Advent and Christmas Season Schedule, 2025 

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A child has been born of Mary for us!  He is named Jesus, which means, God saves his people!

A blessed Advent, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family!

It is a beautiful truth that God became a vulnerable baby for us, to be cared for by Mary and Joseph.  It means we must care for the life of Jesus – the sanctifying grace received at our Baptism – within our souls and our children’s souls with great care.

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We cooperate in sustaining and strengthening that sanctifying grace – God’s divine life within our soul– primarily by attending Sunday Mass throughout the year which are days of holy obligation.  In order to fulfill the 3rd Commandment: “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath,” we are called to attend Holy Mass either Saturday evening or Sunday morning every weekend, and alldays of holy obligation (unless an emergency, sickness, one is homebound or caring for the sick).

Please sanitize your hands upon entering the church and please stay home if you are feeling ill.  We can shake hands during the sign of peace, but if you wish to fold your hands and bow to others, that is acceptable, but there should be no hand holding during the “Our Father” – the Lord’s Prayer – as has been decided by the Vatican many years ago.

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This Advent let us prepare our hearts and souls for the Lord’s coming by going to Holy Confession.  This is one of the greatest gifts you can give to the Lord Jesus and your family!  I am offering extra opportunities for the celebration of Confession so that we might assuredly receive the Eucharistic Lord in the state of grace.  To intentionally miss going to Holy Mass over the weekend or any other holy day of obligation when it is possible for you to attend is a mortal sin and should be confessed, with the number and kind of any other mortal sins, before receiving Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Even if a Catholic cannot receive Holy Communion because of unconfessed mortal sin, or because they have not fasted from food and beverage (except for water and medicine) one hour before Communion time, they should still come to Holy Mass to receive God’s many blessings.  However, if they wish to present themselves to a minister at Communion timethey should cross their arms over their chest for a blessing instead of receiving Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin – which is defined as a serious transgression against God and his Church. 

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I appreciate how many people are coming to church 25 minutes prior to Mass to pray the Rosary.Praying the Rosary, especially as a family, is a gift from you to Mary, the Mother of our Lord Jesus, and draws down many natural and supernatural blessings from God.

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Thank you for your spiritual and monetary support.  Please consider offering an “end of the year gift” (envelope provided) to sustain and grow the saving mission of God’s grace, merciful love and saving truth in this local area.

May God continue to pour upon your family his love, blessings and grace through Jesus Christ and his Church.

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In Christ,

Fr. Thomas McCabe

Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish:  Holy Trinity, St. Columbkill, St. Mary churches

 

2025 Advent/Christmas Season Schedule

 

**Please note:  Parents are encouraged to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession with their students since there will be limited opportunities for Confession during Faith Formation class times.

 

Advent:  A time of spiritual preparation to welcome the Lord at his first as well as at his final coming.

 

Individual Confession:

Monday, December 8

            Holy Trinity                  2:45-3:20pm

            St. Mary                      7:30-7:45 pm

Monday, December 23          

             St. Mary                    7:30-8:45pm

 

Solemn Mass of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – A Holy Day of Obligation:

Monday, December 8               St. Mary                     8:00am

                                              Holy Trinity                  3:30 pm

                                                St. Mary                   8:00 pm

 

**Communal Penance Service with multiple priests:

**Tuesday, December 23      Holy Trinity                   7:30-8:30pm (with multiple priests)

 

Holy Mass on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day:

Wednesday, December 24      Holy Trinity    4:00 pm (Confession 2:45-3:45 pm)

Thursday, December 25          St. Mary            8:45 am (Confession 8:20-8:40 am)

Thursday, December 25          St. Columbkill 10:30 am

 

Holy Mass for the Solemnity of Holy Mary, Mother of God: (A Holy Day of Obligation)

Wednesday, December 31   Holy Trinity           Vigil Mass 4:00 pm (Confession 2:45-3:45 pm)

Thursday, January 1, 2026      St. Mary                                  8:45 am (Confession 8:20-8:40 am)

Thursday, January 1, 2026      St. Columbkill                          10:30 am

 

Additional Individual Confession/Adoration and Holy Mass times during Advent:

First Friday, December 5        St. Mary                       Confession/Adoration: 7:00-7:45 pm     Holy Mass 8:00 pm

First Saturday, December 6    St. Columbkill                 Confession/Adoration: 8:00-8:45 amHoly Mass 9:00 am

 

 

Normally scheduled Confession, Holy Mass and Adoration will be provided throughout December unless otherwise indicated by the irregularities below:

• Thursday, December 4, Holy Mass 8:30 am (Adoration/Confession 7:30-8:15 am) at St. Columbkill.

• Monday, December 22, Confession7:30-8:45 pm

• Saturday, December 27, : 9:00 am – 2:30 pm, Reading and Reflections on the Gospel of St. John. Adoration throughout with Confession 11:00-11:45 am and Holy Mass at 12 Noon

+Join us for our students’ Christmas Pageant after 10:30 am Mass at St. Columbkill on Sunday, December 21