Advent events answer question about true meaning of season

By Kenny Keane, Globe staff reporter
Posted December 19, 2002

Christmas will be here in less than a week. What is on everyone's minds? Perhaps there is some last-minute shopping to be done. Many girls and boys are anxiously waiting to open up their gifts. Santa Claus is coming to town.

Oh yeah, and then there's a little baby boy who's about to be born in the town of Bethlehem.

It shouldn't be that hard to remember him, especially when Dec. 25 bears his name. However, for those who need a little reminder, parishes throughout the diocese are offering special activities during the season of Advent that should provide some clarity.

"I think Christmas has become so commercialized that it's really important to stress the spiritual meaning," said Father Laurence Burns, pastor at St. Matthew Church in Clare. "So getting people to take some time apart from busy activities to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas I think is extremely important."

The Webster County team parishes, which consist of St. Matthew's, St. Joseph Church in Barnum and the three Fort Dodge churches, Sacred Heart, Holy Rosary and Corpus Christi, have combined their efforts with a common bulletin, according to Father Burns.

"We have changed the face of it for Advent with an Advent theme - sort of a reflection for every day of Advent. It gives people a little Scripture to reflect on," he said. "That was sort of our idea of changing the format on the bulletin so that there's a reflection, Scripture, activity or suggestion for each day. We did that with the idea that families would hopefully carry this through at home. That way it wouldn't just be on Sunday."

During the Advent weeks, evening prayer on Tuesday and Thursday has also been offered at all of the Webster County team parishes.

In addition, the newly formed Spiritual Life Committee for the area Catholic parishes of Fort Dodge sponsored a "Family Advent Day" on Nov. 24 at the Sacred Heart parish center for parents and children of the five team parishes.

The day opened with the surprise appearance of St. John the Baptist, played by Thomas Wilson, who sang "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord." He made his way to the crib scene, where he read and sang the Gospel of St. Luke of the nativity.

From there, the families participated in activities at three centers, which featured: the making and blessing of their Advent wreath to take home, the creation of their own Jesse tree ornaments and the re-enactment of the birth of Jesus with children in costume taking parts.

Families moved at their own pace to the centers, ending in the cafeteria to view the video, "Timmy's Gift," while they enjoyed punch and cookies.

Confirmation students Adam Bianchi, Ben Ostrander and Adam Winninger assisted the committee in charge of the day. The event provided an opportunity for families to come together and have fun while preparing for the holy season of Advent.

In comparison, the Trinity Cluster Catholic Churches - Alvord Sacred Heart, Rock Valley St. Mary's and Sioux Center Christ the King - had a similar idea of sharing a common Advent schedule with the theme, "Pray the Wait," which focuses on praying while waiting for the coming of the Lord.

The four weekly themes, which are listed on the front cover of the schedule, are "Wait in Prayer," "Wait with Patience," "Wait with Wisdom and Joy" and "Wait with Anticipation."

This year, Father Eugene Murray, pastor at the three Trinity Cluster parishes, had one family each week bring up the Advent candle at the beginning of Mass, and then he said a prayer as they lit it. According to Leah Cauthron, director of religious education (DRE) at St. Mary's, this drew attention to the Advent wreath and the entire concept of waiting.

"As a mother of five, ages 12 to six weeks, each event from regular Sunday Mass to the parish Christmas party tie my children to their faith and to their church family," Cauthron said. "Each event makes their faith more real to them. So the process of waiting for Christmas becomes fun and not so tedious."

These Advent activities can also help calm down the "harried" feeling that everyone seems to have this time of year, according to Michelle Tapps, DRE for Annunciation Church in Coon Rapids.

"For one thing, it brings the families together at the same place at the same time for the true meaning of Christmas," she said. "It get the whole family involved where normally the kids would just come to CCD, and the parents, if they weren't helping, weren't there. I think it raises the spirit of the season in people and brings more peace around."

A youth Mass kicked off the first week of Advent at Annunciation Church, with students leading a life-size rosary before the service. Some young singers served as cantors, and the students were the liturgical leaders for the Mass.

Annunciation Parish also offered an arts/craft center where students could make decorations for the church, parish hall, Jesse Tree and their families. Then, following Mass on Dec. 22, there will be parish decorating, and all people who attend Mass are invited to join in the fun.

Finally, on Christmas Eve, students will portray the biblical characters in a traditional Christmas crib ceremony, which Tapps said is a big hit every year.

"The students participating in the Mass encourages those who normally don't attend Mass to come. So that's always a good thing," she said. "I think some of the students maybe wouldn't hear the stories and know the traditions in the Catholic Church if we didn't do some of these activities. For those who aren't sure why we do what we do, it brings the answers closer."