Pope St. John Paul II says that “among the many activities of a parish, none is as vital or as community-forming as the Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day.”  The Mass is the center of all activities of the parish because in it we receive the gift of the Eucharist, the source and summit of our entire faith.  Moreover, for a large majority of Catholics in our diocese, their primary experience of their parish community takes place at Sunday Mass.  

Therefore, what happens at a parish on Sunday ought to warrant special attention and care with well-informed and discerned preparation.  We always objectively encounter the person of Jesus Christ at every Mass, made present in the Holy Eucharist and in the proclamation of His Word.  However, people have varied subjective experiences of Sunday at their local parishes.  

The hope is that all who attend Mass at every parish would experience a life-changing and life-sustaining encounter with Jesus Christ.  As we take steps to serve the liturgy well, there are several key elements surrounding the celebration of Mass that can help dispose people to more fully recognize and receive the objective encounter with Jesus.  Among these areas of focus in preparation for a fruitful celebration of the Sunday liturgy, three particular elements have arisen as helpful in successfully engaging and evangelizing people regularly: 

1. Hospitality – Research indicates that feeling welcomed and accepted is consistently one of the primer drivers of a person’s connection to and formation in a parish.
2. Hymns and Liturgical Music – Music plays a vital role in more fully engaging people in the celebration of the Mass and helping them to encounter God in worship.
3. Homily – The Homily is important to help people (1) recognize how God is working in their lives and (2) connect their faith with their day-to-day experience. 

Taking all of this into account, we can see that the Sunday Experience is the most important factor that will directly impact a person’s spiritual growth and plays an essential and vital role in forming disciples of Jesus Christ. 

The OPS liaisons stand ready to help you to

(1) assess where your parish is in terms of the three main areas of focus of the Sunday Experience (Homily, Hymns, Hospitality) and

(2) discern with parish leadership the particular charisms as well as areas of growth for each parish community. 

Different parish communities are served best in different ways depending on the needs of the people, so the importance of discernment cannot be underestimated.  We are confident that God desires great things for each parish, and we are excited to walk with you as we together see God’s plan for your parish continue to unfold.