These words, the Entrance Antiphon, or Introit, that announces the Nativity of the Savior at the Vigil Mass, the first Mass of Christmas Day, which begins tonight, are particularly fitting for this Fourth Sunday of Advent.

Today, while we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent at the Vigil Masses on Saturday evening at 5:30pm and 7pm (Spanish), and at the Sunday Masses at 6:30am, 8am (Spanish), 10am, and 1:30pm (Spanish), we then shift immediately on Sunday afternoon to the Vigil Mass of the Nativity beginning at 4pm (followed by a 6:30pm Vigil Mass in Spanish, and a bilingual ((English/Spanish)) Midnight 12am Mass, just as Christmas Morning begins). And then, of course, on Monday, Christmas Day itself, we will have Masses at 10am (English) and 12pm (Spanish).

*Thus, please note that the 4pm Mass on Sunday, 12/24, does not count for your Sunday obligation, but rather is the first Mass of Christmas Eve and counts only for Christmas, not for Sunday.*

As such, this year, due to the confluence of the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Day on Monday, the Church gives us two wonderful opportunities to fulfill God’s commandment to worship Him on the Sabbath day (Sunday) and also to welcome His Son and Word into our lives on Christmas Day. These opportunities are also, of course, holy days of obligation (days on which we are all obligated to come to Mass). 

And so, if you don’t already have a plan for your Mass attendance this Sunday and Monday, may I suggest that you consider this as a blessing in disguise? For instance, if you’re used to attending the 4pm Mass on Sunday afternoon, you can still do so, of course, and by doing so, you will fulfill your obligation for Monday, Christmas Day, but in addition, you can also branch out and join us for one of the Vigil Masses on Saturday night, and by doing so, fulfill your Sunday obligation. Who knows? You might even find that you enjoy being a visitor at a Mass you don’t usually attend, and you might start a new tradition for your family.

It is also my joy to remind you that this year, by popular demand, we are bringing back the Midnight Mass for Christmas! Please join us on Sunday night (really, Monday morning) at 12am, as we welcome our Savior and celebrate His birth in time.

A very merry Christmas to you and yours! May the birth of Christ bring you joy, peace, salvation, hope, and the happiness that only God can give! 

Without a doubt, Christmas is one of my favorite celebrations of the year, a time of great “tidings of comfort and  joy”, and the wonderful news is that we haven’t even begun to celebrate! While secular culture has been in full Christmas mode since the day after Thanksgiving, and while it will abandon Christmas and shift to Valentine’s Day on December 26th, we Catholics have not even started our festivities! And what great news that is for us! I would like to invite you, then, to be the weirdos on your street. Just as everyone else begins to take down their Christmas lights and throw their bedraggled trees to the sidewalk the day after Christ’s birth in time, let’s fight against this temptation, and show the world that we’ve only just begun to party, and that our party will last until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on January 7, 2024. And what a party it should be, as we remember this greatest of moments in salvation history, in which God Himself descends among us as a human Baby lying in a manger crib. So let us celebrate, and show the world the great reason for our hope! 

Just in time for Christmas, it is my joy to announce the completion of one of our parish’s construction projects. With the tremendous financial, logistical, and construction assistance of the Diocese of Orange, this past week, the offices attached to the Rectory, which had not been used for years and which had been in a state of mold-ridden disrepair, are now reconstructed and ready for use once again. It has been a joy to see the transformation of these offices from being the site of one of the worst Black Mold outbreaks on our campus, to being now one of the most modern, beautiful, and updated sites on our property. We will be using these offices for work connected with our Pathways Formation Suite, and we are excited to see them back in business. Here are some pictures of the offices, before and after their reconstruction, for your perusal.

As we celebrate our Lord’s birth, I would like to once again thank all of those who made our Christmas Market, the Mercado del Niño Jesús, such as success! It was such a delight to celebrate with you all at the Mercado, and we look forward to hosting it again next year. Plans are already underway for Mercado 2024, and if you’re interested in being a sponsor for that event, please reach out to Scott Miller at outreach@olglahabra.org.

During both the Mercado and “Catholics Invade the Bar”, a number of people asked me: “Father, what’s next?” Well, in answer to that question, please allow me to once again draw your attention to our upcoming 4-night series, “Vespers and Vespers: A Mystagogical and Mixological Journey”! Don’t hesitate to make your booking for this exciting event today, and come and learn about the Catholic tradition of Evening Prayer (Vespers), while sharing in dinner and cocktail making lessons (such as how to make my favorite drink, the Vesper Martini), and learning from two brilliant (and funny!) theologians, Fr. Cameron Forbes and Fr. Henry Stephan, OP. Space is limited, and we can’t wait to see you there, so make your booking today!

 

Oremus pro invicem—let us pray for each other—that as we celebrate the Incarnation of God, the birth of God the Son as man, our hearts may be strengthened in the knowledge that God understands what it means to be human, and that He redeems our nature from the inside out. 

Yours sincerely in the Lord,

Fr. Will

Join us in praying the rosary during the Christmas season as we reflect on the Joyful Mysteries with prayerful intention and engaging Imago Divina. Register for this FREE event at thecsd.org.

Únase a nosotros para rezar el rosario durante la temporada navideña mientras reflexionamos sobre los Misterios Gozosos con intención de oración y la participación de la Imago Divina. Regístrese para este evento GRATUITO en thecsd.org.

Retrouvaille of Orange Coast is holding their next weekend experience on January 19-21, 2024, in Santa Ana. Retrouvaille is a lifeline for couples who are or have experienced stress or conflict in their marriage and who are looking for a way back to a loving relationship. It is a Catholic-based program, but is open to married couples of all faiths. Space is limited, so we encourage registering for the weekend as early as possible. For more information and to register on-line, go to www.HelpOurMarriage.org. See flyer below for more information.