December 11: Convivum Marianum: A prayerful contemplation on the Blessed Virgin Mary in Scripture and Song.

To honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Gregory's Hall hosted a special lessons and carols service that reflected on episodes from her life. 

Readings and prayers covered the Immaculate Conception, Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Presentation, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Coronation, complemented by beautiful Marian carols in Latin and English.

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The service was an opportunity to dwell more deeply on our veneration of Mary in the feasts of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) and Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12). It also opened new avenues of spiritual preparation for the coming of our Lord on Christmas.

Bishop Mark Bartosic presided and offered a thoughtful exhortation, with personal reflections inspired by the William Butler Yeats poem "The Mother of God." Composer-in-Residence Kevin Allen directed a choir of professional singers, and the lessons were read by Susan Silvano, Dan Lagacy, Eleanor Schneider, Mark Franzen, Deacon Bede Thigpen, OFM Conv., Fr. Bob Cook, OFM Conv., and Bishop Joseph Perry. 

Attendees enjoyed a festive reception in the parish social hall afterwards. Thank you to everyone who made this beautiful evening possible! What a fitting way to venerate the Queen of Heaven!

You can listen to the recordings of the music from the service here.