Hoboken parishes join together for Advent celebration
Christmas seemed to come early for Central Hudson Deanery 9 of the Archdiocese of Newark. On the final evening of November, parishioners from Our Lady of Grace/St. Joseph, SS Peter and Paul, St. Ann, and St. Francis of Assisi in Hoboken, and St. Lawrence in Weehawken converged on the corner of Willow Avenue and 4th Street in Hoboken at Our Lady of Grace Church.
Young and old alike waited in darkness, watching a line of trees along the side of the church. After a brief welcome from the church’s pastor, Father Alex Santora, Christmas lights clicked on, a creche and two trees illuminated, and a carol of “Oh Come Let Us Adore Him” broke out.
Hosted by Our Lady of Grace, the event kickstarted the first-ever coming together of Deanery 9 parishes for an Advent celebration.
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Following the tree and creche lighting outside, around 50 faithful filed into the spacious, nearly 150-year-old church, took their seats in the wooden pews and filled the old building with song. Father Santora invited people between carols to come up and reflect on the Advent season.
Among them was Father Santora’s vocation director — Msgr. Paul Bochicchio — from when he was ordained a priest in 1982.
Msgr. Bochicchio, Priest in Residence at St. Francis and a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark for 51 years, said that such a coming together of parishes was rare and valued.
“It’s a nice opportunity for the community to get together,” he said. “So seldom do we come together as representatives from all the parishes, and I think we’re sometimes caught up in our own parishes that we forget we’re part of something bigger.
“It’s good to remember that we’re much bigger than our own parish or our own city, but we’re part of the Church, and we’re part of humanity. And moments like this, we become more conscious of that.”
The caroling closed with a rousing rendition of “Joy to the World,” – which, perhaps, was a fitting conclusion. Father Santora noted this gathering was very much “cart before the horse,” with Christmas still weeks away, but that joy is what’s needed now.
“It just puts you in a nice mood. One of the people said he was having a hard day, and this made it better … and with all we’re facing in the world, this season can be a balm for good,” Father Santora said.
After the organ pipes and singing faded, the final sound of the evening was laughter.
Laughter as the children played with toys and munched on cookies following the tree and creche lighting and caroling. Laughter as old friends met and conversed over hot cocoa. The evening exemplified that Advent is a season of coming together in joyful anticipation.
Featured image: Msgr. Paul Bochicchio, Priest in Residence at St. Francis Church in Hoboken, speaks at the deanery Advent celebration at Our Lady of Grace Church on Nov. 30. (Joe Jordan / Archdiocese of Newark)
