Mass Intention Guidelines - Effective May 1, 2024
The practice of requesting a Mass to be offered for loved ones, living or deceased, is a beautiful and meaningful part of our Catholic tradition. In our parish, we have many requests for scheduling such Mass intentions. We try to honor these to the best of our ability and in accordance with the Code of Canon Law and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. As such, the following guidelines are being implemented in order to accommodate the numerous requests in a reasonable and fair manner.
The Mass Intention Book for the next calendar year opens July 1st of the current year (i.e. the 2025 Mass Intention Book opens on July 1, 2024, the 2026 book on July 1, 2025, and so on).
Requesting a Mass:
- Anyone may request a Mass intention for:
- A person who is living or deceased, Catholic or non-Catholic.
- Intentions for a particular person/people.
- Intentions for members of a particular family/families.
- A special intention appropriate to the celebration of the Eucharist e.g. World Peace, Respect for Life, Souls in Purgatory, Vocations, etc. These intentions should be general and not specific to an individual.
- Each household or group may request a maximum of ten (10) Mass intentions per calendar year, which includes five (5) weekend (Saturday or Sunday) and five (5) weekday (Monday through Friday) Masses. This will include no more than one in any given month. If the bulletin posts openings for a specific month, each household or group may contact the parish office for additional Masses.
- Requests may be submitted in person at the parish office or by mail, email, or phone call.
- Requests will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis, in the order in which the request is received.
- Requests will be granted as close to the requested date as possible. If it is not possible to comply with the primary request, the next closest date will be scheduled.
- Any requests the parish is not able to fulfil in one year can be sent to the Chancery Office to pass on to retired priests.
- A $10 stipend is suggested per Mass intention, as determined by Archdiocesan policy. A Mass offering may be more than the suggested stipend. Please write checks payable to St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish. However, no one will be denied a Mass intention because of inability to pay.
- Per Canon Law no intention is allowed to be scheduled farther out than one year from the date of request (i.e. on July 1, 2024 intentions may be scheduled through June 30, 2025; on August 1, 2024 intentions may be scheduled through July 31, 2025, and so on).
- A parish priest is bound on each Sunday and holyday of obligation to offer a Mass “For the People”.
- Intentions will be published in the parish bulletin, on the parish website, and announced at each Mass.
Changes & Cancellations:
- Once an intention has been added to the calendar, requests to change the date/time will not be accepted.
- When a public Mass is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, the intention for the Mass will be rescheduled on the next available date.
- The Parish Director reserves the right to reschedule a Mass intention due to unforeseen parish conflicts.