Christmas Mass Schedule – Birth of Our Savior
Vigil: 4:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.
Holy Day: 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
New Year’s Mass Schedule – Feast of Mary, Mother of God
(Not a Holy Day of Obligation)
Holy Day: 6:45 a.m., 9:00 a.m.
(Overflow seating for all Masses will be available in the parish hall. Parking is available at the Harvard Mills Garage on Foundry Street. Please do not park in local business parking areas.)
The word Christmas derives from the combination of Christ and Mass; it is the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and is a holy day of obligation.
On January 1st, we honor Mary as the Mother of our God.
The feast is a celebration of Mary’s motherhood of Jesus. The title “Mother of God” is a western derivation from the Greek Theotokos, which means “God-bearer”. On this day, we are reminded of the role that the Blessed Virgin played in the plan of our salvation. Through the Holy Spirit, God the Father prepared Mary to be the dwelling place where His Son and His Spirit could dwell among men. Christ’s birth was made possible by Mary’s fiat, or sanctioning of God’s plan with her words, “Be it done to me according to thy word.” Calling Mary “Mother of God” is the highest honor we can give to her. Just as Christmas honors Jesus as the “Prince of Peace,” the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God honors Mary as the “Queen of Peace.” New Year’s Day is also designated as the “World Day of Peace,” further acknowledging the role of Mary in our hearts and in our world.
