top of page
charles-n-Chester-MASS.jpg

ABOUT MASS INTENTIONS

About Mass Intentions

​

The sacrifice of the Holy Mass has an infinite value and indeed there is no objective limitation to the number of intentions that can be offered at any Mass. The Church, however, normally allows only one intention with a stipend united to each Mass. In order to grasp the issues involved, it may help to realize what happens when a priest, or his representative, accepts a stipend to have a Mass said for a specific person or intention. The person who has offered the stipend has not purchased the grace of the Mass, a thing which is patently impossible. What has happened is that the priest or a Religious Community has committed himself to celebrate a Mass according to the intentions of the person making the offering.

This intention is quite often to recommend the soul of a deceased person but may also be for the personal intentions of the living. In some cases, the commitment is to ensure that the Mass is celebrated within a year, but frequently also involves other conditions such as a specific time or place for the Mass, especially to coincide with an anniversary of death or when the person requesting the Mass has great interest in personally participating in the celebration.

Once he has accepted the commitment the priest is bound in justice to fulfill it and may not normally accept or substitute other intentions for the same Mass. The priest's intention is essentially a spiritual and internal act through which he commends the intention to God in a particular way even though he is free to offer up any number of other personal intentions, without stipends for the Sacrifice of the Mass is of Infinite Value. He does not necessarily have to know the person for whom he is offering up the Mass. And in some cases — for example, if unaware of the customs of the church where he is celebrating — it is enough for him to know that an intention was requested and he celebrates the Mass according to the intention of the donor.

Sometimes, more people request Mass intentions at which they desire to attend than is compatible with parish schedules, a situation ever more common due to the lack of priests. To address this desire, the Holy See has authorized bishops to allow the celebration of Masses with several intentions. These "cumulative" Masses can only be celebrated with the explicit permission of the local bishop. The Marian Fathers do not take advantage of this special ruling. The priest who celebrates such a Mass may retain only one stipend and must dedicate the others to the cause determined by the bishop.

The situation of these cumulative Masses is different from that prevalent in some poor countries in which many people ask the priest to remember them at Mass and often offer a tiny sum as a symbolic contribution. Such offerings are not considered stipends as the faithful are accustomed to Mass being offered for many intentions besides their own.

It is also different from enrollment in Mass associations or spiritual benefit societies such as the Association of Marian Helpers. In this case, a person who makes the donation to a monastery, sanctuary or religious community, either in their own name or to spiritually benefit another, is remembered in a general way at certain fixed Masses celebrated in the sanctuary or community.

The usual amount for the stipend offering is determined by the bishops either nationally or locally. The faithful are free to offer more if they desire, and priests are encouraged to celebrate Mass for the intentions of their faithful even if they are too poor to offer a stipend.



(Compiled from notes on Canon Law)

BF_MASS_edited.jpg

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE

MASS INTENTION PAGE

ABOUT US
ADDRESS

The Bowman Francis Ministry is comprised of two Society of Divine Word (SVD) priests whose order has given them the charge to minister across the Diaspora to Black Catholics placing great emphasis on youth and young adults.

 A huge part of our ministry is  evangelization. Our goal is to  spiritually recharge Afrocentric communities by renewing interest, commitment and devotions within the Roman Catholic Church.

BOWMAN-FRANCIS MINISTRY

SVD HOUSE

8681 Jaffa Court  -  #31

Indianapolis, IN 46260-5327

PHONE

(317) 800-1621

EMAIL
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
SUBSCRIBE
​

The Bowman-Francis Ministry would like to ensure that we have your most up-to-date contact information. Our Ministry Team desires to communicate with each of you, to keep you updated on all Bowman-Francis Ministry business.

Please complete the UPDATE ME fields below. 

*required information

Thank you for submitting your information!

You will here from US soon ... Be blessed!!

bottom of page