Immaculate Conception plans Feast of Life

By JULIE KEANE, Globe staff reporter
March 25, 2004

Immaculate Conception Parish in Sioux City will bring the Gospel of Luke alive this Lenten season with a Feast of Life celebration that will incorporate music, skits and instrumental performances to help those attending understand the importance of Jesus' life and resurrection.

"The Feast of Life takes some of the stories from the gospel of Luke, and Marty Haugen, who writes a lot of our music at church, has written music that accompanies the stories," said Sister Joellen Price, pastoral minister at Immaculate Conception. "We gather around the table and talk about the birth of Jesus and that he was sent forth to send the good news and it tells a little about the passion and takes us past the resurrection."

The Feast of Life is under direction of Tom Gerking and Sister Julie Tebbe. Haugen, parishioner of Immaculate Conception, composed musical pieces to illustrate the Gospel stories of Luke. Gary Daigle also composed some of the music that will be presented in the Feast of Life celebration. Two of the musical pieces, Come to Us, Emmanuel and Look on Us, Savior, try to capture Jesus' birth and death. The music will be sung by 40 adult choir members and 20 fourth grade students from Mater Dei.

There will also be instrumental pieces performed during the Feast of Life by 12 musicians. The Feast of Life will also have eight narrators guiding the audience through the performance.

Participants in the Feast of Life have met each Wednesday night since Ash Wednesday to practice. The fourth grade students have been meeting each Friday morning to practice their singing and rehearsing their roles for the Feast of Life. The forth grade students participating will also be acting out parables from the gospel. Some of the Scripture parables that will be featured in the Feast of Life will be the lost sheep, lost coin, prodigal son and the good Samaritan

"They (fourth graders) can't get enough of it," Sister Julie said. "We keep giving them different roles to play, and they keep wanting to do more. It is a real energizing thing. You can just tell that they are totally singing from their hearts and are happy to be a part of this."

Sister Joellen said that she hopes people attending will leave the Feast of Life and remember what they say and heard each time they hear or read that same Scripture.

"We listen to the Scripture stories every Sunday, but once you become involved with them I am sure the next time you hear the stories at Mass images of the children acting those stories out and the adults singing will come back to the people's mind," Sister Joellen Price said.

Sister Julie said that she hopes the Feast of Life is something that Immaculate Conception can host each year.

"It is so appropriate during the season of Lent when it is natural for us to be more reflective," Sister Julie said. "I hope that those attending experience the community that has been brought about during this process. It has been a real bonding experience and people are energized by what is happening."

Immaculate Conception will host two performances on April 4 at 2 p.m. April at 7 p.m. Anyone who would like to attend the Feast of Life is welcome to come.