Father J. Ronald Knott will celebrate a Blue Christmas Mass at Bellarmine University’s Our Lady of the Woods Chapel on Dec. 24 at 4 p.m.
The Mass is celebrated for those who may be grieving or experiencing loss or loneliness and who want a more subdued Christmas observance.
“It will be quietly appropriate with soft music rather than blaring trumpets and full organ. The homily will center on a word of encouragement for those who are grieving,” Father Knott wrote in his column about the Mass last year.
Father Knott has asked worshippers who are not struggling during the holidays to respect the intention of the Mass and attend the chapel’s regular Christmas Eve Mass at 6 p.m.
I’ve been a reader of Father Knott’s “Encouraging Word,” column for years. As a non cradle Catholic, I’ve spent a long time out in the wilderness searching for God. Even after becoming Catholic, I avoided mass for years. Father Knott’s column kept me interested int he faith, and I began to attend the Mass more frequently.
When my father’s Alzheimer’s began to worsen, the one thing we could still do together was attend the Mass (he also converted to Catholic faith) at Holy Trinity together. He loved watching the little kids, and I felt so honored to serve him in that fashion. He died from a sudden fall last year, but I resolved to stay in the Mass. 10 days after my dad died, my mother in law, passed away. 3 months later, my father in law died. I prayed the Rosary every night, falling asleep to its comforts. I keep going to Mass, almost weekly, and even attended confession 3 times this year! I feel closer to the mystery that is Christ, and seek to know more each day through bible study. One day perhaps I will even participate more in the parish faith community outside Mass.
Sometimes I feel like an outsider, and I’m afraid of making mistakes. The Blue Mass we celebrated tonight helped me tremendously, and I was so honored to share it with my wife of 27+ years. (She’s going to Mass more often too!) I think the message of Luke 2:10, “Do not be afraid,” rings so true for me as now all of our parents are gone and we must trudge through life without them. I thank Father Knott for all his encouraging words. They really help. God Bless. And Merry Christmas.