Why Saturday Mass?

[CB_Catholic]

Why not Saturday Mass? As others have pointed out, the Jewish sabbath begins at sundown the evening before, so what’s the big deal? If I were there simply to “get it over with,” I’d go to the first Mass on Sunday, not Saturday afternoon where I have to stop whatever I am doing and interrupt my day. I choose to go on Saturday because I prefer being there when there are fewer people around me (esp. squirmy little kids), and because after 30+ years of working second and third shift as a nurse, I am more awake and alert in the late afternoon than I am in the early morning. If you have a problem with Mass on Saturday, then go on Sunday, but don’t judge us Saturday-attendees for going when we choose.

I agree. As a nurse, there have been many times that Sat. Mass was my only option. I usually go on Sundays now, but our confessions are 2:30 to 3:30 on Sat. and Mass is at 4. So I just stay for Mass. In any case, I don’t think people need to justify when or why they attend Mass, and I prefer to assume that people are at Mass because they want to be there, not because they have to. My 80 year old mother goes a whole hour early to Sat. Mass because she likes to sit there and say her Rosary and have a special time with God in the quiet church.

 

[drafdog]

I never attend Mass on Saturday because I can never get my act together to get there. My solution is usually to attend the first Mass on Sunday morning, leaving the rest of the day to be a day of rest. Since my wife is not a “morning” person, we attend a much later Mass when we attend together.
I am personally offended by the hierarchy’s ruling on when Mass is allowed to begin on Saturday afternoon for satisfaction of the Sunday Mass obligation. As far as I am concerned the Mass should never begin before sundown in keeping with the Hebraic method of counting the beginning of the day. The current practice of Saturday and Sunday afternoon Masses counting for the Sunday obligation results in a 26 to 27 hour day. Utter nonsense.
Be it known that I attend Mass not because the Vatican has “mandated” attendance, but because I want to pray the Mass. There is no such thing in my psyche as “getting it over with.”

Matthew

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

My husband is a philosophy professor, instructs a lot of nurses, police officers and fire fighters in ethics. Many of the law enforcement and fire community are required by their juristictions to acquire a BA or BS within a certaintime frame, and RNs are always signing up to get that BSN and Physician Assistant certificate. Our pastor has a “ride along” chaplaincy with the police in our area. He frequently has pastoral care for peace officers, and encounters members of the medical profession on a daily basis.

Most nurses and “cops” are very devout people. They see Life and Death every day, in quantities that would cause too many of us to have psychological damage. Add to this group doctors, the folks at Streets and Sanitation (street lights and water emergencies?), fire fighters, and a host of other people who work on Sunday not because they want to do so, not for the pursuit of gain on Sunday, but because they have to do so, for the good of their township and the people in it (you and me, us).

To assume they only want to “get it over with” is uncharitable and does not take into account their jobs of serving us.

It is NOT a sin to go to Mass at Saturday vigil, in the proper mind and with the right perspective. Father thinks it makes for better police officers (It is interesting to note that many of these officers, nurses and other public servants also try to attend daily Mass). In all the time Mass has “counted” on Saturday for Sunday, the Church in her wisdom has not abolished it- put into practice some 40+ years ago.

It could be a sin, however, to second-guess the intentions of the people who attend the lawful Saturday vigil Mass. You who have done so will have to examine your own consciences and decide that for yourselves.

We usually go to the Saturday vigil. It gives our granddaughters better “settle down” time. We get to see some of my husband’s students and ex-students with their families. And yes, it gives us time to take the time to rest on Sunday, much the same way Jews attend Friday night shabbas and rest on Saturday.

 

[djrakowski]

My wife and I are thankful that our parish offers a Saturday evening Vigil Mass.

We have 4 children, two of whom are severely disabled. Their behaviors are so challenging (and even moreso when they’re together) that we have to split up and attend Mass separately. Usually that means one of us attends on Saturday evening, and the other on Sunday morning (or perhaps even Sunday evening at 6:30 PM). Sunday morning Masses aren’t ‘holier’ than the ones offered on Saturday evenings. In fact, at least at our parish, they’re identical to the ones offered on Sunday mornings.

Furthermore, I’ve been told by older Catholics that before the Saturday evening Vigil was offered, and when the fasting requirements were more strict than they are today, they attended the very earliest Mass possible so the fast would be effectively shorter. Is that any better than someone who attends the Saturday evening Vigil to ‘get it over with?’

 

[stmaria]

Liturgically, a feast begins the evening before. Thats why in the LOTH you’ll find that Saturday’s evening prayer is “Sunday Evening Prayer I” and the same for all vigils of Feasts.

This probably goes back to the Israelites, Sabbath began on Friday evening.

So it kinda makes sense why Saturday Masses can be celebrated and fulfill the Sunday Obligation.

Why does it make sense? The reason Pope Paul allowed Saturday mass was " to enable the Christians of today to celebrate more easily the** day of the resurrection of the Lord."**

The Lord resurrected on a Sunday not a Saturday.
The day to honor our Lord is to be on Sunday.

Lev 23:3-4 “For six days work may be done; **but the seventh day is the Sabbath rest, a day for sacred assembly, **on which you shall do no work. The Sabbath shall belong to the Lord wherever you dwell”

Acts 20:7-8 “ And on the first day of the week, when we had met for the breaking of bread”

Why does worshiping God need to be made more convenient for “modern man”.

Lets make it more convenient for the Jews as well. Maybe Friday at sunset to Saturday evening is not convenient for the Sabbath. Lets make it optional for the Jewish Sabbath to be Saturday at sunset to Sunday evening.

I had an aunt that actually **quit her job **because they made her work on Sundays. She put God first. Of course that would be too much to ask of “modern man”

Eucharisticum mysterium
28. Anticipating the Sunday and Feast Day Masses on the Previous Evening
Where permission has been granted by the Apostolic See to fulfill the Sunday obligation on the preceding Saturday evening, pastors should explain the meaning of this permission carefully to the faithful and should ensure that the significance of Sunday is not thereby obscured. The purpose of this concession is in fact to enable the Christians of today to celebrate more easily the day of the resurrection of the Lord.

 

[Glennon_P]

I had a job for about five years that required me to work Sunday morning, so I attended Mass on Saturday evening. Attending then wasn’t my first preference and when I switched jobs I was delighted to be able to attend Mass on Sunday morning once again.

Are there some who attend Saturday evening Mass to “get it over with?” Yes. Just as there are some who attend the earliest Mass on Sunday morning to “get it over with”, or those who avoid the Mass with the most singing so they can “get it over with”.

Just because there are a few who do this, doesn’t mean everybody does this.

Inner disposition has a lot more to do with fervency of one’s worship of Almighty God at Mass than the time of the Mass.

And at the risk of veering off-topic slightly, those who have negative opinions of people attending Saturday evening Mass due to work, or negative opinions of those who work on Sunday…let me pose a few questions.

Do you want to have police protection on Sunday? Fire protection? Medical services? How about running water or sewer services? Electric or gas service? Do you watch TV on Sunday? Listen to the radio? Ever go out to eat after Mass, or at night? Your Sunday morning newspaper was delivered by someone. Your Monday morning newspaper was written and printed largely on Sunday. Ever attend a ball game on Sunday? Or watch one on TV? Been to a swimming pool to relax on Sunday afternoon?

All of those things require people to work.

 

[lak611]

So has this happened? So why have businesses flourished on Sundays if all this “ease” in celebrating the Resurrection?

The “blue laws” that required businesses to be closed on Sundays were actually started by Protestants. In some rural areas with many conservative Protestants, these still exist (for instance, “dry towns” or no liquor sales on Sunday). As our government has gotten more secular, with less influence by the conservative Protestants, the laws have changed. I can remember it was a big deal when grocery stores first were open on Sundays back in the 1970’s where I live. Recently, liquor laws in my state were relaxed, allowing Sunday liquor sales in stores and Sunday beer/wine sales in gas stations.

 

[stmaria]

And what is the purpose behind early Sunday morning masses then? You think people don’t equally attend at 6, 7 or 8 am on a Sunday morning to ‘get it over with’ in precisely the same way, and have the rest of the day free for other pursuits?

I’ve been known to attend BOTH Saturday evening and Sunday morning masses on the same weekend - particularly if I’m working on the first Saturday of the month, **since Saturday evening masses still fulfil the Five First Saturdays devotion given by Our Lady at Fatima. **I say thank God for 'em.

I believe that Our Lady would want you to make **some kind of sacrifice **to fulfill her First Saturday devotion. As Bob said “killing two birds with one stone” isn’t the way to do it.

How can you possibly say that going to the Saturday Mass, that you are already attending, fullfills the devotion? Don’t you think that if you go to Mass on the first Saturday that you should then also go to Sunday Mass.

As a Catholic that goes to the Traditional Mass, I fulfill the devotion by going to the First Saturday morning Traditional Mass and then go the next day to the Sunday Mass. How can you possibly go to the First Saturday Novus Ordo and then not go again on Sunday? You are not fullfilling the requirements of the Five First Saturdays. **Some sacrifice **is required.

 

[Biblioassistant]

I go to the Saturday evening Mass since it’s that Mass that has the organ and (fairly) nice music. The others are Hagen-Hass with guitar and tamborine (shudder).

 

[SnorterLuster]

I read a lot of people saying why they like to go to Mass on Saturday, including those in occupations that require Sunday work. I am sure that the Saturday Masses are a great convience for you and for the other people that like the Saturday evening Mass for their own reasons. From what has been quoted here, that was the reason the Saturday Masses were allowed—to make it more convenient for the faithful to attend Mass.

That being the case, why doesn’t the Vatican just allow any Mass during the week to count for your obligation. It would certainly be more convenient and would allow even more people to not sacrifice their precious time on the weekends. Many people work both Saturday and Sunday. My daughter works both days–Saturday evenings and all day Sunday at an emergency vet clinic. Other people go to their weekend cabins or the lake. Imagine how many could go to say a Friday Mass and fulfill their obligation. No need to cut short the fishing by having to drive to town to go to Mass.

I think I am on to something here, we could do away with the fast before Communion or make it a symbolic one hour. We could use lay people to hand out the Eucharist so people wouldn’t have to sit in church a second longer than necessary. We could make confession a once a year communal event so people wouldn’t have to mess up their weekends with individual confession. Just make a good act of contrition and you’re good to go. Hey, I just thought of something else–we could do away with the no meat on Friday sacrifice. We could do something more meaningful, like give a bum a quarter and call it a good deed. Who knows, maybe some day we can be progressive enough to just have drive through Holy Communion. Boy, would that be convenient. No need to even dress up.

Seriously, maybe we and the Vatican should be thinking more about how to return to sacrifice and humility as an integral part of our Faith.

 

[djrakowski]

Seriously, maybe we and the Vatican should be thinking more about how to return to sacrifice and humility as an integral part of our Faith.

Or perhaps we should permit those in authority over us to make decisions on these matters without questioning their intentions and those of the people who avail themselves of this option.

Anyone who doesn’t like the fact that the Church has allowed for attendance at Saturday Vigil Masses can continue to attend on Sunday. But don’t disparage those whose life circumstances make this option preferable or even necessary.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Why does it make sense? The reason Pope Paul allowed Saturday mass was " to enable the Christians of today to celebrate more easily the** day of the resurrection of the Lord."**

The Lord resurrected on a Sunday not a Saturday.
The day to honor our Lord is to be on Sunday.

It makes sense because Pope Paul allowed it, it has happened for over 40 years, and has a basis in Jewish tradition. If Friday starts the Sabbath (when three stars appear in the sky), then it is logical for Sunday to start Saturday evening.

Lev 23:3-4 “For six days work may be done; **but the seventh day is the Sabbath rest, a day for sacred assembly, **on which you shall do no work. The Sabbath shall belong to the Lord wherever you dwell”

Acts 20:7-8 “ And on the first day of the week, when we had met for the breaking of bread”

And you have ignored, “The Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

Lets make it more convenient for the Jews as well. Maybe Friday at sunset to Saturday evening is not convenient for the Sabbath. Lets make it optional for the Jewish Sabbath to be Saturday at sunset to Sunday evening.

It is already convenient for the Jews, as they already have had in place what the Saturday vigil already does. Besides, Judiasm is not under the juristiction of the Church.

I had an aunt that actually **quit her job **because they made her work on Sundays. She put God first. Of course that would be too much to ask of “modern man”

How nice for your aunt. NONETHELESS, she was not required to quit her job, and could have attended Mass at Saturday vigil.

Eucharisticum mysterium
28. Anticipating the Sunday and Feast Day Masses on the Previous Evening
Where permission has been granted by the Apostolic See to fulfill the Sunday obligation on the preceding Saturday evening, pastors should explain the meaning of this permission carefully to the faithful and should ensure that the significance of Sunday is not thereby obscured. The purpose of this concession is in fact to enable the Christians of today to celebrate more easily the day of the resurrection of the Lord.

Why do you want to deny people what the Church, through Pope Paul VI, and every pope since, has allowed? I don’t understand. Do you have a problem with these popes? After all, they are the popes, and the Holy Spirit works through them in a special way he does not work through the rest of us.

This thing has been debated to death on CAF. If you pull a search on the subject, you will find plenty of threads. In the meantime, it is NOT sinful to go to Mass on Saturday vigil. You can choose when you go to Mass. Please allow others the same courtesy, without judging them as somehow less than Catholic, or less than devout- because that is the way it appears. I apologize in advance if that is not your aim, but to me, that is the way it appears.

 

[grannytiger]

My goodness. As a convert, I never realized until now that Saturday Mass was such a bone of contention.

Some observations – and please do keep in mind that I’m a) a recent convert, and b) new to the forums.

First, the “get it over with” mentality. It’s been pointed out here already that some choose the very early Sunday Mass for essentially the same reason of personal convenience, so if that’s the only argument against Saturday Mass, it seems to be pretty thin.

Second, isn’t it most important that one GOES to Mass, regardless of one’s state of mind at the time? As a priest once told me, “when you least feel like going to Mass is when you most need to go”.

Third, the fact that we have Saturday Mass does not mean to me that the Church caved in to modern demands for convenience. I suppose it can be viewed in that way, but I see it as a pastoral kindness – not only for those who must work on Sundays, but also many others for whom without Saturday Masses there would be no other way to fulfill their obligation for reasons having nothing to do with convenience.

If some attend on Saturday to “get it over with”, they’re still right where they should be, are they not?

 

[CarrieH]

I had an aunt that actually **quit her job **because they made her work on Sundays. She put God first. Of course that would be too much to ask of “modern man”

She was fortunate to have other options. Good thing she wasn’t a hospital worker or public safety officer.

Do you really think that any of us who work weekends* want* to be there on Sunday? Most of us don’t have the option of quitting, and it is understood when we choose certain professions that we will be doing our share of weekends, which is often every other and sometimes more to cover vacations, medical leaves, etc. Somebody has to keep the utilities running, the hospital staffed, and the people protected. Lest you think we are pulling these weekend shifts for the extra money, you might be interested to know that I get a whopping one dollar an hour extra for working on the weekend. So after taxes, that’s about enough for lunch at a fast-food joint – which I’m probably wolfing down in the car as I drive from the vigil Mass to the hospital because I don’t have time to go home before my shift starts at 7 pm.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Yes, you are right, grannytiger, it IS important to be there, no matter the day or time. And those who choose Saturday Mass are right where they belong.

 

[twiztedseraph]

Why does it make sense? The reason Pope Paul allowed Saturday mass was " to enable the Christians of today to celebrate more easily the** day of the resurrection of the Lord."**

The Lord resurrected on a Sunday not a Saturday.
The day to honor our Lord is to be on Sunday.

Lev 23:3-4 “For six days work may be done; **but the seventh day is the Sabbath rest, a day for sacred assembly, **on which you shall do no work. The Sabbath shall belong to the Lord wherever you dwell”

Acts 20:7-8 “ And on the first day of the week, when we had met for the breaking of bread”

Why does worshiping God need to be made more convenient for “modern man”.

Lets make it more convenient for the Jews as well. Maybe Friday at sunset to Saturday evening is not convenient for the Sabbath. Lets make it optional for the Jewish Sabbath to be Saturday at sunset to Sunday evening.

I had an aunt that actually **quit her job **because they made her work on Sundays. She put God first. Of course that would be too much to ask of “modern man”

Eucharisticum mysterium
28. Anticipating the Sunday and Feast Day Masses on the Previous Evening
Where permission has been granted by the Apostolic See to fulfill the Sunday obligation on the preceding Saturday evening, pastors should explain the meaning of this permission carefully to the faithful and should ensure that the significance of Sunday is not thereby obscured. The purpose of this concession is in fact to enable the Christians of today to celebrate more easily the day of the resurrection of the Lord.

In God’s Church we try to operate on the virtue Charity. This means loving everyone by virtue of their dignity as a human being as they’re either children of God or capable of becoming so.

This plus the Church’s mission to make sure everyone gets to heaven means that in her wisdom she has seen fit to decree a practice which makes it easier for many to attend the Sacrifice of the Mass and fulfill their obligations as Christians.

It makes sense in a liturgical way, because liturgically Saturday evening is Sunday. The fact of the matter is in the Old Code of Canon Law, Masses couldn’t be offered after a certain time (early afternoon), which meant this practice couldn’t occur. Now that this disciplinary ban has been lifted, it can happen.

Very well and good for your auntie to refuse to work on Sundays, what about families that depend on a single income? The Church is just trying to provide for all her children. Thank God we have such a kinda and caring mother!

God bless you, I apologise if I wasn’t charitable.

 

[stmaria]

]

It makes sense because Pope Paul allowed it, it has happened for over 40 years, and** has a basis in Jewish tradition**. If Friday starts the Sabbath (when three stars appear in the sky), then it is logical for Sunday to start Saturday evening.

Jewish Tradition? How about Catholic Tradition

And you have ignored, “The Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

No I prefer Lev 23:3-4 “For six days work may be done; but the seventh day is the Sabbath rest, a day for sacred assembly, on which you shall do no work. The Sabbath shall belong to the Lord wherever you dwell”

Acts 20:7-8 “ And on the first day of the week, when we had met for the breaking of bread”

SIZE=3]How nice for your aunt. NONETHELESS, she was not required to quit her job, and could have attended Mass at Saturday vigil.

This was in 1966 BEFORE there was a Saturday Mass.She was required to quite her job and so she did and never regretted it.

SIZE=3]Why do you want to deny people what the Church, through Pope Paul VI, and every pope since, has allowed? I don’t understand. Do you have a problem with these popes? After all, they are the popes, and the Holy Spirit works through them in a special way he does not work through the rest of us.

I have no problem with the Pope.

This thing has been debated to death on CAF. If you pull a search on the subject, you will find plenty of threads. In the meantime, it is **NOT sinful to go to Mass on Saturday **vigil. You can choose when you go to Mass. Please allow others the same courtesy, without judging them as somehow less than Catholic, or less than devout- because that is the way it appears. I apologize in advance if that is not your aim, but to me, that is the way it appears.

I didn’t say it was a sin. I said it was done strictly for convenience. Just like having Eucharist mininsters was done for convenience. Seems to me that the act of sacrifice has vanished from the Catholic faithful.

 

[bilop]

In other words, the purpose of Saturday Mass was in fact so that Catholics could “get it over with”.

So does this mean you seek out the latest possible Sunday Mass, so you are not “getting it over with” by going too early on Sunday?

God Bless

 

[lak611]

]
I didn’t say it was a sin. I said it was done strictly for convenience. Just like having Eucharist mininsters was done for convenience. Seems to me that the act of sacrifice has vanished from the Catholic faithful.

My parents and some older people I know at church told me that the Cathedral in downtown Cleveland used to have a Mass at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday(prior to the time when Vigil Masses were allowed). It was at this time because of the workers at the Plain Dealer newspaper plant. However, 2:00 a.m. was also “last call” at the bars (still is in Ohio). There were a lot of people who went to the 2:00 a.m. Mass after leaving the bars because it was convenient for them. It was not just the newspaper employees who were there. Apparently it was quite a sight at times because women were putting the cocktail napkins from the bars on their heads so they could go in the Cathedral for the Mass. Once the Vigil Masses were allowed, the 2:00 a.m. Mass was no longer offered. Nowadays, we generally do not see people in church who have just come from a bar. Personally, I think a Vigil Mass is better than one held just after bar-closing time.

 

[Glennon_P]

I believe that Our Lady would want you to make **some kind of sacrifice **to fulfill her First Saturday devotion. As Bob said “killing two birds with one stone” isn’t the way to do it.

How can you possibly say that going to the Saturday Mass, that you are already attending, fullfills the devotion? Don’t you think that if you go to Mass on the first Saturday that you should then also go to Sunday Mass.

As a Catholic that goes to the Traditional Mass, I fulfill the devotion by going to the First Saturday morning Traditional Mass and then go the next day to the Sunday Mass. How can you possibly go to the First Saturday Novus Ordo and then not go again on Sunday? You are not fullfilling the requirements of the Five First Saturdays. **Some sacrifice **is required.

Uhhhh…I think you’re misreading the post. She is attending Mass on BOTH Saturday and Sunday. No two-fers there.