Why Request a Mass Intention?Prayer is one of the most powerful ways we can support others. Joining together in prayer for the living and the dead entrusts us all into God's care.
What Is a Mass Intention?A Mass intention is a specific petition for which the Mass is offered. Mass intentions can be requested on behalf of another living person—for example, the healing of someone sick or to commemorate a wedding anniversary. However, Mass intentions are most commonly offered in remembrance of a person who has died.
Offering a Mass For the DeceasedIt may seem counterintuitive to offer a Mass intention for a person who has died, as their time on earth is finished. However, the practice of offering Mass intentions for the deceased relates to the Catholic belief in purgatory.