Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Christmas Caroling Serve Together events! It was great fun singing with you, and I saw some big smiles while we sang! Serve Together is the way our parish makes it easy to take your next step in serving others. More opportunities will be coming in the new year!
One opportunity we have coming up at the end of Advent is a Christmas Novena from December 17 to December 23 at 7 p.m. each evening. It’s beautiful song and quiet prayer, preparing us to meet the Lord. See you there next Sunday!
I also encourage you to mark your calendar for our SSP Feast of Saint Stephen celebration on December 26. This year we are trying something different. We’ll still have a special mass at 8 a.m. in SSP church with music by our Seasonal Choir, including, it’s rumored, my favorite Christmas song, “Good King Wenceslas.” Then, join us at 2 p.m. in the SSP Parish Hall for fun and games with your fellow parishioners! Join me in bringing the board games, puzzles, or toys you received for Christmas (or favorite ones from your closet). I’ll also bring some snacks and drinks; if you want, you can bring some goodies, too, pot-luck style. We’ll hoot and holler till 5 p.m. Drop in and leave whenever you like.
Finally, a classic Catholic question.
With Christmas on a Monday, how do I fulfill my obligation to go to Mass for the Sunday and the Holy Day of Obligation?
Basically, you should go to church twice from Saturday to Monday, once for Sunday and once for Christmas. As Msgr. Bommarito says, “No double dipping!” :-) Going to Mass on Saturday evening or anytime Sunday morning can count for Sunday. Going to Mass Sunday evening or anytime Monday can count for Christmas. Basically, it’s Mass twice, because Jesus is worth it.
I am looking forward to praying with you at Christmas! May God bless you!