Blessing Your Home on the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

What is "Chalking Our Doors?"

Sunday, January 7, 2024, is the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, one of the oldest of all Christian feasts. It is also known as Three Kings’ Day. It commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child.

Marking our doorways with blessed chalk is a centuries-old Epiphany custom and visible way to dedicate our homes and the New Year to God.

The inscription this year is:

20 + C + M + B + 24

“20” and “24” stand for the new year (2024), of course. The plus signs represent the Cross. CMB are the first initials of the traditional names given to the Magi — Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. They also abbreviate the Latin Christus mansionem benedicat, or “May Christ bless the house.”

To mark your home, you will need two things: Chalk that has been blessed by a priest and a prayer.

We will have blessed chalk for you at the entrance of the church during the Jan. 6-7, 2024 weekend Masses.

Blessing Your Home

As you prepare to mark the front door or porch, say the following:

The Three Wise Men, Casper, Melchior and Balthasar, followed the star of God’s Son who became human 2,022 years ago. May Christ bless our home and be with us throughout the New Year. Amen.

Then, as you make the marks, offer the following prayer:

Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of Your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of Your love. Grant that we may manifest Your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of You. Guide, comfort and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.

Note: The chalk you use has been blessed and should be treated as such. If you no longer have a use for your chalk, you may return it to the office, or bury it into the ground.

Weekday Confessions & Mass Schedule

Monday through Thursday

Confessions: 8:00am

Mass: 8:30am

Join us Thursday's after the 8:30am Mass as we pray the Holy Rosary (Led by the Women of St. Margaret Mary).

Please check the Mass schedule daily, as last minute

changes can occur due to bad weather, or Father Cook being called away on an emergency.

Weekend Confession & Mass Schedule

Weekday Confessions & Mass Schedule

SATURDAY VIGIL

CONFESSION & MASS TIME

Confession: 3:30pm-4:00pm

(Last penitent must be in confessional by 4pm)

Mass: 4:30pm

SUNDAY

8:30am (Incense)

11:00am (No Incense)

1:00pm (Spanish; Incense)

2024 Holy Days of Obligation

Holy days of obligation are days on which the faithful are obliged to go to Mass, unless excused for a serious reason such as illness or disability, the care of infants or care for others who are ill, or prevented through no fault of their own (see Catechism of the Catholic Church 2180-2181). In the Diocese of Charlotte, Roman Catholics have the following holy days of obligation:

All Sundays
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God – always celebrated January 1, and a holy day of obligation unless it falls on a Saturday or a Monday
Ascension of the Lord – transferred from the Thursday of the sixth week of Easter to the seventh Sunday of Easter
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – always celebrated August 15, and a holy day of obligation unless it falls on a Saturday or a Monday
All Saints Day – always celebrated November 1, and a holy day of obligation unless it falls on a Saturday or a Monday
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – always celebrated December 8
Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) – always celebrated December 25

Also, these two holy days have been permanently transferred to Sundays in the Diocese of Charlotte:

Epiphany of the Lord – transferred to the first Sunday after January 1
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) – transferred to the second Sunday after Pentecost