SAN DIEGO – Social distancing measures and bans on large gatherings make it unlikely that people will be spending the weeks before Christmas in crowded shopping malls, at friends’ parties, or at the sort of holiday events that tend to fill their calendars at this time of year.
But, for Catholics, there may be a silver lining to this: While 2020 has taken a lot from us, it seems to have provided an opportunity to rediscover the spirit of Advent, the four-week period of joyful expectation and preparation that precedes Christmas. This year Advent begins during the Nov. 28-29 weekend and concludes on Dec. 24.
Recognizing that many Catholics could use some help preparing for Advent, three diocesan offices are sponsoring a two-night, virtual event titled “Advent Nights: Rituals in the Domestic Church.”
The webinar in English and Spanish will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. on both Nov. 16 and Nov. 23 via Zoom. It is co-sponsored by the Office for Family Life and Spirituality; the Office for Liturgy and Spirituality; and the Diocesan Institute. It aims to help parish leaders and parents celebrate Advent rituals in their homes.
There will be brief talks on the domestic Church, the ancient Christian concept that every Christian family is a microcosm of the larger Church and that every home should a place of prayer, and on the role of ritual in the domestic Church. Breakout sessions will provide the history of various Advent traditions as well as opportunities for modeling and sharing.
Breakout topics will include St. Nicholas Day, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Jesse Tree, the Advent wreath, the Nativity scene and more.
For more information and to register for Advent Nights, email nmendez@sdcatholic.org or (858) 490-8299. The Zoom link is https://tinyurl.com/AdventNights
