How Common is it for People to Attend Daily Mass at a Different Church?

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Hi Brothers and Sisters,
My Christmas vacation led me to do something I’d not done before - attend daily mass at our church. It was an incredible experience, so much so that I want to try and adjust my work schedule so I can at least go on Monday and Friday mornings (start and finish the work week right 👍).
The problem is my local church’s earliest Mass is pretty late for me, considering that I’m used to being at work at 5 or 5:30 am. This allows me to avoid horrendous traffic congestion, work extra hours if need be, spend more time with my family in the evenings and help my wife ferry the kids to sports, etc. I love our church, the priests are awesome and I’m just now starting to notice some of the “regulars” who go every day. So normally I wouldn’t even think about going to another church for Mass. I did notice that some other churches close to my work have earlier Masses during the week. So is it common for people to attend other churches for weekday Masses? I support my local church regularly so I feel like I’d almost be freeloading at another church as I don’t believe there is a collection at these Masses (at least there isn’t at our church).
Am I making a lot out of nothing? How many of you attend daily Mass at a different church? What’s the experience like? Are you comfortable there?
Perhaps I’m being selfish in regards to my time and avoiding traffic, etc. I may just adjust and stay at my church during the week. I am going to pray about this and perhaps the answer will come to me that way!

Thank you for your comments and advice!

God Bless All,
WmHere
 
It’s quite common.

I’m a sacristan and open up our downtown Cathedral every day. We have a 7:00 a.m. Mass and a 12:10 Mass. The times are for working people, so that they can get to Mass before work or on lunch hour. Most of the parishes in the suburbs have a 9:00 or 9:30 “retiree” Mass.

We have many people at our daily Masses who are not parishioners.

It would be a very generous thing to do, should you attend a different church on a regular basis, to include them in your prayers and in your contributions. It also costs a parish money to offer daily Mass! 😃
 
yes, it is very common.

If you want to make a monetary contribution to the parish, you can mail a check to the office.
 
Lots of people go to Mass at a parish near their work. As Catholics we can go to Mass at any parish. Your schedule now where you are available to your family in the evenings is very important. Rather than change your commute schedule, see if there is a Mass you can attend at lunch or on your way to or from work. You may also find half an hour at Adoration is good if you can’t find a Mass.
 
You’re not being selfish. You can and should attend Mass wherever it is most convenient. Many who attend daily Mass will do so at a parish closer to work, or at a parish that might have a more convenient schedule than their home parish. Nothing wrong with it!

As the others have pointed out, if you do feel called to support the parish where you end up attending daily Mass, you can always send them a check, or even contact the office and maybe make a regular pledge. It would certainly be a nice thing to do, but you shouldn’t feel obligated.

God bless!
 
When I’m able to go to daily mass it is always at a parish which is not my ‘home’ parish. I actually find it quite enjoyable since I get a different experience which is sometimes nice.

There are two reasons I go to another parish though:
  1. When my children have their school mass on Wednesdays I am sometimes able to attend so I go to the Parish where their school is.
  2. On Friday’s when i’m able to go to daily mass since I don’t work, the time works out better for me at another local parish.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. I’m sure Jesus is happy to see you no matter which parish you attend.
 
I prefer my home parish…but if I carpool with my husband…I don’t often have a car…in that case I go to daily Mass that is just two blocks from work. I know that there are people that go to my home parish that it is just the opposite. I figure it all evens itself out in the end.🤷
 
I’ve been able to attend daily Mass at my parish, but now with changes at work, won’t be able to unless I have the day off. I’m trying to decide where to attend, but it looks like it won’t be the same church each day - a couple days at one, and two at another. I love starting my day with Mass if I’m able to.

Best of luck!
 
Mrs_Sally said:
Lots of people go to Mass at a parish near their work. As Catholics we can go to Mass at any parish. Your schedule now where you are available to your family in the evenings is very important. Rather than change your commute schedule, see if there is a Mass you can attend at lunch or on your way to or from work. You may also find half an hour at Adoration is good if you can’t find a Mass.
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I “second” this idea…sometimes I have an even better encounter with the Lord, when it is just the two of us!!!
 
It’s quite common, especially in the downtown churches
 
I think pretty much anyone attends any weekday Mass and who is a commuter visits a parish near the workplace. That’s especially true for those of us living in major metropolitan areas.

The cathedral for my diocese is ten minutes from my office. A parish is just down the road. If I were to want to attend a Mass at my parish during the week, I would have to take a day off. The cathedral and the parish each has a very early Mass, so that’s something I can do and still be at work early.

It seems parishes in the more congested areas are more likely to have very early work day Mass times than are those in the more suburban areas. They tend to have things moving faster to get the people in and out too. An early weekday Mass at the parish near my office is over in half an hour. That is never true at my home parish, but the first Mass is at 9:00 a.m., so most people going to work are already on the job.
 
I forgot to mention: there’s one or two churches around here that are ONLY open on weekdays, and are not actually parishes.
 
Thank you all for your replies! I think I will try a church close to my work and see how it goes. I’m very encouraged by your comments!

As far as Adoration goes, I do that every week at a set time for an hour. I started this after reading Bishop Sheen’s description of his “Hour of Power”. I absolutely agree with you that it is a wonderful time, such a unique experience and I can’t imagine letting a week go by without it.

God Bless,
WmHere
 
I never go to the parish I belong to because they discontinued the 6:00 am Mass and just have the 8:00 am Mass in the morning, along with every other parish in the archdiocese. One other parish has Mass at 6:15 am which I like to attend, and there is another on my way to work at 7:00 am, (and I am late for work if I go to that one). My parish has 5:15 pm masses on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which are lightly attended. I think they would have more people attending if they resumed the 6:00 am Mass during the week. People would prefer to go to Mass in the morning, not when they would like to go home, eat dinner and unwind from the day. Just my opiinion.
 
cateann said:
I never go to the parish I belong to because they discontinued the 6:00 am Mass and just have the 8:00 am Mass in the morning, along with every other parish in the archdiocese. One other parish has Mass at 6:15 am which I like to attend, and there is another on my way to work at 7:00 am, (and I am late for work if I go to that one). My parish has 5:15 pm masses on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which are lightly attended. I think they would have more people attending if they resumed the 6:00 am Mass during the week. People would prefer to go to Mass in the morning, not when they would like to go home, eat dinner and unwind from the day. Just my opiinion.
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I would be grateful if a local parish offered an evening mass. My schedule and the need to care for my children in the morning do not allow me to get to a morning Mass.
 
Hello All,

I found a church near my work and, thanks to your replies, I realized that a lunchtime Mass would be best instead of in the morning. So I found the nearest church that offered that and really enjoyed the experience! Coincidentally, the gentleman who was sitting behind me and the only one close enough to shake hands with was someone I knew and hadn’t seen in several years - wow!
Thanks again for everyone’s help! I pray that this will work out for me and become part of my every day.

God Bless All,
WmHere
 
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