Prayer intensions during mass

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suezette

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Our prayer centre has a prayer intention book in which prayer request are written before Mass, however to be able to write in this book, one must have some money. I do not know whether to call this paying, but that’s what happens. The ladies won’t let you touch the book unless you have money. And no, it’s not in our habit to explain why
Is it a must that to make a prayer request during Mass one has to give some money? I ask because one of my colleagues at work asked how much it is, and I had no answer. I answered her all the same, but the next time someone asks, I need to have an informed answer.
 
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Suezette,

Every parish I have been in, there were envalopes which had a place on the outside to write the intention. There is tradionally a $5 donation. I have never heard of a guard to make sure you pay though.

Patrick
AMDG
 
It would be a crime against Church law to charge for a prayer. Some people give donations or offerings, but, it is sinful to charge for prayers. Please, speak to your Pastor.
 
suezette said:
Is it a must that to make a prayer request during Mass one has to give some money?
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No, this is not the norm, at least not where I live. I have written in prayer intention books all over the USA in churches and in Adoration chapels and at shrines and never had to pay a dime for writing in the book. As Ann said above, they are usually on some stand by the sanctuary or by the entrance to the church or chapel, and are not monitored by anyone.

Same for the churches and shrines that have an intention basket of some sort where you write on a little piece of paper and drop it in a basket before a statue of Jesus or Mary or at the tomb of a saint, etc. I have never seen a donation required for doing this. The slips of paper are collected from time to time, prayed for at the church or shrine, and usually then burned.

The only time a stipend is generally (strongly) suggested is if you wish to have one or more Masses said for your intention, typically for the repose of a deceased soul (though sometimes it’s for a living person so they just put “special intention” on the list so as not to invade anyone’s privacy). Also, if you wish to light a candle there is generally a small charge to cover the cost of buying the candle.

Are you sure you did not misunderstand about the book being for intentions for Masses, not just for prayers?

Also, between this and the post you made the other day about some older lady telling moms with kids they shouldn’t go to Confession if they’re in irregular marriages, I am seriously wondering, where is this parish where you are going to Church? It sounds the more bizarre the more you post about it.
 
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It doesn’t sound appropriate to me at all, unless like the prior poster mentioned it was for specific mass intentions. I would talk to the priest about I. No, actually I would ask the ladies if they had a printed fee schedule. Thankfully I have a charitable wife that would tell me to put a sock in it.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
Are you sure you did not misunderstand about the book being for intentions for Masses, not just for prayers?
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Okay… now I am confused. What is the difference? We also have a box in which we drop pieces of paper with prayer requests. But there is also a book; in it prayers written and read during Mass. This is where you have to have money. At this point i must say I do not get the difference between intention and request.
 
If someone is asking a priest to say a mass specifically for an intention you make, the custom is to offer a stipend of some amount to the priest. It is not a requirement as that might be simony. The situation sounds like it needs to be clarified in your parish.
 
Please, speak to your Bishop then because this is not kosher.
 
Hi @suezette,

It seems like there may be some kind of confusion between prayer intentions and Mass request stipends.

It’s not unusual for someone to give a stipend to a parish when having a Mass offered for someone else.

I’ve also filled out prayer intentions at shrines and missions, and I haven’t had to give any money.

Sometimes I’ll send a donation in with my intention to a mission because that is how many of them live and support themselves and their missions–off of our donations–but we’re not obligated to do so.
 
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The “reading them at Mass” is confusing me. Priest may only accept one stipend per, and even then the Mass does not have a place where things are read out.
 
TheLittleLady said:
The “reading them at Mass” is confusing me. Priest may only accept one stipend per, and even then the Mass does not have a place where things are read out.
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Yes, I’m not quite sure that I understand what is happening here, either.

Suzette, the best thing that I can tell you would be to talk to your Pastor about this to understand what is happening. 🙂
 
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