Christmas Masses - 2020
Christmas 2020 is almost upon us and we are working diligently to provide the members of our parishes with meaningful and safe Christmas liturgies. St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception and St. Mary Help of Christians parishes take the current COVID-19 pandemic seriously and want to ensure that our parishioners can have access to one of the most well-attended liturgies of the year while keeping each other safe.
Please review the following points carefully, as there are some minor changes that we will be implementing to ensure a safe Christmas season.
Please review the following points carefully, as there are some minor changes that we will be implementing to ensure a safe Christmas season.
2020 Mass Schedule
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At-Risk populations & Christmas 2020
Even though Christmas Mass is typically a special Mass for many, we do not want parishioners, who are at-risk, to feel obligated to attend. This applies specifically to people who have not attended Mass since the beginning of the pandemic due to concerns for the safety of themselves and others. If you are in an at-risk category, please do not be pressured to attend Christmas liturgies.
The safety of our parishioners is of the utmost importance. Our duty during this Christmas season is to ensure that we can provide important ministries to the members of our congregations while recognizing the severity of the global situation.
The safety of our parishioners is of the utmost importance. Our duty during this Christmas season is to ensure that we can provide important ministries to the members of our congregations while recognizing the severity of the global situation.
Not ready to return to Mass?
We recognize that returning to Mass can be a difficult decision for anyone, especially those who may be members of an at-risk population. We are taking steps to make sure that the Christmas liturgies can still be a special time of year for everyone!
Over these past months, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception has been preparing our church for live-streaming capabilities. Because of these advances, and the generosity of Jeremy Rusch, we are going to livestream every Mass at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Portage! You will be able to access the live-stream for St. Mary OTIC by visiting the Home of our website at the scheduled Mass times.
If you are planning on joining us for Mass via livestream, there are a couple things that you can do to make it feel like you are joining us in-person:
Over these past months, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception has been preparing our church for live-streaming capabilities. Because of these advances, and the generosity of Jeremy Rusch, we are going to livestream every Mass at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Portage! You will be able to access the live-stream for St. Mary OTIC by visiting the Home of our website at the scheduled Mass times.
If you are planning on joining us for Mass via livestream, there are a couple things that you can do to make it feel like you are joining us in-person:
- Set the Time Aside - Even though it may be easier to watch the Mass at your own convenience, there is comfort in knowing that somebody is praying the exact same thing as you at the exact same time. If you make a special effort to gather with your family at that time, the Christmas Mass will seem evermore special.
- Prepare Your Space - Make small adjustments to your viewing space to make it feel like you are in church. Set up special decorations or light a candle. When you put yourself in the space, you are more likely to feel like you are a part of the liturgy.
- Dress the Part - Christmas is a special time of year where we put on our best clothes as we prepare for the coming of Christ. You may be accustomed to wearing pajamas and slippers for Sunday Mass, but, the coming of Christ into the world only happens once a year. By dressing up, even if it is only for a brief period, you are making a conscious effort to show Jesus that you care deeply about his presence in our world.
- Sing, Pray, Respond - When we are at home, it can be difficult to truly place ourselves in the frame of the Mass. The best way to feel at home is to actively participate in everything that is going on. Take advantage of the Mass documents by singing along to your favorite Christmas hymn. Pray the Glory to God with all of the other members of the congregation who have waited so long for the coming of Christ. Respond to the prayers and acclamations and show homage to the Eucharist. We will not be able to be in the same physical space, but we will be able to participate together in the same spiritual space.
Planning on attending Christmas mass?
If you are planning to attend one of the Christmas liturgies at either St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception or St. Mary Help of Christians, we ask you to keep in mind the following points:
- Capacity at all liturgies will be limited because of COVID-19 safety guidelines. In each parish, we use a "safe-seating capacity" which means that there will only be a limited number of seats available to parishioners and their families.
- There are several opportunities to participate in the Christmas liturgies. While there may be a particular Mass that you and your family typically attend, we encourage you to consider attending a different Mass so that we can have room for everyone who wants to join us for the liturgies.
- If you are going to attend one of the Christmas liturgies, we ask that you take a brief moment to fill out the CHRISTMAS MASS ATTENDANCE SURVEY so that we can gauge how many people will be attending each Mass. If we do happen to approach our "safe-seating capacity" then we will implement a reservation system to ensure that no one is turned away at the door. You can also access the form by scanning the QR code to the right.
