Daily Masses changing on Monday, July 30

• Now with one resident priest we will only have one daily mass.
• Our early mass attendance has been larger and more consistent. It serves the needs of our parishioners as well as our neighbors.
• Our 8:30 attendance has been light and less consistent.
• Given the number of daily masses around us it seems only appropriate that we work together, be good stewards and fill our churches.
• Every weekday over 500 students, faculty and staff come to St. Elizabeth for a 7:45am start. Our daily mass should take that into account offering the option for some to attend mass before school even if for one day a week or on a special day. In addition, most of our morning transportation to school is through parents who could come to mass with their children before school or drop them off and go for their spiritual nourishment.
• Special schools masses for holydays, etc. can be scheduled at a time that fits the school schedule and will be advertised and open to the larger community.
• We normally have a larger attendance at our 8:30 Mass on Saturday because other churches drop it to provide a day off for the priest.
• While offering two daily masses each day for a priest is a concern the reality of funeral masses must also be considered. With our present schedule there could be 3 masses before noon.

What about scheduled mass intentions?
In certain cases, the Church’s law allows for multiple mass intentions at one mass however the priest is given only 1 stipend and the other is given to charity outside of the parish. We will honor the mass intentions and combine the scheduled 6:30 and 8:30 intention for the 7:00am Mass. However, for the future, double intentions will not be scheduled on weekdays. On Saturdays, we will offer the option to add intentions or move scheduled weekday intentions at the donor’s request. We often cannot offer a mass intention for the recently deceased. Multiple intentions on Saturdays can offer a more timely option.
 
Daily Mass offerings around us…
6:30am         St. Ann, IHM                       
6:45am         St. Anthony (M-S)
7:00am         St. Elizabeth
7:30am         St. Joseph on the Brandywine
8:00am         St. Ann, St. Anthony, St. Patrick(M), St. Thomas (TWT),
                    St. Hedwig (F), St. Joseph on the Brandywine (S)
8:30am         Corpus Christi (MWF)/St. Matthew(TTS), St. Mary Magdalen
9:00am         IHM
12:05            St. Joseph on the Brandywine
12:10            Cathedral of St Peter, St. Joseph (T-F),
6:00pm         St Thomas (M)
6:30pm         St. Hedwig (M-Th)

+ Where not specified masses are Monday – Friday.