December recalls the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Honor her on her solemnity, a holy day of obligation, 12/8, by coming to worship her son’s loving sacrifice for us. See the schedule below for Mass times.
How to observe Advent, our season of penance, prayer and patient waiting, readying ourselves for Christ’s second coming, or His birthday, whichever comes first!
- Use the Advent & Christmas schedule to keep you grounded in our faith.
- Wear purple on all Sundays except, the third. On that Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, wear pink. Learn what each week’s candle means.
- Use the Tithe of Time checklist provided by the Stewardship Committee to increase your faith, go deeper into your relationship with God and the parish. Complete and return one part to the parish. Use the other half as a reminder of your commitment and learn/pray the prayer on the half you keep.
- Make an Advent Wreath for the dinner table. Its circular design is a symbol of God’s unending love and eternal joy. Lighting a candle each week brings us from darkness of sin to Jesus, the Light of the World.
- Decorate a Jesse tree with one symbol daily. Talk about what the symbols mean. Contact Fr. Leo for the symbols, If decorating with lights, consider a string of only blue lights or no lights at all.
- Use a resource that leads you to God’s deeper love. Little Blue Books for teens/adults, purple books for children will be available at all worship sites. Small group as a family or join one hosted by Dcn. Roger, Judy Willing or Patty. For the environmentally minded, try using the Catholic Climate Covenant resource guide.
- Request by email Lessons & Carols, a 145-year-old tradition bringing together Scripture, prayer, and sacred music to help us walk through salvation history—from the Fall of Adam to the long-awaited promise of a Messiah—so our hearts may be renewed in the grace of the Incarnation. Let this resource of scripture and song bring us to peace, reflection, and joyful anticipation as we prepare our hearts for Christmas!
- Learn to sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” or any other Advent song. Relevant Radio has 2 ads-free Advent and Christmas music streams on their free app. Text JOY to 914914 to download it.
- Calendars abound! This is a digital one, based on Handel’s “Messiah.”. For a family. Weekly reflections/actions for giving in gratitude. Offering food for the needy locally. Need a family craft? Make one! Teens, make a chain of God’s love to hang in your bedrooms. “Creation Awaits with Eager Expectation.” is Catholic Climate Covenant’s daily ecological Advent prayer and reflection resource.
- Go on a retreat, like the 7 Sorrows of Mary at St. Michael’s on 12/13 A Day with Mary Flyer (1) or explore “How to Advent” (6 sessions) on Formed.