This 3-day parish retreat includes an evening of reflection and dance, an evening of Lessons & Carols and a Day of Recollection. RSVP for Day of Recollection here.
Day 1: Reflection and Dance: “Praying the O Antiphons” is an evening of prayerful reflection and meditation based around the seven traditional Advent hymns drawn from the Book of Isaiah called the “O Antiphons.” The integration of music, text, silence, and dance is intended to prepare our minds, hearts, and bodies to encounter Christ at His Nativity.
The event will include a talk by Fr. Michael Shami, and seven dances, one for each Antiphon, by local professional dancers, pre-professional dance students, students from Mishawaka Catholic School and our St. Joseph Parish Religious Education classes. Each piece will be accompanied by a written reflection on the corresponding Antiphon, and by a prompt for a simple physical gesture, engaging both the mind and the body to prepare for the Divine’s entrance into the physical world.”
Thursday, December 14- 6:30pm St. Joseph Mishawaka School Gym, Featured Speaker: Rev. Michael Shami
Day 2: Lessons & Carols: Our annual Festival of Lessons and Carols- a Traditional Festival of Word and Song. We will listen to readings from the old testament announce the promise of the coming Messiah and follow this story through the Gospels with the birth of Christ. Interspersed will be beautiful choral music sung by the Adult Choir, Gregorian Chant Schola, and children’s choirs of the Parish as well as congregational singing of hymns and carols. No RSVP needed.
Friday, December 15- 6:30pm St. Joseph Mishawaka Church
Day 3: Day of Recollection: RSVP here. By virtue of their baptism, all Christians, lay and ordained, are co-responsible for the Church’s eucharistic mission and action. In the context of our Advent Day of Recollection, Dr. John Cavadini will speak on the topic, Co-Responsibility and the Church’s Eucharistic Mission and Action. His talk will help us reflect on and respond to a renewed appreciation for the baptismal priesthood on the basis of which we are invited to consider co-responsibility as a model for active participation in the Church’s eucharistic mission and action.
John C. Cavadini is the McGrath-Cavadini Director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, and Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. In 2009, Professor Cavadini was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve a five-year term on the International Theological Commission, and in 2018, he received the Monika K. Hellwig Award for Outstanding Contribution to Catholic Intellectual Life. Dr. Cavadini and his family are parishioners at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, South Bend.
Saturday, December 16- 9:00am-12:30pm, St. Joseph Mishawaka Church and School, Featured Speaker: John C. Cavadini, Ph.D.