“The Mass is the most perfect form of prayer” ~ St. Pope Paul VI
 
You may have noticed in the general intercession prayers (the prayers after the Creed) a prayer for the Mass intention for that Mass.  These intentions are published in the weekly bulletin.  I want to share a little more about what Mass intentions are and why people ask for particular intentions.
 
One way to pray is to offer something for a particular intention.  We may make a sacrifice or accept some difficulty and offer it as a prayer to God for some need or intention.  This happens at Mass as well, only in a much more profound way.  At Mass we share in the one sacrifice of Christ. 
 
Any Catholic may offer up their participation at Mass for any good intention.  This reflects the common priesthood of Jesus Christ which we all share by virtue of our Baptism.  Notice that the priest says:  "Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father."   “Yours” is the sacrifice you offer.  Like any prayer offering your participation at Mass is a way to ask for God’s grace in a particular way.  This is a private offering and different from the intention published and announced at Mass.
 
The role and sacrifice of the priest at Mass is different from everyone else.  At Mass the ordained priest shares in the ministerial priesthood of Christ and acts for the person of Christ the head (in persona Christi Capitis) who offered himself in sacrifice to the Father.  At each Mass the priest participates by offering this sacrifice.  The custom of people requesting a priest to offer the Mass for a specific intention, even when one cannot be physically present at the Mass, is a longstanding tradition in the Church.  Masses are offered for many reasons; in thanksgiving, for the repose of someone’s soul, good health, etc.  The published intention is the one for whom, or for which, the priest offers that particular Mass.  The priest always offers the Mass for some intention.
 
When someone makes a request for a specific intention to a parish or a priest they generally make a donation.  Since it is a donation, it is not required.  In our diocese the recommendation is $10. This is also the limit that may be accepted for a particular Mass.  That is to say, if a donation is $50 then 5 Masses must be offered.  A priest may only offer one intention per Mass.  It is also policy in our diocese that the donation for a Mass intention goes to the priest himself.  It is assumed that priests receive these daily stipends and this is taken into account when the Bishop sets priests’ salaries.  Also, a priest may only receive one stipend per day even if he offers more than one Mass.  In that case, the donation goes to the seminary fund for our Diocese.

Finally, you may notice that one of the Lord’s Day Masses (Saturday evening or Sunday) is always offered for the parishioners of the parish.  Pastors are required by Church law to offer one Mass each Sunday for the people he pastors.  It need only be one Mass, not one for the people of each parish.  
 
If you would like to have a Mass offered at either Holy Spirit Church or St. John Vianney Church, you may stop by the parish office of that parish.  We currently have many Mass intentions scheduled, so it likely will be sometime into 2021 when your requested intention can be offered.  We also send Mass intentions to other parishes or retired priests for them to offer. 
 
The sacrifice of the Mass is a perfect prayer because it is the sacrifice of Christ.  When we join our sacrifices to His and offer our intentions, trusting it is a powerful means of grace. 
 
“Know, O Christian, that the Mass is the holiest act of religion.  You cannot do anything to glorify God more, nor profit your soul more, than by devoutly assisting at it [the sacrifice of the Mass], and assisting as often as possible.”  
~ St. Peter Julian Eymard
 
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Dale