PARISH LETTER
December 23, 2020​

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24

On Thursday, December 24, Corpus Christi will not be celebrating the Daily Mass in the morning at 8:30 a.m. However, Father Joseph will be listening to confessions starting at 9:00 a.m.

Remember that a good confession can be one of the best ways to enter into the joy of the nativity with a clean heart, light and love.

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CHRISTMAS MASSES

Please remember that admittance to this year’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses will require a ticket. Each person will need to present his/her ticket at the entrance of the church building.
 
The Parish safety Guidelines will continue to be in place for the protection and wellbeing of all. To review the Corpus Christi Guidelines, please tab on the button below.

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FATHER MIKE

Thanks to God, Father Mike Koncik was discharged from Lexington Medical Center today as his health is steadily improving. He is feeling much stronger, and, as always, continues to be in good spirits. Once again, Father Mike is sincerely grateful for all your prayers, love and support. He is feeling very blessed, and looks forward to seeing you and the community in faith soon.

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BROADCAST OF CHRISTMAS EVE MASSES

Those who cannot attend the Christmas Masses because of the pandemic, you can worship from home as the Parish will broadcast LIVE the Christmas Eve Masses on Thursday, December 24, at 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

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HIGH RISK PARISHIONERS WHO CANNOT ATTEND MASS

On Christmas Eve, Holy Communion will be distributed outside the side door of the church building from 6:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. by an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, with the greatest reverence, following the safety Guidelines. Please pass the word that every Catholic who is in grace and watches the Mass from home can come to the Parish to receive Holy Communion tomorrow Thursday, December 24, from 6:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.

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CONTRIBUTIONS
We would like to reiterate our heartfelt appreciation for your financial support in helping Corpus Christi share the Gospel message in innumerable ways – to our congregation as well as to our community. Donations like yours make a big difference, and, for this, we are eternally grateful.

WEEK OF DECEMBER 14
Collections Sub-Total: $15,118.90
Designated Offerings Sub-Total: $8,339.00
Total Contributions: $23,457.90

WEEK OF DECEMBER 7
Collections Sub-Total: $18,105.55
Designated Offerings Sub-Total: $3,151.00
Total Contributions: $21,254.55

Your donations are an incredible help during this challenging time. Thank you for your generosity!

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FACE MASKS & CHILDREN UNDER 2 YEARS OLD

Children under 2 years old should not wear cloth face coverings because of suffocation risk. Hence, children under the age of two (2) can attend Mass WITHOUT wearing a face mask if they can stay six (6) feet away from other parishioners at all times, and do not have symptoms that can transmit the virus through the spray of spit or respiratory droplets. Children age 2 and older should wear cloth face coverings to attend Mass, as well as other liturgical celebrations and prayer services.

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MINISTERS OF THE MASS

All ministers, including lectors, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, altar servers, ushers, greeters, and sacristans have be scheduled through our web-based program Minister Scheduler for the months of January, February and March.

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CHRISTMAS FLOWER DONATIONS

Corpus Christi is extremely grateful for the many donors who supported the Christmas Poinsettia Flowers - through the remembrances of loved ones, living and deceased. Together in prayer, let us remember in our daily prayers the faithful community listed below.

Mary Duvall, Darrell Oswald given by Carol Beth Akins
Demler and Carter Families given by Marlene Carter
Thomas R. Daly given by Norene Daly
Jack & Lucy Klawitter, Traci Klawitter, Barbara Klawitter given by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Klawitter
Rita and Henry Cote given by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Munnett
Susan F. Anderson, Woodrow J. Anderson given by Mr. and Mrs. Gary Murphy
Leon Simon given by Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Newell
Nolasco, Smith, Padilla, Garcia and Lawhorn Families given by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Nolasco, Sr.
Deceased Family given by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Potash
Charles J. Derek given by Rose Derek
Joseph Tragis given by the Dunat Family
Richard and Terry Guy given by Marie Guy
Patrick Reese, Jessie Reese, Mickey Puckett, Ella Pratt
Helen T. Smith given by Edward Smith
Christine, Mary, Nicholas, Nickie, Natalie, Stazzone given by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Stazzone
Alice Talisesky, Addie Talisesky given by Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Talisesky
Billie and Rel Agner given by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Taylor
Joe J. Tucio, Sr. Dorothy Lambert Tuccio, O.B. Lambert, Sr., Mariana Anzalone Tuccio given by Mr. Ben Tuccio

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SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD

On January 1, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady's greatest title. Although New Year's Day is not celebrated by the Church, this day has been observed as a Holy Day of obligation since early times due to this feast - the octave of Christmas.

Thursday Vigil Mass
December 31st
5:00 p.m. in English
7:00 p.m. in Spanish

Friday Mass
January 1st
10:00 a.m.

A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting or singing the hymn Veno Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year. This hymn is traditionally sung for beginnings of things, calling on the Holy Spirit before endeavoring something new.

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FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTION

Corpus Christi will celebrate Mass on Saturday, January 2, at 8:30 a.m. As requested by Our Blessed Mother, we encourage all parishioners to practice the First Saturday Devotion. As promised by Our Lady of Fatima, all who, as an act of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, practice the Devotion on five (5) consecutive months, and by doing so, Our Blessed Mother will assist us at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation. What are the prescribed conditions? (i) Be in a good relationship with God, free from mortal sin; (ii) Sacramental Confession within 8 days before or after the reception of Communion; (iii) Receive Holy Communion within 24 hours before or after the first Saturday of the month. The reception of Communion need not be part of a Mass; (iv) Recitation of the Marian Rosary. The five decades must be recited; (v) Keep Mary company for fifteen minutes meditating on the twenty mysteries of the rosary. The fifteen minutes of meditation are in addition to the recitation of the Holy Rosary; and (vi) All of the conditions mentioned should be fulfilled with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Should one forget to form the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, it may be formed at the next Confession.

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PARISH OFFICE CLOSED

The Corpus Christi Parish Office will be closed on Monday, December 28, Thursday, December 31, and Friday, January 1.

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A MINISTRY LIKE NO OTHER

Corpus Christi Catholic Church is in need of Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist to minister Holy Communion to the sick and shut-ins in Corpus Christi. This ministry is the next level for those of you that are ready for something more in your spiritual journey. Along with the many home bound parishioners that can’t attend Mass to receive the Holy Eucharist, ministers are needed to visit Lexington Extended Care, Oakleaf Village, Wellmore of Lexington, Morningside of Lexington Assisted Living, and Lakeside Place. The facilities mentioned above are ministered weekly by six different teams of Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist. The current rotation for each team presently is every three weeks. Our goal is to achieve a four week rotation for all of the facilities. We also have a need for Extraordinary Ministers to visit parishioners in their homes. This individual Minister would visit the same person weekly. This visit can be any day of the week as you and the parishioner would agree on the best time for both of you. Most of the Extended Care Facilities are currently closed due to the COVID-19, but we are planning for the future once they reopen. “Trust in the Lord.”

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THE LEGION OF MARY
SPIRITUAL MINISTRY

The Legion of Mary is a worldwide organization of the lay apostolate, open to men and women, who wish to contribute a few hours a week of their time and prayers. The members participate in the life of the Parish through bringing Holy Communion to the sick - home or hospital. Join us as we pray together and perform charitable works of Mercy. Auxiliary membership is also welcome! For more information, please contact Elaine Smith at the telephone number 803-673-2449, Chris Riggins at 919-417-5254, or the Parish office.

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EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Let us not self-deprive ourselves from adoring Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament, a natural consequence of our faith in the real substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Like Mary, who kept the words of our Lord in her heart and meditated on them day and night, let us reflect on her greatest treasure and the fitting homage to give to it by adoring Christ every Wednesday for one half an hour or for one full hour. Let us stop by to simply converse with Him, present really and truly a few feet away from the pews, as the doors of the church will continue to open every Wednesday – after the conclusion of the 12:15 p.m. Mass until 6:00 p.m. – so we can come close to our Lord in the Eucharist, Who should receive the adoration, the reverence that is given exclusively to God.

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ASSISTANCE MINISTRY
During the month of November, thanks to your generosity, we have been able to provide non-perishable supplies to 40 families and 110 individuals, as well as to assist families with their utility bills and rental expenses in the total amount of $6,375.67. We are truly grateful for all your help! For those in need of assistance, the Ministry will continue to open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Also, the Ministry is in great need of the following items: rice, pancake mix and syrup, breakfast bars, peanut butter, jelly, diapers, laundry detergent, and cereal assortment. Let us continue helping the Ministry in any way we can. God bless you.

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A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU

Christmas is at its heart a feast and a day where we try to appreciate again the initiative of God. So much of our lives are shaped around the initiatives that we take – what we strive to do, what we want to achieve. But Christmas is actually about God’s initiative. God’s initiative from the very beginning in creating this world. God’s initiative in giving this world its astonishing beauty. And God’s initiative working through that long history of salvation, until His eternal Word takes on flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary and enters into our reality in the stable in Bethlehem.

So in front of this initiative of God, we first of all should be still. We should be full of wonder and awe as so many of the Christmas carols and songs remind us. On this day, we should take such joy that the Lord bothers about us, that He reaches out to us. That He does not, as it were, stay at His eternal distance, but actually embraces our reality and each one of us.

While Christmas Day is an enormously busy day, one full of bustle and excitement, it is so important and so worthwhile to try and give it a silent heart, a quiet heart. Because it is from that quiet appreciation of God’s love for us that our real joy and our real celebration will flow like an enormous river.

On behalf of Father Joseph, Father Gustavo, Father Mike, Deacon Coleman and the Parish Office, we really want to wish you a very, very happy Christmas with a happiness that comes from that source as we respond to the initiative of God who first comes to us. May the thousands of Christmas lights lead us to the one light from which they flow, the one great light, the light of God made visible in the birth of this Child, Jesus. When we set ourselves close to Him, may His light shine in and through us too. As He is the pathway we are to follow, may the light of Christ shine in our actions so that all may see and come to the joy and delight at the heart of this great Feast!