Penance Services And More Planned For Advent

Published: November 25, 2004

ATLANTA—Parishes around the archdiocese are preparing services for the Advent and Christmas season, as Catholics prepare to celebrate the birth of the Savior with prayer and music. The following includes the events scheduled to date.

Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, will hold an Advent penance service on Wednesday, Dec. 15, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Good Shepherd Church, Cumming, will hold an Advent penance service on Thursday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m.

Holy Family Church, Marietta, will hold an Advent penance service on Monday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m.

Our Lady of the Americas Catholic Mission (Nuestra Señora de las Americas Misión Católica), Doraville, is holding a number of December services, to which all are invited. On Saturday, Dec. 4, a novena to the Virgin of Guadalupe will be held at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 5, a Mass/novena to the Virgin of Guadalupe will be held at 2 p.m. A Mass/novena to the Virgin of Guadalupe will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday-Friday, Dec. 6-10. On Friday, Dec. 10, the service will be preceded by a Guadalupe procession at 5 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 11, it will include an Aztec dance at 3 p.m., rosary at 8 p.m., Mass honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe at 10 p.m., and midnight mariachis at 12 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, will be the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe with a sunrise service at 5 a.m., and Masses following at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m. A Mass and “posada” leading up to Christmas will begin on Thursday, Dec. 16, with a Mass and posada at 7 p.m.; and will continue on Friday, Dec. 17, with rosary at 6 p.m. and Mass and posada at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Dec. 18, there will be posada and rosary at 6 p.m. following by a Mass and Christmas catechesis party at 7:30 p.m. On Monday, Dec. 20-Thursday, Dec. 23, there will be rosary at 6 p.m. followed by Mass and posada at 7 p.m.

Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Atlanta, will hold a parish mission on Dec. 13-15 beginning at 7:30 p.m. each evening, at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, 3110 Ashford-Dunwoody Road, Atlanta. The mission will be led by Father Francis Reque, OSB. A reception will follow each evening’s service.

Sacred Heart Church, Hartwell, will hold a novena prior to the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 3-11, and on the feast day, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m. The parish will hold a penance service on Wednesday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m.

St. Andrew Church, Roswell, will hold an Advent penance service on Thursday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m.

St. Ann Church, Marietta, will hold an Advent penance service on Thursday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m.

St. Benedict Church, Duluth, will hold an Advent penance service on Monday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m.

St. Brendan Church, Cumming, will hold an Advent penance service on Monday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m.

St. Brigid Church, Alpharetta, is sponsoring an Advent mission featuring Father Tim Hepburn, director of the University Catholic Center at Emory University, on Dec. 6-8, beginning each night at 7 p.m.

The parish will also hold an Advent penance service on Thursday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m.

St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw, will hold an Advent penance service on Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m.

St. James the Apostle Church, McDonough, will hold an Advent penance service on Thursday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m.

St. Joseph Church, Marietta, will hold an Advent penance service on Monday, Dec. 20, at 7:30 p.m.

St. Jude Church, Atlanta, will hold an Advent penance service on Tuesday, Dec. 14, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

St. Mary Magdalene Church, Sharpsburg, will hold an Advent penance service on Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. The service will be held at Cokes Chapel, 4096 Lower Fayetteville Road, Sharpsburg. The church will hold its second annual live nativity on Friday, Dec. 10, and Friday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. in the barn on the parish property, 4046 Lower Fayetteville Road, Sharpsburg.

St. Michael the Archangel Church, Woodstock, will hold an Advent penance service on Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m.

St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell, will hold an Advent mission on Dec. 11-15, led by Father Brian Higgins, vocations director for the archdiocese. Father Higgins will preach at all Masses on Dec. 11-12 and will lead the mission each evening, beginning at 7 p.m. The mission will end on Wednesday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. with the parish’s Advent penance service.

St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Alpharetta, will hold an Advent penance service on Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m. The combined choirs at the church will hold an Epiphany concert on Friday, Jan. 7 from 8-9 p.m. in the church. A reception will follow in the parish hall.

The parish will also hold a mission on Monday-Friday, Jan. 24-28, each night at 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday sessions are in English, and Tuesday and Thursday sessions are in Spanish. The mission will conclude with a bilingual liturgy on Friday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m.

St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Smyrna, will hold an Advent penance service on Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m.