Eliminating a mass to encourage attending parish picnic

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LighthouseRon

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Our parish picnic is this Sunday and as a way of encouraging people to attend, the parish priest has decided to eliminate the 8:00 am mass and only have a 10:30 am mass that day. Because of obligations I can’t attend the 5:30 pm Saturday or the 10:30 am, or the picnic either, but I could attend the usual 8:00 am if it was offered. To put it simply, am I wrong to disagree with a decision to eliminate a mass as a way to “encourage” people to attend the picnic? While it is inconvenient, there are other parishes around that offer an early Sunday mass so I can attend mass but cancelling an opportunity to go to mass seems like a less than perfect approach.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
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I would suggest you simply attend the other Mass available to you, give thanks to God that you have another Mass available at the usual early time (something the priest probably took into consideration when he made this decision), and offer up any residual annoyance to God for the poor souls.

And enjoy the picnic as well.
 
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Your pastor wouldn’t do this if he hadn’t thought it through.

There are other times you can attend Mass, if need be, at a neighboring parish.

Perhaps the parish family is in need of some fellowship and that’s why he is making it easier for people to attend the picnic.

A parish is a family, and needs recreation and fellowship to grow - it’s not just a sacrament factory where people show up, get served, and go home.

See if you can re-arrange your schedule so you can attend the picnic - maybe they will serve fried chicken! 🙂

Deacon Christopher
 
For one, I’m not understanding how canceling a Mass would encourage people to attend a picnic? Second, even if it did, seems to me that it’s a move that was meant well, but is misguided. Mass is infinitely more important than a picnic. We are supposed to plan our Sunday around Mass, not squeeze in Mass where it’s convenient between all our other activities. How does canceling one of the Masses confirm this message? While of course we are free to attend any Mass on Sunday that’s most convenient, when a parish schedules Mass around other activities, something seems off. So you are not alone at feeling annoyed by this.
 
LighthouseRon said:
To put it simply, am I wrong to disagree with a decision to eliminate a mass as a way to “encourage” people to attend the picnic?
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It isn’t a matter of right and wrong.

It’s a pastoral matter, one of prudential judgment. And within the pastor’s purview.

You might not like it, but really that’s just the breaks. This falls under “can’t please everyone.”

Have some charity.
 
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LisaB said:
For one, I’m not understanding how canceling a Mass would encourage people to attend a picnic?
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I wonder if the picnic is immediately after Mass? Every parish picnic I’ve ever attended has included an outdoor Mass as part of the picnic.
 
Right, people go to the picnic straight from Mass. If everybody is at the Mass then everybody will likely stop by the picnic. Makes sense to me.
 
Sometimes, schedules are changed for one reason or another.
Try to make it to one of the available Masses. 🙏🙏🙏
I am sure the priest did not change things just to inconvenience you. 😇
 
We all need to be reminded of the timeless and sage advice of St. Ignatius of Loyola, “always attribute the best possible intention to someone.”
We all know that a Catholic priest wouldn’t cancel a Mass for fun. He wants everyone to attend Mass.
But for some [mostly likely GOOD reason] on this one day he is cancelling [one, not all] Mass to get more people to the picnic.
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So, go to the picnic, if you can arrange it. Enjoy yourself, meet someone new, or welcome someone who doesn’t have someone to talk to.

I will pray the picnic is a time of renewal and joy for all, priest included.

Deacon Christopher
 
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