Letter from the Pastor
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December 10, 2023Last weekend, our Parish was truly blessed to have The Travelling Missionary Picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This image is an exact replica of the original image of Our Lady, which she left on the Tilma (poncho) of St. Juan Diego in Dec. 1531.
The image is among four blessed at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico to bring conversions, reverence for life, sanctity of the family, and solidarity of the Church in the Americas.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness or Empress of the Americas. It is a beautiful story of her apparition to St. Juan Deigo. Unlike other depictions of the Virgin Mary, La Virgin de Guadalupe has a Mexican image with dark skin and black hair, she wears the black maternal band, indicating that she is carrying a child within her. She appeared at the hill of Tepeyac, which enabled the Indians of Juan Diego’s time to accept Christianity and their love and affection for her as the Mother of God. Soon afterwards the human and child sacrifices ended on the Tepeyac hill. If you are not familiar with the story, please read about it. The four Missionary Images are known to have been associated with many miracles and healings.
We are grateful to the O’Toole Family who brought the Picture to us.
Christmas Mass
As we are preparing for Christmas by shopping, decorating the tree and house, baking cookies, there is one more thing you need to plan on: Church.
This year’s Advent season is the shortest possible days. Christmas Day is a Monday, and as you know it is a Holy Day of Obligation. This doesn’t change the Sunday law that Catholics must attend Mass the day before.
Catholics are obliged to attend Mass every Sunday and Holyday, including the Fourth Sunday of Advent. They are obliged to go to Mass for the feast of Christmas. The 2 obligations are distinct.
One must attend two different Masses: one for the 4th Sunday of Advent and one Mass for Christmas:
two obligations means two Masses; those are the rules.
There are a few options:
Option 1: Two Masses on one day
Sunday morning Mass, 7:30, 9:00, 10:30 and Noon, then come back for the 4:30 PM or the 10:00 PM Christmas Eve Mass. Or
Option 2: ‘Vigil’ all the way
Saturday evening Mass (Dec.23) the 4:30 or 5:45 PM; then on Christmas Eve the 4:30 PM or 10:00 PM.
Option 3: The long weekend
Saturday anticipated Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent (4:30 or 5:45 on Dec. 23), and then go for morning Mass on Christmas Day. Giving you a day off in between celebrations.
Option 4: Saintly super Sunday
Not for the faint-hearted, you would go to Sunday morning Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and then to Mass again, later that afternoon or evening, for a Christmas vigil Mass at 4:30 PM or 10:00 PM.
Whatever your plans for Christmas, please, pick one of the options above, and get to Mass. Twice. We’ll see you there.It’s easy to remember, simple to plan around, and the no-nonsense solution:
Two obligations,
two Masses,
two days, Sunday and Monday
and not to mention:
two collections!!
