In Hindsight

Last Sunday was no ordinary Sunday.  Sure, it started off like any other Sunday, it was the 2nd week of Advent and the church parking lot had received a new blanket of fluffy snow.  However, beyond that there was a buzz in the air, something just a little different.  For many parishioners there was the hopeful anticipation of registering seats for themselves, family and or friends for one of the Christmas Masses.  Registrations were also set to open for the 3rd Sunday in Advent as well as for the Feast of the Holy family.  As the time drew near for me to open registrations, I texted a friend of mine a gentle reminder of what was to come.  To my surprise he answered “I’m ready.  I’ve got 3 computers open.  I just hope Flocknote or the church website don’t crash.”  I had never even considered that possibility.  I quickly said a prayer to Our Lady for her intercession.  I then jokingly asked my friend if it felt like he was trying to purchase tickets for the popular Irish rock band U2.  He laughed and replied, “yes it does and that’s what my wife asked too”.  As the clock turned over to 6pm I opened all the registrations, with fingers crossed.  I could barely believe it.  Within 2 minutes we had over three hundred people registered.  By around the six-minute mark, there were over a thousand registrations.  I then realized that perhaps things were too good to be true.  I checked my emails and there was one, two, three people advising that they were not able to register for the Feast of the Holy Family.  As my heart skipped a beat, I checked the registration link.  To my amazement, yes it was working!  In hindsight, I guess with all the strain on the system there was one glitch.  As registrations started to slow down the Feast link started to work again.  By the end of the evening, we had nearly 1500 people registered for 14 Masses over 4 days, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, the 3rd Sunday in Advent and the Feast of the Holy Family.  My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your patience over this last year with online registrations, we had some growing pains, but we’ve made it work.  A special thank you to Mary Sheridan for all her support in the mass registration process.  

A reminder that on Sunday December 12th at 6pm, registration for the following Masses will open: 4th Sunday of Advent, Solemnity of Mary Mother of God (New Year’s Eve & Day), The Epiphany of the Lord.    

Wishing you a Blessed Advent,
Glenn