Mt. Sutro in San Francisco Yesterday I had two Ascension Thursday Masses because we offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form. How lovely to celebrate Ascension Thursday on Ascension Thursday again! Mom used to take all six kids out of public school on Ascension Thursday for a picnic in the mountains so that we would not miss the beauty of this mystery. In memory of my childhood happiness, I took an hour off yesterday between Masses to climb Mount Sutro here in San Francisco. From the top of the hill I called my mother after praying the breviary. The wind was whipping the eucalyptus trees around me, while a warm afternoon sun illuminated the city below. Surveying their city from a mountaintop gives urbanites a proper perspective: the city is beautiful but not all-powerful. All the cities of the world exist at the good pleasure of the One who beholds them in love from the heights of heaven.
In many dioceses Ascension Thursday has been moved to the following Sunday under the premise that more people would attend on a weekend rather than a workday. I’m fairly sure, however, that this accommodation to secularism has led to a drop in Mass attendance. Besides causing us to miss that Sunday’s liturgy, moving a Holy Day to the following Sunday assumes that Catholics will not alter their weekday routine for the things of God. But people will always find ways to rearrange their schedules for something they really value, like a Giants game or a birthday party. By moving the feast day (essentially removing the obligation), are we not saying that solemnities are not as important as ball games? Notice that, as we expect less prayer of our people by removing Holy Days of Obligation, Sunday Mass attendance itself has diminished. I suggest that if we call our good people to greater holiness and prayer rather than less, most will respond.
We promoted our two Ascension Thursday Masses through social media as well as bulletin and Sunday announcements, and I was delighted to see how many came to the two Ascension Thursday Masses, even those who do not normally attend the Latin Mass. They were beautiful, and by dedicating 90 minutes of a workday to a solemn Mass, we sustain our faith in something greater than the secular city. We remember with joy that our City is in God’s good hands.
In many dioceses Ascension Thursday has been moved to the following Sunday under the premise that more people would attend on a weekend rather than a workday. I’m fairly sure, however, that this accommodation to secularism has led to a drop in Mass attendance. Besides causing us to miss that Sunday’s liturgy, moving a Holy Day to the following Sunday assumes that Catholics will not alter their weekday routine for the things of God. But people will always find ways to rearrange their schedules for something they really value, like a Giants game or a birthday party. By moving the feast day (essentially removing the obligation), are we not saying that solemnities are not as important as ball games? Notice that, as we expect less prayer of our people by removing Holy Days of Obligation, Sunday Mass attendance itself has diminished. I suggest that if we call our good people to greater holiness and prayer rather than less, most will respond.
We promoted our two Ascension Thursday Masses through social media as well as bulletin and Sunday announcements, and I was delighted to see how many came to the two Ascension Thursday Masses, even those who do not normally attend the Latin Mass. They were beautiful, and by dedicating 90 minutes of a workday to a solemn Mass, we sustain our faith in something greater than the secular city. We remember with joy that our City is in God’s good hands.
RSS Feed