Mass Intentions

Mass Intentions and the Sanctuary Light

Two longstanding parts of our Catholic culture is that of Sanctuary Lights in the presence of the Eucharist and the custom of offering Mass intentions. Our Sanctuary Light in the church is the original one from when the church was built in 1942; however, at the time, there were two sanctuary lamps designed by Albert Bendernagel.

In 1970-71, the Sanctuary was renovated to adhere to the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council. At the time, those guidelines were interpreted as necessitating more "simplicity" and many items that were deemed overly decorative were removed. This included both of the sanctuary lamps. Initially, a simple lamp was suspended from one of the arches in the back of the apse near the tabernacle.

One of the lamps was given to Our Lady of Mercy Church (originally a mission of Sacred Heart) and it is hanging on the side of their Sanctuary, near the tabernacle. The other lamp, as well as many other items, were sold or given away. Fortunately, some of the ladies of the Altar Society were able to retrieve the lamp as well as some of the other discarded items—including our beloved Nativity statues! The original lamp was eventually re-hung on the east side wall of the Sanctuary. Sadly, the original brackets (also designed by Mr. Bendernagel) were not among the returned items.

If you read through the bulletin weekly, you’ll notice that (usually on the last page) there is a space that denotes for whom the Sanctuary Light is in honor or in memory of each month. This relates to the custom of offering Mass intentions. Often offered in memory of a loved one or for a special intention, the practice of offering Mass for a particular intention is one that dates back to early days of the church.

When a priest celebrates Mass each day, he will offer each celebration of the Eucharist for a particular person or intention – in this action, he applies special graces from God upon that person or intention similar to how we are able to intercede for one another in prayer. Canon Law states, “In accordance with the approved practice of the Church, any priest celebrating or concelebrating is permitted to receive an offering to apply the Mass for a specific intention.” (Canon 945 2) The faithful requesting the intention often make an offering to the church with their request to show “their intention [to] contribute to the good of the Church and by that offering share its concern to support its ministers and works.” (Canon 496)

We at Sacred Heart list the requested intentions weekly in our Parish Bulletin and announce the specific intention(s) before each Mass and invite the congregation to join in praying for these intentions. Typically, each weekday Mass is celebrated for one intention and some weekend Masses are celebrated for four to ten intentions. Additionally, each weekend, one Mass is offered for the “people of the parish” (Canon 388 1). This Mass is often called the “Pro Populo” Mass and is when the pastor offers Mass exclusively for the souls entrusted to him that are registered in the Parish and within the Parish geographical boundaries. The Sanctuary Lamp which burns in the Church Sanctuary and in the Adoration Chapel are also often lit in honor or memory of loved ones each month. As prescribed in Leviticus “Aaron shall set up the lamp to burn before the LORD regularly, from evening till morning, by a perpetual statute throughout your generations. He shall set up the lamps on the pure gold menorah to burn regularly before the LORD.” (Lev 10:3-4) These customs are part of our church’s rich history and tradition and we at Sacred Heart are blessed with our unique architectural pieces to accompany these traditions.

If you or a loved one are interested in requesting a Mass intention or one of the Sanctuary Lights, please click the button below to download the request form or email the Parish Office at receptionist@sacredheartbr.org.