THE SPIRITUAL value of many pre-signed Mass cards bought in shops has been called into question by Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam. Dr Neary says the church would welcome any legislation in the Government's Charities Bill to eliminate the semblance of trafficking or trading in Masses.
As Christmas is a time when people tend to have additional Masses said for their loved ones, living and deceased, the sales of pre-signed Mass cards soar in some shops, but in many instances these cards have no spiritual value.
"The selling of pre-signed Mass cards in retail outlets is not an acceptable practice and unfortunately some individuals and companies have exploited this traditional act of support of the church with commercial profit as its motive," Dr Neary said. "These cards have no spiritual value. Priests regard the contractual obligation to say Mass very seriously."
His comments come as a Government amendment to the Charities Bill 2007 has been added to prohibit the sale of bogus Mass cards. Dr Neary said that the practice of offering Mass for a particular intention is a time-honoured and praiseworthy tradition of the Catholic Church, but a Mass cannot be bought and there is no "price" on a Mass; what is given is a donation or offering.
According to Canon Law: "In accordance with the approved custom of the church, any priest who celebrates or concelebrates a Mass may accept an offering to apply the Mass for a specific intention.
"The faithful who make an offering so that Mass can be celebrated for their intentions, 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".
In normal circumstances when Mass cards are signed by a priest, a suggested-recommended rate for a Mass offering can be made.
"In the archdiocese of Tuam, €10 is the suggested offering for a Mass with a particular intention," Dr Neary says. "The usual practice is that a Mass card is signed by a priest, the intention noted and then at a specific time, Mass is offered for the said intention.
"A priest is entitled to keep one Mass stipend only per day. If a priest has a surplus of Mass stipends, he may choose to send them to priests on the missions. This is often a valuable and much appreciated source of income for them."
Another acceptable practice is a share in Masses, whereby it is clearly stated that the particular intention will be included along with others in a specified number of Masses, normally at a determined rate less than that offered for a single Mass intention. This practice has been given church approval for a number of religious orders and recognised shrines, for example Knock shrine.
"In some parishes, for example Tuam Cathedral parish, in order to accommodate the large number of requests for Masses, a number of intentions will be accepted for a particular Mass.
"Each intention will be announced and prayed for, but the priest will only keep one stipend and send the others away to the Missions. This system has been in operation in a number of parishes recently," the archbishop adds.
The controversy regarding pre-signed Mass cards being sold in shops has been going on for years. In the midlands a few years ago, it was discovered that Mass cards being sold in a number of shops were signed by missionary priests who had died years earlier, or by others who could not be verified as priests at all.