I have so many pictures to post from this week, I hardly know where to start ! We have really been enjoying Christmas, spending time with extended family, a few fun outings, and lots of of time just relaxing (and very little time online). It’s been so nice! I hope you are all having a very Merry Christmas too!
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Getting ready for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve…
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| Julianna, Jessica, JoAnn, and Mary |
I was so happy to have some of my family in town and over on Christmas Eve!
My mom and brother Kevin were traveling back from a golf tournament in Georgia on Christmas Eve, and Jennifer hadn’t made it to town yet either, but we had my Dad, brother Brian and his family, Julianna, JoAnn (home from college), Mary (home from Texas), and David over on Christmas Eve! I’ll be sure to share more Christmas Eve pictures soon…
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Any guesses on what Rascal created instead of a Gingerbread house this year? He is so creative!
(You can find the answer here.)
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I took my camera to Midnight Mass, but only took this one blurry picture of Father preaching the homily in a candlelit church. (The lights were shut off during the homily.) Sean sang with the choir, which was just a small group, but they did a beautiful job singing traditional hymns and even chant! (Very rare for our area!) We have been feeling so very blessed lately!
I haven’t mentioned it here yet, since it still wasn’t a for sure thing, but we are finally going to have a LATIN MASS in our area!!!! (Thank you all so much for your prayers for this intention of ours!) We spoke with our pastor when we had him over for dinner, but one of the challenges at that time was finding a priest that was capable of offering the Mass. When we attended Mass over at the coast in August the priest there offered to come over on a monthly basis to offer it for us, without us even asking! Over the past few months Sean has met and spoken with both our Pastor and the priest from the coast a number of times and we will be having our first (quarterly) Latin Mass in February! This is an answer to many many years of prayer! We can still hardly believe that it is official, and that it will be offered at the little mission church just 5 miles from our home! We will be praying for its success, and that someday we will be able to have it on a more frequent basis. Deo Gratias!!
Visit Like Mother, Like Daughter for more pictures of contentment.
Wonderful celebration and wonderful news!
I am so happy for you! I was just thinking about you this week when my Diocese (the Diocese of Greensburg, PA) announced that starting in January they would be offering a weekly Latin mass in Extraordinary form(about 20min away from my house). Our Bishop has said he is following the Pope's direction of making the mass more accessible…so perhaps you will see further improvement in your Diocese. I haven't been to a Latin mass, but the Diocese of Pittsburgh has a church or two that offers it on a weekly basis as well so I wasn't aware that it was such a rare thing until I began following your blog. I am planning to go to the Latin mass with a few friends and we may even try to bring the Youth Group to it so that they can experience it and hopefully appreciate it. Here is a link to our Bishop's explanation for making the change….http://www.dioceseofgreensburg.org/accent/Pages/12-20-2012BishopBrandtimplements.aspx
So happy for you all! When we were stationed in New Mexico we asked the base priest to say Latin Mass and he said yes to every Sunday evening and once during the week. When I was in Indianapolis, I was blessed to live near a church that offered High Latin Mass every Sunday and all during the week. Now in Alaska, our priest says Latin Mass every Friday.
Every priest we have asked has been willing to learn Latin and the Latin Mass. Husband teaches a liturgical Latin class for adults during our Faith Formation classes. From young to old, so many people want to learn and truly participate in Latin Mass. It's amazing to see the turn out of parishioners 🙂
So happy for you, Merry Christmas again!
Nothing has increased my zeal for the faith as much as the Latin Mass. Congratulations!
Your family looks absolutely lovely! I am so edified by reading your blog–what a wonderful mom you are!
Dear Jessica, I was so happy to hear about the Latin Mass in your area. Thank you St. Therese! I remember bringing this intention to her shrine on her feast day. God bless you all and Merry Christmas.
Maureen
Merry Christmas Jessica! I love your family picture in front of the tree! Everyone looks wonderful! And the dresses on your girls are just beautiful! Many thanks for all that you share and God bless your family.
Marianne
BLESSED AND GRACED IS YOUR DIOCESE NOW WITH THE LATIN MASS COMING NEAR!!! Please keep Vermont (our diocese is our entire state!) in your prayers for a Latin Mass for all of us in the Central and Southern areas! We have nothing within two hours of us at the moment. Implementing one has not met with much "enthusiasm", although our bishop is one of I think two priests in our diocese that knows how to celebrate it. The Northeast in general is very liberal, so it's a tough road in these parts… Please keep us in your prayers during your Latin Mass intentions!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
A Merry and Blessed 4th day of Christmas to you and yours! Such a beautiful family picture Jessica. May this new year bring you and your family an abundance of God's choicest blessings!
Everywhere we have lived we have had Latin Mass, but only since living in Indy, have we had a parish with the Extraordinary Form every Sunday and at least once per weekday.
Bautiful pics and family! I'm so happy for your dear family and faithful friends who will now have Latin Mass available. God is good!
Continued prayers for a joyfilled Christmastide and New Year!
Deo Gratias! Felix dies Nativitatis!
Lovely family photo! And your funny is really cute — he worked on that wagon!