Holy Day Vigil Masses

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Zach

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With the Assumption coming up I was checking nearby parish Bulletins for Vigil times. Of the eight bulletins that list holy day Mass times six have vigils. Surprisingly the Church with the most parishioners does not. Unless it’s a very small parish I’d think most would have holy day vigil masses?
 
No there is a long time pastor with several other priests. I’m not questioning why. It’s just surprising that most of the other churches have vigils but this one doesn’t.
 
Zach said:
It’s just surprising that most of the other churches have vigils but this one doesn’t.
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May be that from past experience the priest knows that is not well attended. Or because it’s on Wednesday night this year and that’s also the Rotary Club meeting day and a lot of parishioners are in Rotary club or… whatever.
 
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1ke said:
May be that from past experience the priest knows that is not well attended. Or because it’s on Wednesday night this year and that’s also the Rotary Club meeting day and a lot of parishioners are in Rotary club or… whatever.
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This. Our parish stopped having evening Masses the day before a Holy Day for the very reason that they were poorly attended but the evening Mass day-of was usually packed.

BTW, @Zach - While the Assumption does have a proper Vigil, I’d say none of these parishes will actually use that Mass regardless of when they have Mass for the HDO; it’s probably just the day’s Mass on the evening before (which isn’t technically a vigil). Splitting liturgical hairs, but that’s the proper terminology.
 
I have a few old bulletins from this parish and under the general mass schedule they list holy day times but none for vigil. So I’m thinking it applies to all holy days, of course Christmas excepted, and not just the upcoming Assumption. Like I said I’m not questioning it and it’s no big deal. And that wasn’t the point of the thread. I was interested in finding out if others had the vigil at their or nearby parishes. I understand about the technically not a vigil part. But since every bulletin I’ve seen refers to it as vigil I just go ahead and do the same.
 
Mass times are often to do with the availability of priests.
 
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