Fr. Dan Tracy
We continue to face the future with hope and confidence in the Lord Jesus. In consultation with leadership from our four parishes, I am making the following changes to our monthly Mass schedule.
The Sunday Mass at 1:00 p.m. in Spanish at St. Joseph in Rice Lake will no longer be celebrated on the first, second, fourth, and fifth Sundays of the month. The Sunday Mass at 1:00 p.m. in Spanish at St. Joseph in Rice Lake will continue to be celebrated on the third Sunday of the month.
The Saturday Mass at 8:30 a.m. in English at Our Lady of Lourdes in Dobie will no longer be celebrated on the second, third, fourth, and fifth Saturdays of the month.
The Saturday Mass at 8:30 a.m. in English at Our Lady of Lourdes in Dobie will continue to be celebrated on the first Saturday of the month.
Additionally, we will begin to utilize three schedules for weekday Masses. These schedules will be dependent on priest availability.
- Mass Schedule A: The current weekday Mass schedule.
- Mass Schedule B (to be used when only 1 priest is available due to travel or illness): The current weekday Mass schedule excluding the 8:30 a.m. Tuesday Mass at Holy Trinity in Haugen and the 8:30 a.m. Thursday Mass at St. John the Evangelist in Birchwood.
- Mass Schedule C (to be used when only 1 priest is available and there are 3 or more funeral or wedding Masses scheduled in a week): Mass Schedule B and the weekday Mass of a particular parish will be cancelled if a funeral or wedding Mass takes place on the same day.
These changes will go into effect beginning Sunday, November 8th, 2026. Mass Schedule B will be used for the week of Sunday, November 8th through Saturday, November 14th as I will be traveling to St. Louis, Missouri for a conference.
I would like to briefly share some additional context regarding these decisions. First, I made the decision about the Sunday Mass in Spanish in consultation with our Hispanic community. We held an initial meeting with leaders in the community on September 13th and a meeting on October 18th to confirm this decision. We are tremendously grateful for the treasure of being the only parish in our Diocese to offer a weekly Mass in Spanish for the last 8 years, but we recognize that it is not sustainable at this time. We will absolutely continue to serve our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters in the area with joy and compassion.
Second, the weekly Saturday morning Mass at Dobie was started this January when there were three priests in active ministry for our four parishes. At this First Saturday Mass we will begin to offer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick during Mass and will continue with the availability of the Sacrament of Reconciliation after the Mass. We are hopeful that this First Saturday can be an opportunity for many in our area to experience these two great Sacraments of healing.
Finally, six Masses from Tuesday to Friday every week is a great gift but we must recognize that two Masses on a weekday can no longer be the expectation for an active or retired priest. We hope that Mass Schedule B will be used occasionally and Mass Schedule C will be used rarely in the year ahead.
May the God of all consolation who continues to raise up Saints
in every generation continue to bless us all.