Just about on schedule...

My Christmas tree is now up - perhaps I will post a photo of this masterpiece if I get time. All presents for my family are now in order, I think, and I have even wrapped some of them. The shops seem to have agreed on a holiday for St Stephen's Day which is surely to be commended; however, I have my family coming over on Saturday so I needed to get the shopping today. Fortunately, Sainsbury's was not too crowded.

My sacristan prepared things this morning and my MCs have been in the Church since 9.30pm sorting out all the last-minute adjustments for our Midnight Mass which will be a High Mass in the usus antiquior (the Dawn and Day Masses will be English Novus Ordo.) They've borrowed an Evangeliarium, found the gold tabernacle veil, laid out the gold High Mass set and prepared a gold cushion for the Bambino Gesu. The choir have been working very hard and have a good programme of carols and motets to sing before Mass. The Church looks beautiful, decorated mainly with greenery from around the grounds, and with some flowers bought in.

I will be preaching on "Christ Who leads us to heaven" with a little help from St Alphonsus - I'll post the sermon to go up on the blog tomorrow. Blogger's recent "scheduled post" feature is useful for Christmas.

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