Weekend Summary

Generate a comprehensive summary of all parish activities scheduled for a weekend.

Overview

The Weekend Summary is a powerful tool that creates a single document showing everything happening at your parish from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. This document serves as a quick reference for priests, deacons, and parish staff to stay informed about all scheduled activities.

What's Included

The Weekend Summary can include:

1. Sacraments - Weddings, Baptisms, Funerals, Presentations, Quinceañeras

2. Masses - All scheduled Masses with times, locations, and presiders

3. Mass Roles - Liturgical minister assignments (lectors, servers, musicians, etc.)

When to Use Weekend Summary

Weekly Planning Meeting

Review upcoming weekend activities with your parish team before the weekend begins.

Sacristy Reference

Print the summary and place it on the sacristy counter as a quick reference throughout the weekend.

Schedule Coordination

Check for potential timing conflicts between different events and ensure adequate coverage.

Post-Weekend Review

Generate summaries for past weekends to review activity levels and track sacramental celebrations.

Creating a Weekend Summary

Step 1: Navigate to Weekend Summary

1. Click Weekend Summary in the sidebar

2. You'll see the setup page with configuration options

Step 2: Select the Weekend Date

1. Click the calendar picker to select a date

2. Important: Only Sundays can be selected

3. The system automatically includes the previous Saturday

4. Example: Select Sunday, November 24 → includes Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24

Step 3: Choose What to Include

Three checkboxes let you customize what appears in your summary:

• ☑ Include Sacraments - Shows all weddings, baptisms, funerals, presentations, and quinceañeras
• ☑ Include Masses - Shows all scheduled Masses with details
• ☑ Include Mass Roles - Shows liturgical minister assignments for each Mass

All three are checked by default. Uncheck any section you don't need.

Step 4: Generate the Summary

Click the "Generate Weekend Summary" button.

The system will:

1. Find all activities scheduled for that weekend

2. Organize them by category

3. Display a formatted document with all the information

Understanding Your Weekend Summary

Cover Page

The first page shows:

• Weekend dates (e.g., "Weekend of November 23-24, 2025")
• Parish name
• Summary counts (how many of each activity)

Sacraments Section

Shows all sacramental celebrations with:

• Type - Wedding, Baptism, Funeral, etc.
• Participants - Names of those being married, baptized, etc.
• Date and Time - When the celebration occurs
• Location - Which church or chapel
• Presider - Who is celebrating the sacrament
• Language - English, Spanish, or Latin

Masses Section

Lists all scheduled Masses with:

• Day and Date - Saturday, November 23 or Sunday, November 24
• Time - Mass time (e.g., 5:00 PM, 9:00 AM)
• Location - Where the Mass is celebrated
• Type - Sunday Mass, Vigil Mass, etc.
• Presider - Priest or deacon celebrating
• Language - Language of the liturgy

Mass Roles Section

Shows liturgical minister assignments organized by Mass:

• Lectors - Readers for first and second readings
• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion - Communion ministers
• Altar Servers - Those serving at the altar
• Cantors - Lead singers
• Musicians - Organists, choir members
• Ushers - Greeters and collection takers
• Sacristans - Those preparing the sacristy

Each Mass shows all assigned ministers with their roles clearly labeled.

Actions You Can Take

Once your Weekend Summary is generated, you'll see these action buttons:

Edit Configuration

Return to the setup page to:

• Choose a different weekend
• Change which sections are included
• Regenerate with new settings

Print View

Opens a printer-friendly version in a new tab with:

• Clean formatting optimized for printing
• No sidebar or navigation elements
• Ready to print directly to paper

Download PDF

Downloads the Weekend Summary as a PDF file named:

Weekend-Summary-YYYYMMDD.pdf

Perfect for:

• Emailing to staff
• Archiving digital copies
• Sharing with ministers

Download Word

Downloads the Weekend Summary as a Microsoft Word document named:

Weekend-Summary-YYYYMMDD.docx

Useful for:

• Making custom edits
• Adding additional notes
• Creating custom formats

Common Workflows

Weekly Sacristy Preparation

Every Thursday:

1. Generate Weekend Summary for upcoming weekend

2. Print the document

3. Place in sacristy binder

4. Review with presiders before weekend begins

Staff Meeting Review

At weekly staff meetings:

1. Generate summary for upcoming weekend

2. Share screen or distribute PDF

3. Discuss any conflicts or special needs

4. Confirm minister assignments

Historical Reference

When reviewing past events:

1. Select a past weekend date

2. Generate summary

3. Review what activities took place

4. Use for planning similar future weekends

Tips for Best Results

Print Early

Generate and print your weekend summary at least 24 hours before the weekend begins. This gives you time to address any gaps or conflicts.

Keep It Updated

If schedules change during the week, regenerate the summary to ensure you have the latest information.

Share with Key People

Email the PDF to presiders, sacristans, and music directors so everyone stays informed.

Use for Planning

Before scheduling a new event, check the weekend summary to identify available time slots and avoid conflicts.

Archive Copies

Save PDF copies of each weekend summary to create a historical record of parish activities.

Understanding Empty Sections

If a section shows "No [activities] scheduled," this means:

• No Sacraments - No weddings, baptisms, funerals, etc. are scheduled
• No Masses - No Masses have been entered in the system for this weekend
• No Mass Roles - No liturgical ministers have been assigned yet

This is normal and simply indicates there are no activities of that type scheduled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I edit the Weekend Summary after generating it?

A: No, the Weekend Summary is read-only. To make changes, update the individual events (weddings, masses, etc.), then regenerate the summary.

Q: Why can I only select Sundays?

A: The system is designed around liturgical weekends. Selecting a Sunday automatically includes the preceding Saturday for a complete weekend view.

Q: What if we have activities on Friday evening?

A: The Weekend Summary only covers Saturday-Sunday. Friday evening events would need to be viewed separately in the calendar or individual module.

Q: Can I customize which sacraments appear?

A: You can include or exclude the entire Sacraments section, but you cannot pick specific sacrament types. All scheduled sacraments for the weekend will appear if the section is included.

Q: How far in advance can I generate a summary?

A: You can generate a Weekend Summary for any date - past, present, or future. The summary will show whatever is currently scheduled in the system for that weekend.

Q: Will the summary update automatically if I make changes?

A: No, you need to regenerate the summary to see updated information. The document shows a snapshot of data at the time it was generated.

Q: Can I include custom notes or announcements?

A: The Weekend Summary pulls data directly from the system. To add custom content, download the Word document and edit it, or add notes to the individual Mass or event records.

Related Features

• Managing Masses - Learn how to schedule and manage Masses
• Calendar - View all parish events in calendar format
• Staff Guide - Complete guide for parish staff

Need Help?

Contact your parish administrator or visit outwardsign.church for support.