Church of Our Saviour — Attraction in Cocoa Beach

Beautiful Church, nice community. Attended Ash Wednesday Mass, and was taken aback by the lack of adherence to the ritual. The Ashes were blessed at the appropriate place during the Mass, but not distributed until after communion. This created a situation where 3/4 of the congregation left after receiving ashes. The priest himself never actually ended Mass, just opting to recess after completing the distribution of ashes. People continued to up and leave while the crucifix was proceeding out of the Church, to the point the altar server and priest had to "alter course" to avoid running into people. Look, I'm not a complete traditionalist, but there are certain things that need to be respected during a Mass. Ashes are distributed before the Eucharistic celebration, otherwise they are done outside of Mass with a Liturgy of the Word. You don't leave the Church until Christ leads you out (You follow behind the crucifix - it's symbolic of Christ leading you out to the world to spread His gospel. ) The music ministry has potential, but when you have a song leader standing facing the congregation instead of the musicians, it looks more like a show than a Mass, and it felt that way. I'm not big on praise bands, but this was done fairly tactfully and was not distracting. Rhythm section was subtle, tight, and nicely integrated. I thought I would find it distracting, but it wasn't. However- the strings were struggling with intonation (out of tune), as were some of the soloists. These distracted from the Mass. Music should be accessible and singable. It was neither. The lyrics are projected on a screen with no music to follow. Even people that do not read music still have a chance by seeing the direction of the notes. Please project the music to make it accessible to the people, as outlined in Vatican II. The congregation applauded the music at the end of Mass, which is completely inappropriate. We are not there to entertain, we are there to enhance the Mass. When the Mass becomes a concert, it is no longer centered on Christ, it is centered on personal enrichment. I do not make these comments to be hateful or overly critical. I love the architecture of this church, and the potential it has. I'm not even stating you should change everything, but take a look at how the flock is being served, and how they can be better filled with the spirit. Superficial actions do not fill us- it's the deep rooted actions in faith that really bring us to God and His Church. Educate the faithful on the ritual, why we do what we do, who we are. I grew up in a Church that didn't do that, and have spent a good part of my adult life catching up because of it. God bless you all - and I look forward to worshiping...

A warm and welcoming community is found at Church of Our Savior. I have been to many services in churches in different cities. This was one of the nicest experiences we have ever had at a church outside of our area, especially during Easter. We chose to attend the contemporary mass, which we found to be upbeat and lively. Something that truly impressed me was that the priest asked all in attendance to stand up if they were just visiting, having an anniversary, having a birthday, or were veterans. All these groups of people were applauded and recognized. I loved it. It was a very warm welcome into the most beautifully lovely Easter mass celebration. We were blessed to attend mass here and will most definitely return on our next visit. From the outside, this church doesn't look like a big deal, but once you enter, you feel such a peacefully beautiful vibe. The grounds outside are so magnificent with all the mature trees that are so...

Father Sean Hesling is one of the most generous, compassionate priests I have ever met, and he is a very good preacher and pastor with a good sense of humor. I was sorry to hear Father Heslin retired, but happy to know Father Gerry stayed on. My parents and youngest sister have been parishioners for over 25 years and I have attended Mass with them when visiting from Orlando, Miami, and currently Rockledge, including sunrise Easter Mass on the beach and midnight Mass. My youngest sister was married at Our Saviour's and her daughters were all baptized there. My mom's funeral was also held at Our Saviour's and the priests, and church ladies who set up the room and food afterward, were very empathetic and kind. It is a beautiful church, with a 24-hour Adoration Chapel, an excellent & very talented Choir & Director, an excellent school, and compassionate priests. I am happy to claim Our Saviour's as my Home Parish when I am...