July 16, 1997

“Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be offered to Him. Know what you are doing; imitate the mystery you celebrate. Model your life on the mystery of the Lord’s cross!”

Our bishop said those words to us on the day of our ordination.

We receive the offerings of the people while we are offering to God ourselves. This is a sacred calling.

I wish to focus particular attention on the practice of receiving Mass offerings and intentions.

It has been a widespread practice in our Archdiocese that Mass intentions are announced publicly in various forms. There has been a prevailing sentiment that the priest is obligated to announce Mass intentions and the failure to fulfill this eventually causes unpleasant experiences between parishioners and parish priest. Through this present instrument we would like to clarify:

1. the present day reasons for Mass offerings

2. the legitimacy of the present practice of multi-inten-tions applied to one Mass

3. the non-obligation to announce Mass intentions

The present practice of announcing Mass intentions is not conducive to the promotion of a healthy liturgical atmosphere.

MASS OFFERING IN THE REVISED CODE

The new code does not use the word “stipend”(stipendium). Instead the word “offering” is used. The word “stipend” (stipendium) in Roman times was used for wage paid to soldiers. Even St. Thomas Aquinas used this term to refer to the donation for the celebration of Masses according to a definite intention because it is indicated that the donation was compensation for the priest’s time and labor rather than the selling of graces. This exactly meant payment for services rendered.

The revised code espouses the term “offering” — a term which better conveys the free will, gratuitious nature of a gift.

Canon 946: “The faithful who make an offering so that Mass can be celebrated for their intention, contribute to the good of the Church, and that by their offering they share in the Church’s concern for the support of its ministers and its activities.”

It is clear from the prescriptions of the Code that Mass offerings should be seen as a gift to the Church for the support of its ministers or other purposes and not as a contract involving services in return for the payment of money. In accepting a Mass offering, the only obligation the priest undertakes is the canonical obligation to celebrate the Mass. It is enough that a priest has at least the habitual and implicit intention of offering the Masses at which he presides or concelebrates for the donor’s intentions, this obligation is satisfied. No other obligations — such as publicizing the intention — are incurred by accepting the offering.

To the question of multi-intentions applied to one Mass we respond according to the Church’s mind:

Canon 945: “In accordance with the approved custom of the Church, any priest who celebrates or concelebrates a Mass may accept an offering to apply the Mass for a specific intention.”

The law prescribes that a priest can accept one offering for one Mass but does not exclude other intentions to be prayed for which are not conjoined with an offering. This we do in the Eucharistic prayer itself when it speaks of offering the Eucharistic sacrifice for the Church, the pope, bishops, clergy, the faithful and other intentions aside from the donor of the Mass offering. Also, in the liturgy of the Mass itself, e.g. in the prayers of the faithful, different intentions are prayed for other than the intention of the donor.

We should therefore avoid creating a mentality of “commercialism” as regards the sacraments and in particular, to the Eucharist. Our present practices have led our people to think that they pay for the sacrament with the amount they give to their priests. We can no longer allow such practices to persist since they run contrary to the reforms of Vatican II.

In view of these considerations we recommend the following:

* Our people need to be catechized on the real meaning of Mass offerings. They are not payment for the sacraments but are voluntary gifts to the Church for her needs and works.

* To cease the practice of announcing the intentions of the Mass before the celebration of the Mass. The various expressions “This Mass is being offered for —,” or especially offered,” or “celebrated for,” or “the intention of this Mass is —,” or “the special intention is—” are not exact and misleading since the effect of the Mass is not limited by the donor’s intentions.

Devotedly in Christ,

(Sgd.) + JAIME L. CARDINAL SIN, D.D.

Archbishop of Manila

July 16, 1997