|
Cave Creek Catholics encounter Holy Family in 'A Night in Bethlehem'
By Janice L. Semmel, news@catholicsun.org
January 1, 2009
CAVE CREEK — With children of all ages donning angels’ wings, shepherds’ cloaks and kings’ crowns, the bustling life of Bethlehem came to life for St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish Dec. 13.
“We planned to keep ‘A Night in Bethlehem’ reverent,” said Roxanna Clower, the parish’s director of formation who dressed as Rowena, the innkeeper’s wife, for the event.
“Cactus Shadows High School loaned us the costumes so that everyone could look like authentic citizens of Bethlehem,” Clower said. “We made the angel costumes from material the church had.”
Banners of the 12 tribes of Israel waved in the wind from the patio roof, which covered the mock-marketplace. It consisted of the moneychangers and shops manned by costumed merchants selling jewelry, dreidels, baked goods and spices.
Children visited the moneychangers to exchange paper money for silver coins so they could make and buy items from the shops.
“Welcome to the marketplace of Bethlehem,” bellowed Cathy Rogers, a moneychanger for the night and the coordinator of adult formation.
Rogers said merchants accepted quarters and dimes and allowed for some bartering in the sale of necklaces, dreidels, bread or spices. Rogers also sold small and large pieces of fake gold.
Royal soldiers with helmets, swords and shields roamed through the crowd, visited the shops, accosted the moneychangers and accompanied the tax collector.
Parishioners relaxed at tables sipping hot chocolate, talking with friends and family and taking in the sights of Bethlehem.
“I’ve been here since day one,” parishioner Joan Hamm said. “But I love it now. This is fantastic.”
Children dressed as angels and even associate pastor Fr. José Jesús López, who sported a pair of sheep ears, wandered through the crowd chatting with parishioners.
A winding walkway led to the stable marked by a bright star where visitors beheld Mary and Baby Jesus, played by Sara Drake and her baby brother Joshua, as well as Joseph, played by Scott Warren.
The crowd was treated to the innkeeper’s explanation of the baby’s birth in the stable and a mention or two about visions of angels and predictions of wise men from the east and their imminent arrival.
“The archangel Gabriel came down and told us she would have a very special child,” said Rowena. “I don’t know if it’s true or not, but she was heavy with child when she got here.”
“No sooner did they get there than she had the babe. So she might be tired,” continued Rowena. “But isn’t it a lovely family?”
As the angel choir sang “Away in the Manger” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” the sheep bleated and wandered away into the night.
“Oh, there are such wonderful things going on in the town. Go into the town,” Rowena said. “Let this poor couple rest.”
Parishioners broke up and went back to the patio or visited with friends before leaving.
Clower hopes to make this an annual event especially since an older couple came to her and said, “Thank you for doing this for us.”
|
