Mass Intentions
History
The tradition of offering Masses for others, particularly the dead, originated in the very early Church. Inscriptions discovered on tombs in Roman catacombs of the second century evidence this practice. For example, the epitaph on the tomb of Abercius (d. 180), Bishop of Hieropolis in Phrygia, begs for prayers for the repose of his soul.
Infinite graces flow from the Sacrifice of the Mass which benefits one’s soul. In his encyclical, “Ecclesia de Eucharistia,” our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, taught, “In the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the Church prays that God, the Father of mercies, will grant His
children the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that they may become one body and one spirit in Christ.” (No. 43).
When a priest offers Holy Mass, he has three intentions. First, to offer the Mass reverently and validly in accord with the norms of the Church. Second, to offer the Mass in union with the whole Church and for the good of the whole Church. Third, to offer the Mass for a particular
intention, such as thanksgiving, for the intentions of another person, or, as is most common, for the repose of the soul of someone who has died.
When a person asks a priest to offer Mass for a particular intention, the person usually gives the priest a stipend for offering the Mass, which thereby in justice creates an obligation which must be satisfied.
Reserving Masses
Each year, our weekend and Holy Day Mass intentions fill up quickly resulting in the inability of parishioners to request a weekend or Holy Day Mass intention for a special need or recently deceased friend, family member or fellow parishioner. Accordingly, in order to try to ensure
that there are weekend and Holy Day Mass intentions available to parishioners throughout the year:
- Initially, each family may reserve up to four (4) individual Mass intentions for weekend and Holy Day Masses when the Mass Book for a year opens (and an unlimited number of Mass intentions on weekdays, non-Holy Days and shared weekend Mass intentions) on a first come, first served basis.
- Thereafter, families will be able to reserve any remaining individual weekend and Holy Day Mass intentions on a first come, first served basis.
- Mass intentions for the 5 pm Saturday evening Mass and the Sunday 12 noon Mass on the last weekend of each month may be shared Mass intentions, rather than individual Mass intentions. Shared Mass intentions will be announced in the Bulletin and at the beginning of Mass.
An individual Mass intention offering is $20; a shared Mass intention offering is $10.
In order to reserve Masses at the Church of St. Pius X, please click on
https://web4ucorp.com/massintentions/spxny, or call the parish office at (914) 725-2755.
Mass cards are available in the Parish Office during regular office hours.