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RCIAGraduate
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Why them? Are they known for ministry in poor communities?
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The "Last Catholic on Earth, Only One at Mass" Experience
- Thread starter Tis_Bearself
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mrsdizzyd
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tad
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The closest thing I’ve come to this was at a funeral. I guess the deceased was a parishioner, but I didn’t recognize him. It was pretty obvious the family and friends in attendance weren’t regular church goers as I was the only one giving the responses. The pastor thanked me afterwards as he would have felt all alone if it weren’t for me.
Daily mass attendance is waning at my parish. We have a new pastor finally after having to hire out for a priest to say daily mass for the past 5 years. I’ve started attending again and serving as a sacristan/altar server. I may be asked to read soon, who knows. I’ve been to so many masses, I’m sure I could pick it up again soon.
Daily mass attendance is waning at my parish. We have a new pastor finally after having to hire out for a priest to say daily mass for the past 5 years. I’ve started attending again and serving as a sacristan/altar server. I may be asked to read soon, who knows. I’ve been to so many masses, I’m sure I could pick it up again soon.
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catholic1seeks
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Well as maybe a positive thought, weekday masses aren’t available to everyone (at work, etc.)
I would consider myself a normal practicing Catholic and, even besides work, I hardly ever go to weekday masses.
I would consider myself a normal practicing Catholic and, even besides work, I hardly ever go to weekday masses.
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Convert3
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We had a pretty good turn out this morning. About 20 adults plus an equal number of seventh graders from the school. The lowest I’ve seen is four of us, and that was this summer during a peak vacation week. Average non school attendees is about twelve.
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RCIAGraduate
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Could changing the time and advertising said times (that are convenient) be helpful in boosting attendance?
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adgloriam
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Happened to me having to do both readings.
Fortunately it never happened that I was the only one at mass, but sometimes there have been less than 10 people and at vespers or rosary less than 5. But that is also ok.
All over the world the Holy Sacrifice is being celebrated every single hour, Our Lord was there with you and his minister, you are never alone.
Fortunately it never happened that I was the only one at mass, but sometimes there have been less than 10 people and at vespers or rosary less than 5. But that is also ok.
All over the world the Holy Sacrifice is being celebrated every single hour, Our Lord was there with you and his minister, you are never alone.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
You ask a lot of questions…
The church is nice and beautiful but has no pews, it is quite spare
The church is nice and beautiful but has no pews, it is quite spare
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mrsdizzyd
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The church has no pews? Is it eastern rite?
Or do you mean there are just tables to sit around…
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Ardent_Fire
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Haven’t had that happen yet but for some reason it reminds me of a priest at mass I went to in a small town in Norway. The parish and celebration was somewhat sparse and for whatever reason the priest would perform his normal celebration of the mass but he also had a keyboard and would walk over to the other part of the altar and play so people could sing hymns.
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Dan_Defender
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The smallest mass attendance I’ve been to is in The Netherlands… 5 people in this magnificent cathedral… I wasn’t asked to read but my Dutch wouldn’t be good enough any way
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brian_custer
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yes; it has happened to me
i was the only one attending daily mass in the chapel on the CVN i served on; more than once
the chaplain never asked me to do anything with regards to Mass he was celebrating;
i was the only one attending daily mass in the chapel on the CVN i served on; more than once
the chaplain never asked me to do anything with regards to Mass he was celebrating;
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mVitus
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I’ve been to a Church with no pews. It had a bunch of chairs instead, which was practical for the circular nave.
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Thascius
Guest
Many years ago, as an altar boy for a funeral. The deceased was accompanied by the non-Catholic funeral director. I still remember the priest having to ask for the deceased’s name during the Mass. I remember the day clearly, but I don’t recall being sad. Every now and then, I remember to add a prayer for her.
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semper_catholicus
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I’ve never been the only one at mass, but I’ve been on of four or five. That was on a Sunday too.
It happened one year that there was a really bad snowstorm on a Sunday and nobody save my father, my brother, myself and two guys and the priest.
It happened one year that there was a really bad snowstorm on a Sunday and nobody save my father, my brother, myself and two guys and the priest.
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ColorMomma
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Sounds like a situation I know of in central Oregon.
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rondirect
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That’s strange. Our missal and the USCCB calendar of readings shows 2 plus the Gospel.
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mrsdizzyd
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I remember hearing about something similar in Ohio whether the Bishop was accused of targeting liberal parishes for closure in spite of the fact that some of them were financially stable.
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Maximilian75
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That would be amazing …It even happened to me once at an EF Mass. That was…awkward.
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UpUpAndAway
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I’m not in the US, so that may explain why. Perhaps the rules are different for the Francophone countries. The liturgical authority for the French language itself says to choose between the two readings unless the feast falls on a Sunday. :woman_shrugging:t2:
If you follow this link you will get to the the readings for Friday as shown by the Bishops’ Liturgical Association for Francophone Countries (AELF). Scroll down the text on the right and you will see “PREMIÈRE LECTURE” twice, with the readings separated by “OU BIEN”. “Première lecture” means “First reading” while “ou bien” means “or.”
www.aelf.org
The experience was no different for me from the OF Masses I’ve attended (but did not serve) where I was the only one there besides the priest.
If you follow this link you will get to the the readings for Friday as shown by the Bishops’ Liturgical Association for Francophone Countries (AELF). Scroll down the text on the right and you will see “PREMIÈRE LECTURE” twice, with the readings separated by “OU BIEN”. “Première lecture” means “First reading” while “ou bien” means “or.”
AELF — Messe — 14 septembre 2018
Le site de l'Association épiscopale liturgique pour les pays francophones est le fournisseur officiel des textes en français pour la liturgie catholique.
And here’s my cue to clarify that I’m a woman and thus neither served at altar nor in the sacristy. I just read out the server responses from the nave, in my really awful Latin.
The experience was no different for me from the OF Masses I’ve attended (but did not serve) where I was the only one there besides the priest.
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