Guidelines for Mass Intentions – St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church

Mass Intention Guidelines of St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church

The Eucharistic Sacrifice is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11). Through the celebration of the sacred mysteries, the Christian faithful give thanks and praise to God and are therefore sanctified by their own participation in the work of our redemption. From the earliest days of Christians breaking the bread of the Lord’s Supper, there has existed the pious practice of offering Masses for the repose of the souls of our beloved dead and for other special intentions (Code of Canon Law, Book IV, Chapter III). At St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church, we share in this centuries-old tradition. In order to ensure a fair scheduling process, the following guidelines are in effect for requesting Mass intentions at our parish.

How to Request a Mass Intention

Mass intentions are requested through the St. Stephen the Martyr Parish Office.
Requests may be mailed to the parish office with the monetary offering, the name of the Mass intention as it will be listed in the bulletin, the name of the person/household making the offering, a reliable means of contact, and any days of preference for Mass. The mailing address of the parish off is:

St. Stephen the Martyr
Parish Office
16701 “S” Street
Omaha, NE 68135

Requests may also be made directly in the parish office with one of the secretaries. The parish office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM.

Nota Bene

Even after the Mass has been scheduled, the date and time of the Mass which is to be offered for a particular intention is subject to change depending on priest availability.
For this reason, the person/household making the request must provide a reliable means of contact so that changes in the schedule can be communicated.
The Missa pro populo, meaning “Mass for the People,” on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is a personal obligation of the Pastor. Therefore, Mass intentions on those days are subject to change to ensure that the Pastor offers Mass for that particular intention.
A household may request a number of Mass intentions that exceeds 24, but the 25th intention and on will not be celebrated at St. Stephen the Martyr. Those intentions and their monetary offerings will be sent to the Chancery of the Archdiocese of Omaha to be distributed among the retired priests of the diocese, assuring that the Masses are celebrated.

Additional questions can be directed to the parish office.

Universal and Local Regulations

Guidelines Effective: March 5, 2025 (Ash Wednesday)

Mass intentions may be requested for the deceased whom the Church has not declared saints, for persons on the earth in need of prayers, or for a ‘special intention.’
On Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, the Pastor must offer a Missa pro populo, meaning a “Mass for the People” of his parish.
Given that a priest may not accept more Mass offerings than he can celebrate within one year, Mass intentions may only be requested one year in advance of their celebration.
Only one intention may be applied to a single Mass.

Number of Requests

A maximum of 24 Mass intentions per year may be requested by a household.
These may all be for the same intention or for different intentions.
A maximum of 2 Mass intentions per month may be requested by a household.
A maximum of 4 Mass intentions per year may be requested by a household for a Mass on Saturday evening, Sunday morning, or Sunday evening.
These 4 intentions are included in those listed in number 5 of this section.
A household may only request one Mass intention per year from among the following celebrations: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day.
This intention is included in those listed in number 5 of this section.
A household may not request a Mass intention for the same holiday 2 years in a row.
This limitation applies to those four holidays listed in number 8 of this section.

The Offering Made

The common Mass offering in the Archdiocese of Omaha is $10.

The offering for a Mass is made via cash or check.
The offering for a Mass intention must be received before the Mass is scheduled.
However, a Mass will not be refused the Christian faithful if no offering is made yet a particular intention is still requested.
After the offering is received, the Mass intention may not be changed using the same offering. (e.g.: If one requests a Mass for one’s mother, that intention cannot later be changed to one’s father. Mass for the father would require a new request).