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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Norms concerning Mass Intentions	Walter	Monday, November 30, 2009
Question: Can a mass be offered for two or more different persons? Say a certain day the 7AM mass is offered for a deceased person but somebody else would like to have a mass offered at the same time same day for a different deceased person, or maybe one is deceased and somebody else wants that same mass offered for a 25th wedding anniversary. Is there any church norm or maybe even canon law concerning how many different mass offering there can be for one particular mass with the stipend paid for each intention? Thank you
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Walter: Canon Law 948 states: "Separate Masses are to be applied for the intentions of those for each of whom an offering, even if small, has been made and accepted." However, the Congregation for the Clergy issued a clarification in 1991 (Decree Mos iugiter obtinuit, AAS 83 [1991] 443-446; Or 20 [1990-19991] 705-706) which states, in part: Priests who transgresses [the spirit and the letter] of this norm [c. 948] assume the relative moral responsibility if they indistinctly collect offerings for the celebration of Masses for particular intentions and, combining them in a single offering and, without the knowledge of those who have made the offering, satisfy them with a single Mass celebrated according to an intention which they call 'collective' (art 1 §2) In cases in which the people making the offering have be previously explicitly informed and have freely consented to combining their offerings in a single offering, their intentions can be satisfied with a single Mass celebrated according to a 'collective' intention (art. 2 §§ 1-2). [I]t is also necessary that the faithful should be instructed in this matter [of Mass offerings] through a specific catechesis (art. 7) What all this is saying is that what you are asking is possible, but the first person who requested a Mass Intention has to give consent. You can talk to your Pastor about this for more information. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Norms concerning Mass Intentions

Walter

Monday, November 30, 2009

Question:

Can a mass be offered for two or more different persons?

Say a certain day the 7AM mass is offered for a deceased person but somebody else would like to have a mass offered at the same time same day for a different deceased person, or maybe one is deceased and somebody else wants that same mass offered for a 25th wedding anniversary. Is there any church norm or maybe even canon law concerning how many different mass offering there can be for one particular mass with the stipend paid for each intention?

Thank you

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Walter:

Canon Law 948 states: "Separate Masses are to be applied for the intentions of those for each of whom an offering, even if small, has been made and accepted."

However, the Congregation for the Clergy issued a clarification in 1991 (Decree Mos iugiter obtinuit, AAS 83 [1991] 443-446; Or 20 [1990-19991] 705-706) which states, in part:

Priests who transgresses [the spirit and the letter] of this norm [c. 948] assume the relative moral responsibility if they indistinctly collect offerings for the celebration of Masses for particular intentions and, combining them in a single offering and, without the knowledge of those who have made the offering, satisfy them with a single Mass celebrated according to an intention which they call 'collective' (art 1 §2)

In cases in which the people making the offering have be previously explicitly informed and have freely consented to combining their offerings in a single offering, their intentions can be satisfied with a single Mass celebrated according to a 'collective' intention (art. 2 §§ 1-2).

[I]t is also necessary that the faithful should be instructed in this matter [of Mass offerings] through a specific catechesis (art. 7)

What all this is saying is that what you are asking is possible, but the first person who requested a Mass Intention has to give consent.

You can talk to your Pastor about this for more information.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum