From Saturday 2nd February, parishioners at St John’s RC Church in Perth will find a change to their usual choices for attending Mass. The Saturday evening Mass, which anticipates Sunday and fulfills their Sunday obligations, is moving to the earlier time of 4pm.
The Saturday evening Mass was originally provided to support shift workers but has become a popular option among those with other commitments too. Taken together with the Sunday Mass, attendances at St John’s in Perth’s Melville Street, can vary between 1000 and 1400 every week.
Announcing the change of time, parish priest, Canon Stephen Mulholland explained, “We carried out a consultation to make sure that we were meeting the needs of our parishioners. The earlier time of 4pm was particularly attractive in the winter months, when there is less daylight.”
In addition to the 4pm Mass on Saturday, parishioners have the choice on Sunday of 9am (with a special children’s service), 11am and 6.30pm. Mass for the Polish community is celebrated every Sunday at 5pm as well as monthly for the parish’s Italian and Syro-Malabar communities.