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An individual may ask a priest to offer a Mass for several reasons, including in thanksgiving, for the intentions of another person (such as on a birthday), or, as is most common, for the repose of the soul of someone who has died.
When a priest celebrates Mass each day, he offers each celebration of the Eucharist for a particular person, or intention. By doing so he applies special graces from God upon that person or intention. Similar to how we are able to intercede for others by our personal prayers, the Church is able to intercede for us through the celebration of the Mass.
However, since the Eucharist is the βsource and summit of the Christian lifeβ the Mass possesses a power that our personal prayers do not.
Pope Paul VI said, βThe Mass is the most perfect form of prayer!β
It has immense power and countless miracles and conversions have occurred throughout the centuries by offering Masses for a specific intention or person. Mass intentions are a great treasure of the Church and have a spiritual weight that is incalculable.
