Oh, holy night

Torus Tammer

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The calendar event of the year for the Sts. Simon

& Jude Catholic Church happens Sunday.

Father Christian Mondor, the church’s vicar, said this banner occasion

is a large undertaking, adding that Christmas Eve holds in store a lot of

work for many people behind the scenes -- who will be busy organizing the

logistics for services beginning at 4 p.m., running every two hours and

culminating with midnight Mass.

“Our traditional midnight Mass attracts huge crowds,” Mondor said. “We

get a number somewhere in the vicinity of 1,500 people, but we only hold

a capacity of 1,200.”

He added the 300-person overflow is accommodated by being put in the

parish hall, where the regular church band is set up to perform.

Churchgoers will have a special treat in store at the midnight service

as the full Sts. Simon & Jude choir will perform. Beginning at 11:20

p.m., the performance will feature, in addition to 100 voices, an

orchestral accompaniment of a harp and organ.

Geri Flood is the church’s bulletin editor, but because of the demand

for many helping hands during the holiday season, Flood has had on

occasion assisted Mark Purcell, the director of music ministry, and

parish conductor Gary Busby.

Flood, who has been able to take care of the more tedious duties like

copying and collating, said a lot of work is put into organizing the

special day.

“Both Purcell and Busby really work hard putting the music together,”

Flood said. “They start working on this about six to eight weeks before

Christmas.”

Church officials also said they’ve held a midnight Mass for close to

30 years, and it has just continued to thrive over that period of time.

This has created a necessity for variety in services, Mondor said.

“For instance, we have the 4 p.m Christmas Eve Mass for toddlers and

their parents because they can’t be present at the later Masses,” Mondor

said. “And for those who want to avoid the midnight Mass crowd, I will be

performing the less crowded 10 p.m. Mass.”

FYI

Sts. Simon & Jude Catholic Church is at 20444 Magnolia St., Huntington

Beach. (714) 962-3333.