Is it OK to offer a mass for a deceased relative

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kew_65

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I had a relative die recently. She was raised and was a devout Catholic until she married an abusive man. She divorced him then left the Catholic Church. She married into our family to a man that is not an Catholic. She lived her life in sin until the day she suddenly died. Is it allowed to ask the Church to hold a Mass Intention for her or does she have to be a Catholic?
I’m trying to be discreet because this is a sensitive family subject.
 
It’s okay to have a Mass offered for anyone. If you don’t want it to be at a local parish, missions are also able to accept Mass intentions. In fact our parish often receives more Mass intentions than can be said locally, so they send them to the missions.
 
Of course it is ok. None among us are perfect nor free from sin.
 
Brother, there’s prayer offerings all the time. It would be great to hear you prayed the Saint Gertrude the Great prayer for those 1,000 in Purgatory as well. This day and age we face many people who lost love ones and are Catholic but don’t know about it. Pass it on to someone for the holy father if you can…
 
It’s good practice to offer a donation for a Mass . The Parish usually has a good suggested donation
 
Heavens, yes!
Have the Mass said. Family members who were hostile don’t have to know.
Your dear auntie had a really rough time of it. Only God can judge her heart.
Arrange the Mass, and keep praying!
 
Absolutely. You can offer a Mass for anyone - even someone you don’t know. If they are deceased, it’s a Mass for the repose of their soul, or for their poor soul in purgatory. If the person is living, it’s just called a “special intention” but the reason isn’t usually mentioned. A special intention could be for birthday, anniversary, a loss or illness, as a thank you, thinking of you, etc.
 
Agreed.

When I was in grad school I made a similar request for my father who wasn’t a Catholic, and the Catholic chaplain said that was fine.
 
If your parish has a full slate, call the Diocese and ask what rural/mission parishes you can contact. The Mass is said and you bless that priest by helping put a couple of gallons of gas in his tank with the stipend (standard is $10)
 
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