Don’t begrudge newcomers at Christmas. Welcome them.

Parishioners may see some unfamiliar faces in church during Advent and Christmas. Instead of thinking begrudgingly that they may be sitting in “your” pew, it might be better to welcome them with open arms.

Father Joshua Laws, pastor of the Catholic Community of South Baltimore, explained that often those visitors who start returning during Advent or Lent are different from those who attend only at Christmas and Easter.

“They’re often those people who are really dialed in, but don’t come on a regular basis because they’re busy with other things,” Father Laws said. “Advent and Lent really speak to those people who just want to go a little deeper.”

Father Laws noted that Christmas Masses can sometimes be chaotic, so he encourages parishioners ahead of time to intentionally pray for those who will be joining the liturgy.

“Expect that someone will be in your seat and be OK with that,” he said. “At the end of Mass, I always say we’re really glad you joined us. You brought something with you that we wouldn’t have had without you.”

Father Dale Picarella, pastor of the Catholic Community of Ascension and St. Augustine in Halethorpe and Elkridge, said he has always found it helpful to have greeters at the doors of the church to welcome people as they arrive.

“Whether they have been coming to church or are returning for Christmas, it is always good to be greeted in a welcoming and warm way,” he said. “It does leave an impression with people.”

He also suggests there needs to be a message in the homily that speaks to the needs of those present.

“Many are coming just because it is Christmas,” Father Picarella said, “but this is an opportunity for the Christmas readings of the Scriptures to speak to their felt need if the message can be relevant to them.”

For parishioners of the Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Christmas Eve Masses have frequently been celebrated at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in recent years. The faith community sometimes welcomed as many as 10,000 between the two Masses, according to Kellie Caddick, director of communication for the parish. That tradition came to a halt with the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, people were still not ready to gather in large numbers, so Christmas Eve Masses were celebrated at the church itself for the first time in 15 years.

“We had 3,400 people between the two Masses,” Caddick said. People in the parish’s hosting ministry provided a shuttle service from various parking areas to the church, she said. “And if they were waiting a while, we served hot cocoa at the pickup points.”

She also pointed out that hospitality is just the starting point for all the parish does year-round. From a website updated weekly with the most current information, to greeters at wide-open doors, to the mix of the traditional and the contemporary at Mass, the parish staff members focus on inviting any and all to join.

“It’s not just about hospitality,” said Caddick, noting that Christmas Masses will again be held in the church this year. “That’s the cherry on the sundae, but we have so many other values and we are constantly being challenged to do things better.”

Tips for encouraging newcomers

• Provide a flyer or a link to your website with information about your sacramental schedule, parish activities and how to join the community

• Plan a “newcomers celebration” soon after Christmas or early in the new year so
  people can meet your parish leaders and ask questions.

• Give out a “Christmas gift” such as a book on spirituality or practicing the Catholic faith.
  Include a bookmark with information about your parish.

• Don’t admonish people for not being regular Massgoers. Instead, tell them how much the church would love for them to be part of the faith community

• Use social media to encourage Christmas Mass attendance. Provide information on joining the parish.

Also see

RADIO INTERVIEW: The Holy Family

Continue contemplating the mystery of Christmas, pope urges

Priest weathers Christmas blizzard on fireboat celebrating Mass for two

Parishioners at Ss. Philip and James weather cold snap with Christmas spirit

Ukrainian archbishop urges people to celebrate Christmas even amid war

Jesus’ birth is not ‘fairy tale,’ but call to live the Gospel, pope says

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