Advent and Christmas at HNOJ

Each of us grew up with a different way of counting down the days to Christmas. Some families listened to Christmas music by day and watched Christmas movies each night. Other families lit the purple and pink candles of an Advent Wreath week after week until it is almost Christmas. Some of us slowly opened one door at a time on a family advent calendar. Whatever your tradition, the waiting in anticipation of the celebration of Jesus’ birth was one of the great joys of childhood. 

In our HNOJ family, we mark the days in waiting for Jesus to come by processing candles and incense in the dark and prayerfully placing them in our large Advent Wreath. We anxiously wait for Jesus to appear in our nativity scene in the corner of our sanctuary. As we sing quietly, wait for Jesus, and witness the lone candle shining in the darkness, we are reminded that no matter how dark things might see, the Light of the World is coming. 

We welcome you to experience Advent and Christmas festivities at our parish and school throughout the month of December.

Advent Season Schedule 2023

Advent Confessions  
Saturdays 8:30 a.m. 
Wednesdays at 5:15 p.m. 
 
Advent 
First Sunday of Advent, Dec. 3 
Second Sunday of Advent, Dec. 10 
Third Sunday of Advent, Dec. 17 
Fourth Sunday of Advent, Dec. 24 
 
Masses for the Fourth Sunday of Advent 
Saturday, Dec. 23, at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 24, at 9 a.m. 

Holy Day of Obligation

Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Friday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 9:15 a.m. and 6 p.m. 

Christmas Season Schedule

Christmas Liturgies 

Sunday, Dec. 24 
4 p.m. – two concurring liturgies 
6 p.m. and 10 p.m. 
Join us for caroling before each Mass 
 
Monday, Dec. 25 
9:30 a.m. 
 
Christmas Eve – Sunday, December 24, 2023 
4 p.m. Mass in the Church – School Choir with Handbell Choir (Piano and Organ) 
4 p.m. Mass in the GSC– Sunday Evening Band (Guitars, Keyboard and Drums) 
6 p.m. Mass in the Church – Sunday Evening Band (Guitars, Keyboard and Drums) 
10 p.m. Mass in the Church – HNOJ Choir, String quartet, flute, oboe, tympany, piano, organ 
  
Christmas Day - Monday, Dec. 25 
9:30 a.m. Mass in the Church – Contemporary Choir (Piano and Guitars) 
Join us for a 15-minute prelude before Mass 
 

Solemnity of the Holy Mother of God
Monday, Jan. 1, at 9:30 a.m.  

Schedule Changes

School Christmas Break 
Thursday, Dec. 21 – Tuesday, Jan. 2 
 
Parish Offices Closed 

Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 25-26 
Monday, Jan. 1 

Advent Daily Email

Below are Chris Kostelc's top pics for Advent resources:

Hallow App - Pray 25 challenge

https://hallow.com/pray25-2020/

Dynamic Catholic - Best Advent Ever
https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/advent/best-advent-ever.html

Word on Fire - Bishop Barron’s Daily Advent Reflections
https://www.adventreflections.com

USCCB Advent Calendar
https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year-and-calendar/advent

FORMED.org 

FORMED.org delivers some of the very best Catholic content through a website, as an app on your phone, or even on your TV with Roku. FORMED.org is free to all HNOJ parishioners. 

Check out just a small sampling of the Advent resources present on FORMED. https://watch.formed.org/advent-1

 

 

A note about incense

We will be using incense at the 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday Liturgies during the season of Advent.  For those with sensitivities, you may wish to consider joining us at our 5 p.m. (Saturday) and 8:30 a.m. Liturgies where we will refrain from using any incense.

Incense will be used at the 10 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass.  There will be no incense at the 4 or 6 p.m. Christmas Eve Masses, nor the 9:30 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day.