RENOVATED SANCTUARY IS OPEN FOR MASS 

Many thanks to ALL our volunteers! We have re-opened the renovated church for Masses beginning December 15-16!

We are still awaiting two important items: the altar rail was delayed in its shipment and we expect it will be here in time for the Dedication. Second, the main Tabernacle was sent off for refurbishment and encountered delays there, and it will not be present for the Dedication. Temporarily, we will use the Tabernacle from the rectory chapel. We will let you know when the new Tabernacle will be installed and dedicated.

Photos of Renovations through the Generations at Sts. Peter and Paul

THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS AT THE BASILICA - See our Christmas flyer

Solemnity of Christmas* - Holy Day of Obligation

• Mon.  Dec. 24   5:30 pm (prelude 5:00 pm; Gloria Dei Schola & Jubilate Deo Youth Schola)
• Tues. Dec. 25 12:00 am (prelude 11:30 pm; with choir)
• Tues. Dec. 25 12:00 pm (bilingual; with choir)

Holy Family Dec. 29 - 30 - Regular Mass schedule: 5:30 Vigil, 9am, 11:30am, 1:30pm Spanish

Christmas Pageant:  "The First Christmas"

• Sat. Dec. 29 6:30 in Varallo Parish Hall   
  
• Dinner reception to follow—All are welcome!

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God* - Holy Day of Obligation

• Mon. Dec. 31    6:30 pm (bilingual; with choir)
• Tues.   Jan. 1  12:00 pm (with schola)

* Incense and Missa de Angelis sung at all Masses for the Solemnities of Christmas and Mary, Mother of God

• While Fr. Blatchford is in Rome, a deacon will offer a Communion Service at our Noon Mass time on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, December 17th through 19th.

• There will be no 7am or Noon Mass on Monday, December 24th, and no 7am Mass on Wednesday, December 26th.

• A deacon will offer a Communion service at our 7am Mass time on Wednesday, Jan. 2.
  

• As we enter the new year, the Basilica invites you to commit to accompany Our Lord during the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. You may sign up for one or more half-hour periods in the vestibule. Our next First Friday Adoration in our renovated church will be Friday, January 5 from 12:30pm—5:30pm Benediction. Adoration will resume  through the night from 9pm Friday—7am Sat., hosted by our Hispanic community. All our encouraged to attend.

• In accord with Bishop Stika, on Fridays at 7am and noon, the Basilica will offer the Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the reparation of sins against the Church. Mass will conclude with the recitation of an Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by the assembly. This will be the Mass offered every Friday, except when it is superseded by a feast day.

SPANISH Language Class for English Speakers resumes in the new year! Classes will be Wednesdays from 6-7pm, beginning January 16, in the St. Dominic RE Building. For more information, contact our new teacher:  Armando Sedeño, at 423-208-1011 or armando.sedeno.monge@vw.com.

Lay Oblates of St. Benedict - St. Benedict is known as the Father of Western (European) Monasticism. But his spirituality of prayer and work is valid for even the layman who lives in the world. Our new chapter of Lay Oblates of St. Benedict focuses on applying the Rule of St. Benedict to our lives, learning to pray the Scriptures through lectio divina and offering the Liturgy of the Hours in praise of God. We are now meeting on the third Sunday of each month from 5-6:30pm in the church. There will not be a meeting in December. The next meeting will be on Jan. 20. To find out more, please call the parish office or contact Daniel Sharkey at 877-3239.

Natural Family Planning Classes! - We now have a Couple-to-Couple League NFP teaching couple at the Basilica! Watch our Marriage page under Sacraments for NFP class opportunities.

We now have the myParish cell phone app to help you stay connected with the Basilica throughout the week, and give you quick access to daily readings, prayers, homilies, parish staff, bulletins, calendar, and much more. Visit myparishapp.com on your phone or go to your phone's app store to download it. You can also send a text message to the number 88202 with the word app to receive a link to download the app.

We have added Groups to help various ministries communicate. To join a Group, you will need to install myParish app and then create a User Account (My Account option in the main menu). Then you can select the Groups and request to join any of the groups that apply to your ministry or interests.  

NURSERY VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS NEEDED

In order to ensure a safe environment for our children, and in accord with state and diocesan policy, our nursery policy is that we have two adults in the nursery at all times. One of them is our paid staff member, but we are in need of volunteers to be the second person. The second person must be VIRTUS-trained and commit to being present. A sign-up sheet is in the nursery. In order for the nursery to open the following Sunday, someone will need to be signed up to volunteer for the 9am & 11:30 Masses by the end of Masses each Sunday. Each family who uses the nursery is asked to volunteer for at least one Mass per calendar quarter. There is also a donation box in the nursery to defray the $45 cost of keeping it staffed each Sunday. If we do not have your commitment, we will no longer be able to offer nursery services.

VIRTUS Training February 5

Parents and other adults who would like to participate in our youth programs are required to be certified under the VIRTUS program. Deacon Gaspar will be offering a VIRTUS class at the Basilica on Tuesday, February 5, from 5:30 – 8:30pm. You can register for this or any of the upcoming VIRTUS sessions at virtusonline.org (click here and select the Knoxville Diocese).