WILMETTE, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) --Because of concern over rising COVID numbers, a Catholic parish in Wilmette is returning to offering a parking lot Mass for Christmas Eve in addition to 12 other in-church and gym Masses.
Saints Joseph and Francis Xavier Parish stopped offering Masses in the St. Joseph campus parking lot in November but, with COVID infections rising along with people’s fears, pastor, Fr. Wayne Watts said he started being asked if there were going to be a parking lot Mass for Christmas.
“After the sending out of the schedule this week, in fact yesterday, I decided I think that the people who are vulnerable really want and need a car Mass.”
Fr. Watts says his job is to bring people close to Jesus whatever way he can so, he said on Tuesday morning at 11:00 a.m. the parish put out an email blast to parishioners offering the Mass and allowing people to register for it. He says that, within 49 minutes, all 150 parking spaces were spoken for.
If you’re not registered, he asked that you do not show up.
Saints Joseph and Francis Xavier offer 12 other in-person Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Many of those Masses will also be livestreamed on the parish’s YouTube channel, including the Mass in the parking lot.
Fr. Watts said that it’s amazing what has happened over the last 18 months. "We just needed to be able to be resilient and pivot and do whatever we could do and our people have been very helpful."
He added that the parking lot Mass was born out of that.
People sit in their cars and observe and take part in Mass, which is celebrated in an above-ground shelter in front of them with audio that comes through their radios.
Fr. Watts said that for people who’ve gone to Mass via livestream, but would like Communion, Communion will be distributed outside to people who drive by in their cars at the south door of St. Joseph Church at Lake Avenue and Ridge Road right after the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
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