Is Mass the same...?

[lizferg]

Pardon my ametuer questions. I was looking to visit a parish and noticed they have a Saturday Mass time as well as Sunday Mass times. Are they identical? Does the priest give the same Homily?
Also, I’ve noticed there are Masses every day. Is there really that many people that attend to have one every day of the week? Or are they different?

Lizferg

 

[LilyM]

If it’s Saturday EVENING Mass (say after about 4.30 pm), then the prayers and Scripture Readings will be pretty much the same as those on the Sunday. Many non-Catholic churches are doing the same now, having Saturday evening services.

The homily might be the same, might not. Depends on things like whether it’s the same priest saying both Masses and how experienced a speaker he is (I’ve been once to Saturday evening Mass and TWO Sunday Masses in the same weekend, and the same priest gave three quite different homilies, but he’s a very experienced public speaker)

As for weekday Masses - they will have different readings and homily (if there is one - it’s not compulsory for weekday Masses) each day. Part of the reason they exist is that priests are obliged, if possible, to say Mass every day (it’s an important part of their job) and if possible should have laypeople to attend as well.

How well attended they are depends on lots of things, like what time of day it is (lunchtime Masses are usually good, you’ll get office workers attending during their lunchbreaks and so on) and how many other daily Masses are available in the area. Around here they’re pretty well attended for the most part, then again I live in a big city so it stands to reason.

Even the less packed ones tend to have a charm of their own though - they’re more contemplative and intimate, and I’m reminded of the early Christians gathering in small groups in catacombs or attics or what have you. Remember what Jesus said - ‘where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst’, so even if it’s just you and the padre it’s worthwhile.

 

[lizferg]

So if no one shows up, do they still go through with the Mass? Hopefully that’s never happened, but just curious.
Lizferg

 

[LilyM]

So if no one shows up, do they still go through with the Mass? Hopefully that’s never happened, but just curious.
Lizferg

I’m sure the priest would still go through with it - the Mass is a prayer and a sacrifice, and the greatest prayer and sacrifice the human race can offer to God, with or without laypeople being present. Of course he wouldn’t give a homily or anything

 

[dolphinlove]

So if no one shows up, do they still go through with the Mass? Hopefully that’s never happened, but just curious.
Lizferg

to add to this as well…
Mat 6:
5 "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

With Jesus saying this, and a priest has the whole church to himself, what a way to pray!! In a church you got to yourself!!
Reminds me of adoration… Love it!

 

[MomblessedX3]

Pardon my ametuer questions. I was looking to visit a parish and noticed they have a Saturday Mass time as well as Sunday Mass times. Are they identical? Does the priest give the same Homily?
Also, I’ve noticed there are Masses every day. Is there really that many people that attend to have one every day of the week? Or are they different?

Lizferg

I agree with everything that has been said regarding your questions. In my parish we have daily mass…at 7am and at noon. I attend every opportunity I have. During the school year I can’t unless we have a break, but I try to attend every day during the summer. I love being able to recieve the precious body and blood as often as possible. It gives me a sense of peace.

 

[lizferg]

How beautiful. Looking forward to learning more about the faith. Still scared and apprehensive with my upbringing though. I have a lot to learn.
Lizferg

 

[jmeyer3131]

The best thing I ever did was start attending daily Mass.

I live in a smaller community, so despite the full house on the weekend Masses, the most we get on weekdays is around 30.

The least I’ve seen is 2.

Either way makes for a very intimate Mass. I love it.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

We have daily masses at 6:30 and 9 am; about 100 attend each.

 

[water]

My parish is huge; therefore, we have mass as the following, we have mass very early on every Friday at 6:30am and people show up.

Saturday
8:30 a.m. - Spanish
5:00 p.m. - English

Sunday
7:30 a.m. - Spanish
9:30 a.m. - English
11:30 a.m. - English
1:30 p.m. - Spanish
5:00 p.m. - English
7:00 p.m. - Spanish

Daily Masses
Mon-Fri, 12:15pm - English
Mon,Tue,Thu 6:00pm - English
Fri, 6:30 am - English
Wed, 6:00 pm - Spanish

 

[water]

So if no one shows up, do they still go through with the Mass? Hopefully that’s never happened, but just curious.
Lizferg

I remember when I was still in my country, Vietnam. One day, the city issued a flood warning, and the flood was bad, the water almost raised out of the river and spread to the street but my parish still had mass!

My sister lost one of her brand new shoes because the flood took her shoe to the river. We all were sad because of that but it was all worth it to attend the mass. We got Jesus in exchange for losing a shoe.

 

[maggiemay]

So if no one shows up, do they still go through with the Mass? Hopefully that’s never happened, but just curious.
Lizferg

Yes, it can happen. I attended early morning Mass one day during a pretty bad snowstorm (I live very close to the Church). It was just Father and I. He told me that even if no one shows up for Mass, they are still obligated to offer Mass for the intentions for the day. It was a very beautiful and personal Mass, but no homily!

 

[Adam14]

Speaking of different services…

Are Catholics against the contemporary services?

I’ll go ahead and throw this out there, because I’m not trying to bait, I promise

I noticed that the church I’m going to attend RCIA at has a contemporary service on Sunday afternoons. I haven’t been, so I’m not exactly sure what happens there that makes it contemporary…but I assume it’s different, or there would be no reason to label it as a different service.

I tried doing a search on here, but maybe I didn’t do it correctly, but have I seen threads/comments where Catholics disagreed with contemporary services? If I’m wrong, please excuse me

Again, not trying to start an argument, just seek clarification. Thanks

 

[LilyM]

Speaking of different services…

Are Catholics against the contemporary services?

I’ll go ahead and throw this out there, because I’m not trying to bait, I promise

I noticed that the church I’m going to attend RCIA at has a contemporary service on Sunday afternoons. I haven’t been, so I’m not exactly sure what happens there that makes it contemporary…but I assume it’s different, or there would be no reason to label it as a different service.

I tried doing a search on here, but maybe I didn’t do it correctly, but have I seen threads/comments where Catholics disagreed with contemporary services? If I’m wrong, please excuse me

Again, not trying to start an argument, just seek clarification. Thanks

‘Contemporary’ tends to refer more to the style of music used than anything else - and you’re more likely to find reprobated practices like liturgical dance.

The prayers and readings of the Mass are pretty much set, so they shouldn’t be too different from any other Mass.

 

[Mannyfit75]

‘Contemporary’ tends to refer more to the style of music used than anything else - and you’re more likely to find reprobated practices like liturgical dance.

The prayers and readings of the Mass are pretty much set, so they shouldn’t be too different from any other Mass.

True. The Mass core itself is Eucharistic. It is a participation of the sacrifice of the Jesus Christ at the cross. It makes presence the sacrifice of the cross which transcends time. No priest can change the Mass itself…