On Sunday, September 29th the 10:30 Mass was a nightmare for me personally. I was exhausted before Mass even began. Deacon Tom and I were in the sacristy seven minutes before Mass was to begin and we had one altar server and one reader. Yikes! Trying to get candles lit, organizing how all this will work without the ministers necessary for Sunday worship causes a lot of unnecessary anxiety for me personally as I prepare to lead in worship and preach the word of God.
Then to enter a church that seats 500 and to see about 80 people scattered throughout makes an already challenging task even more demoralizing. I try to grin and bear it, but as I age it gets more difficult to do so. By the time Mass was over I had to sit quietly for half an hour and regroup.
Our gathering as a Catholic Community is about community our common-union with one another. If we continue in this direction, I am going to ask us to rethink our need for two Sunday Masses. This in of itself is disheartening and demoralizing as we try to be a creative, vibrant and dynamic parish. I am giving you all the energy I have in preparation of homilies, and my presence in leading worship but it takes a commitment from the whole community to worship and ministry to make a community grow.
This month is our annual Stewardship Renewal. Commitment from each of us to give, pray and serve (GPS) is essential for us to continue as a community of faith. I never thought I would see the day when huge Catholic communities like Norte Dame de Canadians, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel would be torn down in Worcester. Their own communities were shocked, because they were slowly dying, and finally fizzled.
Two things are necessary; a pledge to be stewards to The Catholic Community of Sacred Heart, and secondly, rethinking our Sunday Mass schedule for September 2020. Share your wisdom with me and or members of the PPT.