Mass Intentions for Mission Priests
For many mission priests, Mass offerings are a substantial means of daily support. Mass intentions and donations distributed by the Office of Missions are sent directly to mission dioceses and religious communities around the world.
The practice of making Mass offerings dates to the early Church when the faithful brought bread and wine for the Mass and other gifts in support of the priests and the poor. Today, a monetary Mass offering, a Mass stipend, is a way for the faithful to include a particular intention in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and help support the Church’s mission priests.
The Office of Missions suggests a donation of $10 for a Mass that is offered for your special intention.
Click below to donate and fill out the mass intention form at the bottom of this page.
We look forward to sending your intentions to mission priests.
Mission priests looking to apply for the Mass intention program can find more information here.
Mass Intention Information
- An individual may ask the priest to offer a Mass for several reasons: in thanksgiving, for the intentions of another person, or for the repose of the soul of someone who has died.
- Requests will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis in the order in which this form is received.
- A $10 donation per Mass is customary.
- Mass intentions are sent to mission priests every three months so Masses cannot be celebrated on specific dates.
- If you pay by check, the check should include “Mass Intentions” in the memo.
- Payment can be sent to:
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
Office of Missions
PO Box 223394
Chantilly, VA 20153-3394
Please note:* This form is currently in beta testing and not accepting requests at this time. This note will be deleted once the form is active and accepting requests.
Mass Intention Application for Mission Priests
Priests can apply for their (arch)diocese or religious order and must receive their (arch)bishop or religious superior’s permission to apply.
If the application is accepted, the ordinary is bound to assure that the accepted Mass stipends are administrated, distributed to the single priests and applied in celebration of the Holy Mass according to can. 945-958 CIC. Particularly, he must assure that for each Mass offering received a separate Mass is to be celebrated for the individual intention of the donor (ad intentionem dantis) (cf. can. 948 CIC[1]). Every priest who celebrates Mass for the intentions of the donor should receive, if not agreed differently with the ordinary, the whole amount of the Mass stipend sent to the ordinary. It is not permitted to combine several Mass offerings received from the Office of Missions or to combine these with other Mass offerings and to satisfy them with a single Mass, celebrated according to what is called a ‘collective’ intention. Masses for the accepted Mass offerings are to be celebrated within a period of one year (cf. can. 953 CIC[2]).
According to can. 717 CCEO, if the priests of the Eastern Churches accept offerings for the Divine Liturgy from the Christian faithful of another Church sui iuris (in the case of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, that is the Roman Catholic Church of Latin Rite), they are bound by the grave obligation to observe the norms of that Church (cf can. 717 CIC[3]).
[1] Can. 948 Separate Masses are to be applied for the intentions of those for whom a single offering, although small, has been given and accepted.
[2] Can. 953 No one is permitted to accept more offerings for Masses to be applied by himself than he can satisfy within a year.
[3] Can. 717 If they accept offerings for the Divine Liturgy from the Christian faithful of another Church sui iuris, priests are bound by the grave obligation of observing the norms of that Church, unless it is established otherwise by the donor.
For more information, contact Maeve Gilheney-Gallagher, Global Solidarity Coordinator.