There will be some changes to the Mass and confession schedule at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist during the Christmas season.
The schedule on Dec. 19 is unchanged, with Masses at 7:15 a.m. and noon. As usual, the noon Mass will be livestreamed. Confessions will be heard 6:30-7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., with additional confessors at midday.
On Dec. 20, confessions will be heard 3-4 p.m., prior to the regular 4:30 p.m. vigil Mass for Sunday.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent, Dec. 21, Masses will be at 8:30 and 11 a.m. (livestreamed) and 5:30 p.m. Confessions will be heard 9:30-11 a.m.
During the Fourth Week of Advent, daily Mass will be celebrated at 7:15 a.m. and noon Dec. 22-23, with the noon Mass livestreamed. Confessions will be heard 6:30-7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with extra confessors at midday.
There will be no 7:15 a.m. Mass on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. There will be a noon Mass, but it will not be livestreamed. Confessions will be heard 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Christmas Mass schedule at the cathedral begins with the livestreamed 4:30 p.m. Mass on Dec. 24, celebrated by Bishop Edward Malesic. There will be a choral concert at 9:15 p.m., followed by the Christmas Mass at Night at 10 p.m., celebrated by Father Damian Ference, cathedral parochial vicar.
On Christmas Day, Father Joe Mamich, cathedral pastor, will celebrate Mass at 8:30 a.m. and Father Ference will celebrate the 11 a.m. Mass, which will be livestreamed. There are no afternoon or evening Masses or confessions on Christmas Day.
There will be only one Mass at noon (livestreamed) on Dec. 26. No confessions will be heard that day.
On Dec. 27, the patronal feast of the cathedral, confessions will be heard 3-4 p.m. The 4:30 p.m. Mass is the vigil Mass for the feast of the Holy Family.
Dec. 28, the feast of the Holy Family, Masses will be at 8:30 and 11 a.m. (livestreamed). The 5:30 p.m. Mass, celebrated by Bishop Malesic, will mark the closing of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. It also will be livestreamed.
Mass will be celebrated at 7:15 a.m. and noon (livestreamed) on Dec. 29-30. Confessions will be heard 6:30-7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
On Dec. 31, there is a Mass at noon, but it will not be livestreamed. There also are no confessions that day. The 4:30 p.m. vigil Mass, which will be celebrated by Father Mamich, is for the feast of Mary, Mother of God, which is a holy day of obligation.
Jan. 1, 2026, Father Ference will celebrate Mass at 8:30 a.m. and Father Mamich will celebrate the 11 a.m. Mass (livestreamed). There will be no confessions that day.
The normal daily Mass schedule, 7:15 and noon (livestreamed) resumes on Jan. 2, 2026, with confessions heard 6:30-7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The regular Mass schedule will be followed that weekend for the Epiphany of the Lord, celebrated on Jan. 4, 2026. The vigil Mass will be at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 3, 2026. The Sunday Mass schedule will be 9:30 and 11 a.m. (livestreamed) and 5:30 p.m.
The TV Mass will be broadcast as usual, at 10 a.m. Dec. 21 and 28 and Jan. 4, 2026 on WUAB Channel 43. Cox Cable subscribers can tune in to the Sunday Mass at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Channel 45.
The Christmas Day TV Mass will be broadcast at 8 a.m. on Channel 43 and at 9 a.m. on Channel 19.
Click here to access the livestreamed Masses from the cathedral and to view archived liturgies.
Photos used with this story feature volunteers, including several Saint Ignatius High School students, who helped decorate the cathedral for the upcoming Christmas season.