During these last two weeks of Advent, everyone will be preparing for the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. However, with too much of our limited time spent on purchasing gifts, decorating homes and preparing delicious holiday meals, the true meaning of Christmas can somehow get lost in the shuffle. Here is one great suggestion for averting this ever-growing dilemma.

The annual Christmas program at St. Mary Basilica can be the perfect solution for putting all of our holiday woes back in perspective. At 3 p.m. Sunday, a multi-parish celebration, “Lessons and Carols,” will be presented at the historic and magnificent St. Mary Basilica on the corner of South Union and Main streets. This wonderful service dates back to the late 19th Century in England and has been adapted and performed worldwide during the Advent and Christmas seasons for approximately 100 years.

Representatives of the four area Catholic congregations — St. Mary, Holy Family, St. Anne and Assumption — will offer up this celebration featuring nine lessons from the Old and New Testaments interspersed with Christmas music complementing and reinforcing the biblical readings.

The music, coordinated by Patrick Doherty, who is also the director of St. Mary Choir and organist, will be provided by talented individual musicians and various choirs from the participating parishes. Doherty, who is also co-director of this program, wants to include everyone, so the congregation will be invited to join in with age-old Christmas carols as they raise their voices “to make joyful noise unto the Lord.”

St. Mary has an elevator for easy access, and a nursery will be provided in the Family Life Center across the street from the church for infants and children up to three years of age. A reception will follow at the Rev. David O’Connor Family Life Center which is right across the street from the Basilica. The public is encouraged to attend this up-lifting program which will hopefully bring the true meaning of Christmas to the forefront of our lives. There is no charge.

May everyone who enters the doors of this breath-taking Basilica be awe-inspired by its beauty and humbled by God’s presence.

May Peace and Goodwill enter everyone’s hearts, minds, and souls during one of the holiest seasons of the year.

 

Gwen S. McCalip is co-director and member of St. Mary Basilica.