 As Advent comes to a close, one of the best ways to prepare for Christmas is to revisit the story of the Nativity - the true meaning of Christmas. You can read the story of the first Christmas in both the Gospel of Matthew (1:18 - 2:12) and the Gospel of Luke (2:1-20). What better way to end the season of Advent than to take time as a family to read about the Holy Family! We can get so used to all the secular images of Christmas that we can easily forget what it really looked like. As fun as it is to celebrate with presents and elves, reindeer, and Santa - the first Christmas was even more magical! After spending some time reading through the Christmas story, click the video below to watch children explain the story of the Nativity in their own words, as their parents act it out. :) What part of the Nativity story stands out most to you? Leave a comment to let us know! Holy Family Parish Christmas Mass Schedule Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24: 4 PM - Sacred Heart 4 PM - St. Peter 8 PM - St. Joseph (Christmas carols begin a half hour before Mass) 10:30 PM - Sacred Heart (Christmas carols begin a half hour before Mass) 11:00 PM - St. Joseph, Spanish Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25: 8 AM - St. Peter 9 AM - St. Joseph 12 Noon - St. Joseph, Spanish 
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One of the most famous Advent traditions is the Advent wreath. There is much rich symbolism to be found in this beautiful tradition. The Advent candles remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. Each Sunday of Advent we light another candle as we get closer and closer to Christmas - the moment Jesus brought light into our darkness. Three of these candles are purple and one is pink (or rose). The dark purple also reminds us of darkness and marks a time for prayer and waiting. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent which is called Gaudete Sunday, meaning ‘Rejoice’ for the time of Christmas is near. The circular shape of the wreath reminds us of our God, who has no beginning or end, as well as His endless love for us. The evergreen leaves that make up the wreath remind us that God gives us the gift of everlasting life through Jesus. Download and print out this coloring sheet to decorate your very own Advent Wreath as a family! As you you color the leaves and candles, remember their deeper meaning.  Click the Picture to Download the Printable Coloring Sheet What is your favorite part of the Advent Wreath and why?
Leave a comment to let us know! 
The Week of December 13th
Christmas Mass Schedule
Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24: 4 PM - Sacred Heart 4 PM - St. Peter 8 PM - St. Joseph (Christmas carols begin a half hour before Mass) 10:30 PM - Sacred Heart (Christmas carols begin a half hour before Mass) 11:00 PM - St. Joseph, Spanish Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25: 8 AM - St. Peter 9 AM - St. Joseph 12 Noon - St. Joseph, Spanish Invite family or friends to celebrate Christmas Mass with our parish family  Online Giving is available for one-time and regular contributions. It is through your generosity that our parish can continue our mission to form a family of disciples for Jesus Christ. Click the link above for more details or to make a contribution.
Worship with us at Holy Mass, adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, experience the healing power of the Sacrament of Confession. Click the link above. Holy Family Parish exists to unite all as a family of God and to assist each person in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.  There’s nothing that brings the family together quite like food. This is especially true as we get closer to Christmas! Candy canes, sugar cookies, eggnog… YUM! We’ve got an Advent recipe that not only tastes amazing but is the perfect opportunity to talk a little more about the reason for the season. So call the kids into the kitchen, put on some Advent music (Click HERE), and work together on this easy-to-make, yet delicious, Advent Hot Chocolate.  Purple and Pink While the rest of the world is focusing on red and green, we focus on purple and pink during Advent. Purple is the color of penance and preparation while pink is the color of rejoicing. During Advent, we wait and prepare for both Christ’s first coming (at Christmas) and second coming (at the end of the world). As you are drinking your Advent Hot Chocolate with your family, take a moment to discuss why this is so important. What is your favorite recipe to make as a family? Leave a comment to let us know!  The Week of December 6th Thank you very much for the generosity of everyone who contributed to Holy Family Parish for Giving Tuesday! Your contributions will help our food pantries and help us update our church gathering spaces in time for Christmas, when we welcome many people into our churches to celebrate the birth of Christ. This Week...
Advent is a time of waiting and preparation. A time to ready our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Far too often it becomes a time of busyness and stress as we engage in the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, decorating, and travel. Instead of rushing towards Christmas, we should wait patiently with anticipation. One of the best ways to enter into the season of Advent is by prayer. Here is a beautiful prayer you can say with your family as you invite the Lord into this Advent season: God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. He is a sign of your love. Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent, As we wait and prepare for his coming. We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen. Oftentimes, the most beautiful prayers are the ones we come up with on our own. Try as a family to write your own prayer this Advent. You can download this template and write your own Family Advent Prayer. Then, post it somewhere you’ll see it, and commit to praying it each day as a family. How can we pray for you and your family this Advent?
Leave a comment to let us know! 
The Week of November 29th Giving Tuesday is officially on November 30th this year. Thank you to everyone who has already contributed to Holy Family for Giving Tuesday. There are still opportunities to give to our food pantries and to help with the updating of our church gathering spaces at the links below:
It’s finally here! Christmas time is here! Or is it?
While Christmas is getting close, it isn’t here quite yet. Instead, we are in a period of waiting, a time of preparation and longing. We are in the Advent season. So before you jump into your favorite Christmas playlist, try as a family to listen to some beautiful Advent carols and songs, to really prepare your hearts for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Here are a few you can enjoy: O Come, O Come Emmanuel - LISTEN or LISTEN in LATIN Light of the World - LISTEN Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus - LISTEN Love Comes Down - LISTEN O Come, Divine Messiah - LISTEN You’ll Come - LISTEN Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence - LISTEN Breath of Heaven - LISTEN The Week of November 8th Want to contribute directly to our two food pantries? Click on the following links to make a secure donation to the Sacred Heart Food Pantry or St. Vincent de Paul: This Upcoming Week...
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Welcome to Holy Family ParishHoly Family Parish exists to unite all as a family of God and to assist each person in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. To receive blog updates and Parish information, sign-up here:
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As of July 1, 2021, online giving is available to all three churches.
To Mail in your financial support, please make a check out Holy Family Parish and mail it to:Holy Family Parish
201 Bach St LaPorte, IN 46350 Thank you and God Bless you for your continued support of our Parish.
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