The grace in offering masses may not always be seen or felt. Nevertheless, it is a gift from God of sanctifying (habitual) grace. The two Palanca masses are offered beginning at 9:30am on Friday and Saturday of the Cursillo weekend. Do we think it is coincidental that on Friday’s schedule, the first Rollo, Ideals, begins at 9:30am and on Saturday at 9:30am the Sacraments talk begins.

It would be great to see full houses for each of these masses. If you have not had time to write and do Palanca, offering your time and the graces of these masses for the intentions of the candidates serves as a powerful witness to the grace of God.

Below are two reflections about this:

Any Catholic may offer up the Mass in which he or she participates for any good intention. Certainly, graces will accrue in accordance with the intensity of that person's participation and sincerity.

In the case of the deceased in purgatory any benefit is received passively, since the soul is no longer capable of performing new meritorious acts. While such a soul is already saved, it cannot increase in sanctity but only purify those imperfections which impede its definitive entrance into glory.

A living person, however, is still capable of growing in sanctifying grace. And so a Mass offered for a person already in God's grace has the effect of offering a gift of increased grace which the person may willingly receive in order to become more Christ like. Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.

Given this understanding, we can add some specifics. When a priest offers Holy Mass, he has three intentions: First, to offer the Mass reverently and validly in accord with the norms of the Church. Second, to offer the Mass in union with the whole Church and for the good of the whole Church. Third, to offer the Mass for a particular intention, such as the repose of the soul of someone who has died. Therefore, the effects of the Mass bring certain benefits or fruits. The general fruits of the Mass are the effects upon the whole Church — to the living faithful as well as the poor souls in purgatory. For this reason, in the Canon of the Mass (the Eucharistic Prayer), a special mention is made for both the living and the dead.

The special ministerial fruits of the Mass are applied to the particular intention of the Mass, i.e. "for whom the Mass is offered." The special personal fruits of the Mass benefit the celebrating priest who acts in the person of Christ in offering the Mass and to the people who are in attendance and participate in the offering of the Mass.

These fruits are both extensively and intensively finite, since each of us is finite. Therefore, the more a Mass is offered, the more benefit is conferred. For example, all things being equal, 10 Masses offered for the repose of a soul confer 10 times the benefit of one Mass.

Saunders, Rev. William. "Mass Intentions." Arlington Catholic Herald.

This article is reprinted with permission from Arlington Catholic Herald.

Dn. Tim Helmeke