March 1, 2026
Dear St. Rita Parishioners,
Our parking situation here is, well, challenging, to say the least, and I have been praying and pondering on how to address it. Seeing that our ability to build a parking garage (approx. $10 mil) is limited, I am playing with the idea of moving Mass times. Our Latin Mass crowd likes to congregate after the 9:15 AM Mass, which I am loathe to discourage excessively, but it also can create parking difficulties for the 11 AM Mass crowd, especially on days when the Latin Mass runs a little longer. These are “Full Church Problems” – and are not the issues that many Catholic Churches across the country are facing. We are very blessed to have a vibrant parish and a congregation that loves God, the parish, and each other.
So, what to do? First, I do ask your attentiveness to and patience with each other, especially in the parking lot. Second, I ask that, if you plan to stay for a longer time after your respective Mass, that you park in the Birchmere lot if possible. That lot is often not totally full during Mass, though I am sure that between Masses, as people are coming and going, finding a spot is not easy. Third, I need your input regarding Mass times. The only way to alleviate some of the difficulty right now is to space out the Mass times a little better, but that will certainly not be to everyone’s liking. Ideally, we can give the 8 AM Mass crowd a few more minutes before having to rush home, and we can give a little more space between the Extraordinary Form Latin Mass and the next Mass. So, I am considering the following Sunday schedules (Saturday evening schedule would stay the same):
Option 1: 7 AM, 8 AM, 9:30 AM (Extraordinary Form), 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM (Spanish)
Option 2: 7 AM, 8 AM, 9:30 AM (English), 11:15 AM (Extraordinary Form), 1:30 PM (Spanish)
Option 3: No Change
The benefit of Option 1 is that there is a little more time between Masses, and your regular Mass time stays more or less the same. The benefit of Option 2 is that the Latin Mass crowd has even more time for congregating, AND there is space for some of the longer liturgies (e.g. Palm Sunday) and possibly the Asperges Me rite at the beginning of Mass. Keep in mind, too, that the parking situation for the Spanish Mass is just as bad as for the other Masses. Option 3 recognizes that there may not be a better solution than the one we have now. Before I make a decision about this, however, I need your input! This week, I’ll be creating a survey that will be available on the website and on paper in the vestibules of the Church. You will have several weeks to fill it out, and I will utilize your input in making the decision.
Please keep this in your prayers during the season of Lent. I am hopeful we can find an option that will help to make your Sunday Mass experience at St. Rita a means of finding peace and rest in Our Lord.
In Christ,
Fr. Christensen