The Abbey church on Benedictine’s campus has always had Mass times available for the students to attend during the weekdays and weekends. However, beginning in the fall semester of 2020, there were six additional Masses at the Abbey due to the current restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new mass times include four daily Masses during the week at 9 p.m. and then two added masses on Sunday at 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
The Chaplain at the Benedictine Abbey, Fr. Simon Baker talks about the importance of making sure the pandemic does not prevent anyone from attending Mass.
“The only way that we could ensure that all students had access to the celebration of the Eucharist on a regular/daily basis was to add more Masses and move the location to the upstairs Abbey Church,” Fr. Simon said. “Since the Mass is the singularly most important event in a person’s faith life, the Source and Summit of our faith, we wanted to make sure that was remedied for them at least while on campus.”
Michael Hahn, sophomore, tells his opinion on having these added mass times on campus.
“It is nice to have more options and accessibility to masses especially in the busy life of a college student,” Hahn said.
During the six months that Benedictine students were not allowed on campus due to the Covid pandemic, businesses along with churches and religious services were not available in most areas.
“I believe that the distance from the Mass that so many students have experienced in their home dioceses for so long has made them more desirable of attending Masses when they are offered. You begin to value what you have lost so that when it’s offered again you take full advantage of it,” Fr. Simon said.
To view the Abbey Mass times, go to https://www.benedictine.edu/faith-life/sacramental/index
