What is a Mass Intention and a Mass Stipend?
Fr. Isaiah Schick
If you do not yet already know, you can request a Mass to be said for a particular intention! This is most often for the repose of the soul of a beloved family member or friend, but it can also be for living people (such as on a birthday, or an anniversary, or for healing, or just because they could use the prayers). You can simply call or stop by the parish office, and our secretary, Shannon, would love to assist you in scheduling such a Mass!
If you have done so previously, you may note that as of July 1st, the Mass stipend has gone up from $10 to $20 per the decision of the province (i.e., of the Wisconsin bishops together) after many decades of no change despite the rate of inflation. I thought that this change might be a good opportunity to explain what a Mass stipend is and why we use them. I saw an explanation of Mass stipends in the bulletin out in Medford, WI just the other day that I thought was excellent, so I copy it here for your convenience and benefit:
“As the 1912 Catholic Encyclopedia defines it, a Mass stipend is ‘a certain monetary offering which anyone makes to the priest with the accompanying obligation of celebrating a Mass in accordance with the intentions of the donor.’ In common parlance, the terms ‘Mass stipend’ and ‘Mass offering’ are interchangeable. The Catholic Encyclopedia comments that the justification for Mass stipends lies incontestably in the axiom of St. Paul: ‘Those who minister at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings’ (1 Corinthians 9:13). Originally, the Mass stipend provided to the priest the necessities of life: food or otherwise. Later, it became a sum of money, the object being to contribute to the proper support of the clergy. The Catholic Encyclopedia comments: The now customary money offering, which was introduced about the eighth century and was tacitly approved by the Church, is to be regarded merely as the substitute or commutation of the earlier presentation of the necessaries of life.’
‘Current canon law remarks that the Christian faithful who give an offering to apply the Mass for their intention contribute to the good of the Church and by that offering share its concern to support its ministers and works (canon 946).”
No one is ever turned away from offering a Mass for a particular intention because of an inability to pay the Mass stipend. Canon 952.1 says, “It is for the provincial council or a meeting of the bishops of the province to define by decree for the entire province the offering to be given for the celebration and application of Mass, and a priest is not permitted to seek a larger sum.
Nevertheless, he is permitted to accept for the application of a Mass a voluntary offering which is larger or even smaller than the one defined.” And Canon 848 says, “The minister is to seek nothing for the administration of the sacraments beyond the offerings defined by competent authority, always taking care that the needy are not deprived of the assistance of the sacraments because of poverty.”
Lastly, the “stole fees” (like a Mass stipend, but it goes to the priest or deacon who presides at other ceremonies) for funerals and weddings were also adjusted. The stole fee for funerals is now $75 (formerly $50), and the stole fee for weddings is now $100 (formerly $75). Again, these are never used to turn anyone away – I mostly wanted to provide this information for transparency because many people offer more, and I wanted to clarify what the Church puts forth so you do not need to feel pressured by any amount that a funeral home or another person may suggest which is larger than what is officially defined. The point is not the money – the point is about the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of prayer. It is about gratitude: that of the priests and deacons for the opportunity to serve God and his people, and that of the people in offering from what they have for the support of the clergy in return. May God bless you all!