The 5 p.m. Sunday Mass will no longer be celebrated. Going forward, our weekend Mass schedule will be: Saturday Vigil at 5 pm; Sunday Masses at 8 am and 11 am. Since some may find this news unfortunate, I wish to explain why I came to this decision and how it is in keeping with the Church’s teaching on the celebration of the Mass, liturgically speaking.

First, St. Catherine of Siena is a growing community. We have new families and a very healthy increase in young families (thank God!) with young children, yet there does not seem to be a need for four (4) Masses. Our church holds nearly 700 people and we are certainly not at-capacity at any Mass. Therefore, four (4) Masses does not actually serve our community well.

Part of the problem is that with the extended and confusing Covid pandemic regulations, many people have become comfortable and even accustomed to livestreaming the Mass from home. Livestreaming is meant for those with mobility issues and are unable to attend Mass in-person, for the sick who are unable to attend Mass because of health issues, or for those with compromised immunities. But for a healthy individual, Mass should be celebrated in-person at church where one is able to receive Holy Communion.

We are not a Eucharistic-free faith, we believe in the Real Presence of Christ and the need to receive Him for the salvation of our souls. It appears that people have returned to restaurants, concerts, sporting events and movies so logically church should be no different. I look forward to welcoming everyone back now.

Second, the Mass was instituted by Christ Himself as a communal dialogue meant to offer praise and worship to God. Its purpose is to gather fellow Catholics for a dialogue with God, with the priest-celebrant as the mediator between the people and God. This Eucharistic celebration is comprised of the Word of God, the dialogue of the Mass where the priest initiates prayers and the people respond so that the bread and wine are Consecrated by God; with music, which comprises sung-response prayers along with acclamations, hymns of praise and more from the congregation. The more people attend and participate in the Mass, the more robust the celebration. Extra Masses for convenience, which only result in small congregations does not lead to well-celebrated worship of our God. Believe it or not, a woman called me two weeks ago Sunday “demanding” that I celebrate a private Mass for her on Sunday afternoons, as she no long desires to pray with others for fear of germs…

Third and finally, the 5 p.m. Sunday Mass attendance of late has dwindled. In recent years we were lucky to have 65/75 people attend. It was also difficult to solicit volunteers to be Eucharistic ministers, lectors, altar servers and ushers. Before each Mass I would spend 15 minutes searching for volunteers. Many of the attendees were not parishioners and perhaps did not feel the necessity to participate via a ministerial role? Yet, my role as your pastor is not to be the last-chance Mass provider for others.

Since we have gone to the three weekend Masses, I have noticed larger participation numbers-wise, greater vocal responses and have had a normal turn-out of assigned lectors, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers and ushers. I wish to thank those who volunteer to serve at our Masses and extend an invitation to all who might care to become involved at Mass. There are sign=up sheets on the round table in the atrium. I encourage you to prayerfully consider serving God at His Mass. Thank you