This weekend, I introduced upcoming Mass schedule changes within our parish family, to take effect this Advent - the weekend of November 28th & 29th. This is the third major shift in weekend Mass schedules across our parish family - a major consultative effort before Partners in the Gospel took effect and a revised schedule (revolving around vigil Masses) six months later. After nearly two and a half years, we come to the changes announced before Masses this last weekend (click here to read the announcement) and more fully laid out in the pastor's insert in the bulletin (click here to read the bulletin insert).

These changes reflect multiple pastoral considerations, not only encompassing current realities but also setting us up for the future. I'd like to expand upon this weekend's letter and insert in this blog post. As regular readers will agree, it would be prudent to have a comfortable place to read - and maybe a cup of coffee on hand - as we dive into things.

For ease of reading and access, I've divided up this post as I go along. Using these links, you can jump (as well as bookmark or share) to the different sections.

• Not-so-ancient history: a brief recap
• Our current schedule - recognizing the weak points
• Our new weekend schedule - benefits and opportunities
• Partners in the Gospel: sharing responsibility together
• Meaningful priestly presence, where it is most needed
• Good fruits
• Recommended reading
• Visual reference guide of our Mass schedule history on the Olympic Peninsula
  • Pre-Partners in the Gospel weekend schedule
  • Initial (July - December 2024) weekend schedule
  • Current (January 2025 - present) weekend schedule
  • New (Advent 2026) weekend schedule

Upon receiving this assignment, one of the first things I did was sit down and create a massive spreadsheet of then-current schedules, distances between locations, and as many scenarios as I could imagine involving different combinations of churches and priests. With the help of our administrative staff, deacons, and council leadership, this was eventually refined into a more reader-friendly proposal, complete with principles, assumptions, benefits, and challenges (admittedly not much SO much shorter, weighing in at thirteen pages). This discernment was complicated by the need to also discern priest living arrangements, which were based on my understanding at the time that we would be moving from three priests to two over the course of Partners in the Gospel.

As you may recall, as desirable as it is for priests to live in common it took about two weeks for us to conclude that it simply wasn't feasible. After consultation with our parochial vicars and raising my concerns with the powers-that-be at the archbishop's office, two important things were realized and agreed-upon by all: our parish can not be adequately served by less than three priests and separate living arrangements make the most sense to provide priestly presence and prevent exhausting our priests to the point of burn-out. We figured out a rotation by which I could offer at least some pastor presence on a monthly basis to all parishes, with all assigned priests having the stability of a couple of weeks within the region where we lived and served on a daily basis.

Even in the midst of all of that, we were aware that our weekend Mass schedule was provisional - there was major question of vigil Masses at Saint Joseph and St. Mary Star of the Sea, with concerns about priest burnout, public transit, and, above all, priestly presence to the people of each region - particularly from the priest living within that region. Six months later, in January of 2025, we adjusted our weekend Mass schedule for the second time, which we have maintained up until this point.

Despite our best efforts in its creation, we've now come to recognize weaknesses in the current schedule. The standout has been in the central region (Port Angeles & Sequim), where the priest not only has to drive between locations on a very tight schedule between Masses, but he is also maxed out on Sunday Masses (three) - with the last Mass ending mid-afternoon. The result is that he is only minimally present between Masses and is exhausted by the end of them.

In the west region (Forks & Clallam Bay), the priest has a late Mass on Saturday (6pm), with very uneven attendance from both the English and Spanish-speaking communities (the vigil Mass is offered in Spanish). On Sunday, the priest also has to drive between locations on a very tight schedule, likewise being only minimally present between Masses.

In the east region (Port Townsend), the priest has what is arguably an ideal scenario: no driving on both Saturday & Sunday, able to be maximally present before, between, and after Masses! But apart from the 11 am Mass, the church is well below capacity - sometimes with less than 100 people at the Saturday vigil or 8:30 am Sunday Masses.

In short, we find ourselves realizing the need for further refinement of our priest & liturgical placements.

This new schedule offers a number of immediate benefits:

• • No priest is celebrating more than 2 Masses on Sunday
  • Most of the priests (west & east rotations) don't have to drive between weekend Masses, allowing for meaningful time with parishioners before and after each Mass
  • The one priest (central rotation) who drives between weekend Masses has ample time between those Masses to spend meaningful time with parishioners before and after each Mass

There are also some major opportunities that making these changes affords us

• • At Saint Thomas, an early Saturday vigil Mass (4 pm), accommodating driving conditions in the region and allowing for an evening version of the community potluck that currently exists on Sundays
  • Possibly moving the twice-monthly Mass for the inmates at Clallam Bay Correctional Center to Saturdays, more effectively using the priest's travel to the area
  • At Saint Joseph, an early Saturday vigil Mass (4 pm) accommodating the generational needs of the parish and (possibly) driving needs of those traveling from the east region
  • At Saint Anne, bringing together the English and Spanish-speaking communities not only in the in-and-out of the Mass schedule, but also in fraternal gathering (social hour) and faith formation (and related volunteer efforts) between the morning Masses

(Regarding possible vigil Mass times: Canon 1248 of the Code of Canon Law and the apostolic constitution Christus Dominus (unofficial English translation here) set 4 pm as the earliest permissible time for a vigil Mass (technically an anticipated Sunday Mass) (see Rule VI), though the Ordinary (our archbishop) may permit an earlier time, for serious reason)

A visual learner myself, I am finding it helpful to compare the weekend schedules we've had across our parish family from since before Partners in the Gospel until now (included at the end of this blog post, click here to see them all). I note with interest how in the past we've prioritized frequency (and, one might argue, convenience) of liturgical & sacramental celebrations.  Partners in the Gospel challenges us to prioritize the quality of liturgical & sacramental celebrations, with particular awareness of long-term sustainability and the health of priests.

As we recall all the changes of the last two and a quarter years - in all areas of parish life! - the average parishioner could be forgiven for thinking that pastors (or maybe, this pastor) enjoy change for the sake of change. Our parish staff and council members might testify differently: I agonize, debate, and (over)think through every major decision.

In the case of these changes, I had to be poked - and hard - by my priest support group. When we met earlier this summer, I was sharing (spelled: complaining) how I exhausted I was most weekends, when serving in the central region. I continue to be convinced that we will eventually need to build a new, larger church to encompass - and replace - our central region churches of Queen of Angels & Saint Joseph, but such a project is several years in the future at the soonest! Between the number of Masses, the rushing around between them (to say nothing of any extra events at a given Mass, such as a confirmation, baptism, or wedding!), and the length of the schedule overall, I was questioning my ability to sustain the status quo in the meantime. 

To which they essentially asked: 'why are you trying to sustain the status quo?' ....yikes. I had fallen into the very trap the archbishop highlighted from the beginning.

It happens easily enough - I'm certain I'm not alone in the different kinds of temptations to solve issues from a personal perspective rather than a communal one. Sometimes this is in the impulse to simply 'suck it up', guiltily comparing ourselves with those who may have it worse, who struggle more, or otherwise suffer in ways we don't. At other times it is in an impulse to ask someone else to 'suck it up', comparing the pain of what we've suffered already to the appearance of a lack of suffering in others' lives.

Standing at the center of all of this is, as always, the cross - a place few of us go without echoing the words of Jesus: "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me" - though often forgetting to end that prayer as He did: "yet, not as I will, but as you will [emphasis added]." (Matthew 26:39). After all, Partners in the Gospel only works if we approach our decisions with an eye to God's will, with a willingness to trust that whatever sacrifices He asks of us, they will bear great fruit.

With the benefit of having run through the entirety of the liturgical year on a stable schedule and two years of pastoral experience within Partners in the Gospel here on the Olympic Peninsula, we are more able than ever to see how God is calling us in our sharing of ministry and responsibility. Father Ed, for example, initially floated the idea of moving the vigil Mass to Saint Thomas - first prompted by the rushing between Masses but realizing the possibility of benefits in ministry (Clallam Bay Correctional Center) and community life (especially between the Spanish & English-speaking parishioners in Forks). Father Gali contributed from his experience in both Port Townsend (particularly on the weekends) and in Sequim (particularly on Tuesdays). 

Our deacons, staff, and PFAC co-chairs quickly realized and affirmed the necessity - and benefit - of re-organizing as well. In fact, the general consensus was that for the good of priests and parishes alike, this change should happen as soon as reasonably possible across all of our parish family.

When we talk about need, it can be difficult to separate a subjective feeling (something want) versus an objective reality of necessity (something I can't go without. This is further complicated when our subjective feelings are interact with things that we objectively need. I subjectively want to go to Mass, I objectively need to go to Mass - which can lead us to (erroneously) conclude with 'the Mass should be offered when and where I want'. 

From the very beginning, disciples of the Lord have protested "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" (John 6:60). I recently recounted one of my favorite parish stories of modern-day struggles of this kind.  In truth, who of us doesn't gravitate towards those parts of our faith that we find easiest to accomplish - and avoid those things that make greater demands of us? I suspect that few, if any, of us haven't at some point exclaimed "that's impossible!" not because we couldn't do it, but because it was hard to do .... or at least, harder to do than we wanted.

While there are absolutely times when things in life are unnecessarily difficult, untenable or genuinely impossible, we are perhaps not well-adapted to discerning true need in the face of the many comforts and conveniences of our modern era. We could point at the radical availability of vendors like Walmart and Amazon, but we don't need to go further than our own homes, where internet access, cellular phones, and vehicles make our lives extraordinary, well, convenient!

For decades, the life of the Church here in the United States has reflected this reality. Thanks to a high number of priests and churches, the average Catholic had their choice of locations and times not only for Mass, but for faith formation, study groups, community events, and more. Though the number of churches has not decreased, the same can't be said of priests!

Partners in the Gospel encourages (requires!) us to discern: how can we apply our limited resources (priests) where they are most needed - and will be the most effective? If we set aside subjective wants and convenience, need can be pretty easily identified. Where are the population centers of a region? Which churches hold the most people? How many people are served at a given location and/or Mass? Which location and time best takes advantage of those elements? Even after just a couple of years, we've seen the benefit of considering these questions - and then acting on what we've discovered.

Last month, a brother priest and friend of mine posted a brief reflection on his blog titled Realistic Expectations for Partners - it is a short read and well worth your time. In his summary paragraph, he emphasized two themes that have rung in my mind since: flexibility and nimbleness. The greatest fruits of our efforts to date have been evident in our renewed ability and willingness to adjust our heading even as we stay the course - continuing to celebrate the sacraments, pass on the faith to new generations, and serve our neighbors in every region of our parish family!

As we continue to discern how the Holy Spirit is guiding us and adapt accordingly, may we continue to confidently entrust ourselves to His care. Let us pray that we may more and more echo the words of the Lord: 'Thy will be done', confident that whatever He has in store for us will be wonderful beyond imagining.

• Announcement letter (read at all Masses) of upcoming changes
• Bulletin insert explaining details of upcoming changes