Christmas Eve Vigil and Christmas Day Mass

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Crusaderbear said:
Ok, when do we get the “I survived a monday Christmas!” T-Shirt?

Our priest remarked today that there are actually 4 seperate Christmas Day Liturgies…maybe next year! ! (Vigil, midnight, sunrise, and Christmas Day…)
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I don’t need to “mention” it.

Before the Mass starts, half the congregation comes up to me and asks “there are 4 Masses in the missallette for today. Which one are we using?”

“Same answer I just gave the last person. Same answer I listed in the bulletin. Same answer I announced a few minutes ago. And by-the-by, if it’s the evening-before we’re using the Vigil Mass. If it’s Midnight, we’re using the night Mass etc. etc.” (no I don’t actually say it, I only think it).

I politely say “the morning Mass.”

To which I get “are you SURE?”

“Yes. I’m sure.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The morning Mass. It’s 8 AM”

“Well, if you say so.” (meaning “you’re obviously wrong but there’s nothing I can do about it”)

And yes, that really did happen to me.
 
Crusaderbear said:
Ok, when do we get the “I survived a monday Christmas!” T-Shirt?
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I want one. This year, I didn’t take off, and I am working nights. It sure has seemed long. To top it off, I lost a practice with the youth because of Fourth Advent falling on Christmas Eve. I cannot even imagine how tired a priest must get at Christmas when it falls like this (or Triduum).
 
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I agree, a BIG shout out to all the clergy who plan, organize, and conduct these marathon holidays!

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Amen!
 
This year we had FAR fewer “What time is Midnight Mass” calls.
 
To be fair, it used to be midnight mass and now is “Mass at Night”. But those who grew up with “midnight mass” still call it that.

But since whoever schedule masses at various parishes these days, be they priest or lay, see fit to have mass start at 11:30 pm, 11:45 pm, midnight with a half hour or caroling beforehand, 10:30 pm, 8 pm, or maybe actually at midnight… it is not really surprising people ask this question!
 
@Rasoleil Seems providential that the schedule times mesh so seamlessly. What you are doing is a great witness to all. If you were in my parish, every time I saw you I would praise God and pray for you.

It may not feel like it, but it is a blessing that your wife is so devoted to her faith; she is not among the lukewarm. You display such a willingness to “lay down your life” for her, surely your faithfulness will bear fruit in your wife’s family one day.

Continue to persevere, with great love and good humour.
 
wait a second; i understand your point; there are far fewer parishes that do “midnight mass” @ 00:00 on christmas morning than back in the old days

“midnight Mass” can start any where between 7 pm & 10:30 pm

not that many parishes do “actual” midnight Mass anymore
 
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There are the Masses of Christmas

The Vigil of Christmas Eve
Mass at Night
Mass of the Morning
Mass during the Day.

Some parishes have the Night Mass at 8 or 9 or 10:30 or Midnight.

I know that we have reached a point where words don’t have actual meaning, but, when I read “Midnight Mass” that tells me that Mass begins at 00:00. If it begins at 9 PM it should be advertised as “Mass of Christmas Night at 9:00 PM”.
 
Thank you so much for everything you’ve said and your encouragement. This past week or so in my parish in my duties as both lector and EMHC has been one of the greatest faith experiences, and really, one incident actually was one of the most significant of my lifetime so far. I could tell you or anyone if one wants to hear.
 
Tell! Tell! Tell!! (must be a complete sentence, it is like having a 80 year old English teacher setting on my shoulder…)
 
I’ll try to be brief, but it never seems to end that way with me. 😀 After Mass on Saturday Vigil, I went to the man’s home to which I was going to give Holy Communion. This was my first time, and briefly explained what it entails and what I was going to do. Basically the ritual or liturgy of the Mass(minus the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, of course) as prescribed in a Catholic book written specifically for EMHC making visits to the home bound, hospitals, institutions, etc., and of course, not all of the rituals ( or what ever you called them ). He agreed. However, we started talking to one another, having discussions about various subjects, including his health. His home bound condition would only be temporary and he would be able to attend Mass within a few weeks. I don’t remember all of what I said, but I did a lot of consoling, general talking, discussions about scriptures, a little theology, etc. But generally it was having a heart to heart conversation. We talked about an hour, and I hadn’t intended for it to turn out to be that long, but it winded up being so. Then I did the liturgy of the Mass,which took a little while since I covered everything ( not the consecration, naturally), including the Mea Culpa, readings the Nicene Creed which we said together, etc. I even gave hima small bottle of Holy Water. I even laid out a white cloth on which the pyx would be set upon, set up a cross, and two lit LED candles during the above mentioned ritual. I gave him Holy Communion, and finished with the rest of the service. to be continued…
 
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When Christmas falls on a Sunday, we Canadians have no additional holy days of obligation… as both Christmas and Mary, Mother of God then fall on a Sunday… just the Sunday obligation for such years.
 
Afterwards we talked some more a bit and he told me that he wanted Holy Communion the following Saturday, which would be on the Christmas Vigil ( after Mass) but told me that that I didn’t need to do the entire ritual, and do a shortened form, as to give me a break so that it wouldn’t interfere with my Christmas plans and family, and he would be spending time with his family, Naturally, I took him at his word, and there would be no other reason why I wouldn’t. But inside, I really thought that I had taken up too much of his time and what he told me was a polite way of telling me I took up too much of his time. I soon apologized for taking up so much of his time, and told me that I didn’t. I still thought he was being polite. The day before the following Saturday, the church secretary called me to make sure that I would give him communion, as he called her to make sure that I didn’t forget and would come. I then called him to let him know that I would come. Not long after I called him to confirm I was coming, he starts off with " Let me tell you something…" Oh man, I thought that I had really messed up somewhere by overstaying my welcome and was going to tell me of his displeasure with me. However, what he told me was remarkable, and I still cannot get over it. It made me happy, but sad at the same time. He told me that he called the church secretary and told me that in all his life ( he’s in his 70’s or 80’s) no one, no EMHC, no deacon, and even no priest talked with him like I did, and he stressed “NO ONE.” I was shocked and really didn’t know what to say, except “thank you” and that he was being to kind and that I was unworthy of his praise. He also told me that every deacon and priest talked “to him” and not with him, and they didn’t seem genuinely caring and interested as they should be. I couldn’t answer to that as I thought and knew that it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to agree with him, which I really didn’t agree as I didn’t feel worthy and had no training or experience, and not ordained, etc. I’m a nobody, a regular person, a sinner, not worthy. I felt sad in thinking that in all his life that he really not ever gotten any real consoling or anyone talking with him, and not to him, as he’s said. I was humbled, actually. Oh, and I forgot to mention, though not directly related, that same Saturday Vigil at Mass, a woman in the pew in front of me told me that I was a great lector and that the readings that I had read the previous reading was terrific and that she felt the Holy Spirit in me and in her. That amazed me ( though I actually do get people telling me that nearly every time I read ). I try not to be prideful, and that would be a sin, but I told her, as I tell all others, that it is the Sacred Scriptures that reach out to people, and that I’m only a reader. And like I said earlier, I really don’t feel worthy of any praise, and I don’t have a favorable opinion of myself, have low self-esteem, etc. Anyway, that was my very eventful and interesting week.
 
Really glad you stuck with it. God has clearly used you in wonderful ways.-
 
Noticing the ‘Cajun’ in your name, and it seems that we must be in the same general area of the state. I’ve got some Cajun in me. 😀
 
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