The Fathers of Mercy will preach three back-to-back missions in November at parishes in Huntersville, Kernersville and Arden, as part of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Year of St. Joseph commemorations, and each of the three four-night missions will be streamed live online to allow more people from across the diocese to participate despite pandemic restrictions.
The first Year of St. Joseph Mission, led by Mercy Father Joseph Aytona, will be held Monday, Nov. 2, through Thursday, Nov. 5, at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. The second mission, led by Mercy Father Ricardo Pineda, will be held Monday, Nov. 9, through Thursday, Nov. 12, at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville. The third mission, led by Father Pineda, will be held Monday, Nov. 16, through Thursday, Nov. 19, at St. Barnabas Church in Arden.
Missions will begin each evening at 6 p.m. with Eucharistic Adoration and confessions until 7 p.m. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be prayed each evening at approximately 6:45 p.m. The missions will be held in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament from 7 to 8 p.m. and end with Benediction.
Go to https://yearofstjoseph.org/mission/ for more information about each evening’s topic and to find links to each parish website to view the Year of St. Joseph Mission livestreams.
— Catholic News Herald
CHARLOTTE — With in-person Mass attendance restricted in Diocese of Charlotte churches due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bishop Peter J. Jugis announced he is allowing pastors to schedule additional Christmas Vigil Masses to accommodate more worshipers Dec. 24.
Typically, vigil Masses cannot be held before 4 p.m., but for Christmas Eve this year more vigil Masses may be celebrated, if needed, starting as early as 1 p.m. Dec. 24. The restriction on each priest to be allowed to offer, at most, three Masses on a calendar day remains.
Catholics are strongly encouraged to check their parish’s website for times and directives on their Christmas Mass schedule, as some parishes are using online ticketing or reserve seating sign-ups to limit church capacity and ensure worshipers can sit safely distanced in the pews.
Diocesan leaders are encouraging people to wear face coverings while at all church functions as an executive order mandating a greater use of face coverings has been issued. Although religious services are constitutionally protected and exempt from the order, December has a number of feast day celebrations that typically attract large numbers of people.
Bishop Jugis also reminds all Catholics in the diocese that the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday or holy days of obligation remains waived. Please exercise prudential judgment in deciding whether to attend Mass. People who are ill or vulnerable to infection are urged to stay at home and attend Mass virtually on TV or streamed live online. (Find a Mass online.)
The dispensation from Mass does not remove the obligation to keep the Lord’s Day holy: seek to refrain from work, spend time in prayer individually and as a family, and extend charity to others. If you are unable to attend Mass in person, you are encouraged to make a spiritual communion.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter