Nineteen more people joined us for Mass than last weekend.  Many people avoided the rain Saturday evening and came on Sunday instead.

4 PM        212

6 PM          90

8 AM        139

10 AM      206

12 PM      221

     I've signed three contracts and have a couple more to sign.  We hope that construction will begin the week of June 5th.  I'll write more about it another time.

     We hope to move daily Mass back to the chapel the week of June 5th.  We're sprucing it up a bit.  See the picture of the sanctuary above.  Tom has removed the floor and is making the front straight.  A company will begin to replace the wall tile with sheetrock on Wednesday.  When they are done, the floor company will install a new floor.  We're awaiting a quote for the sound company for a sound system.  I'll be meeting with our computer guy about livestreaming tomorrow afternoon.

     Over the weekend, one person donated specifically toward the chapel project.  It's a small project compared to the church hall project, but it'll still cost on the order of $20,000.  We would like the chapel to be nice enough for small funerals and weddings as well as daily Mass.

     We will open the 2024 Mass book in early July.  Before then, we need to decide what the Mass schedule will be in 2024.  I polled parishioners a couple months ago about eliminating the 6 PM Mass and was surprised that at least one person works from 9 to 5 on both Saturday and Sunday.

     It seems that nearly everyone agrees that the pandemic is over.  As such, I think it's time for us to go back to four Sunday Masses which is what we had before the pandemic.  However, I don't know what would be the best Sunday Mass schedule.  So, I'd like to ask you a few questions.  And I'd really like to see your responses to this message.  I'm looking for reasons and strategies.  Click on the Reply button at the bottom of this message and submit helpful commentary.

     First, we need to figure out if we should have two Masses Saturday evening and two Masses Sunday morning or do one and three.  SEAS in Whiting has 4 PM; 8, 10, & 12.  St. Luke's has 4 PM; 7:30 AM, 10 AM, and 12 PM.  If we did 4 & 6 PM; 9 & 11 AM, we would have different times than St. Luke's and SEAS.  Back in 2019, we had 4 & 7 PM; and 9:15 AM & 11 AM.  Please answer the poll questions below.

     If we go to two Saturday evening Masses, then we need to decide between 6 PM and 7 PM.  Few people attend the 6 PM Mass now.  I think fewer would attend if we moved it to 7 PM.

     If we have two Sunday morning Masses, then I think 9 AM and 11 AM work best.  The two hour difference gives us a little more time for refreshments after the first Mass.  I imagine the 8 AM Mass goers would attend the 9 AM Mass.  The 12 PM Mass goers would attend 11 AM.  And the 10 AM Mass goers would split between the 9 and 11.  Our church is big enough to accommodate the numbers.

     With four Sunday Masses instead of five, we will save some money on lighting, heating, and air conditioning.  We'll save on stipends for retired priests, cantors, and organists.

     With four Sunday Masses, it would be more feasible for me to celebrate every Mass if retired priests were unavailable.  If I were sick, it would be easier to get coverage for four Masses than five.

     Beyond pragmatic reasons, there's also the spiritual experience.  If we have too few people at Mass, it feels empty.  With more people at Mass, it's easier to connect with the reality that we are members of the Body of Christ.

     If our new Mass schedule becomes 4 & 6 PM and 9 & 11 AM, then the 4, 9 & 11 will all feel full.  The 6 PM Mass will still be lightly attended.  I'm ok with that since no one else in our area has a second Saturday evening Mass.  St. Joe's covers Sunday evening with 5 PM in English and 6 PM in Spanish.  Also, those who have difficulty with noise or large crowds may opt for the 6 PM Mass.

     I know that change is hard.  And many of the 8 AM Mass goers prefer 8 AM.  I'm trying to figure out what would be best for our parish while keeping in mind the Mass schedules of neighboring parishes.

     Well, I think I've shared most of the reasoning I've come across in my discussion with the Pastoral Council and many parishioners.  I'd really appreciate you answering the poll questions and replying to this message with helpful commentary and reasoning I've missed.

God love you,

Fr. Jim