In the early Church, Mass was celebrated mainly on Sundays. There is a reference to the celebration of Mass on other days also in the writings of such men as Tertullian (c. 160=220) and St Cyprian (200-258), both of the 3rd century. Before the Middle Ages, Mass was not said more than once on the same day, the bishop or the chief person celebrating, and the clergy assisting him and receiving communion, and perhaps also concelebrating. The practice continues in Eastern Churches.

In the Roman rite, the practice was replaced in the Middle Ages by the separate celebration of Mass by each priest. Theological consideration of the fact that each Mass as a propitiatory sacrifice has a definite value before God and the need felt in monasteries to offer Mass for deceased members and benefactors had a decisive influence on the practice of private celebration of the Mass.

This tradition is recalled by Vatican II when it says: "Priests fulfil their chief duty in the mystery of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In it, the work of our redemption continues to be carried out. For this reason, priests are strongly urged to celebrate Mass every day, for even if the faithful are unable to be present, it is an act of Christ and the Church."

From the practice of daily and private celebration of the Mass followed the custom of saying Mass for a definite intention and the offering of a stipend to the priest when the request is made that the Mass be offered for an intention of the donor's choice.

It was obviously not to 'buy' the Mass that the stipend was offered. It was an offering of alms for the expenses connected with the Mass itself and for the maintenance of the priest.

It is an obligation on the part of the laity to support the clergy who serve them. This obligation is in fact embodied in Church law. "Christ's faithful have the obligation to provide for the needs of the Church, so that the Church ha available to it those things which are necessary for divine worship, for apostolic and charitable work and for the worthy support of its ministers." (Can.222, sec.1).

The above Canon speaks of the general obligation. That the Mass stipend too is alms offered for the support of the clergy is specifically mentioned in another Canon. "The faithful who make an offering so that Mass can be celebrated for their intention, contribute to the good of the Church, and by that offering they share in the Church's concern for the support of its ministers and its activities." (Can.946).

The method or system of supporting the Church and its ministers varies from place to place, from country to country, but the Mass stipend, though the amount may vary, is a practice common in the Church.

There are several Canons in the Code (945-958) which give guidelines to the priest regarding the acceptance of Mass stipends and the fulfillment of the obligation of offering Mass for the stipends received. The priest is told, for instance, that even without a stipend Mass should be offered for the intentions of the needy, that even the semblance of trafficking or trading is to be entirely excluded, that it is a serious obligation on the part of the priest to offer Mass for an accepted stipend, that one is bound to offer Mass even if the stipend received is lost though not through one's fault, that separate Masses must be applied for the intentions of those for whom an individual offering, however small, has been accepted, that each priest must accurately record the Masses which he has accepted to celebrate and which he has in fact celebrated.