Keeping the Faith Alive
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Mass Offerings

Mass offerings open ourselves to God´s mercy, an expression of charity to which we provide our specific intentions.  The Eucharist is the heart of our faith and each Mass is said for both the living and the dead, uniting our donors closely with the life of the Church.

“The Eucharist connects us in a unique and profound way with Jesus, renewing our heart, our existence and our relationship with Him.” Pope Francis

Mass stipends given through Aid to the Church in Need help poor priests in need around the world with basic subsistence, including housing, food, clothing, heating, medication, hygiene, and transportation.   In some dioceses, priests use Mass offerings to pay their health and social security insurance. Very often, priests use their Mass stipends for poor and needy people in their parishes and to finance their pastoral activities. Mass offerings are also used to support the formation in the Congregations and diocesan seminaries, or for further studies of the priest, particularly for their books. Mass offerings can help priests, too, with spiritual retreats and pilgrimages.  For countless priests around the world, Mass Offerings are the only source of income they have.  Aid to the Church in Need forwards Mass Offerings from our donors to bishops and religious superiors in the countries we serve.  These offerings are then distributed to local priests according to need and availability.   These priests, many whose lives are in danger each day just by living the faith, deeply appreciate the generosity of donors and consider it a profound honor to be celebrating Masses for their intentions. Along with those for healing, for the deceased and for special intentions, the priests we support celebrate Triduum, Novena and Gregorian Masses.  Every 9th priest in the world is supported by Aid to the Church in Need Mass Stipends; every 22 seconds a Mass is celebrated around the world for the intentions of an ACN donor. Triduum Masses are three Masses celebrated on three consecutive days; Novenas are nine Masses said on nine consecutive days; and Gregorian Masses are celebrated on 30 consecutive days for one deceased person. These Masses of three, nine and 30 do not have to be celebrated by a single individual priest; instead a number of priests may share in them.  
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