Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God/New Year's Day Mass Schedule

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is a holy day of obligation in Canada.  A number of Masses are scheduled for this feast for the convenience of our parishioners and friends.  A special Holy Hour of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is also planned to bring the current year to a close and to bring in the new one!  All are welcome to attend!

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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

 

5:00 p.m. Anticipated Mass for Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

11:00 p.m. New Year's Eve Holy Hour followed by Benediction

 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014  

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

 

10:00 a.m. Mass

7:00 p.m. Mass

 

 

The 7 p.m. Mass for the solemnity has been added this year especially for those who might not otherwise be able to make it to the other Masses.  Many blessings for a happy and holy New Year!

 

 



Christmas Mass Schedule

Tuesday, December 24

5 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass with Children's Procession and Presentation. 

Carol singing will begin 15 minutes prior to Mass.

 

Midnight Mass with youth choir. 

Carols to begin at 11:30 p.m..

Wednesday, December 25

Christmas Morning Mass at 10 a.m. with carol singing beginning 15 minutes prior to Mass.

The Feast of St. Stephen

Thursday, December 26

Mass at 9 a.m.

 

The Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

Friday, December 27

Mass at 9 a.m.

 

 

The Feast of the Holy Innocents

Saturday, December 28

Mass at 9 a.m.

 

Feast of the Holy Family

Mass at 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 28,

and Sunday, December 29, at 10 a.m.

 

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God  (Holy Day of Obligation)

Mass at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31,

and Wednesday, January 1, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

 

A Holy Hour of Adoration will be held from 11 p.m. until Midnight

on New Year's Eve (December 31).

 

 

A Christmas Prayer

 

May Christmas fill you with its song of hope.

May Christ make his presence felt on your many paths.

Throughout your hours of sadness and your hours of joy,

may you remain confident in the love of the Father,

the presence of the Son by your side,

and the support of the Holy Spirit in your life!

Mary of Nazareth...the Movie...in Thunder Bay

Mary of Nazareth is coming to our town on Monday, December 16, at 7 p.m. at the St. Patrick's School Auditorium, 621 S. Selkirk Street.  Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased through our parish office.  Watch the trailer at www.maryfilm.com .   

Sweet Relief...

Our recent Christmas bake sale featured a scaled-down gingerbread replica of our church, thanks to the creativity and generousity of a couple of our parishioners. 

 

A raffle was held for the gingerbread church in support of the relief effort in the Philippines.  A donation of $200 on behalf of our parish will be made to support the cause.

 

 

"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 

My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

 

Even a sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise"

(Psalm 84:1-4)

Some Inspiration For Your "Advent Soundtrack"...

 

 

Blessing of Christmas Tree in the Home

To help make your preparation for Christmas more meaningful, here is a prayer of blessing for the Christmas tree as it is officially illuminated:

All make the sign of the cross as the leader says:   Blessed be the name of the Lord.

All reply: Now and for ever.     

One of those present reads a text of sacred Scripture, for example:  Brothers and sisters, listen to the words of the apostle Paul to Titus (3:4-7):  But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Or: Genesis 2:4-9—The tree of life in the center of the garden.
Isaiah 9:1-6—A son is given to us.
Ezekiel 17:22-24—I will plant a tender shoot on the mountain heights of Israel.

 The leader of prayer says the following prayer:    Lord our God, we praise you for the light of creation: the sun, the moon, and the stars of the night. We praise you for the light of Israel: the Law, the prophets, and the wisdom of the Scriptures. We praise you for Jesus Christ, your Son: he is Emmanuel, God-with-us, the Prince of Peace, who fills us with the wonder of your love.  Lord God, let your blessing come upon us as we illumine this tree. May the light and cheer it gives be a sign of the joy that fills our hearts. May all who delight in this tree come to the knowledge and joy of salvation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.

Or: Holy Lord, we come with joy to celebrate the birth of your Son, who rescued us from the darkness of sin by making the cross a tree of life and light. May this tree, arrayed in splendor, remind us of the life-giving cross of Christ, that we may always rejoice in the new life that shines in our hearts. We ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.  

Conclude with the Sign of the Cross. 


Prayer adapted from: Book of Blessings by Prepared by International Commission on English in the Liturgy A Joint Commission of Catholic Bishops' Conferences, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1989