Diocesan Advent Retreat to be Dec. 2
SALT LAKE CITY — Advent – those three weeks before Christmas that are filled with parties and preparation for the birth of Christ – is commonly called a season of hope. The question is, what do Catholic mean when they say ‘hope’?
The answer to that question will be explored by Father Joseph Delka, parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Ogden, during the Dec. 2 diocesan Advent retreat.
Fr. Delka will direct a retreat in English and Fr. Christopher Gray, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, will present a retreat in Spanish.
Advent is a particularly apt time to talk about hope, “seeing as we are preparing for the coming of Christ, who we say is the fulfillment of our hope,” Fr. Delka said. Among the many themes in Advent, the theological virtue of hope “comes out rather strongly, and is an important one for all of us as Christians,” he said.
In his presentation, Fr. Delka plans to explore the meaning of the coming of Christ, who was born as a child 2,000 years ago. That event “does have an impact in our lives here and now,” he said. “It can change our lives, especially through that virtue of hope, which I’m going to be centering on.”
The Advent retreat will offer an opportunity to pause amid the social frenzy of the season and focus on the faith aspect, Fr. Delka said.
The weeks before Christmas often are filled with holiday events with family and friends, and “those are important. They have their place, certainly, but we can get so caught up in the busyness of the season … that I think we actually end up missing Advent, we miss what it has to teach us,” Fr. Delka said. “A retreat gives us a second to pause, to look at what the season is about, what the Church is trying to teach us through the season of Advent, through the readings,” and also offers the opportunity to prepare spiritually for Christmas and the coming of Christ.
The retreat will be geared for a general audience, and the material will be suitable for everyone from pre-teenagers to adults, he said. For those who wish to prepare for the retreat, he suggested reading the Scriptures passages for the Masses during Advent, praying, and watching the “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
The retreat day will begin with the English session followed by a Mass at which Bishop Oscar A. Solis will preside.
The Mass, which will be bilingual English/Spanish, will be an opportunity for fellowship between the Spanish- and English-speaking communities. The Spanish session of the retreat, led by Fr. Gray, will follow the Mass.
The image of the Lamb of God as it appears in the Book of Revelation will be the basis of Fr. Gray’s retreat.
“The Lamb of God, as the image in the Revelation of St. John the Apostle, reminds us of Christ’s innocence; he sacrificed for us and saved us on the Holy Cross,” said Fr. Gray, who will also speak about how Advent fits into the Church calendar.
“Advent is not just a season of waiting for Christmas, it’s a time of preparation,” he said.
WHAT: Diocesan Advent Retreat
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 2, English session – 9-11:30 a.m., Spanish session – 12:30 to 3 p.m., Bilingual Mass – 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 300 East 11800 South, Draper
Fr. Joseph Delka, parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish, Ogden, will present the English session. Fr. Christopher Gray, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, will present the Spanish session. Early-bird registration by Nov. 28 is $5; registration at the door is $8. For information or to register, call the Office of Liturgy, at 801-328-8641 ext. 322 or the Office of Hispanic Ministries, 801-328-8641 ext. 361 or 332.
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