Gregorian Masses--What They Are And Why We Should Have Them Offered!

The Mass Heals!

By Susan Tassone

We hear stories of people who have been healed in body and we are in awe!
We seldom consider how much Jesus does to heal souls suffering on earth and more so the souls suffering in Purgatory. A place which none of us have seen and to which many of us could go. We are invited to act on what Our Lady of Medjugorje and the Saints are telling us!

Our Lady of Medjugorje says, “Most souls go to Purgatory, many go to Hell, and only a few go directly to Heaven.” She also tells us that we gain “new intercessors” when we pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. They become our nearest, sincerest, and dearest friends on earth and in Heaven.

Christ told St. Faustina, “All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only know the torments they suffer.”

We do not stop to think about the physical and spiritual healing through the Eucharist. Today, many are discovering how the Eucharist for the deceased also heals the living as they come into deeper relationship with Jesus. Dr. Kenneth McCall has over 1000 cases of emotional or physical healing occurring with clients by offering a Mass for their deceased loved ones. The Mass heals the living and the dead!

In another early message from Our Lady in Medjugorje, she states, “If we get to church early, and if we spend 10-15 minutes with Our Lord instead of leaving quickly like you do, there would be more miracles in your life and fewer sicker people among you.” The power of prayer is grabbing the headlines. An Arizona journal reports that “intercessory prayer” produced measurable improvement in the medical outcome of critically ill patients. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest act of worship and the highest form of prayer. St. John Chrysostom says,
“Christ is the victim that gives solace to the dead.”

So what are you doing for our dear deceased loved ones? Who do you miss the most? Who do you whish you could have done more for in their life? Who hurt you? Who helped you the most spiritually or temporally? Have a Mass offered for them! The Council of Trent tells us, “The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Perpetual Sacrifice, is the greatest of all suffrages for the Holy Souls.”

A great avenue to have Masses offered is through the Missions. By offering your Masses through the Missions you are providing bread and wine for the Eucharist for a priest in mission countries. These offerings also help with liturgical expenses, books for seminarians, and ministries of the Church. These priests depend on your Masses as their lifeline. Can we help them? Can we help Christ continue His mission on and beyond this earth. And when we do help we are also being merciful to ourselves! Many parish Mass Intention Books are filled years ahead. We have an opportunity to help our deceased loved ones and our missionaries spread the Gospel and bring the Eucharist to God’s beloved poor. And what a marvelous time to do this spiritual work of mercy! The Pope has declared in October, 2004-05, the YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST! The Eucharist is the source and summit of all Christian life. Let us be missionaries of the Eucharist for the Holy Souls languishing in Purgatory.

What are Gregorian Masses? The name is derived from Pope St. Gregory the Great who was the first to popularize this pious practice. St. Gregory relates in his Dialogues how, when he had finished the series of thirty Masses for a departed Monk, the monk appeared to tell him he had thus gained entry into glory on completion of the Gregorian Masses. The hallowed tradition has been declared “a pious and reasonable belief of the faithful” on the authority of the Sacred Roman Congregation on indulgences. The Gregorian Masses are offered for ONE DECEASED SOUL...not a couple or family. PUT THEM IN YOUR WILLS!

As you will appreciate, few priests by reason of their work are free and able to offer the 30 consecutive Masses of the Gregorian series without interruption. Hence, it requires extra time to arrange to have the Gregorian Masses scheduled as this cannot be done usually in a place where there are only a few priests. This is why they are usually offered through the “Missions.” The customary offering for the uninterrupted series of 30 daily consecutive Masses is $130 through the following:

Catholic Mission Office
721 N. LaSalle
Chicago, IL 60610
(312)-382-3328

Individual masses are $5.  For more information email Susan Tassone at stassone@archchicago.org. For a donation of $170 you can have the name(s) of your loved ones engraved on the chalice.  A wonderful way to be remembered at the altar of God through these missionary priests for years to come.

And remember to have Masses offered for yourselves, special occasions, during the Holidays. It is refreshing surprise to give someone the gift of prayer! St. Anselm tells us that those we hear or have offered during life are more profitable than those offered for us after death. In this way we shall not be at the mercy of those who remain behind. There is much truth in the proverb which says: “A candle placed before us gives more light than ten candles placed behind us.” Only by the means of the Mass can we nourish the hope of being received into Heaven immediately after death, without having to pass through the cleansing flames of Purgatory.

Aug 2004