Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the Masses offered, and who celebrates them?
Masses are offered at our seminary in Cheshire, Connecticut, and by Legionary priests around the world. With 1,309 priests in 95 communities, your loved one is remembered in prayer with deep care and devotion.
How soon will the Mass be celebrated?
Mass requests are processed daily and shared with our communities for prompt celebration. All Masses, especially Gregorian Masses, are guaranteed to be celebrated within 6 months of the date of receipt, but are usually said much sooner. We’ll do our best to honor specific date requests.
What is Purgatory, and why do we pray for the dead?
Praying for the dead is an act of love, mercy, and hope. We believe that souls, though saved, still need purification before entering Heaven. This state is called Purgatory—a place of purification and preparation. Through our prayers—and especially the Holy Mass—we entrust the souls of Purgatory to God’s love and ask that they may soon see His face.
What does it mean to have a Mass offered for a soul?
The Holy Mass is the Church’s most powerful prayer. Offering a Mass unites a soul—living or deceased—to that saving mystery. It is a plea for healing and eternal peace. To request a Mass is to entrust a soul to the mercy of Christ Himself.
Can I request a Mass for someone who isn’t Catholic?
Yes. God’s mercy knows no bounds. When a Mass is offered for any soul—Catholic or not—we place that person in God’s loving care. Every intention is heard by the One who sees each heart and welcomes every prayer.
What’s the difference between Single Mass, a Novena, and a Gregorian Series?
Single Mass: One Mass for your intention (can include multiple names). Living or deceased.
Novena: Nine Masses for one or more names. Living or deceased. Novenas are nine days of prayer during which we meditate on a particular topic or prepare ourselves deeply for a specific feast day. You can sign up to receive our novenas by email by subscribing.
Gregorian Mass Series: 30 consecutive daily Masses for one deceased soul, offered without interruption.
What is the origin of Gregorian Masses?
This tradition began with Pope St. Gregory the Great in the 6th century. When a fellow monk died with sins on his conscience, Gregory had 30 daily Masses offered. After the last Mass, the monk appeared in a vision, freed to enter into heaven. Since then, the Church has upheld this sacred practice as a powerful prayer for a soul’s release from Purgatory.
Why prepay for Gregorian Masses?
Prepaying for Gregorian Masses is an act of spiritual foresight. It ensures the Church’s most continuous and powerful intercession for your soul, gives comfort to all your loved ones, and honors the Catholic belief in the importance of praying for the dead.
If you would like to download the forms to prepay a Gregorian Mass series, click here
What is a Triduum of Masses?
A Triduum is three consecutive Masses offered for a special intention—often for healing, thanksgiving, or grace. It’s a sacred way to unite your prayers with Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
What are the “Walking with Christ” and “Life in Christ” series of Masses?
Walking with Christ: 15 Masses, one for each Station of the Cross, ending in the joy of the Resurrection.
Life in Christ: 30 Masses, meditating on Jesus’ life and uniting your intention to His saving love.
Both series offer deep healing and are suitable for both the living and the deceased.
What is the Our Lady of Sorrows Purgatorial Society?
One of the Legion’s patron saints is Our Lady of Sorrows. With this in mind, we have established the Our Lady of Sorrows Purgatorial Society. This perpetual society entrusts souls to Our Lady of Sorrows, patroness of the forgotten and suffering. Members are remembered every Friday at Mass, in a monthly Rosary, and during our All Souls Novena. It is a lasting gift of prayer, love, and spiritual companionship.
Why include Masses in your will?
Leaving Masses in your will is a profound gift, both for yourself and your loved ones. Having Masses celebrated for the repose of one’s soul is a way to seek spiritual help after death, affirming faith in the mercy of Christ and the reality of Purgatory. It also helps you leave a legacy rooted in intercessory prayer and hope. Without including this desire in your will or estate plans, there’s no guarantee your family or executor will arrange for the Masses to be said. You can also protect and surround your loved ones with the prayers of the Church by arranging for Masses to be said for them after you’re gone.
What kind of spiritual impact or message would you wish to leave your loved ones through your own will? Check here for some sample wording for your will.
What are seasonal novenas?
Our Seasonal Novenas are nine days of consecutive Masses, corresponding with particular liturgical seasons or feast days in the Catholic Church.
Where are they said?
All our novenas are celebrated at our Seminary chapel in Cheshire, CT.
Who resides over the Novenas?
Novenas are assigned to one particular priest.
How are my intentions remembered during the Novena?
Each day of the novena, your intention is formally included in the priest’s intention for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Intentions often include the phrase, “For all those for whom this novena is offered.” Your intentions are placed near the altar in the chapel and remain there for the duration of the novena.
What is Perpetual Mass enrollment?
A Perpetual Mass Enrollment is a spiritual gift in the Catholic Church in which an individual (living or deceased) is enrolled in a program where Masses are offered for them regularly and forever. At the Legionaries of Christ our Perpetual enrollment Masses are celebrated every Friday at our seminary in Cheshire, CT. for the rest of time.
Perpetual means forever: The person’s name is enrolled permanently in the spiritual benefits of the Masses, Prayers, and good works of the Legionaries of Christ priests.