Events preview Christ’s dawning at Christmas

People across the archdiocese have been preparing for Christmas – individually and with schools, parishes and organizations.

Here are just two examples of worship and gift-giving as the holy day draws near:

HONORING MARY, AWAITING JESUS

Father Will Targy, associate pastor of the Holy Spirit Catholic Family of parishes, celebrated an ancient Advent Mass on Dec. 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, at St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Church in Osmond.

The church was adorned with candles, one of the few sources of light at the Rorate Mass, which draws its Latin name from the first words of a line from Scripture: “Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above and let the clouds rain down the Just One” (Isaiah 45:8).

Traditionally, the Rorate Mass is held on a Saturday before dawn to emphasize Jesus, the Light of the World, entering the world’s darkness.

At St. Mary of the Seven Dolors, the Mass was held at night, on a different occasion to honor the Mother of God. About 75 worshipers attended. A reception with cookies, coffee and hot cocoa followed the Mass. 

Some hymns sung at St. Mary were traditional for the Rorate Mass, and many honored Mary and her role in Salvation.

The Rorate Mass is celebrated by Father Will Targy, associate pastor of the Holy Spirit Catholic Family of parishes, at St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Church in Osmond. COURTESY PHOTO

Extra candles to light up the church were supplied by other members of the family of parishes.

“The soft light around us isn’t simply a decoration,” Father Targy said in his homily. “It’s a sign that in the darkness of the world” God sent Mary “to bear the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.”

The Mass “was absolutely stunning,” said Melissa Lind, an organist and choir leader at St. Mary of the Seven Dolors. “People are still talking about it.”

She said one woman who braved the bitter cold and snow that evening told her the Mass was “a little slice of Heaven.”

“I, myself, didn’t want to leave,” Lind said. “It was so lovely.”

LEARNING, CREATING, ASSEMBLING

Third-graders at St. Margaret Mary School in Omaha partnered with the Serra Club of Omaha to prepare Christmas gift bags for archdiocese seminarians on Dec. 18.

Several Serra club board members and Father Jim Keiter, the new pastor at St. Margaret Mary Parish, were on hand to help.

COURTESY PHOTO

The students created Christmas cards to include in the gift bags, which they helped assemble. They also learned about the seminarians, daily life in a seminary and the mission of the Serrans to promote and support vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.

“They asked wonderful questions and were delighted to learn that one of these seminarians might very well teach them someday,” said Adam Herink, vice president of vocation recruitment and parish ministries for Serra Club of Omaha.

COURTESY PHOTO

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