Should I stay or should I go?

There are two types of people in the world: those who think sports are really interesting and important, and those who find the whole sports-fan culture to be in equal parts perplexing and annoying, and don't understand how people can be absorbed by, much less passionate about, the prospect of extra-tall boys, wearing short pants and tank tops with the school name emblazoned upon them, chasing around a ball in a gymnasium for a couple of hours.  And in my observation, for some reason, parish staffs, and especially people involved in liturgy, tend to have a disproportionate number of the latter type. 




If you follow this blog at all, you know that I'm excited about the hoops success of alma mater, Loyola University of Chicago.  The Ramblers tip off against the University of Michigan at approximately 5:09 pm Central Time this evening, with the winner advancing to the national championship game.

The issue is this: this also happens to be the holiest evening of the year.  As it does every year, our parish's Easter Vigil service begins at 7:30 pm.  That would give Loyola fans, of whom there are quite a few in this area, a bit less than two and a half hours to watch the game and get over to church, if they're so inclined.  They may not be so inclined: if they are at a watch party, either in a private home or a tavern, it might be thought to be bad social form to say, "Sorry to watch and run, but church starts in a few minutes."  There is also the question of sufficient sobriety.  There is also the question of how much one really wants to attend a two hour+ service for which attendance is not mandatory.  There is also the possibility that the Loyola game would go into one or more overtime periods, which almost certainly would require one to leave with the outcome hanging in the balance in order to arrive on time at church.  And there is another, nearly as interesting game immediately after, with Villanova vs Kansas scheduled to begin at 7:30. 

At least one parish in the Chicago area, the renowned young-adult-focused Old Saint Pat's community, just west of the Loop and near Greek Town, has pushed back its Easter Vigil start time from 7:30 pm to 8 pm, in deference to the Loyola game.   Judging from comments I've heard floating around from churchy types, this decision is not universally applauded.  Young adults with upscale urban lifestyles being who and what they are, the sufficient-sobriety factor may be significant for the Old Saint Pat's congregation. 

All of the above considerations would apply to someone sitting in the congregation.  As it happens, I don't always sit in the congregation at the Vigil.  It is true that I've never been scheduled to be the deacon of the Vigil service; that generally goes to the deacon who is most involved in RCIA.  But before entering deacon formation, I had spent 10 years in the parish music ministry, co-leading an ensemble of then-youngish adults.  Since diaconal formation and ordination, I've had to dial back my musical involvement, but I get drafted to accompany various services from time to time (although not this evening), and during the Triduum services, if I have nothing else on, I generally sing with the choir.  Like many church choirs, our choir could use more men. 

But "call time" for the choir this evening is 6:45 pm.  The Loyola game almost certainly won't be over at 6:45; in fact, that time probably will land somewhere in the second half of the second half of the game, the time when whichever team is trailing makes its final push and turns the game into a nail-biter.  (For the possibility of that happening in this game, cf Loyola's 2018 tournament history to date.)

So I could walk away from the telecast with the outcome still in doubt and be a good choir citizen.  I and other choir members will have our smartphones at church, and we can check the outcome during pre-service rehearsal, and I can also record the game for later viewing.  Or I can watch the game to the end in real time and most likely get over to the church in time for Vigil to start, and sit with the congregation.  I could even show up late if the game runs longer than expected, although that's probably not a good look for a public minister of the church.  I could even stay until the game ends, head over to church and crash my way into the choir and sing with them, albeit having missed some/most/all of rehearsal.  If I weren't a deacon I could mumble my excuses and they'd be glad to have me.  Probably they still would, but again it's not good optics for a member of the clergy. 

Or I could just blow the whole thing off (the "whole thing" meaning the service, not the game).  I'll be at church tomorrow for the early mass anyway.

What would you recommend?