Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi

Guidelines for the 2024 Mass Intention Book

Our 2024 Book of Mass Intentions will be opened on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 9:30AM in the Parish Center located at 45 Library Place.
To accommodate the requests of many parishioners, we have implemented new guidelines for receiving Mass intention requests: Only five (5) Mass intentions per parishioner will be allowed on the day the Mass Book opens (March 8).
Once parishioners have had a chance for their initial five (5) Mass intentions, they are free to return beginning April 19th for additional requests.  Please keep in mind that only three (3) Sunday Masses are allowed per family per calendar year.
Please review the general guidelines below for requesting a Mass intention:
• Each parish family is allowed up to ten (10) scheduled Mass intentions (up to 3 of these can be Sundays) in the calendar year.
• Only 1 Mass per day can be prayed for any individual intention.
• No Mass will be reserved in the book without a stipend of $10.00.
• There will be no limit on unannounced Mass requests. These Masses are available at any time and are sent to Office of Missions of the Diocese of Metuchen for a donation of $5.00.
• Those who are homebound or unable to visit the office may mail in their requests along with a check or cash with the proper offering. Forms are available on our parish website or by calling the parish to request one. These requests will be processed after the initial Mass book opening date, beginning March 13 – no exceptions. Please do not call in your intentions as we cannot process requests over the phone.
• Mailed in requests must be dated on/after March 8, 2023. All requests dropped off to the rectory must be done so on/after the initial Mass book opening on March 8.
• Christmas Vigil and Christmas Day, Easter Vigil and Easter Masses, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Masses are always for the intentions of the Living and Deceased Members of the Parish. All Soul’s Day Masses are for the intention of the Faithful Departed.  In addition, one Sunday Mass per weekend is offered for the intention of the living and deceased parishioners of the Cathedral of St. Francis (Pro populo).
• Please also note that Church governance requires that only one intention (person) per Mass is allowed. However, for pastoral concerns to better accommodate the needs of the parishioners, we will adhere to the following: Up to three first names with the same last name (i.e. John, Paul and Mary Smith) or two last names only (i.e. Scott and Smith Families) will be allowed per intention.
• Due to the large size of the parish, it is absolutely first-come, first-serve. Mailed in requests will be processed starting March 13, or once we have processed walk-in requests (whichever is sooner).