"Father, we need this."
A parishioner at Saint Joseph Parish in Lucinda said this to their pastor in response to the plan to hold a series of evenings of Eucharistic worship in collaboration with two other parishes in their region. It was to be an intersection of Advent preparation through music, prayer, and fellowship and an opportunity for further Eucharistic understanding in this time of Eucharistic Revival. The music would be provided by Catholic musician/singer John Finch and his team, who were invited to lead worship and Eucharistic Adoration.
The plan was to hold three worship evenings during mid-December of 2022 at three parishes: Holy Redeemer Parish in Warren, Saint Boniface Parish in Kersey, and Saint Joseph Parish in Lucinda. Mass in celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe would be held at Holy Redeemer prior to worship and fellowship. The pastors of these three parishes believe there is a need for a deeper Eucharistic fervor within their parishes and that these evenings would help to foster that fervor within those who attend.
To help make this multi-parish event possible, Fr. Stephen Schreiber, pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, applied for a grant from the Catholic Foundation on behalf of the three parishes. Holy Redeemer Parish was awarded a $6,000 grant in support of this project. This grant application was particularly appealing to the Foundation because of the broad parish collaboration involved.
The Advent evenings of Eucharistic worship were a success with individuals of all ages and stages of involvement in the Church attending, including catechumens, candidates, and teens who had travelled to the National Catholic Youth Conference the previous month. Participants from all three parishes stated they would like to do it again, and Fr. Schreiber happily confirmed witnessing “very profound prayer and worship taking place in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament!”
Because this was a multi-parish event, the three pastors and their staff came together establishing good communication and cooperation to plan the details. Fr. Schreiber said this was a good experience for them. While a large project like this is time-consuming and labor-intensive for all involved, the outcome is worth it. “The Holy Spirit really moves people through such undertakings. Music touches hearts for the Lord!” Fr. Schreiber reflects.
Fr. Schreiber sent heartfelt thanks to the Catholic Foundation and donors on behalf of the three parishes. “Our Catholic Foundation grant allowed us to bring John Finch and his talented team to our parishes during Advent 2022 for three evenings of joyful music, profound Eucharistic Adoration, and beautiful fellowship. We are so very grateful! Your sacrificial gifts have made a real difference in the lives of our parish families. God bless you!”
This project was supported by a grant from the Education Endowment of the Catholic Foundation. Your gift to the Foundation in any amount designated for this endowment increases our capacity to award grants for impactful projects and programming throughout northwest Pennsylvania.
“The Holy Spirit really moves people through such undertakings. Music touches hearts for the Lord!”