With four weekend Masses to choose from, there are probably parishioners with whom you’ve never crossed paths. It’s not every day that our entire parish family has the opportunity to celebrate Mass together. For several years, we’ve been working to unite the parish through our annual Outdoor Mass. This year’s Outdoor Mass will be celebrated on Sept. 10, and all are welcome to come together for worship and fellowship.
Lauri DeNooy has been hard at work planning this year’s Outdoor Mass. Lauri joined Queen of the Holy Rosary in 2019 and, as a fairly new parishioner herself, the Outdoor Mass has stood out to her as a great opportunity to meet other parishioners. Planning the event has brought Lauri even further into the community.
“I was asked if I would oversee this and I looked at it as a way to meet new people,” Lauri says. “I’d seen over the years how this event had grown and what a benefit it is to the families. Everybody coming together for a Mass is a huge blessing.”
Lauri has enjoyed the process of planning the Outdoor Mass with her team. It takes a great deal of coordination to arrange the Outdoor Mass. Many stewards are needed to set up and clean up. The majority of parking will be offered nearby at Shawnee Mission School District and a shuttle will be available to bring parishioners to the parish parking lot for the Mass.
“This has been a win-win for me because I’m meeting new people every day and am able to work with and be part of a team for something that benefits the whole parish,” Lauri says.
The Outdoor Mass will be followed by a parish-wide picnic. The Knights of Columbus will be providing hamburgers and hotdogs. Of course, there will be family-oriented games and activities, bingo, and plenty of opportunities to visit and get to know other parishioners. Sharing in worship together in the Holy Mass and fellowship during the picnic are essential for our community.
“Any time you have fellowship with the congregation, it’s a great opportunity for parishioners to connect and meet new parishioners,” Lauri says.
The Outdoor Mass is a true community effort. From the Knights of Columbus to the Queen’s Ladies and the Music Ministry, in addition to many volunteers, it takes the whole parish to hold this event and all are invited to be part of the day.
The Outdoor Mass will be held at 10 a.m. and will take the place of all three Sunday Morning Masses. All are invited and many volunteers will be needed. In the event of inclement weather, the Mass will be moved indoors and fellowship will be canceled.
Visit the parish website — queenoftheholyrosary.org — or call the office at 913-432-4616 for more details about the day. To volunteer, contact Lauri DeNooy at 913-548-7277 or lauri.denooy@gmail.com.