The faith community of San Buenaventura Mission welcomes all who visit our historic Mission and who join us in our liturgical celebrations. Visitors are welcomed in a special way at Sunday Mass and receive a remembrance prayer card.  All are welcome at the Mission.

This past weekend was truly an historic celebration for San Buenaventura Mission and of course for the entire state of California as we commemorated Blessed Junipero Serra's 300th birthday. We had an overflow of parishioners at the 6:30 PM bilingual Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gomez and the pastors from Mission Santa Ines and Mission Santa Barbara. The bilingual Mass enabled our entire parish to participate in worship and praise rarely seen by our parishioners. The cake and the camaraderie in the garden following all the weekend's Masses were a fitting end to very special days in the history of our 231 year-old mission. Thank you to the many volunteers who helped make this celebration prayerful and memorable.

The month of December will be no less memorable given the full slate of events as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. At San Buenaventura Mission we host festivities that will make the season even more joyous:

• On Friday, December 6 beginning at 5:00 PM the Tree Lighting ceremony will feature a live nativity and choirs performing songs of the season.
• Then Saturday and Sunday (December 7 & 8) our second annual nativity-crèche display will follow after all the Masses in the Bonaventure Room. For those of you who attended the display last year, you know the beauty of the sets that are provided for viewing by our parishioners. The nativity set up is on Saturday morning from 9 AM to noon.
• The Advent Penance Service will be held on Wednesday, December 11 at 7:00 PM.
• The Solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be celebrated on Thursday, December 12 beginning with a 5:00 AM Las Mañanitas and Mass followed by a Menudo breakfast. At 6:00 PM there will be a procession from the church along Main and Palm Streets to O'Brien Hall for a bilingual Mass followed by chocolate and pan dulce.
• The Las Posadas celebration will take place each evening between December 16 and 23 at 7:00 PM.

Although not part of our formal church activities, there will be music in the Mission on Tuesday, December 10 at 7:00 PM by the Master Children's Choir.  The Pacific Shores Adult Chorale will perform on Friday, December 20 at 8 PM and again on Sunday, December 22 at 5 PM.

All of the above events and the Christmas Mass schedule are also highlighted on our website under the Advent-Christmas Schedule.

"Siempre Adelante: United in the love of God as a Mission Family."

Shalom.

Downtown Ventura's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in front of the Mission is back! Enjoy caroling from local choirs, live Nativity by Holy Cross School, meet Santa, countdown to the lighting of the Mission's historic (c. 1880's) Millennium Norfolk pines.

"Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!"

 An annual public event to kick off the Christmas Season in Downtown Ventura.                      

 Main Street will be closed in front of the Mission.

 Friday, December 6 (Feast of St. Nicholas) 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM  

You are cordially invited to attend...

Christmas Mass at San Buenaventura Mission