Holy Souls: Offering the Mass

Have you ever noticed that at the beginning of the Mass the priest often mentions praying for the repose of the soul of a particular person or in the universal prayer the deacon or reader will list the name of the person for whom the Mass is being offered? One of the great things we can do to pray for the dead is to offer Mass for them. 

The Catechism teaches that "the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God." (CCC 1032). We, the faithful here on earth, can help the souls who are in purgatory. Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical “Mirae Caritatis”, emphasized this point: "Faith teaches that the supreme sacrifice (the Mass)..., [may be offered] to wash away the stains of our brothers who died in the Lord without being completely purified." 

Practically, the offering of the Mass for the repose of the souls of the departed faithful is to fulfill the Lord's commandments. The fourth commandment teaches us to honor our parents. We honor our parents and ancestors when they are still alive and even when they die. Secondly, the offering of Masses for the repose of the souls of our dead parents, grandparents, and loved ones is also a way for us to return justice to those whose benevolence us—moreover, offering Masses for the souls of the faithful departed expresses our belief in the next life. The offering of Masses for the souls of the faithful departed is a great way to help them reach their heavenly home in the communion of God's saints. 

One may wonder, what if the person's soul has already been purified and gone to heaven? We do not know, so there is always goodness in remembering our departed and commending them to God through the Mass. However, if indeed the departed soul has been purified and now rests in God's heavenly kingdom, then those Masses offered to glorify and praise the love and mercy of God will comfort us and surely God will also pour out his grace on others in need. The offering of the Mass for the intentions of the faithful departed is a perfect and holy act. The Church offers us three critical annual reminders: All Saints' Day on Nov. 1, All Souls' Day on Nov. 2, and traditionally, the entire month of November, which is dedicated to praying for the souls of the faithful departed. We can also offer the Mass for the souls of the faithful departed throughout the year, especially on the one month anniversary “months mind”, any other anniversary, or almost any other day of the liturgical calendar.

Most of the time, you can go to the pastoral center or call the collaborative office that you would like to have a Mass offer for your loved ones. So, you might be asked the name and the date of death even though it does not have to all be read out in the Mass intentions. Then, you usually give a small monetary donation to the Church as an offering in thanksgiving for the celebration of the Mass. This is normally ten dollars. Offering the Mass is the best way and most significant gift that we can pray for the souls of the dead. It is truly beneficial for the souls of the departed and for comforting us. Most importantly, to help our dearly departed loved ones gain eternal rest and rest in the eternal peace of the Lord.

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This article is part of a four week series exploring how November is a month dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory and venerable Catholic traditions related to praying for the dead. 

October 31 - Holy Souls: All Souls Day
November 7 - Holy Souls: Visiting the Dead 
November 14 - Holy Souls: Novena for the Dead
November 21 - Holy Souls: Mass Offerings 

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