FAQ

What is Missae pro Missa?

Missae pro Missa ("Masses for the Mass") is a worldwide effort to preserve the Traditional Latin Mass by means of the most powerful prayer on Earth: the Catholic Mass. By Pentecost Sunday 2023, we hope to have at least one million Masses requested or heard for this intention.

Pentecost Update (5/28/2023): Thank you to all who have participated in the spiritual bouquet so far! While today was the originally announced deadline for the campaign, we will continue to accept submissions and update totals weekly. Veni Sancte Spiritus!

How does it work?

It's simple. If you want to see the Traditional Latin Mass preserved in the life of the Church, join our worldwide spiritual bouquet. You can participate in four ways:

1.  Request Masses to be said (e.g., through a parish, religious order, or another group) for the preservation of the Traditional Latin Mass (or if you're a priest, celebrate Masses for this intention)

2.  Offer your own hearings of Mass for this intention

3.  Pray rosaries for this intention

4.  Share Missae pro Missa with others

This website totals the number of offerings made by people throughout the world, gathering up a spiritual bouquet of Masses for the Mass (Missae pro Missa).

How will requesting and hearing Masses help?

In every Mass, Jesus offers Himself (Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity) to His Father in an act of perfect reparation, thanksgiving, adoration, and supplication, renewing the Offering He made on the Cross for these same intentions. Through the Mass, God's graces flow down to humanity through Jesus, and in a special way, these graces are applied to the intention for which the Mass is offered.

When Masses are said or heard for the preservation of the Traditional Latin Mass, Jesus will offer Himself to His Father especially for this intention. There is no prayer more powerful than the perfect prayer of Jesus in the Mass.

For what intention specifically is this effort directed?

The official intention of the Missae pro Missa effort is "for the preservation and liberty of the Traditional Latin Mass, for the good of the Church and the world."

What is the goal of this effort?

Our goal is to collect, by Pentecost Sunday 2023, a spiritual bouquet of one million Masses (requested or heard) and one million rosaries offered for this intention.

How do I "request" a Mass for this intention?

You've probably heard announcements at Mass that the Mass is being offered for some particular intention. You too can request that a Mass be celebrated for a particular intention. Masses can be requested from a variety of sources. Contact your local parish, your local religious order, or a similar group to make a Mass request. Afterwards, submit it to the spiritual bouquet so it can be added to the worldwide total.

The Masses for this effort may be requested "for the preservation of the Latin Mass" or simply for your personal intentions. In the latter case, explain to God your intention behind the Mass and be assured that He will accept it.

How do I "hear" a Mass for this intention?

There is no one way to offer your hearing of a Mass for an intention, but the key is to unite your prayer to Jesus' Offering of Himself to His Father in the Sacrifice of the Mass. Some options include:

• Before Mass, bring your intention to mind and ask Jesus to unite it to His Offering in the upcoming Mass

• During the Offertory, spiritually place on the paten your intention for the Mass, and offer it to God along with the priest

• During the Consecration and Elevation, pray for your intention to Jesus Who has just been made Present

• In your prayer after Holy Communion, discuss your intention with Jesus and ask Him to unite it to His Offering in the Mass

• As you follow the Mass, try to apply the words of the Mass to your intention, such as by praying the Memento Domine (Commemoration of the Living) with your intention in mind

Do I need to request or hear only Traditional Latin Masses for this intention?

No. The Masses requested or heard for this effort can be any valid Catholic Mass (Extraordinary Form, Ordinary Form, Byzantine Rite, etc.).

Aren’t the merits of the Mass infinite? Does it help to have more Masses requested or heard for this intention?

Because Jesus is the Priest and Victim of the Mass, the Mass has an infinite value in itself. But the effect that the Mass has on mankind is finite and increases with the number of Masses applied to the intention. Therefore, it is more beneficial to have more Masses requested and heard for this intention.

Can I submit my intended commitment to the spiritual bouquet? Or do my submissions need to reflect past offerings?

1.  Masses Requested: You may only submit Masses that you have already requested (e.g., via your parish, a religious order, etc.). Even if those Masses will be celebrated at a future unknown date, Canon Law requires that all requested Masses be fulfilled, and God (being outside of time) can apply the fruits of those Masses now.

2.  Masses Heard: You may submit the number of Masses you have already heard or that you intend to hear for this intention.

3.  Rosaries Prayed: You may submit the number of rosaries you have already prayed or that you intend to pray for this intention.

Do I need to offer my Mass hearing or rosary only for this intention to submit it to the spiritual bouquet?

No. You can combine this intention with other intentions. As long as you actually attach this intention to your Mass hearing or rosary, you can submit to the spiritual bouquet.

Why aren't the Mass and rosary totals updated instantly?

We update the numbers weekly so we can review submissions for plausibility and filter out anything extraneous. While fulfilling your pledged offerings is between you and God, we want to do our part to keep the numbers as accurate as possible by reviewing the submissions first.

Who is organizing this effort?

This effort is organized by ordinary lay Catholics in the United States who love the Traditional Latin Mass and wish to see it remain a flourishing and normal part of the life of the Church. You may send us a message here.