Many of you have been asking, and the wait is nearly over! Tomorrow, September 8, the books for Mass intentions open up. That date always seems to create a rather a frenzy as people try to get their requests for Masses in as soon as they can.

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about—and for those who do—some explanation might be in order.

As Catholics, we have a long tradition of oīering Mass for particular intentions. Of course, every Mass is oīered for the salvation of the entire world. The Mass is, after all, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, infinite in its value. The faithful can request the priest (note: not the parish community) to offer a Mass for an intention. Most of the time these intentions are for our deceased friends and relatives—though Mass can be offered for the living (for example: one of our Masses each weekend is offered for the people of the parish—that’s you, very much alive!) A donation is customarily given to the priest (usually $10, but a lesser amount can be oīered and must be accepted by the priest).

Let’s be clear about all this: We do not sell Masses. You do not buy Masses. Neither you nor I nor the parish owns Masses. The Mass belongs to Jesus Christ, his gift to the eternal Father in the Holy Spirit for all of us.

Let’s also remember why we offer Mass for the dead. We offer Mass for the dead as a prayer. We don’t oīer Mass in honor of the dead—all the honor at Mass goes to God. We don’t oīer Mass in memory of the dead—we remember at Mass the death and the resurrection of the Lord as well as Mary and the saints. We pray for the dead. And we pray for the dead because we believe prayer does something. It’s a popular misconception that purgatory and prayer for the dead disappeared with Vatican II. Read the documents and you’ll Įnd that belief in purgatory and prayer for the dead remain part of Vatican II Catholic life!

And, as we continue our journey as a merged and soon-to-be-linked parish, let’s keep in focus what we offer. The sacrifice of Jesus is renewed equally at the altars at St. Ann, St. Boniface, St. Lawrence, and the chapel at SCI Muncy (Actually, given that the psalmist tells us “The Lord hears the cries of the poor,” I’d suggest the most privileged place of prayer in our complex is that prison altar!) Please give us the opportunity to schedule your intentions in a timely manner. I’d hate to think our beloved ancestors are languishing in purgatory while we wait for an opening in the building we like, with the music we prefer, at the time that’s convenient. Keep the tradition faithfully and lovingly, with a firm trust that Christ intercedes always for all of us, living and deceased, until he finally welcomes us to the supper of the Lamb.