The Christmas Season at St. Anthony’s

Welcome to our parish, and thank you for visiting our website. This post serves as your guide to attending Christmas Mass at our parish, which is located on the corner of Centennial and Fort Apache in northwest Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 7 PM Spanish Mass on Saturday, December 23 and the 2 PM English Mass on Sunday, December 24 are both cancelled for this weekend only.

The Mass Explained

Whether you are a currently practicing Catholic, a lapsed Catholic looking to return home, inquiring about the Catholic faith, or just simply looking for a church at which you can celebrate Jesus’ birthday, check-out this link to learn more about the Roman Catholic Mass. All are welcome at St. Anthony’s!

Fulfilling the Christmas Obligation

Attending one of the regular weekend Masses on Saturday, December 23, 2017 or Sunday, December 24, 2017 does not fulfill the Christmas obligation for Roman Catholics (Canon 1247 of the Code of Canon Law). Rather, attending Mass on these days fulfills a Roman Catholic’s obligation to attend Mass weekly. This means that Roman Catholics in the United States are obligated to attend Mass twice in a very short period of time.

The 4 and 7 PM Masses on Saturday, December 23 as well as the 6:30 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM, and 12 PM Masses on Sunday, December 24 fulfill your obligation for the 4th Sunday of Advent, but they do not fulfill a the obligation to attend Mass on Christmas.

There will be no 2 PM Mass on Sunday, December 24, 2017.

The regularly scheduled 4 PM Mass on Sunday, December 24, 2017 will be a celebration of Christmas, and not the 4th Sunday of Advent.

Please plan accordingly.

Mass Times

Seating capacity is limited inside of the Worship Space. It is recommended that you arrive early.

Christmas Eve

4:00 PM – Children’s Liturgy (Children’s Choir — Carols at 3:40 PM)

7:00 PM – Spanish Liturgy (Spanish Choir)

9:00 PM – (Classically-trained Cantor —Carols at 8:30 PM)

Christmas Day

Midnight Mass (12:00 AM) – Traditional Midnight Mass Liturgy (The Choir and Brass of St. Anthony’s with Winter Rose Cantata and Carols at 11:15 PM)

6:30 AM – (No Music)

8:00 AM – (Sunday Morning Ensemble — Guitar/Percussion/Piano)

10:00 AM – (Sunday Morning Ensemble — Guitar/Percussion/Piano)

12:00 PM – (Sunday Morning Ensemble — Guitar/Percussion/Piano)

Important Information

Seating capacity in the worship space is limited. Large screen monitors and speakers will be set-up outside the church underneath the portico. This will be standing-room only. Eucharist will be distributed inside the worship space, the narthex, and outside.

Music Information

Music will be provided at all Masses with the exception of 6:30 AM. The 4 PM and 9 PM Masses as well as Midnight Mass will all feature a concert and sing-along approximately 45 minutes before Mass starts. Traditional carols and songs, as well as contemporary music will be used to invite parishioners and visitors to join in joyfully singing for Christ’s birthday.

YouTube videos with the musical settings of the Mass are below to help you prepare for the Christmas liturgy at St. Anthony’s.

Marty Haugen’s revised Mass of Creation will be used at the 4 PM, 8 AM, 10 AM, and 12 PM Masses.

Richard Proulx’s Community Mass will be used at Midnight Mass with choir and brass.

Parishioners and visitors alike are encouraged to arrive early before the scheduled Mass time to secure seating, sing carols, and most importantly, enjoy time with our Savior, Jesus Christ, on His birthday.

Fr. Bob’s Christmas Message

Merry Christmas: Oh, how it feels so great to say that phrase to you. Our Heavenly Father is awesome to us and yet so gentle, because He has sent His only begotten Son to us. Now we have one who is like us in all things but sin. Jesus is born to set us free. Our Blessed Mother is looking into the eyes of Her Son, but She is looking into our eyes also. Jesus is looking up from the cradle into His Mother’s eyes but also looking up to catch our glance. What He and His Mother were sharing that night is what he is sharing with us now, Love. Let us never lose those glances. May our eyes always lock with Our Lord the whole year through. Thank you for your love and support. The Staff of St. Anthony of Padua, thank you always.

Events for Advent and Christmastide

The Nativity Experience: A Christmas Pageant

Join us on Friday, December 22, 2017 at 6 PM as our Faith Formation and Music Ministries present our annual Christmas Pageant. Students in our Faith Formation program as well as children and adult musicians in our Music Ministry program will take you on an Advent and Christmas journey.

The call time for musicians, both adult and youth, is 5 PM. The call time for children readers and actors is 5:10 PM.

This event is free and open to all.

 

 

 

 

An Afternoon of Christmas Carols

Rather than receiving two turtle doves on Tuesday, December 26, come receive the gift of time with Jesus at the start of the Christmas season. While local radio stations switch back from Christmas music to regularly scheduled playlists at the stroke of midnight on December 26, us Christians are just getting the party started. Join our parish’s Director of Music Bill Freeman as he leads a sing-along and history lesson featuring many traditional songs of Jesus’ birthday. If you missed some of our other Advent and Christmas programs, can’t drive after dark, or just want to spend some quality time in the presence of Jesus Christ, this is for you. The free program starts at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 and will conclude before sunset.