3815 Russell Road | Alexandria, VA 22305 703-836-1640 (office) 703-706-0484 (fax)

Office Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 am - 9 pmwww.stritaalexandria.com / www.saintrita-school.org

December 20, 2020: Fourth Sunday of Advent

Clergy and StafF

Pastor Rev. Daniel N. Gee Ext. 17 fathergee@gmail.com

Parochial Vicar Rev. Nicholas Schierer Ext. 30 fatherschierer@gmail.com

Permanent Deacon Rev. Mr. Stephen J. Dixon deacondixon.strita@gmail.com

In Residence Rev. Karol Nedza Ext. 15

Director of Sacred Lawrence Bowie Ext. 29 Music

Parish Secretary and Alma Ramirez Ext. 10 Hispanic Liaison aramirez.strita@gmail.com

Business Manager Debbie Beck Ext. 13 dbeck.strita@gmail.com

Director of Religious Klarissa Blank Ext. 12Education and Youth kblank.strita@gmail.comMinistry

Sacristan and Bulletin Elizabeth Vail Ext. 11 Editor evail.strita@gmail.com

Maintenance Manager Adan Aguilar maintenance.strita@gmail.com

Saint Rita School Bethany Hamm, Interim Principal703-548-1888 Josephine Cunningham, Admissions Caitlin Rockwell, Preschool Director

Holy Sacrifice of the Mass(The Church is open for prayer every day from 6 am - 9 pm.)

Sunday: 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 9:00 am (TLM*), 10:00 am (TLM), 11:00 am, 12:00pm, & 1:00 pm (en Español)

Monday: 7:00 am & 7:30 pm (preceded by Miraculous Medal Novena)

Tuesday: 7:00 am & 7:30 pm (TLM)

Wednesday: 7:00 am & 7:30 pm

Thursday: 7:00 am & 7:30 pm (TLM)

Friday: 7:00 am & 7:30 pm

Saturday: 8:00 am, 5:00 pm & 6:00 pm (en Español)

*Traditional Latin Mass

Sacrament of Confession

Monday - Friday: 7:00 pm

Saturday: 8:30 am, 4:00 pm, & 7:00 pm

Eucharistic Adoration

Tuesday: 6:30 - 7:30 pm

Wednesday: 6:30 - 7:30 pm

Thursday: 6:30 - 7:30 pm

Friday: 8:00 pm - 8:00 am (Saturday)

First Friday: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

PARISH MEMBERSHIPWelcome to St. Rita Church! Please join us, as together we worship God and grow in love for one another under the protection of our patroness, St. Rita of Cascia. Registration forms can be found in the Russell Road entrance of the church, or online at www.stritaalexandria.com/parish-registration/.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISMPlease contact the Parish Office to make arrangements to attend a Baptism preparation class, scheduled individually with Fr. Schierer. Please note that it is possible for expectant parents to attend the preparation class before the birth of their child.

SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONYPlease contact the Parish Office to obtain an application to begin marriage preparation. Diocesan regulations require 6 months of marriage preparation. Living together before marriage is sinful and harmful to future marriage. Couples who are living together will be asked to live separately during the marriage preparation time.

HOSPITALIZED AND HOMEBOUND PARISHIONERS

Please contact the Parish office so that the hospitalized and homebound may receive pastoral care from the priests and volunteers of St. Rita.

St. Rita Catholic Church

ST. RITA CHURCHALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA December 20, 2020

Holy Sacrifice of the MassMonday, December 21, 2020Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor of the Church7:00 am Fr. Vincent Bork7:30 pm Gil Co VTuesday, December 22, 2020Late Advent Weekday7:00 am Sonny Hill and Edward Hill V7:30 pm The Doerrer FamilyWednesday, December 23, 2020Saint John of Kanty, Priest7:00 am Corinne Swanson V7:30 pm Sr. Maria Josepha AntunesThursday, December 24, 2020Late Advent Weekday7:00 am Virginia and Richard Brake VThe Vigil of Christmas5:00 pm John Schmelzer V 7:00 pm (en Español) Esperanza Falcon V10:00 pm Walter Robert Nunn V Friday, December 25, 2020The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)12:00 am (Midnight) Sanctification of Priests 7:00 am Thana Dixon V8:00 am Frank and Alice Walsh V9:30 am Agnes Patricia Walsh V11:00 am Missa Pro Populo1:00 pm (en Español) Celebrant’s IntentionSaturday, December 26, 2020Saint Stephen, the First Martyr8:00 am Fr. Paul Scalia5:00 pm William Manaker, SJ 6:00 pm Muriel Ausman VSunday, December 27, 2020The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph7:00 am Fr. Christopher Pollard8:00 am Oskar Egger V9:00 am Gilly and Bob D’Sylva 10:00 am Gerardo Tang Ly V 11:00 am Missa Pro Populo12:00 pm The Mah-Chamberlain Family1:00 pm Salvador Pineda V

Bulletin Submissions - Updated DateDue to Holiday Printing Schedules, please submit all announce-

ments for the bulletin to Elizabeth Vail at evail.strita@gmail.com by Monday, two weeks before the desired bulletin date.

Thank you!

This Week at St. Rita

Sunday, December 20, 20205:00 pm Teams of Our Lady6:00 - 9:00 pm Hispanic Prayer GroupMonday, December 21, 2020No Religious Education or RICA Classes5:30 pm Legión de María (en Español) 7:00 pm Rosary (in the Church)Tuesday, December 22, 20207:00 pm Hispanic Bible Study Wednesday, December 23, 2020No RCIA ClassThursday, December 24, 2020Christmas Eve - Parish Offices ClosedNo Confessions and No AdorationFriday, December 25, 2020Christmas Day - Parish Offices Closed No Confessions and No Overnight AdorationSaturday, December 26, 20209:00 am Legion of Mary (English)6:00 pm Hispanic Young Adult GroupSunday, December 27, 20206:00 - 9:00 pm Hispanic Prayer Group

Upcoming Second CollectionsDecember 25: ChristmasJanuary 1, 2021: Mary, Mother of God

Thank you for your continued generosity!

The Clergy and Staff of St. Rita Parish wish you The Clergy and Staff of St. Rita Parish wish you a very blessed Christmas! a very blessed Christmas!

Parish offices will be closed on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25 in observance of

Christmas. There will also be no Confession or Adoration on these days.

Christmas Mass ScheduleChristmas Mass ScheduleChristmas Eve:4:30 pm Musical Prelude5:00 pm Vigil Mass (English)7:00 pm Vigil Mass (Spanish)9:30 pm Musical Prelude10:00 pm Mass at Night (English)12:00 am Midnight Mass (Missa Cantata - TLM*)

Christmas Day:7:00 am (English)8:00 am (English)9:30 am (Missa Cantata - TLM*) 11:00 am (English) 1:00 pm (Spanish)*Traditional Latin Mass

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Please Pray for These St. Rita Parishioners

News from the Diocese and Beyond

For all those discerning Religious Vocations:Sr. Maria Josepha, Labor Mariae; William Manaker, Jesuits; Our Seminarians in the Diocese of Arlington, especially Tim Courtney, Andrew Clark, and Sean Nypaver

For the Sick in our Parish:Ciarán Canning, Egidio and Graciela Vera-y-Aragón, Carol Walsh

If you know of someone who should be on the list, please contact Elizabeth at evail.strita@gmail.com. Names will remain on the above prayer list for 30 days from the time they are requested. At the end of that time, you may renew your request. Thank you!

For the Deceased in our Parish:Joseph M. Behan, Sr., Carola Czernic, Mary Lilly D’Souza, Oskar Egger, John Gleeson, Duane Hackmann, Thomas John Hanniff, Sr., Karen Hill, James Francis Lynch, Jr., John Allen McKlveen, Donald Page Merz, Stephen Meister, Edilberto Reyes, Thomas Rowe, Florette Marie Scalzo, William Shields, Estella Elizabeth Szwed, Phyllis Yancy

Vocations“Be it done unto me according to your word.” Obedience to the Lord’s will is the fruit of humble prayer. If you think God is inviting you to a deeper consecration as a priest, deacon, brother or sister, contact Father Michael Isenberg at 703-841-2514, or email michael.isenberg@arlingtondiocese.org.

Just One Yes CampaignJoin Bishop Burbidge and Catholics throughout the Diocese starting Sunday, November 29 through Wednesday, January 6 in prayer, acts of service and more! Help us turn #JustOneYes

into countless yeses for the transformation of the world. In exchange for your commitment, you'll receive free daily email meditations during the seasons of Advent and Christmas courtesy of Magnificat: https://mailchi.mp/arlingtondiocese/joy2020.

“We Believe” Yard SignsPerhaps you’ve seen the “We Believe” yard signs professing various beliefs held by the owner. In the spirit of Joshua, who proclaimed, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15), we present this yard sign stating the faith that we Catholics profess. Yard signs are available for purchase for $10 at the Knights of Columbus Christmas Tree lot. They can also be ordered individually or in bulk on our website at https://stritaalexandria.com/knights-of-columbus/.

Thank You from the St Rita American Heritage Girls

Our parish AHG troop recently collected donations after all the Masses for Christmas wreaths for the Alexandria National Cemetery. Along with other donation sources, they were able to supply 770 wreaths! The girls laid the wreaths on the veterans graves on Saturday, December 19. To all those who donated, thank you!

8th GradeFirst Honors

Moira McBride, Annabelle Sequar, Alex Turcios

Second HonorsEleanor “Ellie” Fitzgerald, Capriana Graziano, Matthew Worth,

Ruth Mah-Chamberlain7th Grade

First HonorsMargaret “Maggie” Hodavance, Everett Worz

Second HonorsMarisol Chavez, Sara Guardado, Abigail Hessling, Sophia Lowe,

John “Jack” Major, Alexandra “Sascha” Penczar, Matthew Prabaharan, Madeline Probst, Caroline Smullen, Kevin Walsh,

Solyana Wondwossen

6th GradeFirst Honors

Madeleine Carrington, William Ford, Lauren Granado, Claire Holloway, Grace Major, Thomas McBride, Cara McCarthy,

Maeve McCarthy, Mary McNichols, Carson Sheldon, Maya Sooklall, Jacob Valentine, Ella Worz

Second HonorsRaymond Christiansen, Neil Mah-Chamberlain, Ethan McAneny,

Gabriella Moran5th Grade

First HonorsJames Agbapuruonwu, Max Jordan, Lucy McBride,

Alexander Podsiadly, Mary Schweers, Kaitlyn Sheldon, Susanna “Susie” Walsh

Second HonorsElias Hughes, Michelle Ochoa-Fuentes, Elena Picarello,

Anna Prabaharan4th Grade

First HonorsCamilla Balser, Eleanor “Nora” Carrington, Virginia Christiansen,

Mariam Church, John Dick, Edward “Teddy” Ford, Seamus Hardiman, Andrew Smullen

Second HonorsNiamh Brady, Jaylen Houghton, Rita McNichols, Terence “Nathan”

Nealon, Renzo Schaumburg, Asher Sirak

First Trimester Honor Roll