St. Anthony, Kailua, parishioners gather in the parish hall after Mass for their first Advent by Candlelight dinner, Dec. 2. Each table was identified by one of the titles of Mary such as Queen of Peace.
To begin the Advent season, St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Kailua celebrated its first Advent by Candlelight dinner Saturday, Dec. 2, a new event introduced by parishioners Brad and Kim Matheny who had experienced it many years ago in their parish in Peachtree City, Georgia. Kim Matheny writes:
We knew we had to do something different, something to create excitement for this upcoming Advent Season, something to light a spark in our faith community and we do believe this mission was accomplished! Over 200 people joined us for this wonderful evening and many said they were already discussing attending next year!
On Saturday morning we were met with a parish hall of plain white tables, but by late afternoon, the room was transformed into an elegant and beautiful space filled with uniquely decorated tables. The enthusiasm and excitement for this event was evident in the care each host took in setting the perfect table in honor of our Blessed Mother and the joy that shined through each as they shared faith, food and fellowship with their guests. It was exciting to watch guests arrive and “tour” the tables. Many couldn’t get over how the hall had been transformed into this magical scene.
We asked fellow parishioners to host a table for eight. This included choosing a Marian title for their table, setting and decorating a table and inviting guests or allowing us to seat guests at their table. To keep the intimacy of the evening, each guest was asked to bring a heavy pupu to share with their table. As the name suggests, the room was lit only by the candles and festive lights on each table as well as the overhead Christmas lights.
The evening began with Mass in church followed by fellowship and the meal in the hall. Returning to the church, we were blessed with faith sharing by fellow parishioner and renowned speaker Maxine Pollock of Scrub Bucket Ministries. Maxine reminded us of Mary’s importance in our lives and the beautiful gift she provided each of us when she said “Yes” to God.
A poignant moment resonated with many when Maxine reminded us how important it is that we empty ourselves and allow God to fill us. If we are full of ourselves, God cannot do his work in us. This was the perfect gift at the start of the Advent season.
We look forward to repeating this celebration next year and hope this will inspire other parishes to host a similar event. If you would like more information, call St. Anthony Parish office at 266-2222.
