FAQ
Quick answers to the questions parishioners, priests, and administrators ask most often. If you don't find what you need here, the linked detail articles go deeper, and your parish office can always answer questions specific to your parish.
About Sacramentum
Is Sacramentum official parish information?
Yes — every parish configures and maintains its own schedules, settings, and records. Sacramentum is the platform; what you see on a parish's site is published by that parish. If you need to confirm a specific Mass time or intention, the parish office is always the final authority.
Who maintains the schedules and information?
Each parish's administrators and priests do. Sacramentum doesn't centrally edit schedules, stipend amounts, or Mass times — those are set by the parish itself. See Roles and access for who can change what.
Is Sacramentum free for parishioners?
Yes. There is no charge to view schedules, request Mass intentions, or use a parishioner account. The only money that changes hands is the customary stipend (offering) for Mass intentions or memorials, which goes to the parish — not to Sacramentum.
Is Sacramentum available in my language?
Sacramentum currently supports English and Spanish. Use the language switcher in the top navigation to choose Español. Additional languages may be added in the future.
Which browsers are supported?
Sacramentum works best in current versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. If you see display issues, update your browser to the latest version and try again.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. Sacramentum is mobile-first — schedules, intention requests, the parishioner dashboard, and the Priest Console all work on phones and tablets. There is no separate app to install.
Accounts and signing in
Do I need an account to use Sacramentum?
No. Public schedules, Confession times, and even Mass intention requests can be used as a guest. An account is only required for priests and administrators, and it's recommended (but not required) for parishioners who want to track requests over time. See Accessing Sacramentum.
How do I create an account?
On your parish's Sacramentum site, click Sign In in the top navigation, then Create Account and follow the prompts. You'll need to verify your email address before you can sign in. Full instructions are in Creating an account.
I bought a Mass intention as a guest. Where is it?
If you didn't have an account at checkout, you can either track the request using your email and the reference number on the success page, or create an account using the same email and claim past intentions from your dashboard. See Your parishioner dashboard.
I forgot my password. What now?
Click Forgot your password? on the sign-in page, enter your email, and follow the link in the message that arrives. Reset emails usually appear within a minute — check Spam if you don't see it. More tips in Login issues.
Can I have one account for multiple parishes?
Each parish has its own Sacramentum site (its own subdomain), and accounts are scoped to a single parish. If you participate in two parishes that both use Sacramentum, you'll register separately on each one.
Mass intentions
What is a Mass intention?
A Mass intention is a special remembrance during the celebration of the Eucharist — you ask that a particular Mass be offered for a specific person or purpose. The customary stipend is an offering that supports the priest and parish, not a payment for the Mass itself. See Requesting a Mass intention.
How early can I request a Mass intention?
Most parishes accept requests up to one year in advance. Some parishes also enable Early Requests, which let you book dates one to two years out — useful for anniversaries you don't want to forget. See Unscheduled and special intentions.
How will I know who will celebrate my intention?
For scheduled Masses, the celebrant is shown on the Mass details before you check out (or "Priest to be determined" if not yet assigned). After fulfillment, the celebrant appears in your dashboard. Assignments can change due to illness or other pastoral needs — the displayed celebrant is the current assignment, not a guarantee.
What's the difference between a public and private intention?
By default, intentions may be printed in the parish bulletin. If you toggle Private Intention on the request form, the bulletin shows "Special Intention" instead of the full text. You can also choose to hide your name as the requester. The intention is still offered at Mass either way.
Can I request a Mass intention for someone living?
Yes — many intentions are for the living (for healing, in thanksgiving, for a birthday, or for a special need). When filling out the form, choose an appropriate intention type such as "For the Sick" or "Thanksgiving." Gregorian Mass series are the only intention type reserved exclusively for the deceased.
What is a Gregorian Mass series?
A Gregorian series is 30 consecutive daily Masses offered for one deceased person — an ancient tradition dating to Pope St. Gregory the Great. Different priests may celebrate the Masses across the 30 days, and the entire series is for a single individual. See Unscheduled and special intentions for how to request one.
What's the difference between a Mass intention and a memorial?
A Mass intention is tied to a specific Mass and asks that the Mass be offered for someone. A memorial — such as a sanctuary candle or altar flowers — is a time-based devotional offering that honors someone over a period of days. Both are meaningful, but they serve different purposes. See Memorials.
Can I request more than one intention?
Yes. You can add as many scheduled intentions as you'd like to your cart, request multiple unscheduled intentions in a single quantity, or request a full Gregorian series. Each one is honored at its own Mass.
Payments and refunds
What payment methods are accepted?
Most parishes accept credit and debit cards online via Stripe. Some parishes also accept cash, check, or bank transfer in person at the office, and parish staff record those payments manually. Available methods depend on your parish's configuration.
Why do I see different stipend amounts than my friend's parish?
Each parish sets its own suggested stipend amounts. Diocesan guidelines and local custom both play a role, so it's normal for amounts to vary between parishes — even neighboring ones.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. Refunds are typically initiated by parish staff — contact your parish office to request one. Online (card) refunds are processed automatically through Stripe; cash, check, and bank-transfer refunds are handled in person. See Payments, stipend summaries, and receipts for what to expect.
My cart items disappeared. Why?
Cart items are reserved temporarily — about 15 minutes — so the same Mass slot isn't double-booked. If the timer expires before checkout, the items are released. Add them again if the slots are still available, and complete checkout promptly.
Will I get a receipt?
Yes. After payment, a receipt is generated automatically — you'll see a link on the success page, receive it by email, and find it in your dashboard if you have an account. Offline payments (cash or check) get a receipt once parish staff records the payment. See Payments, stipend summaries, and receipts.
Are my receipts tax-deductible?
That depends on your jurisdiction and your parish's status. Sacramentum issues a clear receipt with the parish's information, your name, the amount, and the date — but whether it qualifies as a charitable contribution is a question for a tax advisor or your parish office.
Schedules and availability
Why do times look different from what my parish posted?
Times should always display in the parish's local timezone. If they look off, check your device timezone and refresh the page. See Times look wrong for more steps.
Why is a priest shown as "TBD"?
"TBD" or "To Be Determined" means the parish hasn't assigned a celebrant to that Mass yet. The Mass and your intention will still be honored — a priest will be assigned before the Mass is celebrated.
What does the green or red availability indicator mean?
When your parish enables real-time availability, green means a priest has marked themselves as available right now (commonly for Confession), and red or gray means no priest is currently available. The indicator updates automatically as priests change their status. See Understanding priest availability.
Are the live availability updates accurate?
They reflect what the priest has marked, which is usually accurate but not guaranteed. For urgent pastoral needs — especially anointing of the sick — call the parish office directly rather than relying on the indicator alone.
A schedule update isn't showing. What do I do?
Refresh the page first, then sign out and back in if you're signed in, or try a different browser. Most update issues come from a stale browser session. See Updates not showing.
Privacy
Who can see my Mass intention?
Parish administrators and the assigned priest see the full intention details. The bulletin shows what the parish chooses to publish — your full intention by default, or "Special Intention" if you marked it private. Your name as the requester can also be hidden from the bulletin if you prefer.
How is my information used?
Your information is used to record your request, contact you about it, and keep your parish records accurate. Sacramentum does not sell or share parishioner data with third parties. Payments are processed securely through Stripe.
Can I hide my name from the bulletin?
Yes. On the intention request form, enable Hide requester name from bulletin. Your intention can still be printed (unless you also mark it private), but your name will not be listed as the requester.
For priests and admins
I'm a priest. How do I switch to the Priest Console?
Sign in, then click Priest Console in the top navigation. If you're an administrator who is also a priest, you can switch between the Admin Dashboard and the Priest Console at any time without signing out. See The Priest Console.
I'm an admin setting up a new parish. Where do I start?
Begin with Parish onboarding — it walks through your first sign-up, locations, schedules, and the most important settings to confirm before going live.
How do I enable a specific feature for my parish?
Most parish-wide options live in Admin Dashboard → Settings, organized into tabs for canonical rules, payments, email, intentions, kiosk, facilities, funeral liturgy, and downloadable forms. The Settings reference is the master map of every tab and what it controls.