One big family of God gathers every weekend to watch the Sunday TV Mass recorded at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Sioux Falls. That Mass is then posted on YouTube to a world-wide audience.
As the world has stayed home in efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, many Catholics have searched for ways to watch Mass online. Amazingly, many have found our little corner of the world and share Mass with us every Sunday.
Nearly every state in the U.S. is represented in viewers. And these are just some of the places where other Catholics join in from: Indonesia, the Arctic Circle, Zimbabwe, India, Hong Kong, Philippines, Australia, Malaysia, Kenya, the Caribbean, England, Cape Town, Canada, Uganda, Zambia, military bases in South Korea, Dubai, Yemen, Guam, Nigeria, Pakistan, Brazil, Italy and Scotland.
The reach the Sunday TV Mass has around the world is incredible. And it’s only possible because of the generosity of the faithful in our diocese through Catholic Family Sharing Appeal donations, direct donations and the many donations that come in from around the country.
Thanks to all of you for making it possible to share the Mass and the love of God with people around the world. We pray we will all be in our own parishes soon, but until then, we will share what we have with anyone who needs it.
We thought you would enjoy seeing some of the letters we’ve received from around the world. Thanks to all who make this ministry possible.
I have attended, on YouTube, your Sunday Masses. It has been wonderful and the singers and the organist have cheered me up in these terrible times. I live in a small, ex-mining village in Kelty, Fife, Scotland and I cannot explain to you just what a difference your Masses have made to me. It has been very nice to have the Bishop in my home too! All the best to you all and I was heartened to see parishioners in attendance this morning. Hopefully Scotland will be the same soon.
TV Mass Fan Mail
Veronica (email from website)
I would like to thank you for sharing your beautiful church and exceptional Mass. I have been following and attending at home in Ban Amphure beach village, Thailand. God bless you all. Nice to know we can be so far away but united in our Catholic family.
Lela (email from website)
During the current pandemic we have been watching the Sunday Mass from St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Sioux Falls and wanted to write to you to say how much I enjoyed your sermons and the kind way you deal with the events.
I am English and my wife is Anglo-Indian, we currently live in Australia. Thank you for bringing much love and the presence of Jesus into our home.
Michael (email from website)
Just a quick note to tell you how much I have enjoyed your live-streamed Mass from the cathedral these last few weeks. The liturgy is done with such reverence, the organist and cantor are so good and the church is so beautiful! How I wish I could attend Mass with your congregation, when it returns. Thank you!
Dennis from Fort Worth, TX
Please accept this charitable gift to the Diocese of Sioux Falls South Dakota. We wanted to give back to your tech savvy diocese to express our appreciation for your taking care of our spiritual health during the quarantine.
We are parishioners of Corpus Christi Parish of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, PA
Initially we could not access our diocese’s virtual Mass. We found yours on YouTube. We immediately felt at home. Thanks to Bishop DeGrood and Vicar Eckrich, our shepherds, during this time. The Cathedral of St. Joseph is beautiful! Please use this gift for whatever needs your diocese may have.
Nancy from Carnegie, PA
My thanks once again to all concerned for the past 8 weeks of Sung Mass from your beautiful Cathedral. How wonderful to see the return of your congregation. As lockdown eases in North Cyprus I long for the chance to return to active worship. However, I am sure I will continue to follow your services as it has been such a blessing to hear the encouraging and inspirational words of Bishop DeGrood, Father Brian and all who have participated. I am in awe of the talent within your community, so thanks to all the wonderful cantors, especially today’s marvelous tenor. God bless you all.
Lynette (email from website)
Since I have been listening to the Bishop of Sioux Falls for 2 months, I felt it was only right I donated a small amount towards your South Dakota church. I am from St. Cecilia parish in Iselin New Jersey! May God bless the bishop and guide him always! Thank you for teaching us the word of Christ when we could not go to church.
Chandani (email from website)
Since the stay-at-home directives and the cancellation of Masses, I have been watching Mass on TV, from my local diocese (San Bernardino, CA) and other locations, but about a month or so ago, a friend mentioned the Mass from St. Joseph’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Sioux Falls, to be accessed on YouTube. And now I don’t watch any other Mass!
This Mass is said so beautifully and reverently, and I look forward to Bishop DeGrood’s heartfelt homilies, meaningful and helpful in many ways. I was especially touched by his homily concerning his personal experience when his father was dying of cancer and his following remarks. I also appreciated his remarks that day after Mass was over… very helpful and reassuring.
I have also recommended this Mass to 5 or 6 other friends, and we watch every week. We feel we have our own “little Sioux Falls community” way out here in Southern California!
In addition to supporting my local parish (Our Lady of Hope) I want to help, in a small way, your efforts in making this wonderful Mass available, so I am enclosing a donation.
Marjorie from San Bernardino, CA
