Catholic Church: What's Going on, Here?

Does the following text taken from the website of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York city seem disturbing to anyone? Strange, but it reminds me of a certain other practice of the Catholic church, say, about 500 years ago . . .

Mass Enrollments

Mass Requests, Mass Enrollment Societies, Novenas and other Mass Intentions

The Mass has been celebrated in the Cathedral for over 125 years. Today at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral the Mass is celebrated at least seven times daily and eleven times on Holy Days. Because of the Mass’ infinite value – a memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, it is a time honored Catholic tradition to have Masses said in honor of a particular person and to provide a Mass Cards to comfort relatives, friends and loved ones. The Cathedral offers three options to have Masses offered for loved ones, or friends either living or deceased.

Mass Requests

Announced Masses:

You can request an announced Mass to be said for a living or deceased family member, friend or loved one by coming in person to the Parish House located at 14 East 51st Street and completing a request form. Suggested offering for these Masses is a minimum of $20 for each Mass.

Unannounced Masses:

You can also request an unannounced Mass to be said for a living or deceased family member, friend or loved one by coming in person to the Parish House located at 14 West 51st Street and completing a request form. Suggested offering for these Masses is a minimum of $10 for each Mass.

Mass Enrollment Societies

  - Unannounced Masses Only

Cathedral Mass Enrollment Society:

The Cathedral offers Mass Cards to those who wish to pray for loved ones, living or deceased, by enrolling them in the Cathedral Mass Enrollment Society. You do not have to personally visit the Cathedral but rather these Mass Cards can be sent by mail to you in advance, for future use. Minimum offering per Mass enrollment is $10 per Mass or $30 for a set of three Mass Cards. Members of the Cathedral Mass Enrollment Society, both living and deceased, are remembered collectively in a monthly Mass celebrated the first Sunday of each month for one year. Names are not announced individually. You can request enrollment in the Cathedral Mass Enrollment Society by calling 212-355-2749 x 407. The Cathedral will send the set of three beautiful Mass Cards to you in advance, which you can mail directly to loved ones when you wish to have someone remembered through enrollment in the Mass Enrollment Society. You should forward the name of the person you are enrolling, using the instruction card included with the three Mass Cards mailed to you whenever you wish to enroll someone. Please indicate if the person enrolled is living or deceased.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Spiritual Enrollment:

Similar to the Cathedral Mass Enrollment Society, Our Lady of Guadalupe Spiritual Enrollment Society remembers your intentions by placing each intention received in a box before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Sacred Heart Altar. All such intentions will be entrusted to Our Lady of Guadalupe honoring her as Mary, the Patroness of the Americas. Suggested offering for these intentions is $10 per enrollment You can request enrollment in Our Lady of Guadalupe Spiritual Enrollment by calling 212-355-2749 x 407.

Lady Chapel Memorial Rosary Confraternity Enrollment:

His Holiness Pope John Paul II chose the recitation of the Rosary for his prayer service in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick on the Feast of the Rosary in October 1995. To carry forward this over a century old tradition of praying the Rosary, the Cathedral has established The Memorial Rosary Confraternity of the Lady Chapel. By enrolling our beloved deceased members, colleagues and friends in The Memorial Rosary Confraternity of the Lady Chapel, we entrust them to the mercy of God through the intersession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. All members are prayed for in every Rosary service held in the Lady Chapel. Everyone enrolled is also remembered in a special way at Masses on the liturgical feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that all may attain the peace and joy of eternal life in heaven. Suggested offering for these intentions is $25 per enrollment You can request enrollment in the Lady Chapel Memorial Rosary Confraternity Enrollment by calling 212-355-2749 x 407.

Novenas:

Novenas at Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day:

The Cathedral offers enrollment for novenas to remember loved ones and friends at the above holidays. For more information regarding enrollment in these seasonal novenas, please visit or call the Parish House: 212-753-2261. Suggested offering for the nine day novenas is $10 per enrollment.