Many members of the GC community may not realize the importance of attending daily Mass during lunch in preserving the faith taught at our school, nor do they fully understand some of its fundamental aspects. As part of a Catholic school community, Good Counsel students, faculty, and staff are privileged to attend daily Mass in the chapel. This opportunity allows Catholics and non-Catholics to pause, reflect, and find peace amid the busyness of the school day. Clarifying these points can help more people take advantage of this unique tradition at Good Counsel. Father Tom Lavin holds Mass in the chapel at 7:45 a.m. on Mondays and 11:45 a.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Daily Mass is an excellent opportunity for school community members to connect with God

and themselves while contributing to a community event. The Mass is an interactive event in which all people involved join together to praise God through the liturgy.

Many students and teachers share their talents as lectors and assist in the Universal Prayer. Participants can “look to apply what we’ve heard… [and] bring our needs before the Lord,” Fr. Tom said. Some students attend Mass in groups, while others choose to come alone. Olivia Cooley, ‘27, shared: “It’s a wonderful experience to go alone but find a partner. I usually go with some friends… having that person beside you brings another level of peace.” 

Participants feel more grounded, centered, and relaxed at the end of Mass. “As we return to our scheduled life, we ask God’s blessing to take that excellent relationship with God into our ordinary experience to be shared with others, knowing how much God loves us,” said Fr. Tom. 

Those who attend daily Mass at GC have extremely positive opinions about the experience. However, many don’t understand — they have the attitude, “Why bother?” Father Tom explained that some common misconceptions are that “the Mass is long and tedious. No Mass can be insightful and informative on what counts, all within 20-25 minutes.” Another misunderstanding is that lunch Mass takes up the entire lunch period.  It only lasts about thirty minutes, leaving students with more than enough time to eat, study, and socialize. “I would say that [the biggest misconception is that] it’s only for Catholics. It is a Catholic Mass, but anybody can go, even if you don’t pray. You can go and meditate and sit in silence… the Bible says [to] come as you are,” Olivia Cooley ‘27 said. Daily Mass is an excellent opportunity for prayer and self-reflection for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. 

Father Tom believes it is essential to “take the opportunity to bring a friend and praise God.” This small amount of time out of the school day leads to incredible benefits.  All members of the Good Counsel community can gain something from it and should take advantage of the privilege they have to share in the Mass with those around them.