Offering or requesting a mass refers to the priest’s intention when he celebrates a Mass. The priest celebrates a Mass seeking to apply the spiritual benefits of the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus Christ to the requested intention.
The Shrine of St. Jude is fortunate to be sponsored by the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Albert the Great and to be able to invite those friars to celebrate your mass intentions. The money you donate for the celebration of Masses goes toward the training of young men to become Dominican Friars and the support of elderly friars who are no longer able to engage in active ministry. Thank you!
You can order individual masses for $10, or a series of masses called a Gregorian Mass for $500. Gregorian Masses for the dead are a very ancient practice dating back to Pope St. Gregory the Great in the 6th century. The custom involves offering a mass each day on behalf of a deceased loved one for 30 consecutive days. While typically requested soon after someone dies, a “Gregorian Thirty” aka “Gregorian Mass” aka “Thirty Masses” may be offered on behalf of a soul in Purgatory at any time. You can find more information about this custom, its spiritual effects, and its legitimacy at these sites (here, here, and here).
The Shrine of St. Jude acknowledges the gift of Masses and its spiritual graces with a 5.5″ x 8.5″ commemorative card.