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Policies
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| Lumen Christi Guidelines for Mass Offerings, Mass Intentions & Memorial Offerings Some Definitions Mass Offerings The 1983 Code of Canon Law offers a revised treatment of Mass Offerings and intentions for our beloved dead. No longer are such donations called “stipends” but rather “offerings. The word “stipend” (stipendium) referred to the wages paid to soldiers in Roman times. In other words, “stipend” conveys the meaning of payment for services rendered. The revised code rejects this terminology and instead speaks of an “offering” (stips), a term which better conveys the freewill, gratuitous nature of a gift. Canon 946, states that by giving a Mass offering the faithful “contribute to the good of the church and by their offering take part in the concern of the church for the support of its ministers and work.” A Mass offering therefore should be viewed as a gift to the church for the ongoing support of its mission, and not as a contract involving services in return for the payment of money. Mass Intentions By accepting a Mass Offering the only obligation the priest undertakes by Canon Law is to celebrate the Mass with the donor’s intention in mind. No other obligations – such as publicizing the intention – are incurred by accepting the offering. By making an offering to the parish, donors can be assured that their special intention would be remembered at that particular celebration of the Mass. The purpose of giving a Mass Offering is to join the specific intention to the intentions of the whole worshiping community. It is not meant to imply that the Mass is offered for the intention of the priest and donor alone. Memorial Offerings Memorials given on the occasion of a funeral are not the same thing as Mass Offerings. Memorials are gifts given to the parish in honor of the deceased that can be used to further the parish’s mission in ways similar to memorials donated to a cancer treatment center. Offerings designated as Mass Offerings must be used for that specific purpose only. If the parish cannot satisfy all your Mass intentions, these Mass Offerings, in justice, will need to be sent to the Archdiocesan Mission Office in order to be fulfilled. |
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| Lumen Christi Mass Intention Guidelines • The Mass Intention Calendar is kept by the Parish Secretary and arrangements for a particular day can be made through the Secretary. Usually, designated Masses are assigned on a first come first serve basis. • The Archdiocesan prescribed donation for a Mass Offering is $7.00. Those who cannot afford to make such an offering can still designate a day for the intention of their loved one. • To permit greater access to the parish’s liturgical calendar by all parishioners, requests for Masses are limited to 1 Mass per month per household. Mass designations cannot extend outside the current calendar year until November when the Office will begin taking intentions for the following calendar year. • Special dates (e.g., the anniversary of death, parish remembrances, etc.) will always be given precedence over randomly assigned intentions. The parish reserves the right to change a date if necessary. In that case, the person making the original request will be notified of the change. • As per Church Law, one of the Masses each weekend is designated as Pro populi (for the whole community) and therefore cannot be designated for a particular intention. |
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| Mass Announcements Policy Generally, we are working to reduce both the number and length of Mass Announcements for our Weekend Liturgies. The Bulletin is the primary source for Parish communication and parish groups are asked to make use of it. Announcements at the Weekend Liturgies will be limited to the following categories: a) On the day when an activity will be happening or when a group will be available in the Gathering Area for the first time. b) When a time-sensitive activity needs to be announced because it was not submitted in time for the Bulletin printing. c) When a correction needs to be made from what is printed in the Bulletin. d) When the congregational response to a proposed activity is weak and needs additional encouragement.
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