FatherZ: Canceling Mass in Oshkosh because of the Super Bowl

A reader alerted me to the following from northwestern.com of Oshkosh, WI… which Google maps informs me is less than an hour south by car from Lambeau Field… Green Bay, WI.

This is from the first part of a letter to the editor:

On Friday I found this notice posted on a door at my parish: “Super Bowl, Sunday (February 6, 2011), No 6:30 p.m. Mass. (Because our Green Bay Packers are in this year’s Super Bowl, we have cancelled the 6:30 p.m. Sunday Night Mass that night. We assume that most would be in agreement … (unless you are a Chicago Bear fan).”
Catholics who do not take their Faith seriously will not object to the above notice. But to those who believe that we should place the Mass above any worldly pursuit like watching a football game, it is an insult.
[...]

Okay.  Let me play devil’s advocate here and argue the other position.

Is that the only Mass on Sunday at that parish?  The parish is certainly not canceling all its Sunday Masses because of the Super Bowl.

Get a grip.  People can go to Mass on Sunday.

Read the rest at Fr Z

I don't think it's a big deal.  Fr Z says evening Masses are not at all a tradition of the Church, a new invention.  The title of the piece in question is called "Catholic Church should not worship Packers."  Overreact much?  One Mass time out of how many in the surrounding area?  I think the NFL has been pretty good about making sure games are late enough to not conflict with regular Sunday services.  Even the Packer players have time to attend Mass before a game.  But regular Sunday services take place before noon.  6:30 PM is a pretty exceptional time for Mass.

Don't get me wrong, there are people who literally worship the Packers.  

Oh, if you didn't know, "saint Vince" who conjured up the "spirit of Lombardi" and dresses as the Packers pope is ready for the game(video).