Advent and Christmas Season Schedule, 2024 

A child has been born of Mary for us! He is named Jesus, which means, God saves his people! 

A blessed Advent, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family! 

It is a beautiful truth that God became a vulnerable baby for us, to be cared for by Mary and Joseph. It means we must care for the life of Jesus – the sanctifying grace received at our Baptism – within our souls and our children’s souls with great care. 

We cooperate in sustaining and strengthening that sanctifying grace – God’s divine life within our soul– primarily by attending Sunday Mass throughout the year which are days of holy obligation. In order to fulfill the 3rd Commandment: “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath,” we are called to attend Holy Mass either Saturday evening or Sunday morning every weekend, and all days of holy obligation (unless an emergency, sickness, one is homebound or caring for the sick). 

Please sanitize your hands upon entering the church and please stay home if you are feeling ill. We can shake hands during the sign of peace, but if you wish to fold your hands and bow to others, that is acceptable, but there should be no hand holding during the “Our Father” – the Lord’s Prayer – as has been decided by the Vatican many years ago. 

This Advent let us prepare our hearts and souls for the Lord’s coming by going to Holy Confession. This is one of the greatest gifts you can give to the Lord Jesus and your family! I am offering extra opportunities for the celebration of Confession so that we might assuredly receive the Eucharistic Lord in the state of grace. To intentionally miss going to Holy Mass over the weekend or any other holy day of obligation when it is possible for you to attend is a mortal sin and should be confessed, with the number and kind of any other mortal sins, before receiving Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. 

Even if a Catholic cannot receive Holy Communion because of unconfessed mortal sin, or because they have not fasted from food and beverage (except for water and medicine) one hour before Communion time, they should still come to Holy Mass to receive God’s many blessings. However, if they wish to present themselves to a minister at Communion time, they should cross their arms over their chest for a blessing instead of receiving Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin – which is defined as a serious transgression against God and his Church. 

I appreciate how many people are coming to church 25 minutes prior to Mass to pray the Rosary. Praying the Rosary, especially as a family, is a gift from you to Mary, the Mother of our Lord Jesus, and draws down from God many natural and supernatural blessings. 

Thank you for your spiritual and monetary support. Please consider offering an “end of the year gift” (envelope provided) to sustain and grow the saving mission of God’s grace, merciful love and saving truth in this local area. 

May God continue to pour upon your family his love, blessings and grace through Jesus Christ and his Church. 

In Christ, 

Fr. Thomas McCabe 

Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish: Holy Trinity, St. Columbkill, St. Mary churches