St. Stephen - Ulisse Sartini
Archdiocesan Offices are closed too.
Now some parishes will probably have Mass on the Second Day of Christmas - but some will not. Some may have the church or chapel open, although some are all locked up. Sort of seems like taking the Mass out of Christ
What? I'm not complaining - it just strikes me as ironic. I'm not saying priests shouldn't have a day off, or go on holiday. I also realize there are fewer priests these days. I know many priests live off 'campus' and no longer live in rectories, and some have more than one parish as well. I live in the city, if I had to, I could drive to another church.
It just seems contradictory however. Catholics complain that Christmas is anticipated, decorated, celebrated far too early - during Advent, oh my gosh! no! - and yet in Christmas season - the Second Day of Christmas in fact, the parish church gets locked up. The same thing will happen over New Year's weekend.
Christmas too secular? Too commercial?
Really? I think it's funny when religious people say that.
Happy Christmas!
I guess there are advantages to living in the city that never sleeps. I don't know of any churches that are not having Mass today. Parish offices may be closed, but churches are open as normal.
ReplyDeleteI came across this today:
ReplyDeleteThe feast of Saint Stephen, St. Stephen’s Day, is December 26th in Western Christianity. It is a public holiday in Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland, Republika Srpska, England and Wales, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Finland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
St. Stephen’s Day is a bank holiday in Spain and in Catalonia it is known as Sant Esteve. In France, Saint Stephen’s Day is called Saint Étienne and it is a bank holiday in the Alsace-Moselle region.
Merry Christmas, Terry. While I understand the irony of not having Mass at the parish the day after Christmas or during the Octave, other than the Sunday and the solemnity of Mary Mother of God, this is one of the few times of the year that priests who are stationed alone in the country and isolated from family and friends can get away for a few days to spend with our family and friends. The same thing happens the week after Easter for many of us. However I must say that when I celebrate Mass at my family home I remember all the parishioners as I know other priests do the same. Please pray we get more vocations to the priesthood in our country.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Fr. R!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation.