Plea for pastors not to cancel church on Christmas

[Rosebud77]

I grew up in an independent Fundamentalist Baptist Church. Until I began visiting a Catholic church when I was in my mid-thirties, I had never once been inside a church on Christmas Day.

If Christmas Day fell on a Sunday, services were always cancelled. The church would put out an announcement that it was important for families to spend the day together.

There were no Christmas decorations or Christmas hymns the following Sunday. We had no liturgical calendar, so the Christmas season was over at the end of Christmas Day. In fact, it was quite common for people in our area to have Christmas trees out for trash pickup on the morning of December 26.

I no longer have issues with that. The outward observance is only one aspect and the hype of Chirstmas is waaaaaaaaaaaay over the top.

Surely every day, every Sunaday is its own Christmas,

And I have never ever in my earlier days, felt more utterly lonely and alone than after a crowded midnight mass going home to isolation. A desolation like no other … shudders… seeing everyone going home with family…

We honour Jesus every day in every way surely.

Christmas here is loud and big and that includes churches…

My way now is the silent way here on the mountain and that is sincere and wonderful

We now have flu and the usual dreadful winter vomiting bug in full spate and no way will I be around folk much now.

But in my few outgoings I will stop at every church to pray at the glorious cribs here… in quiet times

“How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given…”

 

[Porknpie]

large churches may need up to 80 staffers to run a service: (parking attendants, sound techs, ushers, maintenance staff, nursery workers, greeters, security, choirs, musicians, etc)y

Alwayswill, sounds like there are a lot of “traditions” here that are preventing the Church service from occurring. Not all of them are inherently bad but that collectively they would prevent a service should give one pause to re-assess.

 

[Rosebud77]

One lovely thing here in Ireland is that at this season, there will be a steady stream of people in and out of the churches, to visit the crib and pray as they shop in towns… A beautiful and meaningful tradition. I am hoping to be to town on Christmas Eve and will do that then.

The Cribs here are splendid and most life size, Sit and enter…One year in a small town I had a Christmas Eve market.

Afterwards, I went up the hill to the Church… there was a bale of hay at the stable door, so i sank onto that … soft real music playing, folk waiting for confession and ladies carrying in the flower arrangements…

I closed my eyes and sheer peace and bliss…

 

[ConfusedLucy]

If it’s logistically difficult to get enough people to run a Christmas service then I think it’s a good opportunity for a small group to come together and do something simple. The early church wouldn’t have had much to work with and they still succeeded.

 

[Wannano]

If it’s logistically difficult to get enough people to run a Christmas service then I think it’s a good opportunity for a small group to come together and do something simple. The early church wouldn’t have had much to work with and they still succeeded.

 

[Sy_Noe]

If there is any person of another faith reading, I’ll take this opportunity to welcome you to Midnight Mass or any Mass on Christmas day in any Catholic Church near to you.
You won’t feel out of place, as we all love the Lord. There are dozens of non-Catholics that come for Midnight Mass because of the music and the idea of putting yourself at the creche in the dark night. I know one family who makes it their tradition. We welcome them, and I’ll wager some have no idea they are not members of our parish. It doesn’t matter.

We’ll just sing carols together and hear the story of Christ’s birth together. No worries about fancy outfits, just stay warm and bring your hearts that love Christ Jesus.
**Indeed, He has left the light on for you. **
May you have a blessed Advent season, and may anyone who needs a service find one that they can participate in
God bless.

The last time I attended a Christmas Eve Mass was probably 3 yrs ago. The 2 men sitting next to me were discussing before Mass about how many people they had never seen before. I refrained from interrupting their conversation to say maybe some attend at other times. The topper was when the man right next to me said to the other, and we will not see them again for another yr. Made me feel very out of place and unwelcomed.

 

[Sy_Noe]

I think one of the main reasons was that services were canceled so people can spend Christmas with their family.

I know some people who think Christmas is all about family.

Silly me. I thought it was all about the Incarnation of Christ.

I wonder how much of it was about family to Joseph and Mary.

 

[Rosebud77]

I wonder how much of it was about family to Joseph and Mary.

Very much so. Family means the whole world. Not a holy clique…and to the early church the same…

 

[exnihilo]

The last time I attended a Christmas Eve Mass was probably 3 yrs ago. The 2 men sitting next to me were discussing before Mass about how many people they had never seen before. I refrained from interrupting their conversation to say maybe some attend at other times. The topper was when the man right next to me said to the other, and we will not see them again for another yr. Made me feel very out of place and unwelcomed.

What the men were saying was true. There are lots of people who only attend at Christmas and Easter. When I was a Protestant our church had three Christmas Eve services. The Church was packed at each. There were more who attended any one service then there were members of the church.

So it being true what is the concern? Why would it make you feel unwelcome? Maybe you thought they were being self righteous and maybe they were. But maybe they were just talking. If they were being self righteous then forgive them. Sometimes we are the Prodigal Son but sometimes we are the older brother.

 

[ConfusedLucy]

It can get pretty crowded on Christmas Eve. I once helped at a Christmas Eve nativity play where the church was over crowded to the point of it being a health and safety issue. Next year they asked that only people with families attend the evening service on Christmas Eve which seemed a bit unfair, kind of barring regular parishioners in favour of people who only go to church at Christmas.

 

[Sy_Noe]

What the men were saying was true. There are lots of people who only attend at Christmas and Easter. When I was a Protestant our church had three Christmas Eve services. The Church was packed at each. There were more who attended any one service then there were members of the church.

So it being true what is the concern? Why would it make you feel unwelcome? Maybe you thought they were being self righteous and maybe they were. But maybe they were just talking. If they were being self righteous then forgive them. Sometimes we are the Prodigal Son but sometimes we are the older brother.

Of course it’s true. I did attend there afterwards. I think the last time was in May of the following yr. Beyond Easter. I was however responding to another poster who welcomed any person to any Catholic Christmas Mass in any Catholic church assuring they would not feel out of place or unwelcomed. That’s just not my experience. I was one of those they were talking about. They hadn’t seen before.