By Austine J. Crasta, STL –
Some online masses announce a number of intentions at the start of every mass. According to Canon Law, must not a separate mass be celebrated for each intention?
The pandemic phenomenon of ‘online masses’ has given greater visibility to practices that, in the absence of proper catechesis or application, have the potential to cause confusion and scandal. One such practice is the announcement of a long list of intentions at a single mass as mentioned in the query above.
As rightly noted in the query, Church law does require separate masses to be applied for each intention for which an individual offering, even if small, has been made and accepted. However, the scenario noted in the query can result in one of two ways:
First, it is possible that a number of mass intentions are only announced at a particular mass but that the intentions are separately discharged either by the receiving priest himself at another time within a year, or are forwarded to other priests who will then apply a separate mass for each of the intentions. In the case of the latter, priests who do not directly receive mass bookings (such as those in Religious communities) also have the possibility of receiving mass intentions.
Second, prompted by numerous queries from bishops around the world, the Vatican in 1991, made a provision for an exceptional combining – sometimes referred to as “pooling” or “clubbing” – of multiple offerings in a single offering so that a number of intentions could, in certain cases, be satisfied with a single mass celebrated according to a “collective” intention. This provision made after the current Code of Canon Law was issued, is only meant to be used as an exception, but always with the knowledge and consent of those making the offering.
Diocesan bishops are charged with explaining these norms clearly and overseeing their observance so as to prevent any danger of scandal or the risk of abuse. Parishes normally explain the practice to parishioners from time to time and/or may note the same when displaying mass intentions on noticeboards. However, the pandemic phenomenon of ‘online masses’ with frequent long lists of intentions poses a special challenge to this task which must be overcome with suitable steps.
Austine J. Crasta is a theologian, visual artist and a catholic communicator from Bangalore, India and currently based out of Belgium.
Its a very common question and you had delt it very carefully and meticulously.
I liked especially the sentence that, the priests have to inform those who are offering the mass, the faithful..about the poolung of the mass intentions etc…