Once a week, I get up early and go to daily mass before I go to work. Usually, I attend Prince of Peace in Olathe, Kansas, because it’s right down the street from my office and their 6:15 Mass is early enough that I get to work at a good time.
This was part of my New Year’s Resolution, that I was going to be a better “liturgical” Catholic. I made myself a pledge that I wasn’t going to miss a Sunday Mass, and that I’d go to daily Mass once a week. In addition, I also decided that I’d hold myself to the days of obligation, and the other big days.
Of course, I promptly missed the first Holy Day of Obligation, January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Figures, right? Make a New Year’s Resolution and blow it on the first day? Figures.
Luckily, good sinner that I am, I’ve learned to get back on the Catholic wagon when I’ve fallen off—and think I’ve only missed one Sunday since the New Year. Maybe that is a little passé for more disciplined Catholics, but it’s taken a fair amount of discipline for me to make all the other Sundays than that. Baby steps, gentle reader. Rome wasn’t burned in a day.
On occasion, I go to my home parish for daily Mass at St. Joseph’s in beautiful Shawnee, Kansas. This is the round spaceship parish where I was baptized, raised, educated, and confirmed—and still primarily attend today. My wife and I just live up the street from St. Joseph’s, and we are relatively active young members of the parish.
St. Joseph’s is probably a typical suburban parish in a newly-aging part of town. The congregation is well-mixed, age wise, with the blue-haired ladies and some crying babies in the pews. But maybe it’s my point of view as a still-childless fairly-newlywed that I don’t see many people my age in the crowd. Truthfully, I don’t know if this is a recent development or if it’s always been that way. I don’t think I’ve ever worried about it before. Still, I don’t see a lot of 20-somethings. I surmise that we’re probably the smallest demographic of East-Shawnee residents, and that I’m in the smallest demographic of practicing Catholics. But nonetheless, sometimes it’s a little lonely. Especially so at daily Mass.
It doesn’t bother me when I go to Prince of Peace. I’m usually the youngest person in the room by 30 years. I know a few people that attend PoP, but basically, I’m anonymous there. Which truthfully, I really like sometimes. It’s a story for another post, but I really like the congregation at Prince of Peace (though a lot of other PoP elements are not to my taste). And I like to attend Sunday Mass at St. Joseph’s when I go with my wife and I see the parents of the people I grew up with, I see my parent’s friends, I see the ushers that I’ve known since I was a child.
But daily Mass is a bit different.
Attending daily Mass at my regular parish is a little surreal, and sadly, not in a good way. I feel like I really stick out when I’m there. Like the people I know are watching me, even if I rationally know they are not watching me. It’s not the same as going to a Sunday service. I’m having hard time explaining why.
Daily Mass before work is not easy to do—it means I get up pretty early, and there aren’t many parishes that have a service early enough in the morning. But I didn’t expect that it would be hard in this manner.
Comments (6)
Dear Joe,
This is a wonderful and heart-warming story. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Your story is so simple and typical and yet you express it with such elegance. I am sure you have prayed many prayers of thanksgiving for the wonderful faith that you parents "planted and watered" ?
Going to daily Mass is one of the greatest things that you can do. I also have the privilege of going each morning on the way to work. Wow....it is great. I have a subscription to "Magnificat" that is a wonderful guide to the daily Mass and also gives you a few things to think about each day. You might want to check it out. They have a website.
Keep up the good work, keep reading, keep praying, keep growing with the sacraments as often as possible and be patient. God has many good things in store for you.
Ellis
Posted by Ellis Spear | April 6, 2008 9:53 AM
Posted on April 6, 2008 09:53
Hi Ellis-- thanks for the note! How'd you know I've prayed so many prayers of thanksgiving?! Am I that typical? :)
Posted by WRC | April 7, 2008 9:49 AM
Posted on April 7, 2008 09:49
Dear Joe,
Get to daily Mass whenever you can.
"Do Not be Afraid" as Our Lord said over and over.
You have heard a call that few hear at your age. Do not turn away....Answer Him. Get to that Daily Mass as often as you can. The more generous you are with God...the more Generous He will be with you. He will not be outdone !
If you think people are watching you....good....they might be seeing the Grace of God in you. Think about how God is watching you every morning that you are there. The more often you receive the sacraments, the closer and closer to God you can get. It is a warm way to start every day...Joe...don't let up.
Remember that you will be in my prayers each morning :)
Ellis
Posted by Ellis Spear | April 7, 2008 1:11 PM
Posted on April 7, 2008 13:11
Just found your blog from a link on KCC. I like your stuff.
I've been thinking about your comment about being the only 20-something at Mass. I wouldn't be too disheartened by it.
As a law student at Saint Louis University (and previously an undergrad there), I frequently attend the parish church on campus. I usually attend with my fiancee and other friends. This is not my territorial parish, but it is the one that I have the most connections with. When attending, a large majority of the congregation is college students and 20-somethings (especially the Saturday and Sunday evening Masses). I've also noticed that when we attend a non-SLU parish, it is almost always as a group of 5 or more.
And in those statements, I think you have the reason for not seeing as many 20-somethings at mass. 1. Most don't own houses, and many still live near their colleges or in parishes with lots of apartments in its territory. 2. Many still attend the churches at their colleges, even if they are miles away. 3. 20-somethings often attend Mass in groups, and frequently in parishes where they do not belong.
While I'm not saying that's where they all are, I think it is a reason why 20-somethings are not frequently found at suburban parish Masses. Anyways, that's just my 2 cents.
Keep up the good work on the blog!
Posted by YoungCatholicSTL | April 7, 2008 3:35 PM
Posted on April 7, 2008 15:35
When I go to Mass during the week, I am also the youngest person in attendance. However, being in my early 50's, the age difference is much less than 20 years!
Posted by pam j | April 8, 2008 9:18 AM
Posted on April 8, 2008 09:18
YoungCatholicSTL-- thanks for the note. I'm sure you're right. I bet there's just not a lot of people my age in the neighborhood. I hope you're enjoying SLU. See if you can get Coach Majerus into a confessional, it could do him some good.
pam j-- how funny! I guess the age gap doesn't just apply to the 20-something set!
Posted by WRC | April 8, 2008 10:38 AM
Posted on April 8, 2008 10:38