Immaculate Conception 8am Christmas Day Mass

42 Green Street,Newburyport MA 01950

25 December, 2020

Description

Christmas Day Mass Dear Parishioners, As we come towards the final days of 2020, we can all say that this year has been unlike any other in recent memory. Despite the many losses and sacrifices made, we still have much to be grateful for, most especially the gift of our Faith and the promise of new life through Jesus Christ. As we look forward to celebrating His birth in just a few days, it is important to realize that our Christmas celebrations will be very different this year as well. Unless we encounter any restrictions or further directives from the Archdiocese or the State, we are intending to offer the following schedule of live, in-person Masses for Christmas. Please be aware of the following: • Advanced registration is required through our EventBrite system on our website or by calling our office during business hours (9:00am–2:30pm M–F). The purpose of advanced-registration is to ensure that too many people do not attend any one Mass and to provide an easy way to facilitate contact-tracing, should an exposure to COVID-19 be detected at a later time. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis once registration opens on Wednesday morning December 16 at 7:00am. • Every person, including children, must have their own ticket. Infants, if held by a parent, are exempt. Once reserved, tickets must be printed at home from the EventBrite site or can be available through our office by mail or picked up in person no later than 2:30pm on Tuesday, December 22. • Tickets will need to be presented for entrance into any Christmas Mass. Due to the limits placed on seating by social-distancing requirements, there will be no unregistered walk-ins allowed at any Mass. Please register ahead of time using the EventBrite system. If the Mass you wish to attend is full or “sold out,” please register for a different Mass or plan to enjoy Mass at home via our live-stream. • Doors will open 30 minutes prior to each Mass. If any line forms at the entrance door, people must stay 6 feet apart from one another while waiting to enter the church. • There are no reserved seats. All seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. At Nativity Church, once the church itself has filled to its limited capacity, any additional seating must be through overflow seating in the church hall, if available. Please note that IC Church will not have any overflow seating in the school gym this year because that space has been re-purposed into a classroom for school use. • Face masks are required for the duration of the Mass for all persons, except for children under 5. • Social-distancing is required from anyone not living in your immediate household. To facilitate necessary safe ventilation, church windows may be kept open during the Mass, so please dress appropriately for the weather. Mass Schedule Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24 3pm Vigil Mass IC Church, Newburyport / This Mass will also be Live-Streamed on our Facebook page as well as available through our website 3pm Vigil Mass Nativity Church, Merrimac, with overflow into Nativity Hall 4pm Vigil Mass St. Ann Church, West Newbury 5pm Vigil Mass Nativity Church, Merrimac, with overflow into Nativity Hall 5pm Vigil Mass IC Church, Newburyport 6pm Vigil Mass St. Ann Church, West Newbury 7pm Vigil Mass IC Church, Newburyport Please note that there will be no Midnight Mass at IC Church this year due to curfew considerations. Christmas Day, Friday, December 25 8am Mass IC Church, Newburyport 9am Mass Nativity Church, Merrimac, with overflow into Nativity Hall 10am Mass St. Ann Church, West Newbury 10am Mass IC Church, Newburyport / This Mass will also be Live-Streamed on our Facebook page as well as available through our website A few additional considerations: • Anyone who is feeling sick, has been recently exposed to COVID-19 or is required to quarantine from exposure or recent travel, MUST stay home and may not attend Christmas Mass in person. In these cases, please enjoy one of our Live-Streamed Masses via Facebook or on our website. • If you are in a vulnerable health category or live with someone who is, we strongly recommend staying home and enjoying one of our Live-Streamed Christmas Masses via Facebook or on our website. • Please realize that this year, due to the extremely limited seating capacity necessary due to social-distancing requirements, we will only be able to accommodate about 25% of those who have traditionally attended our Christmas Masses in years past. Unless you have made an advanced registration, please stay home and enjoy one of our Live-Streamed Masses via Facebook or on our website. As we work to celebrate the Coming of Christ into world, let us keep one another in prayer for safety, protection, and a swift end to the pandemic. May the Joy of Christ be in our hearts and alive in our care for and service to others. Christmas Blessings, Fr. Timothy Harrison, Pastor