On Christmas Day, St. Peter’s/St. Vincent de Paul Society will host the Thirty-Second Annual Christmas dinner for approximately 800 men, women, and children from around the Columbia area. The dinner will be served from 11:00 AM—1:00 PM in the Parish Life Center at 1529 Assembly St. Each guest will received a duffel bag stuffed with a hooded sweatshirt, thermal underwear, wool gloves, boxer short, and toiletries, provided by Red Bank Baptist Church St. Peter’s Five-0-Plus Club

Attention all Sunday 5.30 pm Mass Attendees!! Sunday, December 24, 2017 is both the Fourth Sunday of Advent AND Christmas Eve. There will be NO 5.30 pm Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent!! All Masses after 2 pm Sunday the 24 will be Christmas Eve Masses. The Contemporary Ensemble will play at the 9 pm. Mass on Christmas Eve, with Prelude Music beginning at 8.30 pm. Masses for the Fourth Sunday of Advent are Saturday, 5:30 pm., Sunday 9 am., 11 am and 1 pm. (Spanish

Parish LENTEN Retreat!!!! Yes…Lent, we know we are still in Advent, but we don’t want you to miss this great opportunity! Our Lenten retreat this year will be on February 23—25. And you need to get this on YOUR CALENDAR now!

The church office will be closed Monday, December 25 and Tuesday, December 26. There will be NO MASS on Tuesday. The office will reopen on Wednesday, December 27, however, there will be NO MASS on this day.

The results are in….our ADVENT DAY was a HUGE success! Approximately 189 children and youth gathered in the Bernardin Center and Parish School for a day (almost 7 hours!) filled with service and activities focused on the special days, themes and events that make up the Advent season. - The children heard how the Angel came to Mary and asked her to bear Christ and she said YES because she loved God and had faith that God loved her! The children made a special Mary ornament.

Looking ahead to the new year! Monday, January 8 the church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany The blessing of the home is one of the lovely customs associated with Epiphany. On the weekends of December 30/31 and January 6/7 we will have available blest chalk and a handout on the blessing for you to use at home.

The Octave before Christmas is December 17—23. O Antiphons are seven responses that are sung or recited to introduce the canticle of Mary (The Magnificat) at evening prayer the Octave before Christmas. The antiphons are based on Isaiah’s prophecies and refer to the different ancient titles given to the Messiah. Each begin with the exclamation” O” and each ends with a plea for the Messiah to come. A wonderful way to focus on the “reason for the season” or to help put “Christ