​From the very beginnings of the Church, it was customary for the faithful to donate the bread and wine to be used in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.  In time, offerings of money were substituted for the actual bread and wine.  Money given in excess of what was necessary for the procuring of the bread and wine was used to assist the poor and, eventually, to support the clergy.  Thus, it became customary for the priest to accept from the faithful a donation (formerly called a “stipend”) in return for remembering a specific intention in the celebration of a Mass.  Through this voluntary offering, the donor seeks spiritual benefits that God may bestow upon the persons or concerns that are specially held in prayer at the Mass.  What is more, the Code of Canon Law (canon 946) notes that the donor himself benefits: “Christ’s faithful who make an offering so that Mass can be celebrated for their intention, contribute to the good of the Church, and by that offering they share in the Church’s concern for the support of its ministers and its activities.”
 
According to the Council of Trent (1545-1563), the Mass “is quite properly offered according to apostolic tradition not only for the sins, punishments, satisfactions and other needs of the faithful who are living but also for those who have died in Christ but are not yet fully purified” (Session XXII, Chapter 2).  In his Pastoral Letter on the Christian Burial of the Dead (2 November 2000), then-Bishop Raymond Burke emphasized the latter: “The age-old custom of making an offering so that Mass may be celebrated for the eternal rest of the deceased is to be commended . . . (Indeed) there are no more effective means to express our love and provide spiritual help for those who have died than to have the Mass offered for the eternal repose of their souls” (9-10).  

1. ALL SUNDAY AND HOLY DAY MASSES ARE RESERVED FOR THE INTENTION OF: "THE LIVING AND DECEASED MEMBERS OF ST. MARY'S BIG RIVER PARISH" - Universal Church discipline as contained in the Code of Canon Law (canons 945-958), as well as legislation of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference and that of the Diocese of La Crosse strictly, regulates the offerings made for the celebration of Mass. The pastor is “obliged to apply a Mass for the people (pro populo) entrusted to the pastor's care on each Sunday and holy day of obligation” (Code of Canon Law, 534).  

2. The suggested amount of the Mass offering is ten dollars ($10.00), as determined by the Bishops of Wisconsin.  These monies are deposited in a separate account of our parish called the Mass Offering Account.  Should the donor offer more than the suggested amount for the Mass, that excess – unless specified otherwise – is deposited in the parish Friendship Fund (Fund for Works of Charity) to be used for the assistance of the needy.  Note that no one is denied the celebration of a Mass for a particular intention based on the inability to make an offering.

3. The preferred method to request a Mass intention is to use the envelopes labeled for that purpose that is already included in your annual offertory envelope packet.  You may also use a plain envelope that is clearly marked “Mass Intention” to identify its contents.  The envelope may be placed in the offertory collection basket or mailed to the parish office.  Our Administrative Assistant is our staff member who processes your Mass intention requests.

4. In the Mass intention, envelope include the intention itself (indicating if the person is deceased by a “+” before the name), who is requesting the Mass, your contact information, the monetary offering (with checks made out to “Saint Mary's Parish”), and the desired date (if there is one).  For example, “One Mass for +John Doe requested by the Doe Family on any weekday.  You may reach me, Jane Doe, at 715.000.0000 or janedoe@email.com.”

5. The scheduling of Mass intentions at Saint Mary's is on a first-come, first-served, basis. Mass intentions may be requested no more than twelve months in advance.  Please note that the scheduling of a Mass intention reserves that date for your intention should a parish Mass be celebrated on that day.  It does not guarantee that a Mass will in fact be celebrated on that day at Saint Mary.  If Mass is not able to be celebrated at Saint Mary on the reserved date, you will be notified in a timely manner and the intention will be rescheduled -or-  the mass will be celebrated away, wherever Father is at.

6. Each parishioner may request a maximum of ten Mass intentions to be celebrated at Saint Mary's in a twelve-month period. 

7. How the Mass is "Offered for an Intention":  Prior to the celebration of each parish Mass, the priest celebrant consults the official listing of Mass intentions in the sacristy.  From this authorized register, the priest celebrant forms his intent to offer the Mass for the requested intention.  It is this – the priest celebrant’s intent – that determines the intention for which the Mass is offered, not what may be read (or occasionally misread) in the Prayer of the Faithful.

8. Offerings for Masses that cannot be celebrated at Saint Mary's within one year must be forwarded to the Mission Office of our Diocese.  Thus, priests in the missions who lack Mass offerings (see Code of Canon Law 953, 956) will offer these Masses in a timely manner.