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St. Mary Church Invites All of Manchester to Attend Christmas Services

Message to Manchester from St. Mary’s Parish Office:

St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Manchester observes the holy season of Advent (this year from December 1 until Christmas Eve) in prayerful preparation and anticipation of the great celebration of Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord.

And Christmas Eve is only the beginning of a joyful “Season of Christmas” with wonderful celebrations of saints and sacred events. (This is the traditional “12 Days of Christmas.”)

We begin our Christmas Season with the Holy Mass for Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord. For this high holy day there are three Masses offered: 1) The Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve at 5:00 pm; 2) Midnight Mass – at midnight!; and 3) Mass for Christmas Day at 10:00 am. Each of these Masses is a solemn, joyful celebration of the Birth of our Lord. And the joy cannot help but flow out of the church building to all the surrounding outdoor area with beautiful Christmas lights which begin shinning on Christmas Eve and with the charming vintage crèche on the side lawn of the church.

The Christmas Season continues with our prayers and Masses when possible, celebrating special feasts and solemnities such as the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the great Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord, and also saints such as St. Stephen the first martyr, St John the apostle and evangelist, The Holy Innocents (the little boys slain by Herod after the birth of Jesus), Ss. Basil the Great, Gregory Nazianzen, Elizabeth Ann Seton, André Bessette, and Raymond of Penyafort. These days of Christmas are rich and full for the people of St. Mary and Catholics throughout the world.

An especially important celebration during these Days of Christmas is the Octave Day, that is the eighth day of Christmas. On this day Catholics come together for the Holy Mass to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. The Octave Day is January 1st! Although coinciding with the world New Year observance, Catholics, including the people of St. Mary, Manchester come to Holy Mass, a week after Christmas, to give special honor to the Mother of Jesus. Again there are three Mass options: the Vigil Mass on Dec. 31 at 5:00 pmand Masses on this beautiful Octave Day, January 1, at 8:30 am and 10:30 am.

All during this Season of Christmas, the church remains decorated with its beautiful large Crèche, many beautifully lighted Christmas trees, wreaths, and a abundance of flowers. This is a season of joy and blessings. And we rejoice in this time of the year for more than just one day! We welcome all in the Village to join us for the Holy Mass. Information about all Masses and parish events can be found on our website:. We look forward to proclaiming with you: “Hodie Christus natus est!  Today Christ is born!”

by Fritz Swanson

Fritz Swanson has written for The Believer, the Christian Science Monitor, Print Magazine, McSweeney's, Esopus, LSA Magazine, and The Mid-American Review. He serves as a trustee on the Manchester District Library Board. He's the designer and publisher of ������Ƶ.