This weekend, in the pastor’s notes of the bulletin and in the announcements at the central region parishes (Queen of Angels & Saint Joseph), I offered an update on the upcoming weekend Mass schedule changes coming to the central region and east region (Saint Mary Star of the Sea). The short version is that, effective January 1, 2025, one of the Saturday evening confession & vigil Mass will be moved from the central region to the east region.
Of course, a change of this magnitude merits a longer explanation – moreso than what can be reasonably fit into an Mass announcement or bulletin insert – so I’m taking time here to dive into the details behind this change and what we’ve come up with so far. As regular readers know, these long-form posts are best read in a comfortable chair with a warm cup of coffee (or some other enjoyable beverage); this is going to be deep dive! I’ve created a basic outline (below) so that you can skip to a section you’re most interested in (and to organize my thoughts), but of course I hope you’ll stick with me throughout:
1) How did we get here? (a quick recap)
2) Why is this change necessary?
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- Sacramental availability in each region (Saturday evening confessions & vigil Mass)
- Consistent pastoral presence & care
- Priest health & sanity
- Substitute priest considerations
3) Defining parameters and eliminating unfeasible options
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- Sacramental availability in each region (worth repeating, as this is the defining reason)
- Consistency of presence & care
- Feasibility
- Regular rhythm of weekend celebrations
4) Possible schedule & location scenarios for the central region
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- Scenario #1 (attendance-based)
- Scenario #2 (Sunday morning Mass-based)
How did we get here? (a quick recap)
Upon hearing about my assignment as pastor to the Catholic communities of the Olympic Peninsula, I immediately started brainstorming about how to best manage our five locations under one pastor with two vicars. At one point, I had an 18-page Excel spreadsheet with a whole slew of scenarios involving three, two, or even just one priest in service (what can I say, I’m a ‘hope for the best, plan for the worst’ kind of guy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯). Even before arriving, our clergy, staff, parish leadership, and interested parishioners assisted me in a massive (ha!) effort of discernment and decisions around our schedules. I suspect I was not the only one who was both exhausted and relieved when we finally settled on the schedule we are currently following.
When July 1, 2024 rolled around, we began implementing this schedule – and a similarly discussed & discerned rotation of priests. It took about two weeks to realize that adjustments were going to be necessary, especially with regards to the living arrangements of the priests and how to best focus our time & attention (spoiler: driving isn’t the best use of anyone’s time!). By the end of July, our two vicars moved out from the Queen of Angels rectory and we re-jiggered our rotation of priests. At that time, I also announced that we would be using the remainder of the year to discern what I hope to be the long-term weekend Mass schedule.
Why is this change necessary?
As I mentioned in July about switching gears, a major factor in my discernment & decision-making was the understanding at the time that we would eventually only have two priests to serve the entirety of the Olympic Peninsula. I continue to be grateful for the support I received from the chancery of the archdiocese who expressed their strong agreement that this was not feasible and affirmed that three priests is the minimum necessary to effectively minister to and care for the people of our parishes.
Effective ministry is a good shorthand for the reasons behind this upcoming change. As it currently stands, the only weekend confessions available to Catholics of the east region are on Saturday morning. There is no Saturday evening vigil Mass at all – the closest being in Sequim (a 45-minute drive – one way! – for those living in Port Townsend, Brinnon, or Port Ludlow). For those who can’t drive, this presents additional difficulty as public transit does not run on Sundays. And for those who do drive, the long trip to Sequim – though technically doable – is made more difficult when considering the problems of rain, ice, and snow – regular features of our area!
On the priest side of things, there is a two-fold toll that has unfolded as well. On the practical side, having two vigil Masses in the central region requires that Father Gali drive from Port Townsend (and back) to Sequim every Saturday evening. The time spent driving (roughly 45 minutes) is time taken away from ministry he could be providing within his region. On the pastoral side, I am finding that there is a significant portion of the central region – to whom I assigned day-today care – that I only rarely get to see (the parishioners who go to the Sequim vigil Mass), undercutting my ability to get to know, be with, and minister to them.
Finally, we ought not forget that it is already quite difficult to find priests able and willing to assist here on the Olympic Peninsula when one of us is away. Having Mass schedules that allow a priest to focus on a single region – and minimize driving between locations – helps ensure that those priests who are already driving 100+ miles to get to us are not further burdened (and thus, discouraged from returning).
y my count, that is seven (!) major reasons to make this change:
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- there is no Saturday evening confession time available in the east region
- there is no Saturday vigil Mass available in the east region
- public transit limitations prevent Sunday participation
- weather conditions – for both Father Gali and parishioners in the east region present a significant hurdle to coming to Sequim
- Father Gali coming to Sequim each Saturday evening is keeping him from potential ministry in the east region (and is unnecessarily taxing to him)
- Father Maurer not offering all the Masses in the central region is preventing meaningful ministry to a quarter of those under his regular care
- Simplifying our Mass schedule helps our visiting priests, who are already making a significant effort in coming to help out
Defining parameters and eliminating unfeasible options
Given that we’re simply adding Saturday evening confession time and a vigil Mass to the east region (Saint Mary Star of the Sea in Port Townsend), there isn’t a lot that needs discernment or discussion there. For the foreseeable future, we will be sticking with the standard times so as to avoid confusion for priests or parishioners when they move between parishes.
The central region Masses (Queen of Angels and Saint Joseph) require more discussion & discernment – and rest assured we have had no shortage of conversations about it! Mindful of the seven difficulties laid out above, there are some parameters that I have established so that we actually solve those difficulties and avoid creating new ones:
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- each region must offer Saturday evening confessions, a vigil Mass, and Sunday Masses
- each priest will only minister within his region for the Saturday evening confessions, the vigil Mass, and Sunday Masses
- each priest may scheduled for no more than one Saturday vigil Mass (see my commentary on canonical limits for priests)
- in the central region, the priest will be offering the canonical maximum of three Masses on Sunday to accommodate current attendance
- travel between sites for Mass must be minimized (ie, no bouncing a priest back and forth and back again)
- the Mass schedule must be stably established (ie, no alternating schedules)
Minimizing travel between sites has both pastoral and practical implications. One of the major priorities I have established for pastoral care is allowing for priest-parishioner time (30 minutes) before and after Mass. If the priest must travel between Queen of Angels & Saint Joseph after each Mass, he will be that much more in a rush rather than focusing on being with folks. Moreover, those Masses would have to be scheduled an extra half hour apart to allow him to make his way to the next church. And going from one church, getting on the road immediately afterwards to go to another church, and then getting on the road again to go back to the first church is also quite exhausting for the priest! And God forbid he has a long drive back home after all the Masses, adding burden upon burden.
Similarly, the Mass schedule being stably established means that both parishioners and priests can be confident in knowing where they can go for Masses (whether it is the Saturday vigil or a Sunday Mass). It should be noted that a not-insignificant portion of our parishioners are of an advanced age…..not that forgetfulness is only an affliction of the elderly! Having a fixed schedule eliminates any confusion that would likely be experienced if we alternated a Mass – such as the Saturday vigil Mass – between the two central region parishes.
Possible schedule & location scenarios for the central region
At last we reach the heart of the matter: what might our new Mass schedule look like in the central region?
To be clear, no decision has yet been made. I am meeting with the joint pastoral councils of Queen of Angels & Saint Joseph this Saturday. They have spent the last month in discussion & discernment – with plenty of emails flying about! – and will be sharing their thoughts with me when we gather. After praying over the results of that conversation, I will be announcing my decision to our communities the weekend of December 1st and throughout that month. That said, I understand that there are two popular scenarios currently under consideration.
The first scenario rests on an emphasis of current vigil Mass numbers – Saint Joseph has slightly higher attendance than Queen of Angels. Given that reality and aware that a great many parishioners are seniors (thus, an early morning Mass is often unfeasible due to health restrictions), this is what that schedule might look like:
Scenario #1
5:00 pm confessions & vigil Mass (Saint Joseph)
8:30 am Sunday Mass (Queen of Angels)
10:30 am Sunday Mass (Queen of Angels)
1:00 pm Sunday Mass (Saint Joseph)
The second scenario rests on an emphasis on offering at least one Sunday morning Mass at each parish. Regardless of attendance, most Catholics especially value being able to come to church on Sunday itself and not too late in the day. This happens to also have the benefit of only minimally affecting the existing Sunday Mass schedule, simply adding an additional time:
Scenario #2
5:00 pm confessions & vigil Mass (Queen of Angels)
8:30 am Sunday Mass (Queen of Angels)
11:00 am Sunday Mass (Saint Joseph)
1:00 pm Sunday Mass (Saint Joseph)
While these are not the only scenarios possible, they are the two primary ones currently under consideration – though we certainly leave room for feedback from parishioners and the Holy Spirit!
Making our way towards a final decision
In these final two weeks of discernment & decision, I want to invite our parishioners to participate in two ways. The first is to pray. It is all to easy to get caught up debates – interior and external – about the details involved. How important it is to remember that, at the end of the day, the life of the Church is rooted not in our efforts but in those of Christ. As a friend of mine often reminds me: ‘work as if everything depends on you, pray as if everything depends on God’. It is God Who will guide us, if only we allow Him to do so.
The second invitation is to offer constructive feedback. Though expressions of feelings and desires is always legitimate, truly constructive feedback will include carefully considered reasons – within the parameters outlined above – for why a given schedule is the best. At the end of the day, we want to settle on a weekend Mass schedule that serves the needs of our parishioners, allows our priests to minister effectively, provides ample opportunity for all to praise & worship God as the Body of Christ. We can use all the help we can get in discerning how best to do that!
As always, I appreciate the great support and patience that folks have time & again offered as we move through the process of discernment within Partners in the Gospel. Though it is often laborious, it is good work that we are about – and is made all the more fruitful for your part in discussions, prayer, and (above all!) building up of our community as a parish family. Thank you for your faithfulness and kindness – may God bless us as we continue to grow in fellowship and discipleship.
We have witnessed an increase of younger families attending church. A wonderful change! Considering all of our youth’s activities, Scenario #2 offers better options in case those activities occur on a Saturday or Sunday. By only offering masses on Sunday, families may be challenged in church attendance. Thank you for seeking our views.
Father, I sincerely doubt that a 1pm Mass would be well received. The Peninsula offers many outdoor activities, especially in the warm weather. Additionally during football season … we’ll, you can guess.
That being said, my old Parrish, Santa Catalina in Tucson, AZ offers a 5 pm Sunday Mass.
That would provide for Priest driving time, weekend family activities and be at the same time as the Saturday Vigil Mass. Just a thought.
Hello Linda,
I agree that an early afternoon Mass is going to be a hard adjustment (for us priests too!). Unfortunately, an evening Sunday Mass simply isn’t an option – not only does it make the day super long, but it would be a huge burden on our guests priests. In addition to driving 100+ miles to get to us, having them sit around all day while waiting for an evening Mass and then drive back to their home far away in the evening is unduly burdensome – especially considering that most of our substitute priests are elderly retired priests. In short, a little inconvenience for us (a Mass slightly later than we would normally prefer) is much preferable to a grave inconvenience to our guest priests (to the point of losing what few substitute priests we have). Sadly, this is one of those especially stark results of the priest shortage: we are more tightly restricted in our options because of how few priests we have to serve 🙁
Peace,
Father Maurer
I missed the St. Joseph town hall meeting because I was on the east coast, so I didn’t get to share my thoughts. If I may now. I attend St Joseph’s vigil mass on Saturday because I work Sundays. I work from 6:30 am until 3:00 pm. So having the 3 masses on Sunday does not help my situation. I also have night blindness. Driving short distances around Sequim is do-able, driving the long distance to QA and back, in the winter months, is not feasible. This means I will be missing mass for the winter. I am sure others in both churches are facing similar challenges.
I like your scenario #1. May I offer a idea? Would it be feasible to alternate the 5:00 pm vigil between the 2 churches? Say the 1st and 3rd Saturday at QA and the 2nd and 4th Saturday at St Joseph. That might get a little confusing, but then both churches can still have a Saturday vigil. Just a thought. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.
Sincerely,
Renee Vincent
Hi Renee,
The idea of alternating locations on a set schedule has been pretty extensively discussed among the staff and with the pastoral councils. The conclusion I’ve come to is that even before considerations of guest priests and visiting Catholics comes into play (both very common here on the Olympic Peninsula), it would simply be too confusing for parishioners and priests alike.
Peace,
Father Maurer
Thank you Father! This is also a great opportunity to call each of us to greater prayer & sacrifice for priestly vocations.
“O God, Father of all Mercies, Provider of a bountiful Harvest, send Your Graces upon those You have called to gather the fruits of Your labor”.
Marian Prayer for Vocations
“You know, O Mary, the struggles, doubts, and obstacles they must face. Assist them to answer Yes to the divine call”.
I am homebound, so I do not have a preference either way. However, I do have a lot of lot of experience in the room with protestant church leadership, who increased attendance in their Sequim churches by simply getting a few young families from Port Angeles to attend their Sunday services in Sequim.
If some of the families in PA are willing to make the drive on Saturday, it would enable our nightblind Sequim residents to keep attending Mass during the winter, potentially revitalize Saint Joseph’s parish, and give parents that little bit of extra time to speak and pray with their children during the drive.
If proposed as an opportunity for grace and for making a sacrifice for our elders, inviting some of the families from Queen of Angels to attend the evening Mass in Sequim could help to build the community and fellowship and trust between SJ and QA.
Rather than making the elders of Sequim feel excluded from the Church, it has the potential to make the families of PA feel more included, involved, and invested in the Church and the joy of getting to know the elders in the church.
Hello Tina,
Thank you for your feedback. Though I didn’t go in a direction that would fit your suggested scenario, I will be doing a great deal of exhortation about reaching out to parishioners who need assistance in getting to Mass due to the Sequim vigil Mass coming to an end – especially our elders and those with disabilities. It’ll be work, I’m sure, but it will be a great opportunity to achieve what you highlight: our two parishes working together to care for each other!
Peace,
Father Maurer
Which Mass would be in Spanish each month in each scenario?
Hello Shelly,
For the time being, we will continue with the Spanish Mass according to the regular schedule.
Peace,
Father Maurer
I think that a 5 o’clock vigil at Queen of Angels would be a good choice as the church is larger and has more seating for parishioners.
Folks who prefer a vigil Mass will drive from Sequim sometimes to partake. Queen of Angels could accommodate those who choose to drive or ride the bus from Sequim.
Hello Chelea,
Thank you for your feedback. We’ll definitely have some work to do to reach out to those who can’t drive to Queen of Angels for the vigil Mass – it is my hope that we build an army of volunteers to assist in ensuring that everyone can go to Mass each weekend!
Peace,
Father Maurer
Hi there. Thank you, Wendy, for remembering/considering families with children. Cultivating their young spirits/faith is imperative to the future of our church.
Another consideration is parish sponsored events. Having the kitchen and gym allows for many church gatherings. Being able to serve people on Sunday morning is possible because of the opportunity to attend Sat vigil, for example, the Knight’s breakfast. I understand that Sequim is likely up against the same issue (and it’s unfortunate this has to be a decision at all), but I suspect there are more events and joint sponsored events held at Q of A.
Hello Kalli,
This is a hard one – as you say, both parishes are up against the same problem: we all want events on Sunday. From my observance – admittedly limited to just five months – both parishes are equally active. What will be necessary going forward is deliberate effort to not only invite but actively create opportunities for our communities to worship and work as one, rather than two.
Peace,
Father Maurer
Father, Christ’s peace be with you!
Thank you for sharing this comprehensive summary of the dynamics surrounding the need for change in the Mass schedule. Very helpful for us to understand the plethora of variables that go into these types of decisions. I’m with Janet Flatley. God is giving all of us such wonderful opportunity to practice patience and charity. We’re all having to stretch, and with that comes growth in holiness!
When I was Admin in the cluster we had a number of elderly parishioners at St. Joseph Parish who used Paratransit to get to Mass. (More than at QA.) My guess is that is still the case given the age demographic at SJ leaning towards seniors. If Paratransit is still not running on Sundays that leaves a number of parishioners in the lurch. Hoping, and presuming that has been taken into consideration. I am leaning towards support of scenario #1.
Thank you for your good leadership. We’re blessed to have you as our shepherd. My prayers for all our priests, our parishioners and parishes continue. Pax.
Hello Cathy,
Public transit not running on Sundays is a pretty big issue. There will be many an exhortation from the pastor (that’s me! ;-)) about finding volunteers to assist those who can’t make it to their preferred church. It’ll take time, but that will be a major step in overcoming parish boundaries to become one community.
Peace,
Father Maurer
Father, Thank you for all your consideration on the options. We as a Couple will not be going to a 1:00 PM Mass. If option 1 is chosen, we will go to the Saturday Evening Mass. If option 2 is chosen, we will continue to go to the 11 AM Mass. We would prefer Option 2. I think that that Mass which is already crowded will be packed.
God Bless you in your Decision,
Hello Dale & Domini,
Thank you for your feedback! I am optimistic that the 1 pm Mass will prove to be a good option for many – perhaps even some who don’t expect it! 😉
Peace,
Father Maurer
Dear Father, we so appreciate your leadership. We are grateful to have you as our pastor. Jen and I are old timers (87 and 92). Jen has been a member of Queen of Angles since 1977 and me since 2012 – where we both sang 4 part harmony in the choir for many years. We opt for Scenario #2. Saturday vigil Mass is ideal for us at Queen of Angels. If the only Saturday vigil Mass in the Central Region is at St. Joseph’s, we won’t be able to attend – at least during the winter months and no daylight time. For us, driving in the dark to Sequim is not possible – and dangerous. We totally agree St. Mary’s in Port Townsend should have a vigil Mass. We even attended Mass there occasionally when my Seattle Prep classmate – John Topel- was pastor. So, it’s a tough decision for you to make and we know you’ll do the best you can. For us, getting up for the 8:30 Sunday Mass becomes more and more difficult. I had an aunt who lived into her 90’s. When people talked to her about the “Golden Years” she reminded them they were really the “Rusty Years”. Bless you!
Hello Dick & Jen,
Thank you for your feedback and support. Please pray for our communities – especially that we may take these changes as an opportunity to grow in mutual support and unity.
Peace,
Father Maurer
Hi Father,
My favorite color in this choice is selection #1, but you didn’t ask for my favorite color. You asked for constructive feedback 🙂
From what you’ve shared, the highest percentage of mass attendees for the Saturday evening mass is at St. Joseph’s. Therefore, Saturday vigil mass should be at St. Joseph’s 🙂
When or if the statistical significance of mass attendance changes, the schedule can be reviewed again.
Just like people, a schedule is not etched in stone.
We are sister parishes and we love and support our parish family.
Thank you for seeking our input.
Kind regards,
Lisa
Hello Lisa,
My favorite color is green, so now we’re even 😉
Though I didn’t go in the direction of the vigil at Saint Joseph’s continuing, I will be spending a great deal of time in the coming weeks (maybe even months!) exhorting our communities to pro-actively reach out to those who might need assistance getting to a Mass at their preferred church. I am hopeful that this will be an opportunity for us to grow in support of each other and see past parish boundaries to more clearly being one parish (albeit with multiple sites).
Peace,
Father Maurer
Thank you, Father Maurer, for inviting comments. By way of disclaimer, the old-ball-and-ch … errr… I mean, my wife and I usually prefer the Vigil Mass. But I honestly have a pair of points to make in favor of option 1. First, the greater attendance can be said to constitute the stronger claim, and I am certain that the St Joseph’s part of the central district of the parish would prefer to retain the Saturday Mass. Second, when we moved to Sequim, I was 66 years old. I used to tell my wife that nothing made me feel young as did attending Mass at St Joseph’s. Now, ten years later, I feel as if I’m right at the median age. Amen amen I say to you, the option of having a Mass on one evening and another on the next day has often meant the difference between attending Mass or not attending at all. Old peoples’ health can swing that sharply. It has been a blessing to be able to say, “Darling, I think I’d better wait till tomorrow.”
Hello Patrick,
This is a hard one, for sure – you’re absolutely right that having a vigil Mass nearby is a huge help when health (or weather) issues flare up. In the coming weeks (and perhaps months) I will be offering many exhortations for our more able community members to proactively reach out to those who might need assistance (or the option of assistance, even if infrequently). I am hopeful that we will come through this more aware of and responsive to each other’s needs and presence.
Peace,
Father Maurer
Thank you for your prayerful consideration over these two scenarios. For our family we choose scenario #2. Russ needs a fair amount of time to get started in the morning so we have always enjoyed the early Saturday evening Mass at Queen of Angels rather than early morning. So this is our preference which carries little weight on your decision but we are just offering an opinion. If your home base is Port Angeles then it would seem reasonable to celebrate Mass on Saturday at Queen of Angels; stay night in your dwelling place and get up to celebrate Mass in the morning before leaving for Sequim to celebrate 2 more Masses then drive back to Port Angeles. Scenario #1 doubles your driving time. Also having 8:30am Mass Sunday at Queen of Angels allows the Knights of Columbus to continue Sunday morning breakfast which raises funds for many charitable causes. Lastly Queen of Angels appears to have many tourists joining us for Saturday Vigil Mass and I’m so glad we can share our beautiful historic church with visitors. Thankyou for your discernment on this very important topic. God Bless you.
Hello Russel & Susa,
Thank you for your feedback & support. Please pray for our communities as we adapt to the coming changing – especially that able-bodied parishioners make themselves available to assist those who might need help in coming to Mass under the new schedule.
Peace,
Father Maurer
My concern is that if the Saturday evening Mass is cancelled in Sequim, there might be certain people unable to attend on Sunday….I recall a conversation about 2 months ago with an elderly woman who relied on the bus to attend Saturday night Mass, but the bus was unavailable on Sundays. At least this is how I remember the conversation. It might be worth looking into in terms of bus transportation and if it’s available on Saturday or Sunday in Sequim. I’m not sure about the bus transportation in Port Angeles for Saturday/Sunday, and if you’d come up against the same problem there. I know I’ve seen people come off of the bus and into the church for Saturday night Mass but don’t see that on Sundays at St. Joseph’s. I know people might say, “We’ll just give those people a ride on Sundays…”, but there are some people who might not want to trouble others, ask for help, etc. and might not attend. I was a parishioner at Queen of Angels for several years before moving to Sequim and seem to recall that a good portion of the elderly attended the 8:30 am Mass in Port Angeles, and the families with younger children preferred the later morning Mass. (At that time it was 11:00 am, at QofA.) It seems like scenario one would probably serve the elderly and families with young children at both parishes, but again, I’m not sure about the bus situation in P.A. We appreciate all that you do for our parish; thank you so much! I’ll send up prayers for God to choose the schedule that is best and let you know.
Thank you Father Maurer.
Hello Micole,
That is certainly my concern as well. Since we have gone that route, I feel the weight of responsibility in exhorting our communities to proactively reach out and make themselves available to those who might need that assistance. You’re right that that we’ll need to make that offer many (many!) times before some feel comfortable taking advantage of it, but I think is a great opportunity for us to grow in our care & support for each other.
Peace,
Father Maurer
My preference would be for Scenario #1. I think offering only the later mass options at either church is somewhat unfair to the parishioners involved. A thought, however: In my experience, it seems the Saturday vigil and the early Sunday masses are often quite popular for many people and visitors to the area. How about splitting what I will call the ‘popular masses’ between the two churches: the vigil mass at one church with the early morning mass at the other. I am sure this has been considered and would be interested in your comments.
Also, in my experience, whatever God wills…usually works for the best if not realized in the present, at least in the rear-view mirror. My prayers are with you.
Hello Catherine,
The question of Masses that seemed most popular dominated our conversations for quite a while, but when we started considering the life of community on Sundays itself we became convinced that not having a Sunday morning Mass at both churches could be seriously detrimental (to the point of endangering the future of the church without one). A lot of our work going forward will be helping those who need – or deeply desire – a Saturday option to get to Mass even if it is far from their residence. I’m hopeful that we can build an army of volunteers to bring fellow parishioners to and from church.
Peace,
Father Maurer
Father, I believe scenario #2 would be well received. The reason for this is because Sequim and Port Angeles, while they are close, tend to have entirely different communities. Older and more infirm persons tend to reside in Sequim, young people and families tend to live in Port Angeles. I believe it behooves us to realize that both communities are relatively close together, and attendance at either parish is most often feasible. However, it is harder for some who live in Sequim.
Hi Nancy,
From your lips (or, in this case, keyboard!) to God’s ears! We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but I am confident that the Lord will bless our efforts to find the best of a difficult situation.
Peace,
Father Maurer
Here’s my comment:
Thank you, Father Maurer and Parish Councils, for your thoughtful consideration of different options. Both scenarios will take time to adjust to, but both provide good options for those of us in the Port Angeles/Sequim area. Thank you for asking for feedback.
I think scenario #2 is preferable for two reasons. (1) Queen of Angels is a physically larger church. It will provide more seats for those people from both Port Angeles and Sequim who wish to attend a Saturday evening Mass. Saint Joseph fills up pretty quickly and if Port Angeles parishioners join in on the vigil Mass, seating may be hard to come by. (2) I was thinking about the senior parishioners in Sequim, too. I think the 1:00 PM Mass is a good compromise. It makes for a little extra time to get up and moving than an early morning Sunday Mass. This option also provides both Port Angeles and Sequim a non-early option that will be helpful for icy weather.
Hello Haley,
Thank you for your feedback & support. Please pray for our communities as we plan for implementing these changes in January.
Peace,
Father Maurer
Hi Fr., I just received this following text message from prier about the MassTimes and this is the only way I can figure to get it to you before you make your decision. I realize that this won’t be published, but you will be able to read it, which is the important part. Thank you.
We have listened to Fr Mauer , read the blogs over and again http://www.fathermaurer.com [Father Maurer here – I edited the link to correct for misspelling], listened (eavesdropped really ) to other parishioners, and outside parishioners, about the issues etc… and we keep coming back to an understanding that the diocese wants to change the organization of the parish however, nothing has really changed, except perhaps the availability of occasional support. It seems unnecessarily over complicated.
It seems simple to us that Fr Mauer could say a vigil mass at each Sequim and PA and a Sunday mass at each as well. Permission has been granted. And it has been done for some time.
Father Gali has Port Townsend for Sa Evening and Sunday masses and Fr Ed Clallam Bay and Forks following the same. Except maybe Clallam Bay doesn’t need both a vigil and a Sunday.
And…resurrect a daily mass schedule at each.
If they don’t want to organize the weekend schedule for support of each other then the occasional need for diocese support or cancellations still exists.
Of course we only know there are things we don’t know, but from the outside it seems over complicated, even if they don’t want each priest to pastor his own parish.
All for what it is worth. Not to overrate our importance.
Hello Ann,
Sadly, having confessions & a vigil Mass at both parishes requires either depriving another region of having any option OR burning out one (or more) of our priests as they run from place to place. One of the hardest things we all must admit to is the reality that we simply can’t do it all without more priests….which is the very thing we don’t have. Just this last weekend (Nov. 30/Dec. 1), a letter from the archbishop was read to the seven (!) communities of Parish Family 48 to let them know that their second vicar would be returning to his home country to deal with health issues. Their first vicar (they had three priests originally) had a debilitating car accident not two weeks after arriving and had to leave to recover before going to a less difficult assignment. They’re looking at the real possibility of having only one priest for a while until the archbishop can find even just one priest to assist.
In short, we’re in a tough spot….but it could be quite a bit more difficult! Our sacrifices are not nothing, but it is helpful to remember that this is a burden being felt (and shared) across the archdiocese.
Peace,
Father Maurer
I am praying that the option with the 1030 AM Mass on Sunday at Queen of Angels is chosen this weekend. In the Winter, it is too cold, icy, snowy at times to have the only Sunday Mass at 830AM. If not, I won’t be there until a few months pass and the weather changes. I am sure there are other people who cannot get out early too due to being nondrivers, or drivers who cannot drive after dark in the Winter? If all the Catholics started lobbying Clallam Transit to have bus service on Sundays, maybe the administrators would pay some attention to us non drivers?Time for us Catholics to enter into the realm of peace and social justice. The Thanksgiving meal I had was wonderful, and I wanted to express my gratitude to all people who worked so hard to cook it this year! I also appreciate all the hard work you 3 priests do to bring the Sacraments to all the Catholics on the Olympic Peninsula.
Hello Creta,
Unfortunately we can’t avoid having an early Mass. But we CAN do better as a community to proactively reach out and make ourselves available to those who need help in getting to Mass. Rest assured this exhortation will feature quite prominently in the pastor’s (that’s me!) homilies & announcements.
Peace,
Father Maurer