Hundreds of local Catholics go to their parishes each week asking for Masses to be celebrated for special intentions. From urgent appeals for healing, to requests for blessings on a special birthday, to petitions for the peaceful repose of a deceased loved one, these intentions serve as a practical way of connecting the sacred liturgy with people’s most heartfelt needs.
It’s a simple, familiar practice for many parishioners: Call the church office, drop in with an offering envelope, and hear your intention announced at the pulpit. What Islanders may not be aware of, however, are the deep historical roots behind Mass intentions and the many canonical laws that govern the beloved tradition.
Understanding the theology
According to diocesan judicial vicar Father Mark Gantley, the diocese’s main canon lawyer, “in order to understand Mass offerings correctly, one must understand the theology.”
Mass intentions, said Father Gantley, are a form of almsgiving through which parishioners “contribute to the good of the church by supporting its ministers and its works.”
Modern rules for the practice date back almost a hundred years ago. In the 1917 Code of Canon Law, Mass intentions were previously referred to as “Mass stipends,” because at that time, the monetary offerings received for celebrating special Masses were the only means of income for priests.
In the years that followed, dioceses slowly transitioned to regular salaries for clergy. When the Second Vatican Council convened in 1962, priests in most parts of the world no longer lived solely on the offerings from Mass intentions. This shift in clerical compensation caused the council’s bishops to debate whether the practice of Mass offerings should be allowed to continue. They voted for it to remain, as priests in some poorer countries said they still relied on that money for support.
Today in the Honolulu diocese, Mass offerings are recorded as a part of a priest’s salary and taxable income. More importantly, parishes also benefit from the practice, as some priests designate extra offering funds to go toward church ministries and programs.
Parishioners who make the monetary offerings for Mass intentions, Father Gantley said, are making a tremendous sacrifice. While it may seem on the surface just a financial contribution, the personal sacrifice draws a person closer to the theological depth of the Mass.
“When people make an offering, the Mass is applied to their intentions in a special way,” Father Gantley said. “Their offering enables them to participate more intimately in the eucharistic sacrifice and to add to it a sacrifice of their own.”
Laws and protocols
The church has long been aware that the spiritual side of Mass intentions and offerings may be overlooked. It also realizes the potential of the practice being exploited for fiscal gain. Dozens of provisions have been written into Canon Law and diocesan protocols to prevent this from happening.
In the Diocese of Honolulu, the standard amount set for Mass donations is $10. Although parishioners can give more at their discretion, $10 was the figure determined appropriate by the bishops of the San Francisco Province — of which the Honolulu diocese is a part — in 1997.
Priests may personally receive a maximum of one $10 Mass offering per day. The exception to this is on Christmas, when they can accept up to three offerings for celebrating up to three liturgies.
Offerings for second or third Masses in a given day must go toward a charity of a priest’s choice. This also applies for additional offerings from Masses with multiple intentions.
Alternatively, priests can opt to keep these funds for their parishes. In the Diocese of Honolulu, Bishop Larry Silva has established norms for all extra offerings on All Souls Day to be retained by the parish.
Clergy from religious orders do not personally keep Mass offerings. Instead, the money goes to the order.
In the case of a concelebrated Mass with more than one priest presiding, Father Gantley said an offering of $10 will go to the main celebrant. If there are multiple intentions, each priest can receive $10 from each separate intention.
“Mass offerings are not divided,” Father Gantley said.
A concelebrant, he added, also cannot accept an offering for an intention if he already celebrated Mass earlier that day and is concelebrating a second liturgy.
In the case of visiting priests, he who celebrates the Mass with any intention will receive the offering, and not the pastor of the church.
Many parishes celebrate Masses for multiple intentions. Canonically, these types of Masses may only be scheduled for at most two times a week. To accommodate all the intentions of the faithful, priests are asked to celebrate a Missa Pro Populo, or a “Mass for the People,” where intentions are prayed for communally.
Because the number of Mass requests far outnumber the amount of Masses celebrated at most parishes, there is a canonical provision that states priests are “not permitted to accept more offerings for Masses to be applied by himself than he can satisfy within a year.”
Some traditions that come with Mass intentions can be dictated by local custom. Some parishes, for example, publish the names for whom Masses are celebrated in the church bulletin, or announce them during the liturgy, although these are not mandatory practices.
Some local examples
In the Islands, Mass offerings are an important part of church life. Some parishes receive substantial contributions and pour the money back into other areas of service. St. Anthony Church in Kalihi, for example, reported in its June 30 church bulletin that $950 was received the prior week from Mass intentions alone.
At Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Honolulu, Father Edgar Brillantes has been educating parishioners about the proper protocols for the tradition. The parish celebrates one intention at each of its weekday Masses, and at the 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Masses on Sundays. They allow multiple intentions at just two liturgies, the 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday Masses. The Saturday vigil at 5 p.m. is a Missa Pro Populo.
Many parishes have an ever-growing backlog of requested Masses. Parish secretary Mildred Chargualaf at Christ the King Church in Kahului, Maui, said their list of intentions numbers more than 80 “at any given time.” The parish notes these intentions in a book and places them at the altar during Masses. Before weekday liturgies, congregants also pray the rosary for parishioners’ needs.
“It’s a long list,” said Chargualaf.
St. Jude Church in Kapolei as well faces the dilemma of more Mass intentions than Masses available. Parish administrative assistant Caren Sue Argenzia recommends contacting the church at least three to four weeks ahead of time to place your intention for a specific Mass. This may be problematic for spur-of-the-moment situations such as an untimely death or sudden illness, but the parish maintains a “first come, first served” basis to ensure that all intentions are handled fairly.
“We have intentions into 2014,” she said.
