Finding Christ in the Darkness
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The Christmas season can be particularly difficult for those facing mental health challenges, illness, or grief.
To honor these experiences, we invite you and others to explore the Blue Christmas Service—a special time for reflection,
support, and community connection.
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During this season, it is vital to acknowledge the realities of
mental health issues and the impact they can have on
individuals and families.A Blue Christmas Service provides a safe space where
these struggles are recognized and addressed within the
context of worship.By incorporating mental health awareness into our services,
we encourage a culture of openness and acceptance.
The Church plays a crucial role in ministering to those affected
by mental health challenges, providing a supportive
environment where all individuals can feel welcomed.
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A Call to Pray
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In the words of Pope Francis, we come together to remember
those living with mental health challenges and their families by praying for their well-being, ensuring that they are never alone
or marginalized but embraced by a caring community.
The Blue Christmas Service invites individuals and families
seeking solace and understanding during the holiday season
by initiating a meaningful gathering that fosters hope and connection amid what can be a particularly challenging time.
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People who are facing a mental health challenge, illness, or grief often find the Christmas season a difficult time. Coinciding with the winter solstice, a longest night service, sometimes called a Blue Christmas service, acknowledges those difficulties and offers prayer, hymns, and reflection to accompany people who are suffering during the Christmas season. It can be a somber yet hopeful Mass or the service can be organized as a Taize prayer service with reflections in between songs and hymns.
St. Thomas More Parish in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, offers the longest night service. The prayer service opened with this introduction: "It is the winter solstice, the day that we spend more time under the night sky than in daylight. For many of us, the days will not brighten tomorrow. Loss, grief, loneliness, and disruption darken our hearts and our days. Tonight, we invite you to pray in that darkness. Through scripture and song, we will share our suffering and distress with our God and with each other. We will ask for peace."
To download the program used at this service, click here.
Santa Teresa Parish, Diocese of San Jose, CA
Sample Blue Christmas Bulletin Announcement
The Sisters of St. Joseph, Baden, PA
Blue Christmas Worship Aid
Blue Christmas Script
Website link to Blue Christmas Prayer Service
Diocese of Scranton, Northeast PA Mental Health Ministry Chapter
Blue Christmas Service Promotional Image (2023)
Blue Christmas Service Promotional Image (2023)
Blue Christmas Service Promotional Image (2024)
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Tips to Take Care of Your Mental Health During the Holidays
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Join the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers
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