disturbing?

[dsears]

While my brother was in recovery after his surgery I went to mass at the hospital. They have one mass a week (Thursday’s at 12:15). Including the priest there was 4 of us. 2 were nurses, than me, and then the priest. Is this common around hospital chapels in this nation? Am I the only one that finds this troubling? Now while we were not at a Catholic Hospital, but I’m sure that there had to be other Catholics in that hospital. There are only 2 things that can come to mind, either a lack of emphasis on the daily mass, or the lack of evangelism on our part. What do you think? Am I the only dork that wonders about this?

 

[dachsiemom]

The hospital where i work has a sunday mass and 4 weekday masses. The sunday mass is very well attended and i don’t know about the weekday masses. My goal has been to go to a daily mass once a week so i will post when i find out what the attendance is like.

 

[churchsecretary]

I am not surprised by this at all. There are many mornings when there are only 3 or 4 for daily Mass at our church. Many people do not put an emphasis on daily Mass. They attend on Sundays & Holy Days, & that’s about it. Even Holy Days can be slim attendance. So, why would attendance at Mass in a hospital on a weekday be any more well-attended?

It’s the times we live in.

 

[dsears]

So then is it a problem with what the people are taught? Should the church put more emphasis on the daily mass? I have been in churches where the daily mass is packed full, which I guess is why I was so surprised with the lack of people at the hospital mass. Though in a way I’m no better, about the only thing I can remember from that mass besides the lack of attendance was the fact that the priest forgot his glasses and thus had trouble reading the gospel. I guess after you’ve spent most of the week at a hospital you just remember the strange things!

 

[John21652]

I nassume the topic heading is “disturbing”?
Well, what is disturbing is the fact that masses around the world, in very many and varied places are poorly attended. Why? Because Catholics do not do enough to scream out that Mass is a central part of their life and they are proud to go regularly. Catholics are also slack in not going regularly because they think no-one else does. Stand up and cry out that you go and that all are welcome. Tell your neighbours that you go. Tell your relatives. Tell everyone. Tell yourself that you will tell others that you attend because the Mass has meaning. In other words, stand up and be a witness and do it proudly.

 

[puzzleannie]

While my brother was in recovery after his surgery I went to mass at the hospital. They have one mass a week (Thursday’s at 12:15). Including the priest there was 4 of us. 2 were nurses, than me, and then the priest. Is this common around hospital chapels in this nation? Am I the only one that finds this troubling? Now while we were not at a Catholic Hospital, but I’m sure that there had to be other Catholics in that hospital. There are only 2 things that can come to mind, either a lack of emphasis on the daily mass, or the lack of evangelism on our part. What do you think? Am I the only dork that wonders about this?

that is probably the time a priest is available. in this diocese it would never be a sure thing for a priest to be available for Mass in every hospital and nursing home chapel on a Sunday since they all have several Masses in their own parishes and missions.

patients could probably have come but they would have to know about, have asked to be taken down to the chapel, and not have tests or procedures scheduled at that time. Same with people in waiting rooms, some might of come had they known about it.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

While my brother was in recovery after his surgery I went to mass at the hospital. They have one mass a week (Thursday’s at 12:15). Including the priest there was 4 of us. 2 were nurses, than me, and then the priest. Is this common around hospital chapels in this nation? Am I the only one that finds this troubling? Now while we were not at a Catholic Hospital, but I’m sure that there had to be other Catholics in that hospital. There are only 2 things that can come to mind, either a lack of emphasis on the daily mass, or the lack of evangelism on our part. What do you think? Am I the only dork that wonders about this?

Most likely it was not advertized arounf the hospital. I spend at least 3 or 4 days a week in and out of various hospitals around the state. I have stopped in at Mass in a few of them. But again you must know the time and location, as it is not advertized very well.

 

[ElizabethPH]

While my brother was in recovery after his surgery I went to mass at the hospital. They have one mass a week (Thursday’s at 12:15). Including the priest there was 4 of us. 2 were nurses, than me, and then the priest. Is this common around hospital chapels in this nation? Am I the only one that finds this troubling? Now while we were not at a Catholic Hospital, but I’m sure that there had to be other Catholics in that hospital. There are only 2 things that can come to mind, either a lack of emphasis on the daily mass, or the lack of evangelism on our part. What do you think? Am I the only dork that wonders about this?

No I’m not surprised at all, that they even had weekly Mass is a surprise to me. Perhaps people do not know they have Mass; that it is not well advertised. With the lack of priests in this area it is even hard to get them for anointing of the sick; let alone scheduled for Mass at the hospital. I have been in Catholic hospital where they have daily Mass and it was well attended.

 

[baltobetsy]

I think part of the problem is the fact that it’s only held once a week. Regular daily Mass attendees will have found somewhere to go where there’s Mass every day.

Hospital employees have little control over what happens during the workday, so may not be able to attend even if they want to.

Patients and visitors are often stuck waiting for an appointment or a test and dare not leave the waiting area.

In the Catholic hospital nearest me, there used to be Mass every weekday at 11:00 am, which was very well attended. Many people from the community came every day, as it was a convenient time. It was a very nice group of people. Nowadays, there is Mass scheduled only three days a week, including a Mass for Sunday. I don’t go there any more, so I don’t know about the attendance. I do know that, right across the chapel from the tabernacle, they have a Muslim prayer area with rugs and a copy of the Koran, and that they have the Muslim Friday prayers every week.

Betsy