Remembering, Praying, and Offering Mass

I appreciate seeing the candles burning during the month of November in our church, aiding us to remember all from our parish who have died this past year. So many good people, committed and dedicated to their family and friends, die each year from our parish. It is good that we try to hold on to their memory for as long as we can. This year, it seems like more than usual have brought in pictures of loved ones who have died. Some of the pictures are of people who have died recently, and other pictures are of those who died in the past. The fact that someone made the effort to bring in their picture tells us that they are deeply loved. It is not too late to still bring in pictures of family or friends.

Many of us like to remember a loved one by having a Mass said for them. This is a great gift to those who have died. It is a wonderful act of kindness to a grieving family to have a Mass said for a loved one who has died. Masses, though, may also be said for someone who is living. A tradition many families practice is to have a Mass said on the anniversary of one’s Baptism. Masses can also be offered for people who are sick and in need of God’s healing help, on the date of a wedding anniversary, etc. 

Scheduling Mass intentions is a great part of our Church’s tradition. We honor that tradition, and our parish office makes every effort to accommodate people’s wishes. However, the demand for specific dates and times means we cannot also accommodate everyone’s desires. Generally, only one Mass intention is allowed for each Mass. We are bound by Universal Church Law to offer one Mass tied to a Sunday and Solemnity “Pro Populo,” that is for the people served by the priests of the parish, living and deceased, and those in attendance and those not present. We move this Mass to various times on a Sunday. This also means we can accept intentions for only two Masses on a Sunday.

As priests, Father Shaji and I make every effort to satisfy the Mass requests that come through the parish office. However, there are times we cannot meet all the requests,  especially when a specific day is requested. Therefore, we need your help. We are asking that you request no more than four Masses for any one individual on specific dates and times. You may ask for additional Masses to be scheduled for an individual, and these Masses will be scheduled as Masses are available. These Masses will be scheduled as dates and times allow. More Masses can also be scheduled for an individual if you allow us to send them to a retired priest or a missionary. We will publish in the bulletin the names connected to an intention when they are sent to a retired priest or missionary. This is a great way to financially support retired priests and missionaries.

The suggested offering for a Mass intention is $20.00. This amount is set by the Bishops in the state of Wisconsin. This is the suggested amount and is just that – a suggested offering. A Mass intention cannot be denied because of one’s inability to pay the amount. 

There are times when Father Shaji and I both plan to be at a Mass. On these occasions we may schedule two intentions. We have tried this a few times but then run into an issue when one of us gets called to help at another parish at the last minute. Then one of the Mass intentions needs to be rescheduled. We will only schedule a second intention for someone who has allowed us to schedule the intention on any available date and time, so there will be less disappointment when we need to call and say the date of the Mass intention is changed.

Mass intentions are a great tradition in our church. We want to encourage this tradition. But please be patient with us as we try to satisfy everyone’s wishes. “Eternal rest grant to all our deceased loved ones.”

‍