Any kind of change brings questions, and this is particularly true when it affects peoples’ routines and schedules. I hope to explain here why I have decided that this winter is the appropriate time to experiment with an earlier start time for our Saturday evening mass. (Please note: the Sunday mass schedule will not change in any way.)
 
Over the past two years I have been asked many times why our Saturday mass could not start earlier. These queries have increased with the relocation of St. Stephen Parish to Oak Creek, where the Saturday mass begins at 4:30 p.m. I have noted with interest the number of St. Matthew parishioners who have told me they frequently go to St. Stephen on Saturdays because 4:30 p.m. works better for their schedules.
 
Here are some general reasons why, in my experience, an earlier mass time is preferable:
 
  • Saturday masses are usually attended by older parishioners, many of whom eat and conclude their daily activities earlier in the day.
  • The time between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. is precisely when many families and individuals are in the habit of eating dinner.
  • Attention and participation at mass seem to decline as the hour gets later, people get hungrier, and the night gets darker.
 
It may surprise you, but the winter darkness was a major factor in my consideration. Most of us find our moods and our energy levels affected in some way during the winter months by the cold weather and the decrease in sunlight. Few of us are likely to be more alert and more energetic after it gets dark. Furthermore, our worship space is not brightly illuminated. When there is no natural light entering the church through the windows, the room is dim. (Note the contrast sometime when you pass through the bright main corridor and go into the church.)
 
Daylight Saving Time ends the first weekend of November. This means that we will set our clocks back one hour, with the result that it will now be as dark at 5:00 p.m. as it used to be at 6:00 p.m. In common parlance, “it will get dark earlier.” 
 
It is during this window of time when we are out of Daylight Savings Time—roughly November 13, 2010, to March 20, 2011—that I would like us to experiment with a 4:00 p.m. mass time. It will take some adjustment for all of us, but I am sure we are up to the challenge. In the spring we can decide if the change worked well or not.    Winter darkness is unchangeable, but our mass schedule doesn’t have to be.