December 2020
The Prophetess Anna
December 30, 2020
Today is a good day to pray for the contemplative and cloistered religious communities throughout the world whose constant prayer gives them eyes for holiness.
The Prophetess Anna by Rembrandt
St. Thomas Becket
December 29, 2020
For a slightly different mediation on a saint's feastday, read T.S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral today.
This above all is the greatest treason,
to do the right thing,
but for the wrong reason.
Holy Innocents
December 28, 2020
This painting by Angelo Visconti shows the brutality of a system which oppressed the young and innocent. Today is a day to remember the many children crushed by indifference and neglect in our world, including here in America. We call to mind the senseless slaughter of the unborn and its numbing scope. Lord, Have mercy.
Download Bulletin December 27, 2020
December 26, 2020
Blessed Christmas 2020
December 24, 2020
Holy Cross Nativity
Not A Creature Was Stirring
December 23, 2020
Christmas Mass Tickets
December 23, 2020
Who thought it would come to this?
Our seat reservations have been sent out by email and you should have received yours if you made a reservation using EventBrite.
There were a few snafus with non-attached seating diagrams, but otherwise it went smoothly, especially considering that each staff member worked on different components of the process. The most complicated part was coordinating those who were performing transactions on the phone with the master list on EventBrite. Thank you to our staff who were fielding phone calls and emails and to you all for your patience.
Blessed Christmas to everyone and we'll see some of you at Mass, online or in person.
Download Bulletin December 20, 2020
December 18, 2020
Litany of St. Joseph
December 17, 2020
This is the Litany of St. Joseph we will pray each Wednesday morning.
Christmas Mass Seating Chart
December 17, 2020
Blank Seating Diagram
Just to give you an idea of how the seating is being assigned in the church, here is a blank seating diagram. It shows the sections and row numbers which will be used to help you find your pew.
When you receive your seat assignments, your name will be printed on your assigned pew in this diagram. This will help you know where you are seated before you even arrive at the Church.
Limits on the number of persons you bring in your family group must be strictly adhered to, since seats have been assigned to maximal COVID capacity, not maximal church capacity.
Seats at the Christmas Masses
December 16, 2020
As Christmas nears, families are making more realistic plan for the holidays. Accordingly, some seats are becoming available at our masses. Please spread the word to call the office if you would like an open seat(s).
Our Christmas Tree is Lit !
December 15, 2020
Drive by and check out our church's Christmas Tree! Sorry no tree lighting ceremony this year.
Live Streaming Should be Back to Normal Tomorrow
December 14, 2020
Brand new 10G cable connected yesterday.
Picture should be fine tomorrow!
Streaming This Weekend
December 11, 2020
They are still working on the new cable, so the transmission quality of the livestream is still terrible.
This weekend, we will try recording the 5:00 PM mass and broadcasting it at 10:30 AM. The recordings should be better than the livestream and we can broadcast them from another internet connection. The mass will be the same except without the brief periods of music and the responsorial psalm will be spoken.
Thanks for your patience.
Bulletin December 13, 2020
December 11, 2020
Year of St. Joseph
December 09, 2020
We are now officially in the Year of St. Joseph due to a proclamation of Pope Francis on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
The Vatican has made indulgences, including plenary indulgences available during the year for those who perform acts of devotion to St. Joseph along with the other usual conditions for the reception of a plenary indulgence.
Wednesday is the traditional day set aside for devotions to St. Joseph and so perhaps before Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament we can pray for St. Joseph's intercession and protection.
The following groups/individuals receive the indulgence:
- To those who meditate of the Our Father prayer for at least 30 minutes or take part in a spiritual retreat of at least one day that includes a meditation on St. Joseph
- To those who perform a corporal or spiritual work of mercy
- To families or engaged couples who recite the rosary together
- To those who entrust their daily work to St. Joseph and those who ask St. Joseph to intercede for the unemployed
- To those who recite a prayer to St. Joseph (the litanies of St. Joseph in Latin rite, or Akathistos to St. Joseph in the Byzantine rite, or any other prayer to St. Joseph) for the relief of Christians persecuted both inside and outside of the Church
- To faithful who recite “any legitimately approved prayer or act of piety in honor of St. Joseph,” with an encouragement to do so on the March 19 and May 1 feasts of St. Joseph, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Byzantine celebration of St. Joseph’s Sunday, and on the 19th of every month and on every Wednesday, which has been dedicated to St. Joseph in the Latin rite
- To the elderly, sick, dying and those legitimately unable to leave the house, who recite an act of piety to St. Joseph under his title of Comfort of the Sick and Patron of a happy death, provided they offer their discomfort to God and fulfill the conditions for the indulgence “as soon as possible”
Good News Cable
December 08, 2020
Our consultant was able to get a pull line through the underground conduit between the church and school for the church's Internet connection. That was a welcome surprise! We will thus avoid any additional expense for Internet connection after the new cable is installed. Hopefully, everything may be back to normal by Christmas.
In the meantime, with so many transmission interruptions during morning mass, we may switch to a delayed broadcast (30 minutes) of a daily recorded broadcast. This will avoid so many signal drop-outs. We might try this starting Thursday morning.
Live Streaming Lower Quality
December 05, 2020
As you know, the underground cable between the church and our internet connection in the school has gone bad. Repairs to this cable are our own responsibility and not the ISP's.
For the moment, we have turned down the bitrate for the transmission from the church, since we are now on a wireless connection. We'll see how this works. Those watching the live streaming will notice much poorer viewing.
Meantime, the church is obtaining its own internet service. The benefits of being on the same extensions as the school are negligible compared to costs of running another cable. The church will be on an outside line when calling from the school and vice versa. The extensions and phone numbers of the Parish Office will remain unchanged.