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Christmas Schedule

Dear Friends of the Charlotte Latin Mass Community,

Laudetur Iesus Christus! As we eagerly anticipate the Nativity of Our Lord, please view the Latin Mass schedule for Christmas week and beyond.

Many Latin Masses this week: We are especially blessed to have 3 consecutive days of Latin Masses here in the Charlotte area, beginning with the normal Wednesday evening Masses at St. Ann and St. Thomas; followed by the Vigil of the Nativity on December 24th, and capping it off with Christmas Day Masses on December 25th. The only High Mass for Christmas will be on December 24th at St. Ann’s and as custom will feature the beautiful music from our St. Ann’s schola. We hope you can attend this beautiful Vigil Mass. Schedule is listed below.

Fasting on Christmas Eve: For those following the traditional practice of fasting & abstinence on Christmas Eve (in effect prior to 1965), you may be unaware that in 1959, Pope John XXIII granted an indult to all faithful the option to move their fast to December 23rd instead. We should note, that this practice of fasting on Dec. 23 or 24th is no longer binding and is just voluntary today as a pius practice (i.e. you’re not required to fast on either day under current rules). To learn more about the indult, please view this article.

Blessing of Wine on Sunday December 27th: Lastly we draw your attention to this Sunday’s 12:30pm Mass (St. Ann’s), which is both the 3rd Day in the Octave of Christmas and the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. St. John is the patron saint of wine (who knew?!) and there is a custom on this day to have your wine blessed. All are invited to bring your wine and carefully leave them on or near the blessing table in the narthex before Mass. Immediately after Mass, Father will bless them. The blessed wine of course is drinkable and is a sacramental too. Here is a short custom about it from Fisheaters.com:

Though he (St. John) wasn’t martyred, it wasn’t for his enemies’ lack of trying. According to legend, he was served poisoned wine, but survived because he blessed the wine before he put it to his lips; the poison rose from the chalice in the shape of a serpent. In his happy memory, Catholics bring wine to church, which the priest blesses, turning it into a sacramental called the “Love of St. John.” Catholics use this sacramental wine for special occasions throughout the year and to give to the sick.

On that happy note, we present to you the Christmastide schedule:

  1. . Wednesday, December 23rd:   Regular Wednesday Latin Mass
    1. Ann: 6:00pm
    2. Thomas Aquinas: 7:00pm
  2. . Thursday, December 24th: (Ancient Feast of Ss. Adam and Eve)
    1. Vigil of the Nativity 6:30pm Latin Mass (Father Reid)
  3. . Friday, December 25th: Christmas day
    1. Sacred Heart (Salisbury): 8:30 am Low Mass (Father Ferguson, FSSP)
    2. Ann: 11:00 am Low Mass (Father Barone)
  4. . Sunday, December 27th:3rd day in the Octave of the Christmas (Feast of St. John)
  5. . Friday, January 1st: Octave Day of the Nativity 12:00 noon (First Friday & Feast of the Circumcision)
    1. Holy Day of Obligation
    2. Confessions prior to Mass (We believe confession will be offered from 10:15 – 11:45 – check bulletin this weekend)
  6. . Wednesday, January 6th: Epiphany
    1. Sacred Heart (Salisbury): 12:00 noon (Father Ferguson, FSSP)
    2. Thomas Aquinas: 7:00pm (A special Solemn High Masswith music provided the Carolina Catholic Chorale, orchestra and soloists directed by Thomas F. Savoy, director. Music: Spatzen-Messe (K.220) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.)
    3. Ann: 6:00pm

On behalf of the Charlotte Latin Mass Community, we want to extend our wishes for a joyous Christmastide to all our Latin Mass Community families, and express our gratitude to all our priests, seminarians, altar servers and music directors who helped give glory to God by offering, serving, chanting and promoting this beautiful and ancient liturgy. Let us also not forget to pray for our fellow Catholics in the Middle East and other areas who are suffering for their faith for yet another Christmas. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.