Overall optimal time for Sunday Mass?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Duesenberg
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I can tell you what I prefer but that usually doesn’t translate to what the parish prefers.

Mass here is at 10 a.m. I’d like it to be earlier but apparently it’s difficult for parents to get their kids ready for a 10 a.m. Mass and there are those who would like it to be at 11 a.m.

But the doughnut crowd likes it at 10 because all the non-Catholic services are at 11 so the town’s lone doughnut shop is not crowded when we get out of church. We have a parish social after Mass on the third Sunday of each month.
 
10 or 11 are usually the best attended at the churches I’ve been to, but it all depends on that particular community. The nice thing about a later morning mass, is afterwards you can have a potluck brunch, and further develop community. I’ve seen this successful as a couple parishes, withoarishobers bring anything from coffee and donuts to cold cuts and lasagna.
 
Last edited:
Our parish doesn’t have that many icons, in my opinion. The walls are mostly bare, except for the upper part of the walls on the left and right of the pews.
 
I voted 10 AM, as did more than 1/3 of the voters so far. Not too early, not too late.

I think the problem with parishes having more than one Mass is that they need about a 2-hour interval–thus 7, 9, 11, 1, which seems to be the norm.
 
It would depend on the community it serves. The question needs more context.
 
In many parishes, there is a special Hispanic Mass offered in the 1PM to 2PM range. I suspect, that many would vote for those time frames if they are part of the Hispanic community. At our parish the Hispanic Mass is offered at 1 PM and there are about 200 families in attendance. (Our faith community in total has about 1,500 family members)
 
This is true. We share a parking lot with the City Middle School so that all of the participants have parking spaces. During the peak Mass times, we simply must be able to rotate out the parking lots for those coming for next Mass. During the past two years we have deleted one morning Mass to provide a few more minutes between Masses. There always seems to be a core of folks that stay for the coffee and donuts offered after the morning Masses regardless of any other ongoing situation. So, as with most issues like this, “it depends” might be the best answer. HOWEVER, most importantly, we always encourage folks to fellowship in Narthex or in the coffee and donuts area and NEVER use the parking lot as an issue. It comes up naturally as folks work out their own logistics for the Mass they attend
 
Last edited:
I like the Sunday evening Mass, because it gives people a chance who were gone for the weekend to attend.
 
bjryman said:
In many parishes, there is a special Hispanic Mass offered in the 1PM to 2PM range.
Click to expand...
Not in Pittsburgh, around here a 1 or 2 o’clock mass wouldn’t work out too well during football season.
 
Uliana988 said:
Our parish doesn’t have that many icons, in my opinion. The walls are mostly bare, except for the upper part of the walls on the left and right of the pews.
Click to expand...
I have visited at Ruthenian Catholic Church in SD that has an overwhelming number of icons…
 
Lain said:
The question needs more context.
Click to expand...
No, it doesn’t. I wanted to understand in general what people here feel is the optimal Mass time. The posting just before your own hits the nail on the head:
Erikaspirit16 said:
I voted 10 AM, as did more than 1/3 of the voters so far. Not too early, not too late.

I think the problem with parishes having more than one Mass is that they need about a 2-hour interval–thus 7, 9, 11, 1, which seems to be the norm.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
bjryman said:
There always seems to be a core of folks that stay for the coffee and donuts offered after the morning Masses regardless of any other ongoing situation.
Click to expand...
That’s so terribly sad though. Fellowship is impinged upon by the desire/need to clear the parking lot.
 
SuperLuigi said:
I like the Sunday evening Mass, because it gives people a chance who were gone for the weekend to attend.
Click to expand...
That was the one big question I really had. I figured the “optimal” time would be 9:00, 9:30 or 10:00. However, evening Masses seem to be getting more and more crowded. Rather than get up early and go to Mass clearing the day for other activities, more and more seem to want to live their days and then go to Mass.
 
Maybe you have a point there. Some of the 4 churches in Pittsburgh celebrating spanish mass are afternoon ventures. Live and learn.
Saint Catherine of Siena (Beechview) - Vicariate 1

1810 Belasco Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15216
Phone: 412-531-2135
Mass Schedule:
Sunday: 1:00 p.m.
Website: www.scsbv.org

Saint Paul (Butler) - Vicariate 4

128 N Mckean St
Butler, PA 16001
Phone: 724-287-1759
Mass Schedule:
Last Sunday of the Month: 2:00 p.m.
Website: www.butlercitycatholicparishes.org

Saint Regis (Oakland) - Vicariate 1

3235 Parkview Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-681-9365 (Bilingual)
Mass Schedule:
Sunday: 12:00 noon
Holy Days: Contact Parish Office for Schedule
Confessions:
Sunday: 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.
Website: www.stregisparish.org

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Meadow Lands) - Vicariate 3

300 Pike Street
Meadow Lands, PA 15347-0366
Phone: 724-222-1911
Mass Schedule:
4th Sunday of the month: 2:30 p.m.
 
There is a reason for that too of course.

In many cases Masses in Spanish are often the last Masses that have been added to Anglo parishes. When are they often scheduled? During open periods in parish schedules are are often 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
 
Duesenberg said:
No, it doesn’t. I wanted to understand in general what people here feel is the optimal Mass time. The posting just before your own hits the nail on the head:
Click to expand...
Then you should have specified that. You asked about a hypothetical new church opening to serve a community, you didn’t ask “what time do most CAF posters think is the best time for going to Mass?” Two different questions.
 
Last edited:
I’d say it depends on your schedule. Some of these times might conflict with a person’s work schedule or with other obligations.
 
It’s a good poll. No need to burden it with unnecessary detail. Most seemed to understand it just fine.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top