Dear Friends in Christ,
This weekend, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Our Gospel reading this weekend is the account of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. The scriptures tells us that after the angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced that the Lord wished for her to become the Mother of Jesus, she immediately set out to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, John leapt for joy in her womb because even then, he knew that God’s plans for our salvation were to be realized very soon. Both Mary and Elizabeth are pillars of faith, believing that what had been spoken to them would be fulfilled. God’s plan is unfolding before their eyes. The birth of the Messiah was now an impending reality.
This week, we will celebrate liturgically the birth of the Messiah with our Christmas Masses. Our Christmas Eve Mass attendance has been recovering since the days of Covid, so we have added a couple of Masses to our schedule. Here is the schedule of Masses and who will be the celebrant:
CHRISTMAS EVE MASSES – 12/24
Our Lady of the Chesapeake
3:30pm – Church – Bishop Adam Parker
3:30pm – Gathering Place – Fr. Martin Burnham P.S.S.
5:30pm – Church – Fr. Martin Burnham P.S.S.
7:30pm – Church – High School Youth Mass – Fr. Steve
10:00pm – Church – Pastorate Christmas Mass with combined choirs
Christmas carols will being at 9:30pm
St. Jane Frances de Chantal
4:00pm – Church – Fr. Steve
4:00pm – Lower Church – Children’s Mass – Fr. John
6:00pm – Church – Fr. John
CHRISTMAS DAY MASSES – 12/25
9:30am - St. Jane Frances – Fr. Steve
10:30am – Our Lady of the Chesapeake – Fr. John
On behalf of Fr. John and all of us at our Pastorate of the Visitation, I would like to wish you and your family a very Blessed and Merry Christmas! May you enjoy your time with family and friends during the Christmas season and have safe travels if you will be visiting with others out of town. Thank you for keeping St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake—our Pastorate of the Visitation—in your daily prayers!
God Bless,
Father Steve
