Mass Intention Scheduling Policy
Established: March, 2023
Effective for 2024 and going forward.
Rev. John Potaczek
A named intention has the opportunity to be offered at four weekend/Holy Day Masses during a calendar year. Additional re-quests will be equitably offered on weekday Masses with a combined total of twelve per named intention here at our parish. Additional requests may be sent to the diocese.
For Example: Jane Doe requests seven Masses for Jamie Doe. Then John Doe requests eight Masses for Jamie. Four Masses can be said on a weekend/Holy day Mass, eight can be said on weekdays, and three could be sent to the Diocese.
Explanation:
It is extremely important as a parish family to accommodate all of our parishioners’ requests for memorial Masses for their loved ones. This is first and foremost, the goal the Parish Council wants for our parish members, however experience is reflecting more demand than available Masses. In an effort to make this equitable, the parish council offers the following explanation and establishment of a memorial Mass policy.
As part of our explanation, it is important to quote canon law, “Pastors and parochial administrators are reminded of their strict obligation to celebrate the Mass for the people entrusted to their care, without an offering, on each Sunday and holy day of obligation.” (cf. 534, par. 1-3) With that in place, approximately sixty of our yearly weekend Masses are dictated by canon law.
In addition, the Knights of Columbus have a minimum of one Mass for their departed members every fifth Sunday of the month.
These intentions in addition to the many memorial requests received each year make it impossible to honor all requests for week-end intentions.
Our parish priest offers many additional weekday Masses where your intentions can be prayed for. The Diocese also celebrates Mass intentions from parishes. The following quote, again from Canon law explains, “Offerings for Masses which cannot be celebrated within the time of one year are to be forwarded to the Diocesan Mission Office, so that the Masses can be offered by priests in the Diocese or in the missions who lack Mass offerings.” (cf. Canons 953 and 956)
Another consideration to ease the demand is the combination of family members into one intention. Examples could be to combine a couple or for the living/deceased members of the entire family.
This is a difficult policy to make and we hope that all parishioners understand that we truly value the importance of all your memo-rial requests. This policy is about offering everyone in our parish an opportunity to have weekend Masses said for their loved ones. The Parish Council prays for your understanding of this policy and asks for your respect for the many families needing prayers said for their loved ones. Prayers for our loved ones are important and will not be neglected.
