Dear SJF/OLC Pastorate Friends,
This weekend, the Church begins a new liturgical year as well as a new liturgical season with the
celebration of the First Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent is one of my favorite seasons in the Church’s year, because it is a season of expectation and hopefulness, preparing us for the great Solemnity of Christmas and the commemoration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But we also await and look forward to the return of Christ again. That is why our Gospel reading on the First Sunday of Advent reminds us to prepare for the time when Christ returns in glory. As we anticipate the celebration of Christmas in four weeks, may we always be ready to welcome Christ every time he comes among us.
Another event we are preparing for in the coming weeks is celebrating the Sacrament of First Reconciliation with our second grades at both St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake. First Reconciliation will be offered at two different times: Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 6:30pm at St. Jane Frances and Saturday, Dec. 10 at 10:00am at Our Lady of the Chesapeake. If your parish date and time are not good for your family, please feel free to attend at the other parish. Just let Melissa or Michaela know if you are planning to do that so that they can plan accordingly.
The Church also celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception during the Season of Advent on December 8th. The Immaculate Conception is the dogma of faith that states that the Blessed Mother was kept free from the stain of original sin from the moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, St. Ann. This is one of the four Marian Dogmas of the Church (with the others being Mary’s Divine Motherhood, Perpetual Virginity, and Assumption.) Masses will be offered on Dec. 7 (vigil) at 7:00pm at OLC, on Dec. 8 at 8:30am (both parishes), and Dec. 8 at 7:00pm at SJF.
For your planning purposes, here is the Pastorate’s Christmas Mass Schedule:
St. Jane Frances:
- 12/24 – 4:00pm (one Mass), 6:00pm, 8:00pm, and 10:00pm (Choir)
- 12/25 – 9:00am and 10:30am
Our Lady of the Chesapeake:
- 12/24 – 3:30pm (one Mass), 5:30pm, 7:30pm (High School Youth Mass), and 10:00pm (Choir)
- 12/25 - 10:00am
Thank you for keeping St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake in your daily prayers!
God Bless,
Father Steve
