Holy Mass for the Dead

Introduction: November is traditionally a month dedicated to remembering our departed loved ones. Many visit their graves to offer prayers or request holy Masses for the dead. During this time, we continue to pray for those who have gone before us in faith, trusting they may be embraced by God. A significant day for commemorating the faithful departed is All Souls’ Day. However, the practice of praying for the dead is unfortunately declining in contemporary society because they are unaware of the teachings of the Church in this regard. Moreover, someone asked during a seminar about the reasoning behind celebrating Masses and praying for the deceased. It is essential to understand and recognize the significance of these prayers, the effectiveness of holy Masses offered for the repose of souls, and the importance of praying for those in purgatory. 

Magisterium on Holy Mass/Prayers for the Dead: Offering Mass for the faithful departed is closely linked to our belief in purgatory. We believe that if someone dies with faith in God but still has venial sins, God’s love and mercy will purify that soul. Once purified, the soul can attain the holiness necessary to share in the beatific vision in heaven. 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.

The practice of offering holy Mass for the deceased is not new. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) asserts, “From the beginning, the Church has honoured the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic Sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God” (CCC 1032). This tradition has deep roots in the Old Testament. Judas Maccabees offered prayers and sacrifices for the Jewish soldiers who had died wearing pagan amulets, which were forbidden by the Law. II Maccabees reads, “they turned to prayer, beseeching that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out” (12:42) and “Therefore, he (Judas Maccabees) made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin” (12:46).

Throughout the early history of the Church, we find compelling evidence that prayers were offered for the deceased, highlighting a profound belief in the importance of remembrance and intercession for those who have passed. Inscriptions uncovered in tombs in the Roman catacombs of the second century are evidence of this practice, e.g., in the epitaph on the tomb of St Abercius (d. 180), Bishop of Hieropolis in Phrygia requests prayers for the repose of his soul; St Tertullian in 211 attested to observing the anniversary of death with prayers; likewise, the Canons of Hippolytus (c. 235) clearly insists on the offering of prayers for the deceased during the holy Mass.

The testimony of the Church Fathers beautifully supports this belief. St Cyril of Jerusalem (d. 386), in one of his many catechetical discourses, explained how at holy Mass both the living and dead are remembered, and how the Eucharistic Sacrifice of our Lord is of benefit to sinners, living and dead. St Ambrose (d. 397) preached, “We have loved them during life; let us not abandon them in death, until we have conducted them by our prayers into the house of the Lord.” St Monica asked her son St Augustine to “remember her at the altar” after death. St John Chrysostom (d. 407) stated, “Let us help end commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation?” Pope St Gregory (d. 604) said, “Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers. for them.”

In his Encyclical Mirae Caritatis (1902), Pope Leo XIII articulated a profound insight, firmly establishing the connection between the communion of saints and the Mass. Faith teaches that although the august Sacrifice can be offered to God alone, it can nevertheless be celebrated in honour of the saints now reigning in heaven with God, who has crowned them to obtain their intercession for us, and also, according to apostolic tradition, to wash away the stains of those brethren who died in the Lord but without yet being wholly purified.”

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen gentium) of the Vatican Council II affirmed, “This sacred council accepts loyally the venerable faith of our ancestors in the living communion which exists between us and our brothers who are in the glory of heaven or who are yet being purified after their death” (Lumen gentium, no. 51). The faithful can support departed souls in purification through prayers and sacrifices, with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being the greatest offering. The Holy Mass transcends time and space, uniting the faithful in heaven, on earth and in purgatory into a Holy Communion, and the Holy Eucharist Itself augments our union with Christ, wipes away venial sins, and presences us from future mortal sins (Catechism of Catholic Church, nos. 1391-1396). Therefore, the offering of holy Mass and other prayers or sacrifices for the intentions of the faithful departed are good and holy acts. One might ask, “What if the person's soul has already been purified and gone to heaven?” Since we don’t know God’s judgment or divine timing, it’s meaningful to remember our departed loved ones through prayer and sacrifice. If they are in heaven, our prayers can still benefit souls in purgatory through God’s love and mercy.

What is Gregorian Mass? The practice of offering holy masses for the departed souls is not limited only to requiem mass or the annual rituals of death anniversaries. They also offer Novena and Gregorian masses. A novena is a series of nine successive Holy Masses, while a Gregorian Mass is an ancient tradition of offering thirty consecutive masses in 30 days as soon as possible after a person’s death for the soul as a petition to God for an early exit from purgatory. Gregorian Masses take their name from St Gregory the Great, who was the Pope from 590 to 604. St Gregory the Great contributed to the spread of the pious practice of having these Gregorian Masses celebrated for the deliverance of the souls from purgatory. In his Dialogues, he tells us that he had Masses on thirty consecutive days offered for the repose of the soul of Justus, a monk who had died in the convent of St Andrew in Rome. At the end of the thirtieth Mass, the deceased appeared to one of his fellow monks and announced that he had been delivered from the flames of Purgatory.

Canon Law on the Masses for the Dead and Offerings: Canon 945 recommends earnestly that the priests celebrate Mass for the intention of the Christian faithful, especially the needy, even if they have not received an offering. Canon 948 explains that separate holy Masses are to be offered for the intentions of those for whom a single offering, although small, has been given and accepted. This is the overarching rule; however, because of the infinite value of the Mass and the increasing need to satisfy the spiritual requests of the people with a dwindling number of priests, the Holy See issued a decree in 1991. This decree called Mos iugiter [AAS 83 (1991) 436-446] modified the strict rule of Canon 948 and allowed some use of so-called cumulative intentions under the following conditions:  

i) The donors must be informed of and consent to the combining of their offerings before the Mass for the collective intention is celebrated; ii) The place and time of each Mass must be announced with no more than two such collective Masses per week. iii) The celebrant may only keep for himself one offering (stipend) and must send any excess intentions to the purposes assigned by the ordinary.

The Famous Prayer for the Departed Souls: A well-known prayer for those who have died is the Prayer of St Gertrude. St Gertrude was a Benedictine nun and mystic from the 13th century. It is said that Jesus promised her that for every time this prayer is said with devotion, one thousand souls will be released from purgatory: Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen. Praying the prayer of St Gertrude together with family members, at least a decade on the rosary beads, is more experiential and comforting than just teaching or preaching, even Praying the prayer of St Gertrude together with family members, at least a decade on the rosary beads, is more experiential and comforting than just teaching or preaching, even if it takes time initially.

Conclusion: We, who are alive, can perform acts of charity for our deceased loved ones in purgatory, as they cannot do so for themselves. Our actions can aid in their atonement. The most perfect way to pray for this is through Christ’s sacrifice, made present in the holy Mass. When the priest offers Mass for a specific intention, it is Jesus’ perfect prayer presented to God, rooted in our love for that person. While we can also pray and engage in acts of self-denial or give alms, nothing is more effective than Jesus’ sacrifice. When a loved one passes away, having a holy Mass offered for their soul and praying for them brings more comfort than any sympathy card or flowers. We should offer holy Mases and our prayers to help them to find eternal rest.

By Dr. Merlin Rengith Ambrose, Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Canon Law.