Is Mass Boring?

Fr. John Tonkin • June 30, 2026

The title may be surprising, but the question is one worth considering. In this letter, Fr. John shares insights on the meaning of the Mass and how we can encounter Christ more fully in the Eucharist.


We Catholic Christians are blessed in the greatest gift offered to humanity—the Mass. This sacrificial meal is the source and summit of our life as we worship the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, it is easy to take this gift for granted and treat it as a repetitious ritual or a private devotion. From time to time, we need to look at what we are doing at Mass and determine if we are worshiping as the Church intends for us to grow in faith together. We need to fully immerse ourselves in the action that we celebrate. The Mass is intended to deepen communion with our triune God and with each other. We need to safeguard against merely showing up and going through the motions.

 

Preparing for Mass begins long before we walk into church. Waking from sleep, performing the morning rituals, and driving to church all have an effect on our disposition and how we enter into worship at Mass. A transformative worship experience begins with a recollected mind and a heart that longs for divine encounter and communion. 

 

Here are a few practical tips: look at the Scripture readings before coming to Mass and pray for insight; try not to rush around; be calm yet joyful; listen to Christian music in the car and sing along; greet others with a smile when walking from the parking lot and into church; spend some moments in silent prayer thanking God for just being able to participate at Mass when so many people do not have this opportunity every Sunday. Pray specifically for God to reveal the one thing you need to take from the Mass and carry into your week. It might be something you hear in the Scriptures, the homily or one of the prayers; it could be an encounter you have with a person at Mass. 

 

Take some time to recall from the past week the gifts and blessings as well as the challenges and frustrations you experienced and mindfully place them on the altar with the bread and wine as part of the sacrifice, remembering how God was with you through it all. Consider as well what is coming up in the new week and ask for God’s help to be your best self so that you are a joyful witness to the world that you follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

 

Remember, Mass is a celebration of thanking God for the many abundant gifts bestowed on us, especially the sacrificial gift of the Eucharist. Once Mass begins: Participate! Sing! Respond! Listen! Become fully attentive and immersed in what is happening. It is the intersection of Heaven and earth where we encounter the Divine like no other place or time. Be open to the transformative power of God’s mercy, love, and peace! 

 

Mass is never boring. We get out of Mass what we put into it. The music could be lackluster or not of our preferred style. The lector might rush through the Scripture reading like competing at the Indy 500. The preaching possibly will not resonate. The church might be too hot or too cold. And someone could be sitting in “your” seat. Each of these examples is just an annoyance or frustration that derails us from the real reason of being at Mass, which is to grow in communion with God and with each other. Ask God to help you let go of all distractions so that you can fully focus on the beauty of the miracle which we are celebrating. And be thankful!

 

Blessings,

Fr. John

 

It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do without Holy Mass.—Padre Pio

Progress in Family and Parish Structures

February 5, 2026
After 18 months of conversations, consultations, and a few confrontations, I have decided on a couple of changes that I believe will positively affect how this Family of Parishes functions, and they both involve decentralization. The first item is regarding Parish Pastoral Councils and the Unified Pastoral Council. Fifteen years of pastoring stand alone parishes and nearly six years of pastoring multiple parishes, has led me to the conclusion that most circumstances that require consultation occur at the parish level and not at the Family of Parishes level. Therefore, Parish Pastoral Councils will be re-established at the parish level. St. Michael, Holy Angels, and Sacred Heart will each have 6 members, 3 men and 3 women. The terms will last 3 years, with those rotating off after serving 3 years. Each year there will be 2 newly elected members and 4 members will remain. This ensures continuity as well as freshness each year. Current representatives to the Unified Pastoral Council from Sts. Peter & Paul recommended to have 4 members instead of 6. Each Parish Pastoral Council, along with a member from Finance Council and a member from the Buildings and Grounds Committee, will meet with me 3 times a year. Unified Pastoral Council meetings will occur twice a year and consist of the 3rd year members of the four Parish Pastoral Councils. Nominations and elections of Parish Pastoral Council members will soon be communicated to all parishes. The other change involves the parish offices. While some things are more efficient at the Family level, e.g. bookkeeping, payroll, scheduling of weddings, funerals, baptisms, and priests, etc., other things can happen more conveniently for parishioners at the parish level, e.g. Mass intentions, signed and sealed sponsor forms, liturgical ministries scheduling, etc. The target date for re-opening the offices at St. Michael /Sts. Peter & Paul and Sacred Heart is July 1st of this year. As the date approaches, more detailed information will be communicated on what items will be handled at the parish level and what items will be handled at the Family level. These last 3-1/2 years of Beacons of Light have not been easy for any of us, parishioner and priest alike. However, it has forced us to look at our preconceived ideas and biases, our values and beliefs, our hopes and dreams. We will come through this stronger as a community of believers who allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, encourage us, and empower us to truly live as disciples of Jesus Christ, who sends us out into the world as apostles to preach, teach, heal, cast out demons, and raise the dead. All done in His Name! May God bless us in His mercy Fr. John W. Tonkin "Make this proclamation: The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons." Matthew 10:7-8