Remembering the Dead By Name At Mass

November is that precious time in the Church’s Liturgical Year when special attention is given to the noble custom of offering prayers and Masses for our beloved dead.  Truly, in this sense, November is a time to remember those who have gone before us, to pray that the Lord will be merciful in forgiving them their sins, and that He will bestow upon them the joys and blessings of life in His Presence forever.

For this reason, a number of my articles this month have been reflections about the Church’s teachings and customs with regard to our sacred rites and practices on behalf of the Faithful Departed.  

Recently, I received this correspondence from a reader who writes:  “On various anniversaries throughout the year, I have asked the Priest at our parish to offer Mass for my deceased husband.  I make every effort to attend Mass on those anniversaries.  I even note that my husband’s intention is listed in the parish bulletin the week the Mass is to be offered.  Yet, when I attend that Mass, Father never mentions my husband’s name.  Why?  Is the Mass being offered for my husband’s intention or not?”

Hers is an excellent question and reflects some confusion which I am sure is shared by many lay people and, I must confess, on the part of some Priests as well.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (the GIRM) contains both the theology and the liturgical laws which govern the manner in which the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is to be celebrated throughout the world.  The first edition of the GIRM was published in 1969 following the liturgical reforms initiated by Vatican Council II.  Since then, it has undergone a further revision.

The Clergy and the laity are to observe the precepts contained within the GIRM.  And so, in answering this lady’s question and concern, permit me to cite the appropriate directives specified in the GIRM.

Eucharistic Prayers II and III provide a special formulary of prayer for the dead which instructs that the name of the deceased person is to be mentioned in a type of Mass referred to as THE MASS OF THE DEAD, that is, in any Mass that is celebrated for a dead person or in which a dead person receives special remembrance.” (GIRM, n. 322b)

It would seem, then, that the Priest who has received and promised to fulfill a request by this lady to offer Mass for her deceased husband is duty-bound to mention his name if he is offering THE MASS OF THE DEAD for the deceased.

However, and this is an important however, so please take note.  It is important to understand that the aforesaid directive must be read and observed in light of a previously-stipulated precept which directs that the Priest is to use restraint in offering THE MASS OF THE DEAD on a daily basis:  “...(the Priest) should use the Mass of the Dead sparingly.  Every Mass is offered for both the living and the dead and there is a remembrance of the dead in each Eucharistic Prayer.” (GIRM, n. 316)

Applying this to this lady’s and others’ experience of not hearing their dearly departed’s name mentioned during the Eucharistic Prayer at a Mass for their intentions, one should rightfully conclude that the Priest is not celebrating THE MASS OF THE DEAD on these occasions.  Rather, the Priest is mostly likely celebrating the Weekday Mass, the Mass of an Optional Memorial, the Mass of a Saint inscribed in the Martyrology for that day, a Mass for various needs, or even a Votive Mass.  It might even be that the Priest is offering either Eucharistic Prayer I or IV which do not provide a formula for mentioning the name of the deceased even if he is indeed offering THE MASS OF THE DEAD.

Rest assured, however, that even though your deceased loved one’s name may not be mentioned, the Mass is being offered for his intention and for the blessed reposed of his immortal soul.

I would, therefore, encourage you to continue to have Masses offered for his intentions and those of the Faithful Departed.

I would encourage my Brother-Priests to perhaps remember the deceased person's name during the Prayers of the Faithful, an opportune moment to exercise care and provide comfort to those present who mourn the loss of their loved ones.

Certainly, this custom is precious and sacred in the history of the Church.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church asserts:  “From the beginning, the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offering prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic Sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the Beatific Vision of God.” (Paragraph 1032)

I hope this allays the lady’s concerns as well as questions others may have about this.

When we face the death of someone, even a person who may not be Catholic, the offering of Mass for his or her intention is most comforting and spiritually beneficial, both for the deceased and for those who mourn their loss.

May we always remember our own dearly departed ones at Mass and in our daily prayers.  May the attain the blessings of Eternal Life and intercede to the Lord on our behalf as well.