As we celebrate this weekend the Feast of Christ, the King, we are also finishing another liturgical year. The Church year starts with Advent and ends in Ordinary Time with the 34
th Sunday of the Year, that being the Feast of Christ, the King.
Last year we all received a bonus where Christmas Day and the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary (New Year’s Day) were both on Sundays. Thus you could attend Mass for the Holy Day of Obligation and Sunday at one Mass. Well, this year you have to “pay the piper.” Christmas Day is on Monday which means Christmas Eve is on Sunday evening. Well you guessed it, one must go to Mass twice. One time is for your Sunday obligation and the second time is for your Christmas, Holy Day of Obligation. Which means some will attend Mass on Sunday morning and then come back for Christmas Eve Sunday evening, the same day! Of course, you can attend Mass on Saturday evening and then Sunday evening or even Monday morning.
But there is good news about the Solemnity of Mary (New Year’s Day). The Solemnity of Mary is on a Monday and is a Holy Day, but not a Day of Obligation. We will have two Masses (7:00 a.m. & 9:00 a.m.) for you to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary and ask God’s blessings upon the New Year of 2018.