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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Dear Folks,

Every Christmas the last thing that stood between me and opening presents would be a poem read by my mother. My Dad has taken over this reading now. But I share it with you and wish you blessings beyond your imagination.

And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans–and all that lives and moves upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused–and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.

—Sigrid Undset

As a pastor, I have also come to appreciate even more how much work goes into everything we celebrate. To make our Christmas celebrations beautiful, St. Mary’s army of elves, reindeer, volunteers, and KofC have been decorating, singing, planning, training, cleaning, trying to keep the parking lot moving, and much much more. Just as children have no idea how hard parents work to make Christmas magical, so too the average parishioner is unaware of the work behind the scenes. Please say a prayer of thanksgiving for all the elves, knights, and volunteers!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Merry, Merry Christmas!

pax,

Father John Mosimann

December 25, 2025
Christmas Week Schedule

Christmas Week Schedule

Tuesday December 23

Confessions at 11:30am and 6:30pm

Daily Mass at 6:30am, 9am, 12pm

Wednesday December 24

Daily Mass at 6:30am and 9am

CHRISTMAS EVE MASSES

4pm in English at St Mary

4pm in English at Holy Cross Academy

6:30pm in Spanish at St Mary

6:30pm in English at Holy Cross Academy

8:30pm in English at St Mary

11pm Caroling before Midnight Mass

12am Midnight Mass

Thursday December 25 Christmas Day

7am in English at St Mary

8:30am in English at St Mary

10:30am in English at St Mary

12:30pm in English at St Mary

 

From Our Pastor

From Our Pastor

Dear Folks,

4th Sunday of Advent. Just a few more days to Christmas, so panic time for procrastinators like me! Confessions: Monday & T uesday this week, at 11:30am and 6:30pm. No, there are no confessions on Christmas Eve. Thanks to the folks who came this past week, we started out the week very strong on Monday (the day I typed this). I hope that helped your pre-Christmas soul-tune-up be a pleasant and holy experience. Procrastination and long-lines add anxiety to the confession experience, and that, in turn, can diminish the fruit that the sacrament bears in our lives.

Christmas Eve Masses: Speaking of following sacramental advice, it seems that the last couple of years folks have been adjusting schedules and we have had a more reasonable distribution of attendance at Christmas Eva Masses. My annual reminder still holds true: both 4pm Masses will be packed and doors will be locked until 3pm, so do not arrive early and expect to be able to hold an entire pew with winter jackets. We will likely even have to turn folks away from the 4pm Mass at the church, as the re marshal has occupancy codes that apply and are observed. There is always room at the 6:30pm Mass at HCA, and the Masses Christmas morning are my favorite because there are plenty of seats!

Pax et bonum (peace and all goodness),

Father John Mosimann

December 21, 2025