Advent
We await the coming of Jesus Christ the Lord!
Let us, then, keep ourselves alert and watchful by living well God’s design for us, so that we may be capable of recognizing Him when He comes, and, when He turns to us, we may see His face and so come to be saved.
Advent Prayer Challenge with Hallow
Sign up for Hallow and join the Archdiocese of San Francisco for Hallow’s Pray 25 Advent Prayer Challenge. Don’t have a Hallow subscription? Sign up through the Archdiocese of San Francisco through June for a $1 a year subscription.
The Advent Wreath
Each Sunday in Advent, Catholics light Advent wreath candles at Mass representing the passing of each week of Advent in anticipation of the coming of Christ at Christmas.
The Advent wreath tradition is rich in symbolism. The shape of the wreath symbolizes the eternity God, while the evergreens symbolize new life and signs of hope. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent, each with their own reflection—hope, love, joy and peace. A fifth white candle can also be lit to represent Christmas. As we light the candles each week, we journey toward Christmas in joyful expectation to celebrate Christ’s coming into the world over 2,000 years ago, while also waiting in hope for his second coming.
Why not bring this tradition into your home this year? It is an opportunity to bring the family together for prayer while lighting the Advent candles. You can buy wreaths and candles online (on Amazon, The Catholic Company, or other websites) and with new battery powered candles, families can order flameless candles to avoid messy wax spills or other candle mishaps.
Jesse Tree
We all have family trees, why not honor Jesus’ family tree? The Jesse Tree is a tradition that follows biblical stories from creation to the birth of Jesus, showing Jesus’ family tree and reminding us of the centuries of expectant hope of the Jewish people for the coming of the savior. This tradition places ornaments on a Christmas tree, adding the story of salvation history to the traditional family Christmas ornaments.
You can follow along with the stories for each day here or buy your own Jesse Tree ornaments. Make sure to have your Bible ready to read through each story as you go!
Advent Calendars
Advent calendars help us count down the days to Christmas. These calendars come in all shapes and sizes. Some hold tasty treats behind cardboard windows while others may be wood or felt with cute creatures to add each day. Whichever you choose, Advent calendars are a fun reminder that we wait in joyful participation of the coming of Christ. Advent calendars can be found in local stores or online.
Mary on the Mantle
Heard of Elf on the Shelf? Mary on the Mantle is a similar idea, but is a Catholic approach to preparing for Christmas.
Walk with Mary and Joseph through Advent doing good works for others and learning about their journey to Bethlehem. Every day, you will pull a card from the card pack. Each card contains a good deed or an act of kindness for your child to perform. Examples include: help a sibling clean, give parents extra hugs, bake cookies for a neighbor, donate baby clothes to a crisis pregnancy center, or make a gratitude list. Blank cards are also included for you to add your own ideas.
Inside the full set box of Mary on the Mantel, you will find: a Mary doll, a baby bump to place under Mary’s dress, a baby Jesus with a swaddling cloth, a box of activity cards, a book that explains how to do this activity with your children, and a map of the Holy Land.
St Andrew Novena
Beginning on St. Andrew the Apostle’s feast day, November 30, the following beautiful prayer is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas. This is a very meditative prayer that helps us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves spiritually for His coming.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
[here mention your request]
through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.
O Antiphons
The O Antiphons are antiphons used at vespers on the last seven days of Advent. Each antiphon refers to a name or an attribute of Christ from scripture. They also appear in the carol O Come O Come Emmanuel. The O Antiphons can be prayed, chanted, or sung. They may also appear in Lessons and Carols services.
Dec.17: O Spaientia or O Wisdom
Dec.18: O Adonai or O Lord
Dec. 19: O Radix Jesse or O Root of Jesse
Dec. 20: O Clavis David or O Key of David
Dec. 21: O Oriens or O Dayspring
Dece.22: O Rex Gentium or O King of the Nations
Dec. 23: O Emmanuel or O With us is God
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Find your local parish
Find your local parish and ask them about their Advent and Christmas schedule.
Church of the Assumption of Mary Parish
Tomales, CA 94971-0082
Our Lady of Loretto Parish
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish
Sacred Heart Parish
Saint Anselm Parish
Ross, CA 94957
Saint Anthony of Padua Parish
Saint Cecilia Parish
Lagunitas, CA 94938
Saint Hilary Parish
Saint Isabella Parish
San Rafael, CA 94903
Saint Patrick Parish
Saint Raphael Parish
Saint Rita Parish
Saint Sebastian Parish
Office of Development
Church of the Epiphany
Church of the Nativity
Church of the Visitacion
Corpus Christi Parish
Mission Dolores Basilica
Most Holy Redeemer Parish
Daily Mass: Mon-Fri 8:00am
Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00pm
Sunday Mass: 8:00am, 10:00am & 6:30pm
Holy Days: 8:00am & 7:00pm
Thanksgiving Day: 10:00am
Reconciliation: Saturdays 3:45pm – 4:30pm
Face coverings are recommended while attending Mass
National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi
Notre Dame Des Victoires Parish
Old St. Mary’s Cathedral & Chinese Mission
Our Lady of Fatima Russian Byzantine Catholic Parish
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish
Saint Agnes Parish
Saint Anne of the Sunset Parish
Saint Benedict Parish
Saint Boniface Parish
Saint Brendan Parish
Saint Cecilia Parish
Saint Dominic’s Catholic Church
7:30 a.m. Quiet Mass
9:30 a.m. Family Mass (also live streamed)
11:30 a.m. Solemn Mass
1:30 p.m. Mass (in Spanish)
5:30 p.m. Mass with Contemporary music
Weekdays
8:00 a.m. (also live streamed); 5:30 p.m.
Saturday
9:00 a.m. (also live streamed); 5:30 p.m. Vigil for Sunday
Liturgy of the Hours
Morning Prayer: Monday – Friday 7:15 a.m.; (Saturday 8:15 a.m.
Evening Prayer: Monday – Friday 5:00 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 4:45 p.m.
Reconciliation (Confession)
30 minutes before the Saturday Vigil Mass and the Sunday Masses (except 1:30 pm) or by appointment only during the week. Call the parish office to schedule the appointment during the week, 415.567.7824.
Young Adult Mass
Last Wednesday of every month, 7:30 p.m. in the Main Church
Saint Elizabeth Parish
Saint Emydius Parish
Saint Finn Barr Parish
Saint Gabriel Parish
Saint Ignatius Parish
Saint John of God Parish
Saint John the Evangelist Parish
Saint Kevin Parish
Saint Mary’s Cathedral
Saint Michael Korean Parish
Saint Patrick Parish
Saint Paul Parish
Saint Peter Parish
Saint Stephen Parish
Saint Teresa Parish
Saint Thomas More Parish
Saint Vincent De Paul Parish
Saints Peter and Paul Parish
St. Monica – St. Thomas the Apostle Parish
Star of the Sea Parish
All Souls Parish
Church of the Good Shepherd
Church of the Nativity
Holy Angels Parish
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Mater Dolorosa Parish
Our Lady of Angels Parish
Our Lady of Mercy Parish
Saint Matthew Parish
Saint Peter Parish
St. Pius Church
Sat. 5:00 PM
Sun. 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM (Spanish), 5:00 PM
Confessions: Sat. 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Saint Raymond Parish
Saint Robert Parish
St. Timothy Catholic Church
Saturday
5:00pm – Vigil for Sunday
Sunday
9:00am, 10:30am
12:00pm – En Español
DAILY LITURGIES
Weekdays 8:00 a.m.
Saturday 8:00 a.m.
RECONCILIATION
Saturdays from 3:30 – 4:30 pm or by appointment
San Mateo, CA 94401
Saint Veronica Parish
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish
Our Lady of the Pillar Parish
Saint Andrew Parish
Saint Anthony Parish
Saint Augustine Parish
Saint Bartholomew Parish
Saint Bruno Parish
Saint Catherine of Siena Parish
Saint Charles Parish
Saint Denis Parish
Saint Dunstan Parish
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish
Saint Gregory Parish
Saint Luke Parish
Saint Mark Parish
Holy Name Preschool
Laura Vicuna Pre-Kindergarten
Saint Anne Preschool
Saint Mary Preschool
Saint Paul Littlest Angel Preschool
Saint Philip Preschool
Saint Thomas the Apostle Preschool
Saint Stephens Preschool
Stella Maris Academy K-8
Tiny Knights Preschool at St. Gabriel
Utopia Preschool
Saint Raphael Preschool
All Souls Preschool
Holy Angels Preschool
Immaculate Heart of Mary School & Preschool, Belmont
Nativity
Notre Dame Preschool
Our Lady of Angels Preschool
Our Lady of Mercy Preschool
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Preschool
Sacred Heart Preschool & Kindergarten
Saint Matthias Preschool
St. Pius Preschool
Conv. of the Sacred Heart Elem.
De Marillac Academy
Ecole Notre Dame des Victoires
Father Sauer Academy (St. Ignatius College Prep.)
School of the Epiphany
Holy Name School
Woodside Priory High School
Sacred Heart Preparatory
Notre Dame High School
Mercy B. High School
Junipero Serra High School
Marin Catholic High School
Stuart Hall High School
Saint Ignatius College Prep
Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep
Immaculate Conception Academy
Conv. of the Sacred Heart
Archbishop Riordan High School
Woodside Priory Middle School
Saint Veronica School
Saint Timothy School
Saint Robert School
Saint Raymond School
St. Pius School
Saint Matthew School
Saint Gregory School
Saint Dunstan School
Saint Charles School
Saint Catherine of Siena School
Sacred Heart Lower & Middle
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Lady of Mount Carmel School
Our Lady of Mercy School
Our Lady of Angels School
Notre Dame Elementary
Nativity School
Holy Angels School
Good Shepherd School
All Souls School
Mission Dolores Academy
Our Lady of the Visitacion School
Saint Anne School
Saint Anthony-IC School
Saint Brendan School
Saint Brigid School
Saint Cecilia School
Saint Finn Barr School
Saint Gabriel School
Saint James School
Saint John School
Saint Monica School
Saint Peter School
Saint Philip School
Saint Stephen School
Saint Thomas More School
Saint Thomas the Apostle School
Saint Vincent de Paul School
Saints Peter & Paul School
Stuart Hall for Boys
Our Lady of Loretto School
Saint Anselm School
Saint Hilary School
Saint Isabella School
Saint Patrick School
Saint Raphael School
Archdiocese of San Francisco
Metropolitan Tribunal – Chancery Of Archdiocese Of San Francisco
Office of Finance
Office of ongoing Formation for Priests
Office of Human Resources
Office of Human Life and Dignity
Office of Vocations
Office of Pastoral Ministry
St. Matthias Church
Office of Faith Formation
Office of Worship
St. Mary Star of the Sea
Sunday: 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.,
Holy Days: 5:30 p.m.
Daily Mass:
Monday, Wednesday 5:30 p.m.
Confession:
Saturday 4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
OR by appointment.
Legal Department
Serra Clergy House
Office of Moderator of the Curia
Office of Administrative Services (Building)
Office of Alliance of Mission District Catholic Schools
Office of Auxiliary Bishop (Emeriti)
Office of Catholic Identity Assessment & Formation
Department of Catholic Schools
Office of Chancellor
Archdiocese of San Francisco Chancery
Office of Child & Youth Protection
Office of Chinese Ministry
Office of Communication
Office of Consecrated Life
Office of Diaconate
Office of Ecumenical Affairs
Office of Evangelization
Office of Filipino Ministry
Office of I.T. and Parish Services
Office of Marriage & Family Life
Office of Propagation of the Faith & Missionary Childhool Assn.
Office of Presbyteral Council
Office of Safety & Emergency Services
Office of Spanish-Speaking Ministry
Office of Stewardship
Office of Youth Ministry & Young Adult Ministry
Benedict XVI Institute
Office of the Vicar for Clergy
Office of the Archbishop
Office of Diaconate Formation
HLD – Respect Life
HLD-Gabriel Project
Contemplatives of Saint Joseph Monastery
Saint Patrick’s Seminary & University
Saint Paul of the Shipwreck Parish
Holy Name of Jesus Parish
Office of the Vicar General
ICA Cristo Rey Academy
St. Paul of the Shipwreck Catholic Church
Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School
Diocese of San Jose
Diocese of Oakland
Holyrood Catholic Cemetery
Diocese of Stockton
Western Dominican Province
St. Dominic’s Catholic Church
Notre Dame San Jose High School
Notre Dame San Jose High School
Mercy Center Burlingame
Dominican Sisters Vision of Hope
Test Place
Office for Women Religious
Academy of Our Lady of Peace
The Cathedral of Christ the Light
8:00 AM Vietnamese
11:00 AM English
1:30 PM Spanish
Monday:
12:10 PM
Tuesday:
12:10 PM
Wednesday:
12:10 PM
Thursday:
12:10 PM followed by Adoration
Friday:
12:10 PM
1st Friday:
7:00 PM Vietnamese
Saturday:
7:30 AM Vietnamese