Advent & Christmas 2026:
Pause, Breathe, and Prepare at
Saint Clement Parish in Chicago
A Sacred Pause in Joyful Hope
The Gift of Advent
The weeks before Christmas can fill up fast. This Advent, we invite you to step away from the noise and hurry and discover a different way to prepare. Advent isn’t one more demand on your busy life. It’s a sacred pause, a chance to breathe deeply, open your heart, and ready yourself to welcome the Lord.
Week by week, the Sunday Scriptures call us to stay watchful, make room for conversion, rejoice that God is near, and answer with Mary’s trusting “yes.” Through prayer and patient waiting, we prepare not only to celebrate Christ’s birth, but also to recognize how He comes among us today.
Beginning November 29, the First Sunday of Advent, we enter this season together as a community. Whether you’re feeling rushed, weary, or simply ready for something more, you’re invited to slow down and welcome Christ with us at Saint Clement Parish.
Are You Ready?
First Week of Advent | Nov. 29-Dec. 5
“Be watchful! Be alert!” Jesus opens Advent with a wake-up call. Being ready doesn’t mean predicting when Christ will come. It means noticing that He may already be approaching us through an unexpected person, a responsibility, or an invitation. And as St. Paul reminds us, God has already given us the grace we need to stay ready.
The Little Blue Book
Begin each day of Advent with a pause. The Little Blue Book is a companion for daily prayer and reflection, designed to help you slow down, pray, and notice God’s presence in your everyday life. Pick up your copy in the back of church beginning Nov. 21/22.
Jesse Tree (begins Nov. 21; gifts due Friday, Dec. 11)
Through the Jesse Tree, our annual Advent Giving Tree, parishioners can extend Christ’s love to others by supporting local organizations with clothing, toys, and gift cards. Each tag taken from the trees in the church or chapel represents a person or family we lift up in love and generosity this season.
Advent Wreath Blessing (date TBA)
Bring your home Advent wreath to church to be blessed, a simple yet powerful way to begin the season and make room for Christ in your home. Each week as you light a new candle, let it be a moment to pause and prepare together.
Rorate Masses (M-F, 7:30 a.m., at Saint Teresa of Ávila - 1033 W. Armitage Ave)
Begin your weekday with a pause at a candlelit Rorate Mass in honor of Mary.
Advent Healing & Reconciliation Service (Thursday, Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m.)
Set down what weighs on you and let Christ meet you with His mercy. Join us for a peaceful evening of prayer, including Vespers (Evening Prayer), as we encounter God’s mercy and begin anew through the sacraments of healing: reconciliation (confession) and anointing of the sick.
Open Hands, Ready Hearts: Ways to Serve This Advent
Advent invites us to prepare a welcome not only in our own hearts, but for others, too.
New this year, our Homeless Ministry hopes to serve a special catered Christmas Day meal to guests at the Loaves and Fishes Meal at Saint Teresa of Ávila. We estimate that the cost per guest will be $35, and we anticipate 150 guests. Whether you would like to contribute to the cost of a single person or a table of 8 we appreciate your generosity, please donate HERE.
You can also share Christ’s love by packing Sack Lunches or serving at Saturday Morning Hospitality at Saint Teresa of Ávila.
And if you’ll be in town for Christmas, consider serving at our Christmas Masses! Contact Caroline Jaros to learn more!
Pause and Find Comfort
Second Week of Advent | Dec. 6-12
“Comfort, give comfort to my people,” God says through the prophet Isaiah. In the wilderness, away from the noise and routine of daily life, John the Baptist calls us to prepare the way of the Lord. When we pause, we can see more clearly what needs to change in our lives and remember that God is coming to meet us.
Jubilate Children’s Choir (Sunday, Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m. Church Mass)
Join us as our Children’s Choir lifts their voices in song for the Second Sunday of Advent.
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (Sunday, Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m. Masses)
Children (ages 3-6/7) are invited to hear the Sunday readings in a way made just for them, then rejoin their families for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Rorate Masses (M-F, 7:30 a.m., at Saint Teresa of Ávila - 1033 W. Armitage Ave)
Begin your weekday with a pause at a candlelit Rorate Mass in honor of Mary.
Women’s Advent by Candlelight (Monday, Dec. 7, 7:00–8:30 p.m., at Saint Teresa of Ávila - 1033 W. Armitage Ave)
In the midst of the pre-Christmas rush, women in every season of life are invited to pause for a peaceful evening of music, reflection, and community by candlelight.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Tuesday, Dec. 8; Masses at 7:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.)
We celebrate this holy day of obligation honoring Mary, who was held free from sin from her very conception, preparing the way for Christ’s coming.
30s Ministry - December Gathering (Thursday, Dec. 10, 6:00-8:00 p.m.)
Those in their 30s are invited to our December gathering. Please email Emily Kaiser for details.
Jesse Tree Gifts Due (Friday, Dec. 11)
Please return your Jesse Tree gifts to the parish by 12/11 so they can reach our partner organizations in time for Christmas.
Growing in Grace (Saturday, Dec. 12, 9:30–11:30 a.m.)
Our Growing in Grace ministry for those ages 55+ gathers for their December event. Details coming soon!
Breathe in Joy
Third Week of Advent | Dec. 13-19
Gaudete Sunday (from the Latin for “Rejoice!”) offers a deep breath of joy. As we light the rose candle, we hear St. Paul’s invitation: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks.” Like John the Baptist, we aren’t the light, but we get to bear joyful witness to it. We can breathe, because the world’s salvation doesn’t rest on our shoulders. Christ is already among us.
Gaudete Sunday (Sunday, Dec. 13)
Celebrate the Sunday of joy by wearing your most festive Christmas sweater to Mass, and stay for Coffee & Donuts after the morning Masses!
Jingle & Mingle Advent Brunch (Sunday, Dec. 13)
Celebrate the joy of Gaudete Sunday at our annual Jingle & Mingle! All are invited for a morning of community and holiday cheer. Event includes a delicious brunch spread, while our youngest parishioners can sign up for a photo with Santa and more. Details and registration coming soon!
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (Sunday, Dec. 13, 9:30 a.m. Masses)
Children (ages 3-6/7) are invited to hear the Sunday readings in a way made just for them, then rejoin their families for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Sundays Uncorked at Bad Apple (Sunday, Dec. 13, after 7:00 p.m. Mass, 658 W. Belden Ave)
Keep the Gaudete joy going! Join us at Bad Apple for drinks and fellowship. Festive sweaters encouraged!
Rorate Masses (M-F, 7:30 a.m., at Saint Teresa of Ávila - 1033 W. Armitage Ave)
Begin your weekday with a pause at a candlelit Rorate Mass in honor of Mary.
Hodie Christus Natus Est: A Ceremony of Carols (Saturday, Dec. 19; 10:00 a.m. Family Concert; 7:30 p.m. Full Concert)
Breathe in the beauty of the season as our annual Christmas Concert returns with Benjamin Britten’s beloved A Ceremony of Carols, a masterwork for choir and solo harp. The family-friendly 10:00 a.m. concert features narration by Terri Hemmert of WXRT Radio, while the 7:30 p.m. evening concert adds more seasonal music for strings, harp, and choir. Tickets available in November 2026.
Prepare Your Heart
Fourth Week of Advent | Dec. 20-24
David longed to build a house for God, but God promised instead to build a house for David. That promise was fulfilled not in a magnificent building, but in Mary’s willing heart. Mary prepared for Christ by listening, trusting, and saying “yes.” Real preparation isn’t about making everything perfect. It’s about making ourselves available to God.
Mass: Unplugged (Sunday, Dec. 20, 7:00 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the Rosary)
In the final days before Christmas, let the noise fall away at a quieter, more reflective Mass. Through candlelight, simple music, and extended moments of silence, Mass: Unplugged invites us to become more fully present to God and the Eucharist. Take the Unplugged Challenge: step away from social media two hours before Mass, turn off your phone during Mass, and remain unplugged until bedtime. All are welcome!
Serve at Our Christmas Masses
Will you be in town for Christmas? Help prepare a prayerful welcome for all who join us at our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses by serving as a liturgical minister. We especially need Greeters and Eucharistic Ministers. Contact Caroline Jaros to learn more!
Christmas Eve & Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 24, & Friday, Dec. 25)
Our Advent journey leads us to the celebration of Christ’s birth, where we come together in awe and gratitude for the gift of God with us, Emmanuel. See our Holiday Mass Schedule below!
Holiday Mass Schedule
Christmas Eve - Dec. 24
At Saint Clement Parish
3:00pm - Church - with children’s Christmas pageant
Church Mass is also Livestreamed
3:00pm - Chapel
3:00pm - School - Candlelight Mass
5:00pm - Church
9:30pm - Carol Service
10:00pm - Midnight Mass in Church
Midnight Mass is also Livestreamed
At Saint Teresa of Avila Parish (1033 W. Armitage Ave): 3:00pm, 4:30pm, & 9:00pm
Christmas Day - Dec. 25
At Saint Clement Parish
9:30am
11:15am
At Saint Teresa of Avila Parish (1033 W. Armitage Ave): 10:00am
New Year’s Day - Jan. 1
10:00am - Mass for Mary, Mother of God
Share the Light of Christ through our Christmas Appeal
Support our liturgy, music, and outreach programs
As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, we reflect on the incredible gift of God’s love made flesh in the Incarnation. This is a season to come together in worship, generosity, and service, honoring the true meaning of Christmas.
Your gift to our Christmas Appeal helps sustain our vibrant liturgies, beautiful music, and vital outreach programs that touch lives across our community, city, and beyond. Your donation makes a meaningful difference in sharing Christ’s light and hope with those in need and with our entire faith community. We are deeply grateful for your continued support.
