Beginning the Church’s liturgical year, Advent is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas. The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas.

Advent wreath: The advent wreath appears in church on the first Sunday of advent. The three purple candles on the wreath symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose-colored candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday or the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent.

Nativity scene and Christmas trees:  Due to the pandemic, we will not have a big group decorating church this year for Christmas. Decorations and the nativity will be set out  

2020 Advent Penance Services:

Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church – Veseli
Monday, Dec. 21 at 7:00 p.m.
This will be a General Absolution penance service, with no indiviual confessions.

Usually general absolution is not permitted, but it has been allowed during the pandemic. To receive pardon for your sins at this general absolution, you must to intend to make an individual confession as soon as it is safe to do so, and at that individual confession to confess all the grave sins which you have not individually confessed before (you do not need to re-confess venial sins which you were absolved of during General Absolution.)

Immaculate Conception Church – Lonsdale
Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 7:00 p.m.

St. Nicholas Church – Elko New Market
Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 7:00 p.m.

There will be no private confessions at Most Holy Trinity this year due to COVID-19.

Christmas is one of the most important days of the Church year, second only to Easter itself. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him.

The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Below is the 2020 Christmas-season Mass schedule at Most Holy Trinity:

Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24
4:30 p.m.
9:00 p.m.
There will be no Midnight Mass this year due to the pandemic.

Christmas, Friday, Dec. 25
9:00 a.m.

Solemnity of of Mary, Friday, Jan. 1
9:00 a.m. (5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31)