College to Celebrate Advent Season

The annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, sponsored by the Purple Key Society, will take place on Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. on O’Kane Porch, and will include musical performances by several student groups and the boys choir from Nativity School of Worcester. Rev. Charles Dunn, S.J., vice president emeritus and assistant director of planned giving at the College, will light the tree. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served. Santa will be available for photos and mingling with the crowd.

The 35th annual Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols will take place on Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. Presented by the chaplains’ office and the College Choir, the celebration will include seasonal music by the choir and holiday scripture readings by members of the College community. Marybeth Kearns-Barrett, director of the chaplains' office, will preside. The religious service is based on one celebrated every year at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, England.

The festive holiday service will be streamed live over the web from St. Joseph Memorial Chapel.  More than 700 people watched via the web last year. Bookmark the online location and be sure to tune in at 8 p.m. EST on Dec. 6.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception will take place on Dec. 8. Celebrate this Advent holy day of obligation at Mass at 12:05 p.m. (Rev. John Gavin, S.J., McCooey Chapel).

The Advent/Holiday Community Mass will take place on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. On the last Sunday evening of the fall semester, a single community Mass is celebrated in place of the two regular Sunday evening Masses. Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president, will preside and preach.  Join in celebrating the season at this Mass which will be followed by a reception in the Lower Chapel Gathering/Baptismal Space.

An Advent Reconciliation Service will be held on Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. in the Lower Chapel Gathering/Baptismal Space. Prepare for Christmas by celebrating God’s forgiveness and reconciliation with Rev. John Gavin, S.J., Rev. James Hayes, S.J., Rev. Robert Keane, S.J., Rev. Anthony Kuzniewski, S.J., Rev Gregory Lynch, S.J., Rev. John Savard, S.J., and Rev. Edward Vodoklys, S.J.  Chaplain Meg Fox-Kelly will preside and preach.