How to accept Mass intentions on your website

When our Catholic traditions and modern technology harmoniously align, it's a beautiful thing.

That's right! We're talking about bringing Mass intentions into the 21st century with the power of your eCatholic website. In a world where almost everything has an online presence, it's time we extend this convenience to your parish community. Allowing parishioners to request Masses for friends or family online is a smart way to manage this meaningful task with grace and organization.

The eCatholic Payments + Forms module is the perfect integrated tool to help you build a secure online form, streamlining the process for accepting Mass intentions and collecting the customary stipends.
 

Now, let’s dive into how you can create a page on your website and start accepting Mass intentions right away.
 

1

Set up your page

You can start by creating your page under the Site Map admin tab. Be sure to give it an alias like “intentions” or “mass-intentions,” something easy to remember and pass along to parishioners in conversation or through your parish bulletin.
  Adding an engaging header image under the page image option is a great way to boost your page's curbside appeal. Go ahead, give it a try!
 

2

Select your page layout

By switching your page layout to use our innovative Sections Layout feature, you can easily customize your Mass Intentions page any way you like. Need to include a second column for publishing weekly intentions or Mass schedule alongside your submission form? Go for it! Your page, your design. 
 

If you're on an older eCatholic theme and want to use a Sections Layout, you'll need to upgrade to one of our newer free themes. See which themes allow you to build using a Sections Layout here.

3

Add some descriptive text

Next, you'll want to include some simple instructions or perhaps a quick note encouraging parishioners to submit their Mass intentions using your new online form. This will help address any questions or eliminate any confusion when parishioners go to submit their intention online.

4

Let's build your online form

After you've crafted your page, it's time to drop in the Payments + Forms Module. In addition to the standard form fields (like Name, Email, and Phone), you may want to consider adding one extra special field: the Replicator field.
 
The Replicator field is a game changer. Plus, with the addition of a Fixed Amount ($) field within the Replicator Group, your form will automatically calculate the total customary stipend based on the number of intentions being requested. With these in place, your parishioners can submit and pay for all of their Mass intentions at one time, eliminating the need for multiple form submissions (and multiple credit card charges!). Pretty cool, right? Don't just take our word for it – see this amazing feature in action on our demo Mass Intentions page.
 

With these additions, you can transform your Mass Intentions page into a vibrant, communal hub that makes participation in the spiritual life of your community easy and accessible. 

In a progressively digital world, combining our Catholic tradition with technology can help boost engagement and encourage spiritual growth among parishioners. By tapping into the powerful features of your eCatholic website, your parish is well-equipped to foster the sense of unity and devotion that will keep your community thriving.

Are you currently accepting Mass intentions on your website? If so, we'd love to learn how you've incorporated the Payments + Forms module to help provide your parishioners with this convenient option. Feel free to share your feedback and links to your Mass Intentions page in the comments below!