On March 30, young Catholic adults participate in the liturgy during the Young Adult Mass in the former Ursuline chapel of the SCI/Benedictine campus

The Young Adult Mass in Springfield on Sunday nights has moved to the former Ursuline chapel on the SCI/Benedictine campus, 1400 North Fifth St. Entrance to the chapel can be accessed off the small parking lot off Sixth Street, just north of Eastman Avenue. 

"It was clear almost from the first Mass back in February that we might outgrow the Dawson Hall chapel, and we did," said Kevin Broeckling, SCI Dean of Student Affairs. "We've been averaging about 60 people every Sunday night, and the SCI/Benedictine leadership decided to reopen the Ursuline Sisters' Chapel so that we can accommodate a growing crowd. We are really pleased to be providing this venue for some of our own students, some students from other colleges and for young adults in the area."

Broeckling is part of an informal team that plans the Young Adult Mass - now popularly called YAM - every Sunday at 8 p.m., with the blessing of Bishop George Lucas. Liturgical music and preaching at the Mass have a target audience of people between the ages of 18 and 35, and most who attend are in that age group, but anyone is welcome. Father Steven Janoski, a theology teacher at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, is the regular priest-presider.

A social time with desserts and light refreshments is held after Mass. Temporary chairs are set up in the chapel, as the wood pews from the former convent chapel were removed.

While there was no YAM Mass on Easter Sunday, it resumed March 30, and is supported primarily by the collection taken up during Mass. 

A brief social time with desserts and refreshments is held after the Young Adult Mass.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to this new ministry in Springfield may write a check to: Diocese of Springfield-YAM Ministry, and send it to Kyle Holtgrave, associate director for Young Adult and Youth Ministry, Diocese of Springfield, P.O. Box 3187, Springfield, IL  62708-3187.

A MySpace group has been established in connection with the Sunday evening Mass, and more information is available at www.springfieldyam.com .