January 2024

• Although today is New Year's Day, the solemnity may not be replaced with the Mass for Civil Needs: At the Beginning of the Civil Year. 
• Vestments: White
• Gloria is said or sung.
• Creed is recited.
• Preface 1 of the Blessed Virgin Mary is used.
• Solemn Blessing #2, #3, or #15.
  

• Every year on January 1, the Holy Father marks the World Day of Peace with a special message inviting all people to reflect on the important work of building peace.
  
• World Day of Peace, celebrated on January 1 every year, is primarily a Catholic feast day dedicated to universal peace on the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.  
• World Day of Peace began in 1967 when Pope Paul VI announced that the world needs to be sensitized and oriented for peace and understanding. 
• More information, please CLICK HERE. 
  

• If an anticipated Mass is celebrated, the Mass prayers "At the Vigil Mass" is used. A vigil Mass is celebrated before or after the First Vespers of the Epiphany.
• The readings for the Epiphany will be the same as the Mass during the Day. 
• Gloria is sung with splendor.
• Creed is said.
• Preface of the Epiphany is used. 
• Solemn Blessing #4 may be used. 

• The Christmas Season concludes after this feast. 
• The Christmas decorations in the church are removed after this celebration. 
• Gloria is sung with splendor.
• Creed is said.
• Sprinkling Rite may be used. 
• Only one (1) reading before the Gospel is used. 
• Christmas Solemn Blessing #4 or #9 may be used. 
• On Epiphany Sunday, there is an ancient custom of announcing the dates of the moveable Feasts for the coming year. This Epiphany Proclamation may take place after the Gospel, or within or after the homily. See the Roman Missal, Appendix I: The Announcement of Easter and the Moveable Feasts. 

• CLICK HERE for more resources from the USCCB.

• On September 30, 2019, Pope Francis, in his motu propio, Aperuit illis, declared that "the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God."
• Blessing of Readers may take place after the homily. Please see Book of Blessings, Ch. 61. This is a good opportunity for Readers/Lectors to renew their commitment to the ministry. 

• On this day, all dioceses of the United States shall observe a "day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion" (GIRM, 373.)
• Refer to the Lectionary for Mass: Supplement (LS) #516A; readings for the Day of Prayer may be taken from the Masses for Various Needs, III (In Public Circumstances, #26A), For Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life (#947A-947E, LS), or For Public Needs: 14. For Peace and Justice (#887-891, Lectionary for Mass).
• If using the Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions: For Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life, wear white vestments.
• If using the Mass for the Preservation of Peace and Justice, wear violet vestments. 
• Prayer over the People #23 may be used. 

• Prayers are proper and found in the Proper of Saints
• Gloria is sung or said.
• Creed is not said. 
• Use Preface 1 of the Apostles
• Solemn Blessing #16 may be used.

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February 2024

• On February 2, 40 days after Christmas, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated, because according to the Law of Moses, the woman who gave birth to a man had to purify herself for forty days, after what they should present to the child (Lev 12, 2-6). When Saint Mary and her husband arrived at the temple with Jesus, Simeon took the child in his arms and said that he was the light that enlightens the nations (Lk 2, 32).
• That is why this feast commemorates the entry of Light into the temple. This commemoration is done by giving prominence to the candles in the liturgy.
• That day the mass begins in the atrium or in another place other than the church. There the faithful gather with extinguished candles in their hands. The priest arrives at that place dressed in a chasuble or with a cope. When he arrives, the candles are lit while singing: “Behold, our Lord will come with power, to enlighten the eyes of his servants, alleluia."
• The priest then greets the people as usual, makes an announcement, and blesses the candles with a formula found in the Roman Missal. After saying those words, he sprinkles the candles with holy water, saying nothing. When the sprinkling is finished, the priest receives his own candle and begins the procession to the church.
• Arriving at the church, the priest venerates the altar, goes to his seat, takes off the cope (if he has used it in the procession), and puts on the chasuble. Then Gloria is sung. When the hymn is finished, he says the collect, and the Mass continues as usual.
• Creed is not said. 
• Solemn Blessing #4 or #9 may be used. 

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• El 2 de febrero, en que se cumplen 40 días de la Navidad, se celebra la fiesta de la Presentación del Señor, pues de acuerdo a la Ley de Moisés, la mujer que daba a luz a un varón debía purificarse por cuarenta días, tras lo que debían presentar al niño (Lev 12, 2-6). Cuando Santa María y su esposo llegaron al templo con Jesús, Simeón tomó en brazos al niño y dijo que era la luz que alumbra las naciones (Lc 2, 32).
• Es por ello que en esta fiesta se conmemora la entrada de la Luz en el templo. Esa conmemoración se hace dándole protagonismo a las velas o candelas en la liturgia.
• Ese día la misa comienza en el atrio o en otro lugar distinto a la iglesia. Ahí se reúnen los fieles con candelas apagadas en sus manos. El sacerdote llega a ese lugar revestido con casulla o con capa pluvial. Cuando arriba, se encienden las velas mientras se canta: “Nuestro Señor viene con gran poder, para iluminar los ojos de sus siervos. Aleluya.”
• Después, el sacerdote saluda al pueblo como de costumbre, hace una monición y bendice las candelas con una fórmula que se encuentra en el misal. Tras decir esas palabras, rocía las candelas con agua bendita, sin decir nada. Acabada la aspersión, el sacerdote recibe su propia candela y comienza la procesión hacia la iglesia.
• Al llegar a la iglesia, el sacerdote venera el altar, va a la sede, se quita el pluvial (si es que lo ha usado en la procesión), y se pone la casulla. Después se canta Gloria. Acabado el himno dice la colecta, y la misa prosigue como de costumbre.

• If religious sisters and brothers are present at the Mass, a special blessing may be given to them after the homily or after the Prayer after Communion.
• Prayer of the Faithful or Mass Intention to include religious sisters and brothers.
• Sample Prayers of the Faithful available HERE.
• Prayer for Consecrated Persons, Click Here. 

• It is customary to celebrate Saint Blaise Feast with a blessing of throats. The blessing may be found in the Book of Blessings, "Order for the Blessing of Throats on the Feast of Saint Blaise", Chapter 51. 
• The candles to be used for the blessing of throats are blessed during Mass at the Presentation of the Lord, February 2. 

• San Fernando and San Gabriel Regions at 3 PM
• San Pedro and Our Lady of the Angels Regions at 6 PM
• Santa Barbara Region celebrating at the following parishes: 
  • Our Lady of the Assumption, Ventura @ 2:00 pm
  • Mission La Purisima Concepcion @ 4:30 pm. 
  • Santa Barbara Region Parishes need to fill out the survey to select the location they will be attending. Survey is available in the "RCIA Updates" section below. For more details, please call the Santa Barbara Regional Office. 
• ** Please take note ** In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Rite of Election and Enrollment of Names is transferred to this Sunday, February 4, 2024, due to Religious Education Congress.

• Ritual Masses (i.e., Celebration of Matrimony) are not permitted. 
• Funeral Masses are permitted. 
• No Penitential Rite (I Confess..., Lord, have mercy...) 
• Alleluia is omitted. Use proper Lenten Gospel Acclamation.
• Blessing and Distribution of Ashes takes place after homily.
• Gloria and Creed are omitted.
• Universal Prayer is said.
• The Mass is proper. 
• Preface III or IV is appropriate for use today.
• Book of Blessings provide instructions for blessing of ashes, Ch. 52. nos. 1656-1678
• Ordinary minister for the blessing of the ashes is a priest or deacon.

• ** Please take note ** In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Rite of Election and Enrollment of Names is transferred to Sunday, February 4, 2024, due to Religious Education Congress.

• Prayers are proper and found in the Proper of Saints
• Gloria is sung or said.
• Creed is not said. 
• Use Preface 1 of the Apostles
• Solemn Blessing #16 may be used.

• San Fernando and San Gabriel Regions at 3 PM
• San Pedro and Our Lady of the Angels Regions at 6 PM
• In the Santa Barbara Region, the Call to Continuing Conversion for Candidates is celebrated at the Parish. For more information, please call the Santa Barbara Regional Office.