Visitors ask...Mass cards for someone who has died in Maryland?

Update, August 6th, 2008. After writing this post and seeing several queries, it struck me to inform you that ANY Catholic Rectory will agree to offer a Mass for someone who has died. You can even choose the date (this helps as the family may wish to attend the Church on that day). The Parish will invariably have "Mass Cards" and these can be sent to the family of the bereaved. The donation is very modest for something like this. Note that it is not necessary to go to the location or town where the person died. A Mass said in location X is a Mass "beyond time and location." It is not as if it needs to be "local." ~D.v.

Times arise when we learn that someone has died in another state. We'd like to get to their funeral, but can't. How does one send a Mass card to the family? We can call a Parish in that area, but is there another way?

I am from the generation that kept a desk drawer of these cards at the ready for such a contingency. There are Spiritual Societies that offer a Mass or enroll a loved one in a Perpetual Mass Society. A small donation is usually asked to cover the cost of the card itself and as a donation for the priest. In many missionary countries and for Missionary Societies, this is vital.

Here is a list of just some Societies that have cards available. You can ask the Society to send you cards in advance, and then use them when the time comes:

There are many others! A little look via Google will reveal them.