Third Sunday of Advent 

Dear Parish Family, 

It is hard to believe that we are only about a week away from Christmas! While things are busy and hectic for many during this time of preparation, please do not forget to take the time to slow down, quiet your hearts, and let the Lord come in and bring you peace. 

For our Christmas Masses I want to encourage everyone to be as welcoming, patient, kind and friendly as possible, as more brothers and sisters who unfortunately we do not normally see will be joining us. Let us see Jesus in them and show them Jesus in us. Not having our normal pew or parking space is a small sacrifice to make to welcome more of our parish family and guests. 

With Christmas falling on Monday and the 4th Sunday of Advent being December 24th, it makes for an interesting schedule. There is still an obligation to attend Mass for both the 4th Sunday of Advent and Christmas (sorry, no “two-for ones” – God deserves our all). You can refer to the chart/graphic in the bulletin, but there are three basic ways to give your best to God and fulfill our obligation. 

Attend 

1. Dec. 23rd 4pm Vigil Mass (4th Sunday of Advent) at our White St. campus 
And any Christmas Eve Mass or Christmas Day Mass 

2. A Sunday morning Mass for the 4th Sunday of Advent at another parish 
And a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Mass at Epiphany 

3. Both a Christmas Eve Mass and Christmas Day Mass (Christmas Eve being 
on Sunday fulfills the obligation for the 4th Sunday of Advent) 

It is all about giving our best and ordering the whole of our lives in thanksgiving to and in the worship of Almighty God. 

There have been some questions about the sacred items at Sacred Heart. We will be working with the diocese and a company called Henninger’s to do an inventory and storage if necessary of sacred items (items directly associated with the Sacred Liturgy, which include but are not limited to, altars, ambos, pews, ambries, tabernacles, chalices, ciboria, monstrances, patens, vestments, altar linens, Stations of the Cross, presidential chair, baptismal fonts, bells, confessionals, etc.) taken. Sacred items can only be used in churches. Per diocesan guidelines, “generally, [when] a donor who has funded an item for a parish has done so unconditionally. Any power to determine the future of such an item has passed to the parish”. Some sacred items will be kept for our other church campuses while others will first be offered for sale to other parishes in the diocese. 

Please pray for healing, unity, and peace during this hopeful liturgical season, yet difficult season for our parish. 

In Christ, 
Father Eric