Saint Titus Roman Catholic Church recently issued the following announcement.

SOME THOUGHTS FROM FATHER PACKARD… Have you exhausted all of the possible turkey left-over recipes yet?!! I’m sure that there is still some of that “bird” still lingering in your refrigerator or freezer! Why is it that turkey always seems to taste so good every year at Thanksgiving? I have nothing against turkey, but I’m more fond of chicken than I am of turkey! I hope I don’t receive letters of scorn because I just said that! I hope that everyone’s Thanksgiving celebration was wonderful this year! The COVID19 pandemic certainly forced us with many modifications to this year’s annual Thanksgiving observance. We were all strongly encouraged not to travel and to limit the number of those sitting around our dinner tables. Many college students have returned home and are instructed to stay at home until after the first of the new year. Some colleges and universities have also encouraged collegians NOT to leave campus for Thanksgiving, maintaining that it is safer to stay put on campus. Looking back, we were all warned that the second wave of the coronavirus would be worse than the first. But there seems to be light appearing at the end of the tunnel with reports that a COVID19 vaccine is imminent. Let’s hope that all of this is true. But in the meantime, we all should be on our best guard and follow the necessary precautions and preventative measures that have been suggested to us. 

After going so long without the virus affecting our area, it seems that it has now come very close to home. Let’s all continue to BE SAFE and do our part in trying to protect ourselves and others. Thanksgiving always ushers in the very popular sport of hunting – especially for antlered deer – in our area. It always used to be that the Monday after Thanksgiving was the first day of hunting. But last year the hunting regulations changed and it affected the usual “first day” tradition.” Nonetheless, we extend a warm welcome to the hunters who are with us this weekend who will try their luck beginning on Monday. We are continuing our tradition of having a special “Hunter’s Blessing” at all the Masses this weekend. Along with the blessing will be the distribution of St. Hubert medals to all who come forward to receive the Blessing of Hunters in honor of St. Hubert, the Patron Saint of hunters. To all who are here with us this weekend anticipating the hunt, please be safe and respect our fragile environment while being in the woods. Enjoy yourselves and each other’s companionship! This past week I ordered the new Breaking Bread worship/hymnal books. The company told me it would take a couple of weeks to fulfill the order and send the books to us. 

These books will be good for the new Liturgical Year that begins this weekend with the First Sunday of Advent. An anonymous donor has asked me to order enough of these books so that each of our Faith Formation Youth will have their own personal copy. Thank you to this person’s generosity! Our annual Christmas Giving Tree is in the Gathering Space of our Church. It is ornamented with “STARS” representing persons who will benefit from our generosity this Christmas. The stars include boys, girls, teens and adults who would not have a gift at Christmas if it were not for our generosity. Suggestions for gifts are written on each star. You may wrap your gift but make sure that the star is placed on your wrapped gift. I do not know when they must be returned but I will have that date in next weekend’s bulletin. Each year St. Titus parish partners with Associated Charities with our Christmas Giving Tree project. Thank you for your generosity! I would like to “plant a seed” with all of you regarding our parish’s celebration of Christmas this year. This year, Christmas, December 25th, is on a Friday. Masses for Christmas will be: Christmas Eve,

December 24th, at 5:30PM and 9:00PM, and Christmas Day at 10:00AM. I want to remind everyone that with the COVID19 protocols, we must practice social distancing measures, that is, space will be limited at Mass – especially at the 5:30PM Christmas Eve Mass. Some parishes in the area are asking their members to make reservations for the Mass they want to attend, on a first-come basis. I do not want to resort to that here at St. Titus! But, I do want to request that everyone do their best to spread yourselves in attending Mass, especially at the 5:30PM Christmas Eve Mass. This Mass is probably the most popular for everyone. But we cannot accommodate the numbers like we have in the past! We will permit only enough people as we have space in the Church. 

Please remember that there are THREE Masses for Christmas. The doors of the Church will be closed after we have admitted the number of persons we may accommodate at each Mass. And since we only have one Church and one priest for each Mass at Christmas, I ask you all to please space yourselves out so that everyone will not be attending the 5:30PM Christmas Eve Mass. The first Mass for Christmas has always been popular for families with children. Please keep that in mind as you are determining which Christmas Mass you are planning to attend! We all cannot fit in Church at the 5:30PM Christmas Eve Mass! I hope you all understand the special limitations, especially at this time. If anyone has any better suggestions, please share them with me. Since we have THREE Masses at Christmas, we should be able to accommodate everyone who wants to attend Mass. 

Thank you to everyone for your consideration and cooperation! A word to everyone about Bambinelli Sunday. We started the tradition of celebrating BAMBINELLI SUNDAY on the weekend of the Third Sunday of Advent. Everyone is encouraged to bring their images of the Infant Jesus to the Church on the weekend of December 12-13, for a special blessing. As you anticipate unpacking your home’s Nativity Scene, please find the Baby Jesus and have it ready for this particular weekend so it can be blessed. I want to give everyone advanced notice of this so we can have good participation. Don’t worry – I’ll continue to remind you each weekend in advance! Because of the COVID19 pandemic, there will not be an Advent Penance Service this year. Instead, I will be scheduling a number of opportunities for confessions prior to Christmas – in the evenings as well as during the day – as we move closer to Christmas. Continue to watch the bulletin as well as a special letter I will be sending everyone very soon. On this First Sunday of Advent, the Church begins a new Liturgical Year. 

Prominent in our Church is the traditional Advent Wreath. With its four candles, we attempt with our Advent liturgies to watch and wait as we prepare to celebrate the great mystery of the Lord’s Incarnation at Christmas. The other “sights and sounds” of the season of Advent are also designed to heighten our awareness of these special Advent days. Spiritually, we are to be a people watching and waiting with joyful expectation as we prepare to celebrate EMMANUAL – GOD-WITH-US – AT CHRISTMAS! Once again, I continue to be grateful to all of you for your support of our St. Titus Church and our day-to-day needs. Please consider making a monetary donation to our Advent/Christmas Flower Fund. May we continue to be safe and follow the necessary protocols during these challenging times of the COVID19 pandemic. BE SAFE! WEAR A FACE MASK! WASH YOUR HANDS CAREFULLY AND OFTEN. PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING EVERYWHERE! RESPECT YOURSELVES AND OTHERS! Have a good week! Father Packard

Original source can be found here.