We are blessed to be a vibrant parish comprised of more than 2,200 households and it is our privilege to receive so many prayer requests for weekend Masses.

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To provide all parishioners with a fair opportunity to request Mass Intentions for their loved ones, Holy Apostles Parish follows these guidelines:

The Meaning of a Mass Intention
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. The celebration of the Holy Mass is the greatest prayer of the Church. When a Mass is offered for a particular intention, the faithful unite their prayers with Christ's perfect sacrifice offered to the Father.

The offering (also called an oblation or stipend) is not the purchase of a Mass. The Mass cannot be bought or sold. Rather, the offering is a voluntary gift made as a symbolic sacrifice and an expression of the faithful's spiritual participation in the Eucharistic celebration. Through this offering, the faithful desire to unite themselves more closely to the Eucharistic sacrifice, adding their own sacrifice, supporting the mission of the Church, and contributing to the maintenance of its sacred ministers. These offerings are acts of faith, charity, and spiritual solidarity.

Parish Guidelines for Mass Intentions
1. One Intention Per Mass

• Only one Mass intention will be scheduled for each regularly scheduled Mass. (cf. Canon 948).

• The one Mass Intention will be published in the bulletin and read out loud during the Universal Prayers (Prayers of the Faithful).

• The priest is bound to celebrate a mass at one mass every weekend and on Holy Days of obligation for the intentions of our parishioners known as Pro Populo “For the People”. (cf. Canon 534)

• A Mass intention may be requested for: a deceased loved one; a living person who is sick or suffering; a living person who is celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special moment in their life; in thanksgiving to God; in thanksgiving for a prayer from a Blessed or a Saint; or for a prayer intention (so long as the intention does not contradict Church teaching).

• Lengthy intention listings must be edited for the sake of brevity. Each mass intention is limited to either two names or one group. 

• Mass Intentions cannot be scheduled for Holy Thursday, or All Souls Day as these masses are traditionally offered for the living and deceased members of Holy Apostles.

2. Collective Masses

• Collective Masses will be celebrated on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

• Up to 3 family or individual intentions may be included at each Collective Mass.

• Collective Masses are for deceased intentions only.

• In accordance with the Decree on Collective Mass Intentions (Congregation for the Clergy, 1991; “a collective intention can only be offered when the people who request on these days have been explicitly informed and have freely consented to combining their offerings in a single offering”.

3. Unannounced Intentions

• Once the parish calendar is filled, and the parish is not able to fulfill intentions those requests will be sent to the Chancery Office to pass on to retired priests.

• These intentions are guaranteed to be fulfilled, although the specific date of the Mass cannot be guaranteed.

• Intentions offered elsewhere will not be announced at Mass or printed in the parish bulletin.

4. Annual Request Limit
To allow as many parishioners as possible the opportunity to schedule Mass Intentions:

• Each requester may schedule up to ten (10) Mass intentions per calendar year.

• Of those ten:

• Two (2) may be scheduled for weekend Masses.

• Eight (8) may be scheduled for weekday Masses.

• No more than one in any given month.

Holy Apostles Parish is committed to administering Mass Intentions with fairness, reverence, and fidelity to the Church's standards while ensuring that every request is treated with prayerful care and respect. The Mass Intention Book for the 2027 calendar year opens August 6, 2026. A stipend of $20 is suggested per Mass Intention as determined by Archdiocesan Policy.

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