We are excited to welcome you to our Christmas services!

The Christmas Masses at Our Lady of Mercy are located at 701 South Eola Road, Aurora. Please see the FAQ items below that may help to answer questions you might have.  Hope to see you at Christmas @ OLM!

FAQ

Where are Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses? And at what times?

• Located at 701 South Eola Road, Aurora (in between the high school and community center), Our Lady of Mercy will celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Mass with the following Mass times.
• Friday 12/24 @ 3pm both in the Church and Parish Life Center PLC
  and at 5PM, 7PM and Midnight in the Church.
• Saturday 12/25 @ 8am, 10am, and 12pm in the Church. Please note there will be no 5:30pm Mass.

Which Christmas Masses will be livestreamed?

• Christmas Eve Midnight Mass & Christmas Day 10am Mass times will be livestreamed at olmercy.com, YouTube, and Facebook!

How many seats will there be for each Mass?

• At the 3pm Christmas Eve Mass, both the Church and the Parish Life Center (PLC) will have Mass taking place.  The rest of the Christmas Mass times will be inside the Church only.  No matter where you’re located, you’ll be able to see, hear and participate fully in the Mass experience.

Will the annual concert before Midnight Mass take place?

• Most definitely!  This year’s Christmas Concert is called “The Road to Bethlehem” by Lloyd Larson.  The concert will start at 11:15pm with a mini chamber ensemble, string quartet, percussions, trumpet, and the Our Lady of Mercy choir led by our wonderful music director Frank Sauter.  This concert experience accompanies us in the anticipation of the coming of the Messiah and the remarkable possibilities that can occur in seemingly unremarkable places.

What about the Masses for the Feast of the Holy Family?

• On Dec 31st, the Saturday Vigil Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family is at 4pm.
• On Jan 1st, Sunday Mass times for the Feast of the Holy Family are at 8am, 10am, 12pm, and 5:30pm. We look forward to celebrating this wonderful feast that serves to lift up families for the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph through their mutual love and forbearance, in their patience in times of trial, and in their total obedience to God’s will for them gives hope for our families on how to live together in the peace of God’s Love.

How Can I Give a Christmas Offering to OLM?

• Foremost, thank you!  We are grateful for your gift for your donation makes a difference as it helps us to further the mission of Our Lady of Mercy and make a difference in the lives of thousands of people.  You can donate online at this link or simply place the offering in an envelope and bring it with you to any of the services.

Invite Others

A church building can be an intimidating place to enter for the first time, but you can be the vessel in bringing the Good News to people by a simple invitation.  Even in this season, God is on the move, and we get to be a part of what He’s doing. You can help share the Good News of Jesus by inviting others to our Christmas Masses.  Sometimes a simple invitation can be helpful to someone you may not even know is struggling.  Here are some ideas to get you started!

Shareable Graphic
These graphics are all yours! Save any of these images on your device to share on social media, in a text message, an email, or any other platform of your choosing.  Just right-click on the graphic and copy the image.

Writing Prompts
Stuck on how to word an invite? Here are some templates to get you started.

• Text Message
  Hey _____! If you’re looking for a special way to celebrate Christmas this year, I wanted to let you know my church is having Christmas Mass on 12/24 @ 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, and 12/25 @ midnight, 8am, 10am, and 12pm.
• Email
  Hi ______, I hope you’re doing well and keeping warm and healthy! I know this year has been demanding, but if you’re looking for some encouragement, I’ve been going to Mass at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.  Would you be interested in going with me? Let me know what you think!  You’re welcome to join me. The Christmas Mass times are 12/24 @ 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, and 12/25 @ midnight, 8am, 10am, and 12pm.
• Social Post
  If anyone is looking for a special way to celebrate Christmas, you’re welcome to join me for Christmas Mass!  Our Lady of Mercy Christmas Mass times are 12/24 @ 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, and 12/25 @ midnight, 8am, 10am, and 12pm. Let me know if you’d like more info or check it out at www.olmercy.com/christmas2022

SHARE THE FOLLOWING GRAPHIC ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, OR ON AN EMAIL OR TEXT MESSAGE

Don’t forget 

To arrive early, especially for the Christmas Concert “The Road to Bethlehem” that starts at 11:15pm through 11:45pm prior to the Midnight Mass.

A Christmas Reflection

by Father Michael Kearney

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize!” —1 Corinthians 9:24

I’m very competitive.  I may or may not “talk smack” if you try to take me on in card games or sports…especially when I’m good at them—that includes bowling, by the way, so watch out OLM bowling league.  As I reflect, I see that this competitive spirit began in grade school, carried into high school, and has even continued into priestly ministry!

Competition is a good thing (and I’m not just saying that because I’m biased).  It is something that reminds us of the need to put in the necessary effort and discipline if we want to succeed.  St. Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize!” (1 Cor 9:24) St. Paul desires that people put the same effort they put into sports into growing their faith.

Still, there is one area of our lives where competition should have no place: our relationship with God.  This is because God is not in competition with us.  What we learn as children and adults—namely, “if somebody else wins, I lose”—doesn’t translate in our relationship with God.

When my nephew was a tiny infant, it was a joy just to be able to hold him. I didn’t challenge him to a competition, or question who was winning out the most in our relationship.  I just wanted to be with him—to hold him and to rejoice in him. The Lord desires the same kind of relationship with us.  He wants to be with us! He wants to be held close to our hearts, just as He holds us close to His own heart.

This shows us one of the reasons why God chose to become an infant.  He wants to break through our imagined competition with Him, and show us that fighting against Him is just about as unreasonable as fighting against a helpless infant. When God wins, we win. Let’s be thankful this Christmas for our God who is so powerful and majestic that He’s not afraid to become a helpless tiny infant, showing us just how much He wants to be with us, and just how far He is willing to go for us!