Pastor's Letter
Mass Schedule Change
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
We have to arrange a sustainable mass schedule. Every three years the Capuchins have a chapter when new leadership is elected after which assignments are made. Either this year or in four years the parish is apt to be staffed by 2 instead of 3 priests. Seven masses, and on the first Sunday of the month 8 masses is not sustainable. The Mercy Mass on the first Sunday at 3pm will become an hour of devotion. The four masses on Sunday morning with an overlap between the 10, 11, and 12 are not sustainable. There will no longer be an 11 folk mass in the reception hall as of December 23rd or the end of Advent. The Mercy Mass becomes hour devotion on December 3rd. There has been an ongoing dialogue with the members of the folk mass encouraging them to consider how their gifts might be used outside of that particular mass. There have been bumps in the road. Now is the time for the parish as a whole to think together how the consolidation of the masses can be a blessing in bringing gifts together. The parish council has been consulted and understands the need of a sustainable schedule. It was also recommended that the parish have a chance to sort through the adjustments it would require.
There will be a parish wide gathering on Saturday December 8th to begin talking on how the parish work together to coordinate gifts in the new mass schedule. Out of that meeting we will form teams to work on coordinating the musical gifts and styles of the parish in conjunction with the music ministry. In conjunction with the catechetics program have people develop opportunities to involve families with children in the liturgy. We will also examine how we do social or hospitality ministries as well. This time of change can help us as a whole parish think about what the best practices would be for all our masses.
It is important that we have a high level of involvement so that what is developed has a broad sense of ownership.
Fr. Martin Curtin, OFM Cap.