AN EARLY ADVENT SEASON CHRISTMAS PARTY............

Call me a purist when it comes to liturgical seasons and holidays, but as a seminarian and a priest I have tried to as best as possible over the past three decades to keep the observance of the celebrations of the Church as close to the dates and within the seasons as they are designated.  Thus Advent activities during Advent; Christmas events, during the two weeks plus of the Christmas Season; et al...and anniversaries of any commemoration on the actual date, or as close to it as possible.  Not that the wider world and even the Church makes that always possible to do socially, given human and societal realities. Tonight will be one of those exceptions to my usual practice.  The Mercy McMahon Terrace Christmas Party is this evening from 5:30-7:30 p.m., and as a current resident, though involuntarily and unnecessarily so, I will attend joining the other residents and their families in socializing and celebrating the Spirit of the Advent and Christmas Season(s).  As December fills quickly with parties, and other celebratory events in the pre Christmas Day countdown thus it becomes increasingly understandable how even Catholic-Christian organizations, institutions, and ministries, schedule earlier than later Christmas events like tonight's.  I am also a realist about these things, what is, is - especially after believing, advocating, and proposing, that parish / parochial school Christmas activities such as Christmas concerts and socials be scheduled in early January during the actual Christmas Season, as well as during the December before Christmas vacations start.  Food for thought as we proceed with Advent this year and the Coming of Christmas once again. 5:04 p.m. ............tdp

7:03 p.m. -  Chef Tony and the MMT Staff prepared and provided a trul;y wonderful Christmas Party celebration complete with a sumptuous buffet, hors duevres, desserts, beer, wine, apple cider, egg nog, and coffe.  A band, and ather Christmas and the Mrs., too !!  Plenty of family members of residents were present too.  Joann Smolich and I, \sat and dined with fellow resident Alice Stine and her two daughters, who attend annually...........tdp