Do you regularly attend Saturday evening Mass - if so, why?

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I attend Saturday night mass often, because it is much easier to get all the kids dressed and ready on time in the evening.

I freely admit that I am not a morning person and I find it difficult to get all four of my little children (8 and under) up and ready for 9:00 am mass.

I am not a drinker or a party goer, I just prefer to attend mass in the evening when I am most alert and in better humor as well.
 
LPS said:
My husband and I regularly attend the Saturday evening mass. Personally, I am not a “morning person” and find myself going with a bit of a grudging heart when I “have” to get up in the morning, especially when it is bitter cold outside.

I go with a much more joyful heart in the evening, and in fact spend a lot of the day anticipating mass and the eucharist. I can almost hear Jesus’ words in Luke 22:15: " … I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you …" ❤️

I agree with others that it seems more peace-filled in the evening; maybe it’s because “the last supper” was also an evening event?
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Well put, this is how I feel also.
 
1ke said:
Although you say you aren’t telling anyone it is wrong to do so, you stated this in another thread:

“it seems a poor choice (in my opinion) to regularly attend Saturday evening services even if it is legally allowed, as it may lead to activities that hinder the worship owed to God on Sunday”

So, you do harbor some sort of ill feelings towards those who choose to attend Saturday mass.

To answer your question, in my rural parish we share a priest with two other parishes and each year we rotate mass times. Beginning Ash Wednesday, we will have Saturday evening mass for the next year. It is our only mass of the weekend.

There is NOTHING in Church teaching that says we have to have a “reason” to attend Saturday evening mass over Sunday mass. It can simply be that it is convenient, fits the family’s schedule, has the fewest cars in the parking lot… whatever.
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Good catch.

No ‘reason’ will ever be good enough for someone with that attitude. Vigil Mass: It’s licit, the Church allows it, end of story.
 
I work in the Persian Gulf. The workweek is Sunday through Thursday. Obligation (Sunday) Masses are offered Friday through Sunday. I go to Mass Saturday evening.
It doesn’t matter which Mass a person chooses to attend. They are all packed to overflowing.
As others have mentioned, the Church counts Sunday from sunset the evening before. This is in keeping with the Jewish tradition in which the Sabbath is from sunset Friday until sunset Saturday.
 
Saturdays work better for me for several reasons. It’s when I’m needed as a lector; it’s less crowded/noisy; and I don’t know what the weather will be like Sunday morning (I live in Minnesota). And besides, I love a relaxed morning with coffee and a Sunday paper.

Exception: there is nothing like being the lector on Easter morning! I get to pitch Game One of the World Series? Put me in, coach!

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for priests; they have recourse to thee. Amen.
 
Love Sat evening Mass. My children are more agreeable, which in turn makes me more peaceful and attentive and able to more fully participate with a joyful heart and spirit.
Attending Mass with ornary teens is like pulling your teeth out, then having to settle your heart and mind. I am wise to know that my teens also seem to appreciate Mass more as well when they are not wrastled outta bed.
 
I go when I need to serve. THen I usually attend on Sunday also. I also attend the vigil when it is the only one I can make. The only time I choose to go is on vacation. Often activity schedules make the Saturday evening Mass more convenient. I have no problems of conscience with such a choice.
 
calicatholic said:
Just curious if there is a large number of Catholics out there that regularly attend Mass on Saturday evening, and if they do, why they do.

If you do, is it done out of scheduling convenience or are you unable to attend on Sunday for a given reason?

Not trying to tell anyone they’re doing it wrong, just want to gather information.

Regards,
Calicatholic
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Just out of curiosity, what did you want to gather this information for? Is it helping? Is it for something good?
 
Incomplete said:
Just out of curiosity, what did you want to gather this information for? Is it helping? Is it for something good?
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I attend Mass at a parish that does not have Saturday evening Masses, so I’ve never considered going the evening before to fulfill my obligation. I was curious if there was any reason other than convenience that would cause someone to choose this Mass time since I’ve never had the luxury of choosing it.

Thanks everyone for the responses! The most interesting answer that I was not expecting was that it felt more solemn and that people were more attentive in the evening.

It is for my own broader understanding of other Catholics, and yes, it helped!
 
calicatholic said:
I attend Mass at a parish that does not have Saturday evening Masses, so I’ve never considered going the evening before to fulfill my obligation. I was curious if there was any reason other than convenience that would cause someone to choose this Mass time since I’ve never had the luxury of choosing it.

Thanks everyone for the responses! The most interesting answer that I was not expecting was that it felt more solemn and that people were more attentive in the evening.

It is for my own broader understanding of other Catholics, and yes, it helped!
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I’m glad we could be of assistance. 😃
 
I regularly go to Saturday mass, even though I don’t like the time (4pm) because it’s in the middle of my afternoon.

I don’t go to Sunday mass because it’s at 8:30am and I HATE mornings and am not very nice at 8:30 in the morning. Also it would require that I get up by 5:30am to be able to get myself jump started in the am to feed the dogs and get to the church.

Now if our Sunday am mass was 10am or later, that’s where i would be, but I don’t have that option. 🙂

I’ve never been a morning person, not even as a little child. I worked mostly 3-11 or 11-7 as a nurse most of my life. I really do WAKE up about noon and am most productive about 8pm. 🙂
 
I always attend Saturday vigil mass. The only time I can’t is Easter when there isn’t one. I’m not much of a morning person, so the afternoon/evening Mass is just perfect.
 
calicatholic said:
Just curious if there is a large number of Catholics out there that regularly attend Mass on Saturday evening, and if they do, why they do.

If you do, is it done out of scheduling convenience or are you unable to attend on Sunday for a given reason?

Not trying to tell anyone they’re doing it wrong, just want to gather information.

Regards,
Calicatholic
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Simply because it is the Mass I have been attending with my family since I was a child.
 
Once a month, because our choir sings at a Sat. evening Mass once a month.

It has the advantage of getting my Sunday obligation done early so on Sunday I can attend the Anglican service with my wife. Otherwise I usually go to the conventual Mass at a Benedictine Abbey on a Sunday morning.
 
Beachcomber said:
I always attend Saturday vigil mass. The only time I can’t is Easter when there isn’t one. I’m not much of a morning person, so the afternoon/evening Mass is just perfect.
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There’s the Paschal Vigil, that should be ideal for a night owl.😃
 
We attend our parish’s Saturday, 5:30 pm Mass whenever possible, and sometimes the 5 pm Mass at a neighboring parish where the pastor is a close friend (and outstanding homilist.)

My husband’s work schedule is such that he doesn’t get home until about 10:30 p.m., M-F, so we have never been “morning people”. Since our girls are long out of school and I don’t have to get up and out early in the morning, we simply prefer not to have to set an alarm, if possible. We will, at times, attend the 11 am Sunday Mass (if we have a Saturday evening commitment) but Saturday evening is our preferred time. There really is a calm, reverent feeling about it…that is when many of the older, long-time parishioners attend (I hadn’t really thought of it until someone else brought that up…)
 
  1. I used to do this because my parish did not have a Sunday evening and I have insomnia so mornings are rough meaning I am able to concentrate more fully.
  2. If you go back and look at the Jewish roots of our Faith (Like why the Tridium is four days long) you will notice that Sunday is actually Sundown Saturday to Sundown Sunday. So Saturday evening mass is actually Sunday.
 
Matthew_Holford said:
There’s the Paschal Vigil, that should be ideal for a night owl.😃
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When Easter falls in April, like it does this year, I love the Easter Vigil Mass. I am on nights and can go for hours. When it falls in March, it is one tough Mass (I am on days). I still love it, but I am sooooo wiped out by the end.
 
I attend Saturday vigil Mass because I have six children, three of them three and under. My husband and I attend the vigil Mass while the oldest ones babysit, and on Sunday morning the three oldest ones go to Mass and CCD. Oh, yes. We also have no car. We live nearly two hours from the Mass that has CCD, and though the vigil Mass is closer, it involves walking nearly two miles. So we don’t take the littlest ones at all. That’s the way it goes.
 
We have in the past. Often because it was the most convenient for us, but also because my husband’s schedule meant he frequently worked on Sundays. We know attend Sunday evening Mass because that is when the youth choir sings. We haven’t regularly been to Sunday morning Mass in several years. I am so thankfully that the Church is generous in mass times!
 
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