There will be some changes in our Sunday evening Mass schedule.
St. Anthony's parish introduced Sunday evening Masses in January of 2018. At the time, we said that after a year or so, we would evaluate the reception of the new schedule. Now it is time to do that evaluation!
The parish pastoral council, the parish staff and the Conventual Franciscans have all contributed to the evaluation. Fr. Bob has also asked some of the groups involved.
The consensus is that the Sunday evening Masses are a mixed success. Here is our decision, pending more thought and discernment:
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT MASS - first Sunday of the month. This Mass will be stopped. The original idea was to have an evening Mass that ties in with our Sunday evening youth group meetings. Now that the high school group meets on Sunday morning, an evening Mass makes no sense.
NEWMAN MASS - second Sunday of the month. This Mass is a moderate "success". When there was a Mass for Trine University students during the week, an average of 6 students participated. On Sunday evening, the average is twelve. We will continue this Mass, although between now and December we will reevaluate the time.
SPANISH MASS - third Sunday of the month. This change was also popular. When the monthly Misa Hispana was on a weeknight, the average attendance was 30. Now on Sunday evening, we average 50 people. This Mass will continue. Again - between now and Christmas, we'll discuss whether 7:30 is the best time or not.
MASS FOR THE SICK - fourth Sunday of the month. This Votive Mass for the Sick with celebration of the sacrament of the sick never caught on. There are usually only 4-6 people present. Effective immediately, we will discontinue this Mass.
HOWEVER - instead, the priests want to emphasize that you may ask the priest AFTER ANY MASS ON ANY DAY for the sacrament of the sick, and the priest will happily anoint you with the sacramental oil.
To summarize:
Fr. Bob
22 September 2019
St. Anthony's parish introduced Sunday evening Masses in January of 2018. At the time, we said that after a year or so, we would evaluate the reception of the new schedule. Now it is time to do that evaluation!
The parish pastoral council, the parish staff and the Conventual Franciscans have all contributed to the evaluation. Fr. Bob has also asked some of the groups involved.
The consensus is that the Sunday evening Masses are a mixed success. Here is our decision, pending more thought and discernment:
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT MASS - first Sunday of the month. This Mass will be stopped. The original idea was to have an evening Mass that ties in with our Sunday evening youth group meetings. Now that the high school group meets on Sunday morning, an evening Mass makes no sense.
NEWMAN MASS - second Sunday of the month. This Mass is a moderate "success". When there was a Mass for Trine University students during the week, an average of 6 students participated. On Sunday evening, the average is twelve. We will continue this Mass, although between now and December we will reevaluate the time.
SPANISH MASS - third Sunday of the month. This change was also popular. When the monthly Misa Hispana was on a weeknight, the average attendance was 30. Now on Sunday evening, we average 50 people. This Mass will continue. Again - between now and Christmas, we'll discuss whether 7:30 is the best time or not.
MASS FOR THE SICK - fourth Sunday of the month. This Votive Mass for the Sick with celebration of the sacrament of the sick never caught on. There are usually only 4-6 people present. Effective immediately, we will discontinue this Mass.
HOWEVER - instead, the priests want to emphasize that you may ask the priest AFTER ANY MASS ON ANY DAY for the sacrament of the sick, and the priest will happily anoint you with the sacramental oil.
To summarize:
- 1st Sunday: no more high school youth Mass.
- 2nd Sunday: Newman Mass at 7:30 p.m. Time night change later.
- 3rd Sunday: Spanish Mass at 7:30 p.m. Time night change later.
- 4th Sunday: no more votive Mass for the sick.
Fr. Bob
22 September 2019
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