Uncrowded Christmas Eve Mass Please

[SimpleChristmas]

I would like to take my family to an uncrowded Christmas eve mass, either 4 or 5 pm somewhere in Metro Detroit. Could you please give me some ideas? Thank you and Merry Christmas

[Pam]

Stay home and find a service on TV to watch? I think they are all crowded Christmas eve and day. Sorry.

[Kathleen]

The late afternoon/early evening masses are generally packed since they are often billed as the Children's Christmas Mass.

You might try Ste. Anne de Detroit. I believe they have a 5pm mass, but you should check with them at 313.496.1701.

[Ravine]

Stay home and find a service on TV to watch? I think they are all crowded Christmas eve and day. Sorry.

Bah!! No good, 'til we have Smellovision; the best part is the frankincense.

Well, unless the church has a pipe organ, in which case I might call it a tie.

[SimpleChristmas]

I think my kids watch too much television as it is, but not a bad idea, maybe they may enjoy it better

[oldredfordette]

What side of town are you on? There are 4pm masses all over the place, but crowded is another story. Pick a big church, get there early.

[SimpleChristmas]

on the westside. Many persons who do not normally go to church come on Christmas and Easter. Crowded masses for us are less enjoyable

[DetroitPole]

I would like to take my family to an uncrowded Christmas eve mass, either 4 or 5 pm somewhere in Metro Detroit. Could you please give me some ideas? Thank you and Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, but I'm a bit puzzled. Why uncrowded? Somebody claustrophobic? I don't know how long you've been Catholic, but in my experience [[not to mention statistically) Christmas Eve is when all the Papists come out of the woodwork and make it the best-attended day of the year.

Not just to be a city proponent, but out of pragmatism, if I were you I would check out some of the more obscure parishes in the City of Detroit. Any church in the suburbs is going to jam-packed because that is where most of the Catholics live. The big name churches of the city [[Sweetest Heart, Ste. Anne, Old St. Mary's, the Cathedral) are also going to be packed[[which is incredible, given their sizes) so forget those as well. Rule out SW Detroit since the vast majority of Latinos are Catholics.

The more modest parishes in the city that don't draw people from the suburbs because they might not be the most incredible are your best bet.

http://www.aodonline.org/AODOnline/P...=SearchOptions

I haven't found an easy way to find Mass times for Holy Days, except for calling the parish. The answering machines virtually always have Christmas Mass times.

Edit: Westside? St. Mary of Redford has a 5pm Mass time. http://www.stmarysofredford.com/
Seems like a solid bet for you.

[bartock]

on the westside. Many persons who do not normally go to church come on Christmas and Easter. Crowded masses for us are less enjoyable

Our priest always adds an extra collection at the end of Christmas and Easter masses. The week before, he tells members of the parish to skip the second collection, as it is only for the "Creasters."

[LodgeDodger]

Bah!! No good, 'til we have Smellovision; the best part is the frankincense.

Well, unless the church has a pipe organ, in which case I might call it a tie.

YEAH! There's nothing like a pipe organ.

[SimpleChristmas]

Thanks for the info, yes, we'd go to churches in Detroit, we'd prefer to and look to be a proponent of Detroit. We are in Canton

[SimpleChristmas]

We need Creasters for sure, otherwise the Archdiocese's budget would be in the red

[detroitbob]

My suggestions St. Joseph Lafayette Park or Sweetest Heart of Mary...both impressive buldings, traditional liturgies, pipe organs. May be crowded but worth the experience. Also guarded parking.

[bobby wobby]

Sweetest Heart of Mary on Canfield has a 4pm Christmas Mass that I am planning to attend.,

[Eastburn]

St. Jude on 7 Mile just west of Kelly is one of the most beautiful churches in the city. 4:00 PM and Midnight masses. I suspect it won't be all that crowded. Great pipe organ and incense, too.

[jackie5275]

Try St. Thomas Aquinas 4 pm Children's Mass. They're on Evergreen about 500 ft north of Ford Rd. It won't be too bad. We've been having dwindling holiday attendance the past few years. You won't have any trouble getting a seat. To get an idea, the Children's Choir is singing at that mass. I think there's about 10 kids in it, & they had to pull from other parishes to get that many.

[econ expat]

We need Creasters for sure, otherwise the Archdiocese's budget would be in the red

Doesn't help the AOD much.
Christmas collections are a 'bonus' to the parish.
100% of the collection goes to the parish on Christmas,
nothing to the Archdiocese.

[Detroit_uke]

St. Thomas Aquinas also has a Midnight Mass. The choir sings for a half-hour before that. Would like to see you there.

[Vox]

I would like to take my family to an uncrowded Christmas eve mass, either 4 or 5 pm somewhere in Metro Detroit. Could you please give me some ideas? Thank you and Merry Christmas

St. Mary Madgelen on John R in Hazel Park has one at that time, I believe. Not a bad looking church, from what I see.

[jackie5275]

St. Thomas Aquinas also has a Midnight Mass. The choir sings for a half-hour before that. Would like to see you there.

I thought they were starting at 11:15 pm. Well, it doesn't matter to me. My kid's in the Children's Choir, so I have to go at 4 pm.

[SimpleChristmas]

We went to Saint Thomas Aquinas, it was wonderful! Thanks for the recommendation and Merry Christmas!

[jackie5275]

We went to Saint Thomas Aquinas, it was wonderful! Thanks for the recommendation and Merry Christmas!

Glad you liked it.

[eastland]

In terms of the AOD not taxing "Christmas collections," they still get it in the end since the Christmas collections are factored into the parish's Stewards for Tomorrow quota.