Residents might need to mark the date in their diaries

@JudyEv (357670)
Rockingham, Australia
July 6, 2025 3:32am CST
Not too far from Kwolyn in Western Australia, we came across this little Catholic church. The area around the church is well-kept and the fence is neat and tidy. There was a notice board saying the next service will be held on April 19 at 10.30am. I had to smile as we’re already into June but then I noticed the ‘2026’ below the date. Some of these tiny churches do have very few services and I guess this is one of those. The fact that the date is April 2026 makes it seem like it’s once a year for this little church.
18 people like this
18 responses
@Kandae11 (56638)
6 Jul
Wow! Imagine that. I doubt there are many residents in that area - or perhaps there are other churches they attend.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
There are very few in the town and and no other towns nearby so it's a pretty sparse population out that way.
1 person likes this
6 Jul
Oh well Maybe once a year is enough for the residents there
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
The nearest priest could be well be several hundred kms away.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
@Ineeddentures Go for it. Vince stopped going to Mass years ago and I'm a Kalathumpian from way back.
9h
@JudyEv I best not make any priest jokes
1 person likes this
@allknowing (148940)
• India
17h
And to think it is a mortal sin if one does not attend Sunday mass
1 person likes this
@allknowing (148940)
• India
9h
@JudyEv He makes allowoance even when individuals decide not at attend like myself
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
I'm sure the good Lord makes allowances in such cases.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (152598)
• United States
6 Jul
Maybe that church has a wandering priest and he only schedules one service in each of the churches per year? I'd say he's stretched a little thin...
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (152598)
• United States
9h
@JudyEv That would be the only way that would work... I wonder if some of the people follow him from church to church?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
You're more or less right. He probably has his base in one of the bigger towns and services a whole range of smaller ones.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
@DaddyEvil I should think most would just go to the one in their area but I could be wrong.
1 person likes this
@rakski (142298)
• Philippines
11h
oh wow, that is too far from today!!
1 person likes this
@rakski (142298)
• Philippines
9h
@JudyEv so true!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
It's a long way in the future, that's for sure.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (193664)
• United States
6 Jul
How odd. I would expect services to be on a regular basis.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
It's too far from other towns so the priest would live several hundred kms away. There is a shortage of priests here.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (193664)
• United States
7h
@JudyEv I didn't know that.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (164591)
• United States
18h
Reminds me of the stories of the early west in the US. Circuit riding preachers that showed up when they could but it certainly was not on a real regular basis.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
A lot of our smaller towns had irregular services too. Sometimes a priest would have a very big parish with some towns getting a service maybe only once a month.
@abhi_bangal (6669)
• Ahmednagar, India
6 Jul
OMG! Almost 10 more months? That's quite a long time. They are taking longer breaks, I think.
1 person likes this
• Ahmednagar, India
9h
@JudyEv Ohhhh I see. That's why such a long break. Makes sense.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
There is a shortage of priests and this is quite an isolated town.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (76360)
• United States
6 Jul
Wow, that’s two weeks after Easter next year! So I take it that town’s not overrun with convents and abbeys. I wonder what the inside of it looks like.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
That town isn't overrun with anything except maybe weeds if they get enough rain.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (478255)
• Italy
6 Jul
Oh my goodness, a long waiting time before next service.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
Wouldn't you be cross if you missed the service and had to wait a whole year for the next one? lol
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (478255)
• Italy
8h
@JudyEv As Catholics "must" attend a service at least once a year it was enough.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (86648)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19h
That is amazing I have to say, At least everyone knows when to attend,
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
I would need to write it down or I'd be bound to forget.
@xFiacre (13877)
• Ireland
6 Jul
@judyev We have the same arrangements with small rural churches but parishioners might only have church once every 4 weeks, not once a year!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
Vince used to act as altar boy for his parish and would travel with the priest to outlying districts where Mass was held only occasionally. We did wonder if there has to be x masses a year for a church to stay consecrated.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (228325)
• Walnut Creek, California
23h
I hope you get to attend!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
I want to join some the smaller towns' FB sites as they have interesting events from time to time. We could easily attend some of them and I'm sure they'd be a lot of fun - not the Mass maybe but other functions.
@Ronrybs (20868)
• London, England
6 Jul
Nothing like planning ahead!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
It's a bit like a long-range forecast I guess. lol
@snowy22315 (192341)
• United States
6 Jul
It sure sounds that way!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
I only noticed the April for a start but didn't notice the year.
1 person likes this
• China
6 Jul
Oh,there is an interval of about one year between the two mass !
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
Yes, that's right. We have a great shortage of priests here and this little town is a long way from any others.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (118802)
• Marion, Ohio
6 Jul
That is a long time
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
It is indeed a long time.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (15576)
• Hong Kong
6 Jul
That is unusual. May be this church does not have service on a regular basis.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (357670)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
It is a long way from any big town so there is no priest available to say Mass more regularly.
1 person likes this