Q: I started serving at my current parish six months ago. Upon my arrival, the pastor removed the announcing of the names of those who are ill and deceased during the Prayer of the Faithful. I tried to make it work by adding a moment of silence “For those who are ill who we remember quietly in our hearts (5 second pause).” The same with those who died. He feels that announcing the names leaves people out and that people use it for the sake of having their loved one’s name called out.
A number of people have expressed at least adding the names of the deceased because sometimes they don’t know someone has died until after the funeral. The priest’s theology is we remember the deceased in the Eucharistic Prayer though not by name. What are you thoughts or what does the documents say, if anything about this?
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A: There’s no requirement to read out the name of the mass intention, but it is a common courtesy. The stipend is for the priest’s intention. We call it a “mass intention”, but really, it’s just the intention that someone is asking the priest to remember. Everyone’s free to bring their own intentions to every mass.
If the priest doesn’t want it read out, I guess that’s his prerogative. My experience is that most people appreciate hearing the name.