Is the 'late late Mass' a good idea?

[Michie]

Over at theAmerican Papist, Thomas Peters points out this story about a Pittsburgh parish that's raising eyebrows with its new Mass time:

Old-time Pittsburghers remember when a church in the city offered services in the early morning hours for employees who worked odd hours. One church is now bringing that tradition back with a 2:30 a.m. service.

The Rev. Carmen D'Amico says he's adding a weekly Mass on Sundays just after the bars close. The church is located next to the new Consol Energy Center. D'Amico is hoping to attract those out for a late Saturday night and officials have been handing out fliers at local colleges to publicize the new service.

Peters doesn't think this is such a great idea:

Do we really expect 20-somethings who have just finished closing down a bar to be prepared to participate at Mass worthily? Do we want them passing out in the pews instead of getting themselves home safely? Shouldn’t we rather encourage them to hit the sack earlier and (if they have to) attend a later Mass on Sunday afternoon? Or attend a Saturday Vigil Mass the day before? It’s not like people who want to go out on Saturday night don’t already have plenty of ways to attend Mass while, ahem, sober. Offering a Mass at 2:30AM encourages them to think this sort of weekend habit is appropriate. . . .

I think we should challenge young people to make Mass, not closing down the bar, their Sunday morning priority.

Continued- http://www.insidecatholic.com/myblog/is-the-late-late-mass-a-good-idea.html

 

[princess_ballet]

Maybe he should give it a chance and see how it works first.

 

[Fantine]

Where did Jesus go when he was preaching?

I think that Rev. D'Amico is following the tradition of bringing God's word to those who need it, rather than waiting for them, unencouraged and ignored, to come to church on their own.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I think that maybe it might be better to have some sort of prayer/worship event rather than a Mass, just because the teens and young adults etc who were drinking and clubbing would not be able to participate in the Mass worthily or recieve Our Lord worthily. It's not a good idea to come to Mass drunk, to say the least!. But if it was another type of Catholic event, it might help to share the Gospel with them.

However if the Mass was very early in the morning for people who have difficult work schedules, that would be great

 

[Michie]

I think that maybe it might be better to have some sort of prayer/worship event rather than a Mass, just because the teens and young adults etc who were drinking and clubbing would not be able to participate in the Mass worthily or recieve Our Lord worthily. It's not a good idea to come to Mass drunk, to say the least!. But if it was another type of Catholic event, it might help to share the Gospel with them.

However if the Mass was very early in the morning for people who have difficult work schedules, that would be great

I pretty much agree.

I thought the same about receiving under the influence, etc.