Diocese of Toledo, Ohio

Browsing From the Pastor

The New Weekend Mass Schedule Kicks in Next Weekend, July 4-5

    Beginning next Saturday, July 4th, and continuing until the end of June in 2016, weekend Masses on Saturdays are scheduled as follows: at Resurrection Parish at 4:00 p.m. and at St. Mary Parish at 6:00 p.m. Resulting from this, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is to be offered as follows on Saturdays: at Resurrection Parish from 3:00 until 3:30 p. m., and at St. Mary Parish from after the 6:00 p.m. Mass until all confessions are heard. Starting on Sunday, July 5th, and continuing until the end of June, 2016, Masses on Sundays are scheduled as follows: at 8:30 a.m. at St. Mary Parish and at 10:30 a.m. at Resurrection Parish.

   I agree that changes are hard to make. In an ideal world, St. Mary and Resurrection Parishes would each have its own pastor, as has been the case for many years. Along with several other parishes in our Diocese, we are experiencing the crunch of the priest shortage in the assignment of priests to parishes and in the weekend Mass schedules resulting from this.

   As the weekend Mass schedule for both parishes is now envisioned, it would alternate annually, starting on the first weekend of July. Doing this offers both parishes the opportunity to experience both the advantages and disadvantages of each weekend schedule. The weekend Mass schedule has implications for a number of parish activities.

Advantages of having Mass at 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays include the following. Even in December, there will still be daylight after the 4:00 p.m. Mass. Some of us are not able and/or do not want to drive after dark. Also, when Mass is scheduled at 4:00 p.m., there is still ample time, before it gets too late, to schedule a number of parish activities. A number of persons sense that scheduling activities after the 6:00 p.m. Mass would be too late and thus would affect attendance at parish activities in an adverse way.

Disadvantages of celebrating Mass at 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays include the following: Persons who have to work on Saturdays may find it difficult to arrange to come to Mass that early during the day. As the Pastor, I feel bad because right after the 4:00 p.m. Mass, I have to rush off to get to the other parish in order to arrive there in time for the 6:00 p.m. Mass. I hardly have any time to visit with people after the 4:00 p.m. Mass.

   On Sundays, no matter when the single Mass in each parish is to be celebrated, you’re not going to please everyone. For early risers, 10:30 a.m. is relatively late in the day. For those of us who like to sleep in, 10:30 a.m. sure beats 8:30 a.m. When the only Sunday Mass is at 8:30 a.m., sometimes persons find it necessary to make two trips to church on a given Sunday when there is a special activity in the afternoon or in the early evening, for example, a chili cook-off. Who wants to eat chili right after the 8:30 a.m. Mass? The Pastor feels bad on Sundays because right after the 8:30 a.m. Mass, he has to rush off to the other parish for the 10:30 a.m. Mass there. There is hardly any time to mingle with people after the early Mass.

   Fortunately, the weekend Mass schedule has been deliberately arranged so that after one Mass in each parish every weekend, the Pastor has time to mingle with people.

   I pray that as less than ideal as is the weekend Mass schedule in our two parishes, we will be willing to make the most of it. It is what it is. Let’s be grateful that each parish is still able to celebrate Mass each Saturday afternoon and each Sunday morning.

 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Nelson Beaver – Pastor 

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