Overall optimal time for Sunday Mass?

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Duesenberg

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A brand new Catholic church building is preparing to open. It’s a very large church which holds 2,500 worshipers. It will offer ONE Mass every Sunday. The people who funded its construction want this parish to avoid the multi-Mass schedules which preclude people from getting to know one another – from building a true community that offers true fellowship and the local ordinary strongly agrees.

What would be the single best time to attract as many people as possible for Sunday Mass from the following choices:
  • 08:00
  • 08:30
  • 09:00
  • 09:30
  • 10:00
  • 11:00
  • 11:30
  • Noon
  • 5:00 PM
  • 6:00 PM
  • 7:00 PM
  • 9:00 PM
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I voted 8:00 clock. It gives familes time to get young ones there and also allows for those who work on Sunday to attend.
 
Maximilian75 said:
why are there no options from noon to 5pm?
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Because I already know that most attend Mass from 08:00 to noon (that’s why I didn’t include 07:00 for instance), and then in the evening.

I could have drilled down even closer and said: 09, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30 and 11:00 and for the evening: 6, 6:30 or 7:00.
 
My EC parish celebrates one Divine Liturgy/Sunday. They have long argued about 09:00 or 10:00. I always suggest 09:30.
 
11 a.m. is the most popular time for church on Sunday, if you go across the religious spectrum, at least here in Pittsburgh.

However, where this church is located might have different demographics, the community might have lots of old people who are up at the crack of dawn anyhow. I know that here in Pittsburgh, one of the churches scheduled a 6 a.m. mass for the police officers, another a 2:30 a.m. mass for the printers.
 
Hereiam said:
This is a silly question…it merely depends on preference, so what difference does it make if it is a new church with 2500 seats or and old parish chapel with 100 seats?
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If you stop and think about it, that “old parish chapel” is going to have to celebrate 25 Masses to equal the capacity of 1 Mass at the new church.
 
Duesenberg said:
What would be the single best time to attract as many people as possible for Sunday Mass
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Ask the parishioners (or potential parishioners). Choose the time that the greatest number of people select.
 
Duesenberg said:
The people who funded its construction want this parish to avoid the multi-Mass schedules which preclude people from getting to know one another – from building a true community that offers true fellowship and the local ordinary strongly agrees.
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I realize this is a hypothetical, but I think they’ll be in for a rude awakening to learn that a bigger crowd at one Mass doesn’t necessarily build community any better than smaller, multiple Masses. My parish has had 7 weekend Masses for as long as I can remember, and we have a wonderful, thriving, cross-Mass-time community.
 
9:30 That’s what time Divine Liturgy is at my parish here in San Diego.
 
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Cor_ad_Cor said:
I realize this is a hypothetical, but I think they’ll be in for a rude awakening to learn that a bigger crowd at one Mass doesn’t necessarily build community any better than smaller, multiple Masses.
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So you say. I disagree with your opinion. One of the absolute worst things I see with many Catholic parishes is MANY Masses each Sunday replete with worrying about “clearing out” the parking lot between Masses. That KILLS fellowship. It has taken a toll.
Cor_ad_Cor said:
My parish has had 7 weekend Masses for as long as I can remember, and we have a wonderful, thriving, cross-Mass-time community.
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Oh, I’m sure there are exception – but they are just that, exceptions.
 
I’ve always loved the Midnight Mass, myself.

It would thin out the riff-raff and guitars, etc. etc.
 
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Interesting. Your comment on the parking lot seems reasonable, but it just hasn’t happened here. Sure, there’s the crew that makes their mad dash to the car, but there are also those who stick for fellowship, be it coffee and donuts, Marian shop, pancake breakfast, tamales, or just yacking. Sometimes I have stayed thru a couple Mass cycles, depending on the conversation or whatever else I had planned for the day. Sometimes I leave right after Mass.

Cars come, cars go. Sometimes the lot fills and people park where they can. I have not ever experienced fellowship causing a significant problem. Am I missing your point? Why does the lot have to clear out entirely? I suppose space could be a premium. We don’t have acres and acres of parking, but other than Christmas and Easter, there isn’t anything significant that comes up.

Cheers,
 
I feel like it really depends on the area. I love attending 8:00 a.m. Mass on Sundays. My parish has an 8 and 11 on Sundays, and 11 is probably the most well-attended out of the two.

The cathedral parish of my diocese has a 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and a 6:30 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. The 10:00 a.m. is the most well-attended with the Sunday 6:00 p.m. at a close second because it is close to many different universities in the area. The question as to which time would be the best totally depends on the area. Some areas will fare better with earlier Masses if the population is more elderly, and others will fare better with later Masses with younger populations.

I do like a parish that is able to have a variety of Masses. Sometimes, I have woken up sick on Sunday morning but feel better later in the day, so a Sunday evening Mass is a blessing even though they are rare to find!
 
StephieNorthCo said:
Interesting. Your comment on the parking lot seems reasonable, but it just hasn’t happened here.
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Whenever I have taken part in a thread on after Mass fellowship, there are always those that underscore the need to “clear out the parking lots between Masses!” as a means to attack ideas on promoting fellowship with an after Mass coffee social. I find that terribly sad.
 
O I C. I’ve never seen the need to. Seems to be a theoretical problem, but it just never seems to happen in the real world.

I suppose it probably ties in with those who think they have a reserved church parking lot slot. Suppose? So you walk another 20 feet? Could make a difference to some, I guess. I know I don’t have the stamina I did at 60, but I’m not about to grumble about the extra walk.
 
It’s tricky as people have such different preferences and needs.
 
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