Liturgies usher in the Christmas season

Leading up to Christmas Day, several parishes are hosting special Liturgies that signal the arrival of Christmas in the Archdiocese.

Archbishop Vásquez set to celebrate Simbang Gabi, Christmas Eve Masses

Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez will preside over two separate Masses, marking a pair of major Advent and Christmas devotions for the Filipino and Vietnamese Catholic communities.

The Archdiocesan Simbang Gabi Culmination Mass will be at St. Helen Parish (2209 Old Alvin Rd., Pearland) on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m. Traditional Filipino carols begin at 6:30 p.m. The annual Mass concludes the Filipino Simbang Gabi novena tradition, a series of novena Masses held in anticipation of Christmas held at some 34 parishes across the Archdiocese. Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell'Oro, CRS, is expected to concelebrate the Mass, alongside dozens of Filipino priests from the Archdiocese.

Then, Archbishop Vásquez is set to be the main celebrant for a Christmas Eve Mass at Christ the Incarnate Word Parish (8503 S. Kirkwood Rd., Houston) on Wednesday, Dec. 24, at 6 p.m. with the Vietnamese Catholic community

Christmas at the Cathedrals

In Galveston at St. Mary Cathedral Basilica, 2011 Church St., Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez will celebrate Christmas Mass at midnight Dec. 25. Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, will celebrate an English Mass at 12:30 p.m., also on Christmas, Dec. 25. 

For details and other Christmas Liturgies, visit holyfamilygb.org or call 409-762-9646.

The Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy., will host Christmas Eve Masses Dec. 24 at 4 p.m. with Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, at 6:15 p.m. in English, and at 8:30 p.m. in Spanish with Bishop Dell’Oro. 

Christmas Day Masses Dec. 25 include midnight in English with Bishop Dell’Oro, 9 a.m. in Vietnamese, and 11 a.m. in Spanish. 

More information is available at sacredhearthouston.org or 713-659-1561.

Both the Cathedral Basilica and Co-Cathedral are Jubilee Pilgrim sites. Learn more at www.archgh.org/jubilee2025.