Parishes around the Diocese carry on the Simbang Gabi tradition

July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.

The Filipino Christmas tradition of preparing for the Birth of Jesus, known as “Simbang Gabi,” in Tagalog, and “Misa de Gallo,” or “Mass of the Rooster” in Spanish, is a series of nine dawn Masses that begin as early as 4 a.m. in mid-December and ending at midnight Dec. 24 with Midnight Mass.

This tradition began to allow the farmers to hear Mass before going to the fields early in the morning. The church bells would start ringing as early as 3 a.m. waking people up so they could get ready for the 4 a.m. Mass.

The Roman Catholic churches across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn to welcome the faithful to the “Simbang Gabi Mass.”

The following is a listing of Masses scheduled throughout the Trenton Diocese:

Burlington County

Dec. 12-20, Sacred Heart, 260 High St., Mount Holly. Mass to be celebrated each evening at 7 p.m.

Dec. 6-13, St. Charles Borromeo, 2500 Branch Pike, Cinnaminson. Mass to be celebrated at dawn at 5:30 a.m. The closing Mass will be celebrated Dec. 14 at 5 p.m.

Mercer County

A Novena of Masses will be celebrated in the following parishes at 7 p.m.

Dec. 15 • St. Paul Church, 214 Nassau St., Princeton

Dec. 16 • Holy Angels Church, 1733 South Broad St., Hamilton

Dec. 17 • St. Gregory the Great Church, 4620 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square

Dec. 18 • St. Vincent de Paul Church, 555 Yardville-Allentown Rd, Yardville

Dec. 19 • Incarnation-St. James Church, 1545 Pennington Rd., Ewing

Dec. 20 • St. Raphael Church, 3500 South Broad St., Hamilton

Dec. 21 • St. Anthony of Padua Church, 251 Franklin St., Hightstown

Dec. 22 • St. David the King Church, 1 New Village Rd., West Windsor

Dec. 23 • St. Ann Church, 1253 Lawrenceville Rd., Lawrenceville

Monmouth County

Dec. 15 • Holy Family Church, 727 State Rt. 36, Union Beach, Rosary, 6:30 p.m.; Mass, 7 p.m.

Dec. 16 • St. Rose of Lima Church, 16 Mclean St., Freehold, Rosary, 6:30 p.m.; Mass, 7 p.m.

Dec. 17 • St. Veronica Church, 4215 U.S. Hwy 9, Howell, Rosary, 7:30 p.m., Mass, 8 p.m.

Dec. 18 • St. Catherine of Siena Church, 31 Asbury Ave., Farmingdale, Rosary, 6:30 p.m., Mass, 7 p.m.

Dec. 19 • St. William the Abbot Church, 2740 Lakewood-Allenwood Rd., Howell, Rosary, 7:30 p.m., Mass, 8 p.m.

Dec. 20 • Holy Innocents Church, 3455 West Bangs Ave., Neptune, Rosary, 6:30 p.m., Mass, 7 p.m.

Dec. 21 • St. James Church, 30 Peters Place, Red Bank, Rosary, 6:30 p.m., Mass, 7 p.m.

Dec. 22 • Holy Trinity Church, 408 Prospect St., Long Branch, Rosary 6:30 p.m., Mass, 7 p.m.

Dec. 23 • St. Dorothea Church, 240 Broad St., Eatontown, Rosary, 6:30 p.m., Mass, 7 p.m.

Ocean County

Except for Dec. 19, all other celebrations begin with recitation of the Rosary at 7 p.m. with Mass following at 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 11 • St. Joseph Church, 685 Hooper Ave., Toms River

Dec. 12 • St. Luke Church, 1674 Old Freehold Rd., Toms River

Dec. 13 • St. Monica Church, 679 W. Veterans Hwy., Jackson

Dec. 14 • St. Luke Church, 1674 Old Freehold Rd., Toms River

Dec. 15 • St. John Church, 619 Chestnut St., Lakehurst

Dec. 16 • St. Barnabas Church, 33 Woodland Rd., Bayville

Dec. 17 • St. Mary of the Pines Church, 100 Bishop Lane, Manahawkin

Dec. 18 • St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 30 Schoolhouse Rd., Whiting

Dec. 19 • St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 130 St. Maximilian Lane, Toms River.

Recitation of the Rosary, 4:30 p.m., Mass, 5 p.m. Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., will be the celebrant of the Mass.

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