Celebrating Advent and Christmas at St. Vincent De Paul

It’s a feeling we all know — the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. And surprisingly, even during a pandemic, some of the busyness remains the same. Whether you’re perusing Amazon for the perfect gift, baking dozen upon dozen of delicious Christmas cookies, or creating an incredible light display in your front yard, it can be easy to forget the true meaning of this holy season.

Advent is a reminder to step back, slow down, and be reminded of what really matters. And although our prayer and celebrations may look a little bit different this year, we likely need the nudge to refocus on what truly matters, just the same. Here at St. Vincent de Paul, we hope to invite people to prepare their hearts for the coming of Christ, both in-person and through virtual opportunities.

The Seminary plans to offer their annual Advent Lessons and Carols — either inperson, virtually or recorded — to encourage local Catholics to enter into the prayerful nature of the season through song. The Children’s Christmas Program will allow parishioners to reflect on the story of Christmas and God’s love for humanity, either in-person or recorded.

“These events are focused on drawing our minds and hearts to Jesus’ birth and God’s love for us,” says Msgr. Tucker. “God so loved the world that He sent His son into the world, so we’re celebrating God’s love for us. We have the Christmas programs and the Advent Lessons and Carols to help us, to draw our minds and our hearts to God’s love, communicated to us in the birth of Jesus.”

Also, an Advent Penance Service will be offered, giving people a chance to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the Feast of Christmas. Accommodations will be made to ensure that people can safely go to Confession and receive God’s mercy and forgiveness.

As has become a tradition in recent years, we will be giving away a book at our Christmas Masses. This year, it will be Matthew Kelly’s new book I Heard God Laugh: A Practical Guide to Life’s Essential Daily Habit. The book is designed to help Christians learn to prioritize their faith and relationship with God, especially in prayer.

Despite the changes and adjustments that will affect various aspects of our celebrations, Msgr. Tucker encourages parishioners to enter into the Advent season of prayer and reflection.

“Slowing down, we talk about doing that every year,” Msgr. Tucker says. “Don’t fill your time with all these different things. Focus on the birth of Jesus and how important that is for all humanity and for us personally.”

Msgr. Tucker hopes to welcome back many of our parishioners — especially those who have been away due to COVID-19 — to join in our celebrations of the birth of Christ.

“We’re hoping we have a lot of people here for Christmas Masses, people who haven’t been here for a while, maybe because of COVID or for whatever reason,” Msgr. Tucker says.

“Why did Jesus come?” he adds. “He came to save. There are a lot of things we can be anxious about in these times and the message Jesus gave is, ‘Do not be afraid, I am with you.’ If we really believe those words, He brings us hope. We do not have to be afraid.”

If you would like more information on Advent and Christmas celebrations and our Mass schedule at St. Vincent de Paul, please see the bulletin or parish website at www.stvincentseward.org. If you would like to help with Christmas decorations or music for the Christmas Masses, please contact the parish office at 402-643-3421.