment and will plead pardon for you.
By every Mass you can diminish the temporal punishment due to your sins, more or less, according to your fervor.
By devoutly assisting at Holy Mass you render the greatest homage possible to the Sacred Humanity of Our Lord.
Through the Holy Sacrifice, Our Lord Jesus Christ supplies for many of your negligences and omissions.
He forgives you all the venial sins which you are determined to avoid. He forgives you all your unknown sins which you never confessed. The Power of Satan over you is diminished.
By piously hearing Holy Mass you afford the Souls in Purgatory the greatest possible relief.
One Holy Mass heard during your life will be of more benefit to you than many heard for you after your death.
Through the Holy Mass you are preserved from many dangers and misfortunes which would otherwise have befallen you. You shorten your Purgatory by every Mass.
During Holy Mass you kneel amid a multitude of holy Angels, who are present at the Adorable Sacrifice with reverential awe.
Through Holy Mass you are blessed in your temporal goods and affairs.
When you hear Holy Mass devoutly, offering it to Almighty God in honor of any particular Saint or Angel thanking God for the favors bestowed on him, you afford that Saint or Angel a new degree of honor, joy and happiness, and draw his special love and protection for yourself.
Every time you assist at Holy Mass, besides other intentions, you should offer it in honor of the Saint of the day.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
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Rob2:
When I have asked priests about this , whether there is any difference between my asking them to offer a Mass for someone or something and my going to Mass to offer that Mass myself for that intention , they have always said that there is no difference .

As one priest has said regarding celebrating a Mass for a particular intention , “The simplest method is the most obvious: go to Mass! Carry the intention in your heart as you journey to the church. Silently offer up that intention.”
Click to expand...
I think the priests told you what they did because this idea of “having a Mass said” for someone is a delicate one.
Click to expand...
They didn’t , @Tis_Bearself .

They told me what they told me as an answer to the question I asked .

The monetary aspect of the issue was in no way part of our conversation .

And the question I asked was as a result of my many years of thinking about the matter .

It is not a view I have just adopted because of this thread . My view goes back about 40 years .

But as we have said , we will have to agree to differ .
 
I have to say, I have been a Catholic for decades and this is the first and only time I have ever heard anyone express the views you did on having a Mass said unless it was a case of someone not having the money.
Much less say that a priest told them that.

It seriously makes me wonder about the priests who told you that. I know there has been some odd catechesis out there, but that seems very strange. Unfortunately I don’t think we have any priests around the forum lately to ask, but I do recall that one of our recent forum priests, when a topic came up of someone wanting to have a Mass said, responded with “I will say a Mass for your intention” (without asking for a donation), not with “You don’t need me to say a Mass, just go to one yourself and offer your intention.”

I will leave it at that.
 
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