Dec 17, 2020

A Merry and a Blessed Christmas to you!

To our visitors:  Welcome!  To those returning for the holidays:  Welcome home!  To all those who make St. Sebastian their spiritual home all year round:  The greatest blessings upon you in this most unusual of Christmases!  Thank you, thank you, thank you for keeping your parish active and well.  I count my blessings for you every day.  In the teeth of any and everything that might be of challenge to you in your celebration of Our Lord’s birth, may you likewise receive graces and blessings to overcome them and grow more deeply in the love He comes to offer His people no matter what the world might throw at us.

PLEASE NOTE WELL ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS MASSES:  On the once hand, we expect fewer people than typical at Mass for Christmas, but just the same we are keeping our traditional Mass schedule in order to make accommodation for “social distancing” and whatnot. 

As a further precaution, since the 4PM Christmas Vigil Mass usually is standing room only even with extra chairs, this Mass will be ticketed.  Anybody who wishes to attend the 4PM Christmas Vigil Mass must go on to our website and reserve a pew.  (If you are having difficult or do not have a computer, please call the rectory office.)  Once this Mass is full (well below standing room only) all others will be directed to Zwisler Hall for the 4:15 Mass.  To help facilitate this, the only doors available for entrance to the Church at the 4PM Mass will be from the Mull Avenue doors only!

This is a more complicated process than it may appear so please be understanding!  Thank you to everybody who is working hard to make this crazy year as normal and smooth as possible!

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE:

24 December, Christmas Eve

4:00PM*+ Vigil - Attendees must have tickets

4:15PM* Vigil - Monsignor Zwisler Hall

7:00PM*

MIDNIGHT*+(Yes, at midnight)

25 December, Christmas Day

9:00AM*+

11:00AM*

1:00PM* Solemn High Mass, (Latin)

*Masks required

  + This Mass will be live-streamed

The last confessions before Christmas will be on Tuesday night at 7PM.  Because this is followed by compline and benediction, confessions will be over at 7:30!  Please plan your Christmas confession well.

CONGRATULATIONS:  Congratulations to our second graders who were able to make their First Reconciliation last weekend!  Please keep them in your prayers.

THANK YOU:  The past couple of years I noted that Christmas seems to be getting easier.  The parish is a well oiled mechanism.  I (made the terrible mistake last year when I) asked Karen Spangler (our head sacristan) if we should change things up just to keep us on our toes.  Well we didn’t, but mother nature certainly did!  There is not an aspect of parish life or prayer that has not been, in some way, effected this year.  Firstly, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation for everybody who has been working tirelessly to make this Christmas as great of a spiritual experience as we can muster.  Please pray for the parish, all those who are doing what they can to make it a great year and for all those who will fill the pews to give worship, praise and thanks to God this Christmas. 

Thank you!

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck