What would be the best time for weekday Mass?

[chicago]

Although I would love an evening mass, that does not account for actual parish life:

-RCIA
-Choir practice (2-3 groups or more)
-School Board meeting
-liturgy commission (ours is the kind that actually keep Father following the rules)
-music planning committee
-youth ministry meetings/prayer groups
-youth ministry leader meetings
-CRHP, ACTS, or other retreat formation groups
-Bible study
-Men’s club
-PTO
-Finance committee
-parish council

etc etc etc.
At my parish, we’ll have multiple groups every night. And the priests attend them (sometimes hopping to 3 different groups in one evening). Of course, Mass is most important, but evenings are the common time for groups.

Could it be argued that these groups might do well to start out by attending Mass, at least once in awhile?

Also, some parishes have an expectation that “Father” will show up to their meetings, but is it realistic? It is nice when he can drop by once in awhile. And, at times, his presence is truly needed. But, often, it may just be decorum to assume that the priest has to do so much leg work. He may be better off offering Mass and calling people to attend more frequently.

 

[Mt_28_19_20]

Actually, in most areas, daily mass times should be planned on a diocesian level so that a good coverage of the day is provided. This should have adjacent parishes with different times and advertising other parishes’ daily masses in each parish.

In rural area, this may not be possible.

In suburban and urban areas it is very possible, but seldom done today. Talk to your bishop.

Here’s what I found on the Archdiocese website for Philadelphia South Vicariate. Keeping in mind that during rush hour and noon traffic, it can take 10 to 30 plus minutes to walk or drive to or from Mass to work, depending on locations.

55 parishes
7 of 55 no weekday Mass
29 of 55 celebrate one Mass a day during the week
13 of 55 celebrate two Masses a day during the week
3 of 55 celebrate three Masses a day during the week
One at 7:30 am, 12:00, 13:00, not helpful for most working from 8-4:30, unless work is close and pass up lunch.
One at 7:30 am, 12, 17:30, good for those working from 8-4:30 if wait for 5:30 Mass, or if close to work and pass up lunch.
One at 6:30am, 8 am, 9 am, good for those working close by or not working until 7:30 or 8. Not good at all for those working at 7am.

1 of 55 celebrate four Masses a day during the week
The Cathedral: at 7:15, 8, 12, 12:30
For those who work from 7-3:30 not helpful unless work within few blocks and go without lunch. The Archdiocese headquarters is next door, so convenient for these Catholics who, many of whom go to Mass at 12 or 12:30 and then to the cafeteria. For hospital wokers from 7a to 7p, not helpful.

1 of 55 celebrates 5 Masses a day during the week
St John the Evangelist at 7:45, 8:30, 12, 1, 17:15
For those who work from 7 to 3:30 not helpful unless work within a few blocks and go without lunch, or wait 105 minutes for the 5:15. For hospital workers from 7a to 7 p, not helpful.

5 of 55 have a 06:30 Mass, and no Masses after 9 am. Not helpful for those who work at 7am, and depending how far away work is, rush hour can make it difficult to get to work by 7:30 or even 8am.

17 of 55 have a Mass before 7:30 (15) or after 4:30 (2), so that those who work from 8 to 4:30 and work close by might be able to attend weekday Mass.

In the whole South Vicariate of Philadelphia there is:
1 Mass at 16:30 daily
1 Mass at 17:00 daily
1 Mass at 17:15 daily
1 Mass at 17:30 daily
1 Mass at 18:00 on Tuesday evening
1 Mass at 18:30 on Monday evening
1 Mass at 19:00 on Tuesday evening
1 Mass at 19:30 on Wednesday evening.

God bless,

Michael

 

[chicago]

As far as I know, no parish in our city has an evening Mass. I can see why–I think I’m probably in the minority, since most people with families would never be able to attend an evening Mass. Also, there’s a question of crime–in many churches in our parish, it’s just not safe to do things after dark.

Perhaps I could buy the crime thing, but you know if people go out in greater numbers rather than holing themselves up in the house then the risk of crime should actually decline. Just think of what an occasional candlelight vigil and Mass could accomplish!

Also, is it true that most families could not attend? Why not? They can probably make it out on a Holy Day of Obligation, so is there some genuine reason it can’t be a priority on other nights?

Really, I think that the larger reason for the lack of evening Masses has to do with pastors not wanting to do extra work nor wanting to rock the boat of those who already attend the established morning Mass. It is more a matter of “this is the way we have always done things” which rules the day than anything.

 

[acadian]

6:30 a.m. works for me. I have to be at work at 7:05, and it is about 5 minutes away. Another parish has a 7:30 a.m. Mass, and that works for me when I’m off. A nice quiet way to start the day before the rat race begins.

Our parish has a 12:15 Mass once a week; I can’t make that one unless I’m off, but it works for the school kids.

Making an evening Mass is a challenge during the week with homework and other activities. We’ve done it on occassion, but not something that would fit into a regular routine.

 

[Mt_28_19_20]

Here’s what I found on the Archdiocese website for Philadelphia South Vicariate. Keeping in mind that during rush hour and noon traffic, it can take 10 to 30 plus minutes to walk or drive to or from Mass to work, depending on locations.

55 parishes
7 of 55 no weekday Mass
29 of 55 celebrate one Mass a day during the week
13 of 55 celebrate two Masses a day during the week
3 of 55 celebrate three Masses a day during the week
One at 7:30 am, 12:00, 13:00, not helpful for most working from 8-4:30, unless work is close and pass up lunch.
One at 7:30 am, 12, 17:30, good for those working from 8-4:30 if wait for 5:30 Mass, or if close to work and pass up lunch.
One at 6:30am, 8 am, 9 am, good for those working close by or not working until 7:30 or 8. Not good at all for those working at 7am.

1 of 55 celebrate four Masses a day during the week
The Cathedral: at 7:15, 8, 12, 12:30
For those who work from 7-3:30 not helpful unless work within few blocks and go without lunch. The Archdiocese headquarters is next door, so convenient for these Catholics who, many of whom go to Mass at 12 or 12:30 and then to the cafeteria. For hospital wokers from 7a to 7p, not helpful.

1 of 55 celebrates 5 Masses a day during the week
St John the Evangelist at 7:45, 8:30, 12, 1, 17:15
For those who work from 7 to 3:30 not helpful unless work within a few blocks and go without lunch, or wait 105 minutes for the 5:15. For hospital workers from 7a to 7 p, not helpful.

5 of 55 have a 06:30 Mass, and no Masses after 9 am. Not helpful for those who work at 7am, and depending how far away work is, rush hour can make it difficult to get to work by 7:30 or even 8am.

17 of 55 have a Mass before 7:30 (15) or after 4:30 (2), so that those who work from 8 to 4:30 and work close by might be able to attend weekday Mass.

In the whole South Vicariate of Philadelphia there is:
1 Mass at 16:30 daily
1 Mass at 17:00 daily
1 Mass at 17:15 daily
1 Mass at 17:30 daily
1 Mass at 18:00 on Tuesday evening
1 Mass at 18:30 on Monday evening
1 Mass at 19:00 on Tuesday evening
1 Mass at 19:30 on Wednesday evening.

God bless,

Michael

So, a few examples.

Nurses often work shifts of 7am to 7 pm a few days a week. In the South Vicariate of Philadelphia Archdiocese which includes center city with several major hospital. Unless on works a few minutes near one of the 4 parishes with a 6:30 Mass (none of the 4 are center city parishes) or near the one with a Wednesday night 19:30 Mass, then Mass that day is nearly impossible. It may be possible to go at lunch, assuming the distance is close and that that allows enought time to walk there, attend Mass, and walk back.

Physicians in trainig progams usually start at 7am, if not ealier, and often stay atleast to 5pm, often later taking care of patients. And they are often expected to attend educational conferences at lunch time. For many of these Catholic physicians in training, it is next to impossible, if not impossible to attend weekday Mass even if they were to go out of their way to do so. Since they are often facing life and death issues, and major illness and stress in their patient’s lives, would not the availability of weekday Masses that recognized their schedules be a positive?

God bless,

Michael

 

[Cat]

Perhaps I could buy the crime thing, but you know if people go out in greater numbers rather than holing themselves up in the house then the risk of crime should actually decline. Just think of what an occasional candlelight vigil and Mass could accomplish!

Also, is it true that most families could not attend? Why not? They can probably make it out on a Holy Day of Obligation, so is there some genuine reason it can’t be a priority on other nights?

Really, I think that the larger reason for the lack of evening Masses has to do with pastors not wanting to do extra work nor wanting to rock the boat of those who already attend the established morning Mass. It is more a matter of “this is the way we have always done things” which rules the day than anything.

I would like to think that large crowds would dissipate crime in an area, but I don’t know. In our city, within a few blocks of the parish I play piano for, an ice cream man was gunned down by three teenagers this summer. There were kids and families aroun; in fact, the ice cream man had just handed an ice cream bar to a little girl, and then right in front of her, this gang of teens just gunned him down. He lived long enough to crawl to a house and beg for help. Then he died. Horrific.

And last week, a gang shooting occurred at a crowded nightclub downtown. Two people hurt, but not killed, thankfully.

I think that a lot of crime nowadays is caused by street gangs, and that these kids and their adult leaders do not have respect for anything or anyone, including bright lights and a crowd of people. I’m not sure our police forces really have a handle on controlling them yet.

As for families not being able to attend evening Mass, I think it has more to do with practicalities. In many families, the time immediately after school is taken up with music lessons, choir practice, sports practices or games, other extra-curricular school activities, etc. Then there’s the mad rush of getting dinner either at home or out.

The time after dinner–the evening–the time between 7 and 9–is the “quiet time” for many families. Mom and maybe a child is cleaning up after dinner. Dad is trying to spend a little time with his children between paying bills and doing other household chores. The kids are trying to do homework, practice piano, or just play a little. (After all, they ARE children–they are allowed to play, right?!)

Parents want their kids to wind down during these evening hours so that they will be ready for bed and sleep by at least 9. (In our family, during the school year while the kids were young, bedtime was at 8.)

So an evening Mass on a daily basis would be a “burden” to many families with children. If the homework and the sports and the music lessons and the dinner and the cleaning and all the other practical household chores that are necessary to daily life would just GO AWAY, then maybe families would come to evening Mass.

But real life is real life. We can’t make it stop. When I was growing up in the 1960s, I didn’t have a schedule of after-school activities. No one did. But we’re not living in the 1960s anymore. We can’t go back there.

I still wish that churches would hold evening Mass at least once a week. It would work well for some families; e.g., for those families who home-school their children, evening Mass might work really well. And for empty nesters like my husband and me, it would be great.

 

[iamrefreshed]

I attend the 7AM in my parish but I would love a 7PM as well for when I can’t make it in the AM.

 

[Brenda_V]

I can’t vote-none of these times works for me. My youngest son is only in school from 9:00 to 11:30, so I would need Mass to be somewhere during that time.

I guess there’s just no pleasing some people.

Scout :tiphat:

Scout - if your Parish had a noonish Mass you could pick up your child and go to Mass with him , then home for Lunch. Most weekday Masses don’t last much beyond half an hour so it could be do-able.

I voted for 7 a.m. or 12:05. Both would work best for my schedule and most preferable would be the noon Mass! I work from home as well but also go to Jazzercise and volunteer at Birthright so my time is limited by these. Evenings don’t work well for me, I have lost my steam by then and have all I can to get dinner together to feed the family.

My own Parish has a 9 a.m. (which I attend on Wednesdays now with a friend, we decided that the only way we would do this is if we became “Mass partners” and it is working!) and also at 6 p.m.

What we must remember is that attending Mass on a daily basis is wonderful but not required. When my children were small I tried attending Mass but got those dirty looks from those cranky older folks so I decided that it was not my time to be able to do this, now that my children are grown, the Mass times only work for me one, maybe two days a week.

Before I got married I decided that attending Mass was a good way to prepare me for that major commitment so, I would get dinner ready for the family (I was the ‘cook’ for my parents and sister and her husband when in college) and walk up to Mass for 5 p.m. then walk home to finish the dinner preparations and sit down to eat with my family. Then I got married and the Newman Center was too far away to walk to and I don’t think they had an evening Mass anyway - morning didn’t work with my class schedule. Now that I am older evenings are difficult for me to be out of the house for anything, not just going to Mass.

Brenda V.

 

[chicago]

I think that a lot of crime nowadays is caused by street gangs, and that these kids and their adult leaders do not have respect for anything or anyone, including bright lights and a crowd of people. I’m not sure our police forces really have a handle on controlling them yet.

A lot of those gangbangers are actually Catholic. They just might join the processions if you found a way to involve them somehow.

As for families not being able to attend evening Mass, I think it has more to do with practicalities. In many families, the time immediately after school is taken up with music lessons, choir practice, sports practices or games, other extra-curricular school activities, etc. Then there’s the mad rush of getting dinner either at home or out.

The time after dinner–the evening–the time between 7 and 9–is the “quiet time” for many families. Mom and maybe a child is cleaning up after dinner. Dad is trying to spend a little time with his children between paying bills and doing other household chores. The kids are trying to do homework, practice piano, or just play a little. (After all, they ARE children–they are allowed to play, right?!)

Parents want their kids to wind down during these evening hours so that they will be ready for bed and sleep by at least 9. (In our family, during the school year while the kids were young, bedtime was at 8.)

So an evening Mass on a daily basis would be a “burden” to many families with children. If the homework and the sports and the music lessons and the dinner and the cleaning and all the other practical household chores that are necessary to daily life would just GO AWAY, then maybe families would come to evening Mass.

But real life is real life. We can’t make it stop. When I was growing up in the 1960s, I didn’t have a schedule of after-school activities. No one did. But we’re not living in the 1960s anymore. We can’t go back there.

I think it is a matter of priorities. No we can’t “go back” to the 60s (though, then, more likely mom wasn’t working and could attend morning Mass which the kids in Catholic school for little or no tuition may have been attending, also.) However, choices can be made to make this a part of the “quiet time” (at least on occasion, if not daily) for the familty to be together and wind down. I mean, really, what would one family night a week with maybe Mass, rosary, and confessions do for a parish if people would just decide to do it and get over all the reasons that they can’t?

I still wish that churches would hold evening Mass at least once a week. It would work well for some families; e.g., for those families who home-school their children, evening Mass might work really well. And for empty nesters like my husband and me, it would be great.

I think it would make a nice option for a lot of people. And, if it were specifcally a weekly thing, it could be a highlighted event which focuses people and draws a crowd. When something is available every day, people can actually become too complacent with its presence and let it pass as they take it for granted.

 

[Cat]

IMO, one of the things that would be wonderful about evening Masses is that we could invite our Protestant relatives and friends (assuming that the evening Mass was not held on a Wednesday or Thursday evening).

If we invite them to Sunday Mass (or Sat. evening), they are already attending their OWN church, and can’t come to ours.

But in the evening, they could possibly come with us, and then we could go out for ice cream afterwards and discuss it. (Of course, this is more applicable to those without small children.)

 

[Mperea75]

I wish for college students like myself and others that mass would be a little later so we can go to mass as well.

 

[AHapka]

Question for the OP:

Why the Mass at 12:05??? I see the rest are on an hour or quarter hour.

Just curious where the five minutes after noon comes from

Thanks,

Andy

 

[Mt_28_19_20]

Question for the OP:

Why the Mass at 12:05??? I see the rest are on an hour or quarter hour.

Just curious where the five minutes after noon comes from

Thanks,

Andy

One of the parishes in center city has a 12:05, and 12:35 Mass. The one right next to the Archdiocese headquarters. My guess, is that they accounted for time to actually walk to Mass, if someone’s lunch time starts at 12 or 12:30. That way, most are not arriving late for Mass. If others are more flexible with their hours, then probably not a significant factor. However, seems like many people are expected to take lunch at particular times, usually on the hour, or half-hour.

God bless,

Michael

 

[LilyM]

One of the parishes in center city has a 12:05, and 12:35 Mass. The one right next to the Archdiocese headquarters. My guess, is that they accounted for time to actually walk to Mass, if someone’s lunch time starts at 12 or 12:30. That way, most are not arriving late for Mass. If others are more flexible with their hours, then probably not a significant factor. However, seems like many people are expected to take lunch at particular times, usually on the hour, or half-hour.

God bless,

Michael

Many churches would say the Angelus before a 12 o’clock Mass too, that can account for the extra 5 minutes there. But otherwise I think you may be right, all the lunchtime masses around here tend to start at five or ten minutes past the half-hour.

 

[Marian_Carroll]

This thread is now closed.

Discussion ongoing here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=188004