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A parishioner prays during Spanish mass, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Petaluma. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
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A parishioner prays during Spanish mass, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Petaluma. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
For parishioners at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Petaluma, advent services provide comfort and strength for the faithful attending mass on the days before Christmas.
Following this particular Spanish mass on Dec. 20, a new church member, Leticia Flores, received the blessing of a newborn from associate pastor Father Mauricio Rodriguez as she’s held in her parents’ arms.
In Hispanic cultures, Christmas Eve or Nochebuena is the centerpiece of the holiday; families typically gather for a festive dinner and stay up until midnight to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Midnight masses are also a widespread tradition for the occasion. In the Santa Rosa area the Cathedral of St. Eugene, St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and Holy Spirit Catholic Church offered services at 12 a.m. Christmas day.
