Dear beloved sisters and brothers in Christ,

This Mother’s Day is our last Sunday in our Nativity church. Starting Monday, May 12 for the duration of the renovation of our church building, all Masses will be in the Parish Center.

On a typical weekend at Nativity, about a thousand people come to Mass. The church seats about 600 souls. The Parish Center seats 284. To make room for everyone, we are adding one Mass on Sunday morning. The four Masses starting Sunday, May 19 are at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 12:00 p.m. The Mass on Saturday evening remains at 5:00 p.m. Church Renovation | Nativity Catholic Church | Longwood, FL

Mass in the Parish Center will be like the Holy Family in the Bethlehem barn. Mary and Joseph did not have all the comforts of home. Instead of a clean home to give birth, they had cows and donkeys and sheep. Shepherds and strange magi took the place of family and friends. The stable was not home, but it was holy.

In the same way, the Parish Center is our home away from home. Like the Holy Family, we make the most of what the Lord gives us. We will worship him all the same. We will sing “Glory to God” and “Hosanna in the highest.” We will listen to the word of the Lord. We will join Christ in his sacrifice for our sanctification and for the salvation of the world. We will receive him, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.

Once we are in the Parish Center, I will point out some important features of our Bethlehem like where the bathrooms are. To get there, let us follow the Lord. After Communion, we will process to the Parish Center. The Blessed Sacrament will lead the way. As the Lord led the Mary and Joseph safely to Bethlehem, he leads us. We will conclude Sunday Mass this Mother’s Day weekend in the Parish Center with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Blessed Easter,

Father David