Mass Cards For A New Generation

  

16471 comment so farhttp://www.parcbench.com/2009/07/24/mass-cards-for-a-new-generation/Mass+Cards+For+A+New+Generation2009-07-24+23%3A52%3A07Father+Peter

Written by Father Peter Grace, C.P.closeAuthor: Father Peter Name: Father Peter Grace, C.P.
Email: jnjn1012@gmail.com
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About: See Authors Posts (1) on July 24, 2009

The following does not reflect the opinion or religious views of the editorial staff of Parcbench. It is the beginning of our efforts to add content relating to all religions. Future religious content will reflect other viewpoints.

Masha Leon is a Holocaust survivor who now writes for “The Forward”, America’s only national Jewish newspaper. When her husband Joseph died, among the condolence cards and heartfelt wishes she received were notices from friends who had arranged for Mass to be said for her husband  by the Passionists. “They’ll be saying Catholic Kaddish for Joe!” she told a companion.  Peter Vallone, former Speaker of the New York City Council has said, “Mass cards are always appropriate for those of any faith.”  A Mass card from the Passionist Monastery is an embossed leatherette greeting card given to people to let them know that they, or a deceased loved-one, will be remembered and prayed for by the Priests and Brothers of the Monastery.  Sending a card is a beautiful way to express sympathy to those in mourning and to comfort them with the assurance of the prayers of the Passionists of Immaculate Conception Monastery.

As the Rector of the Monastery in Jamaica Estates, New York, the mission of our priests here in Jamaica and around the world has always been close to my heart.  I attended Immaculate Conception school, served Mass as an altar boy and found inspiration in the wonderful Passionist priests and brothers — so much so that I decided to join the Passionist Community and serve the spiritual needs of all those who turn to the Passionists for prayer and guidance.

One of our greatest challenges is reaching out to our at-risk youth, but also to encourage our young people to be actively engaged in the Passionists’ mission and to support the work, the priests and the monasteries that serve our communities tirelessly.  Since our Monastery is supported almost entirely by offerings from Mass cards and prayer cards, it is my duty to do all I can to encourage the offerings.

Regrettably, however, young people are not as eager to utilize Mass and prayer cards as are older Catholics — in part because they are not as familiar with their significance and poignancy.  This is something we are making a concerted effort to change consistent with modern times.

Prayer and Mass cards have generally been viewed as something the Catholic Church  offers primarily for those who have died or who are gravely ill — hardly the life events on which young people wish to focus.  But the purposes and intended use of prayer cards are much more varied than such somber occasions.  Weddings, births, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Confirmation, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, general intentions and occasions of friendship and affection are all excellent opportunities to present a prayer card or Mass card to friends and loved ones.

The notion of prayer cards and Mass cards for positive, happy occasions, rather than only for the dying and the dead, has been largely lost on younger Catholics.  T-shirts and other “youth culture” items have taken precedence over the prayer and Mass cards for young people, chiefly because they are more relevant to their lives.  I hope that by broadening the perception of the cards to include positive life events and presenting them as something young people can take advantage of in their everyday lives, young Catholics will adopt the practice of using prayer cards and Mass cards on a regular basis by young Catholics and this wonderful tradition will be passed down to future generations, as well as becoming a staple in the Church.

The funds from the offerings for Mass and prayer cards comprise more than 90 percent of the support for the priests and brothers at the Passionist Monastery of the Immaculate Conception.  Our Passionist priests and Brothers take vows of poverty, so the funds also support charity missions in countries such as Haiti and the Philippines, as well as our work right here in New York City, helping to get young people out of prostitution and gangs, off of drugs and alcohol, and hosting spiritual retreats for people of all ages who feel a need to regain their moral or spiritual center.

We are reaching out to youth through Facebook as well as in direct mailings and are excited about our new website — www.passionists.us — that will allow offerings to be made on the Internet in support or remembrance of loved ones.  It is our hope that, as we communicate more regularly with young people about the importance of Mass Cards and expand the variety of occasions which would prompt younger generations to utilize them, that this concept will take root with those ages 30-60 as it helped sustain and comfort those who came before them. For more information on how to order Mass Cards, contact the Passionists at www.passionists.us, and at Immaculate Conception Monastery, 86-45 Jamaica, NY, 11432, telephone 718-739-9337.

Father Peter Grace is Rector of the Passionist Monastery in Jamaica Queens, New York.

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