Choral pageant to benefit recovery organization

BANGOR – Choir members from 17 Catholic churches in Hancock, Waldo and southern Penobscot counties early next month will present “Like Winter Waiting: An Advent Story,” a choral pageant by John Foley.

It will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 768 Ohio St.

The performance will benefit the work of Guest House, a nonprofit charitable organization that treats Catholic priests, deacons, brothers, seminarians and women experiencing alcoholism, other chemical dependencies and related problems.

The musical pageant explores the Advent themes of waiting, hope, trust and God’s faithful covenant, and is suitable for the entire family, said Kathy Jellison, director of music at St. Mary’s.

“This past year,” Jellison said, “we have been reflecting on the Gospel of Mark at our weekend liturgies. Hearing these stories each week … has certainly brought the Scriptures much closer to my heart. I cannot help but think how powerful those words are for those longing to find healing in their lives. It is even more powerful in sung prayer, with a 70-plus voice adult-children’s choir from neighboring parishes.”

The choir will march in singing “The Promise of the Lord is Forever,” which refers to the time Christians believe the world waited for the promise to be fulfilled, according to composer, the Rev. John Foley, a Jesuit priest.

Tickets are $10, $8 for seniors and $25 for a family. Tickets may be bought at St. Mary’s office 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To learn more about the performance or sponsorship, call Jellison at 945-5018.

Each year, Guest House cares for and returns to active ministry nearly 200 recovering Catholic clergy and those in other church positions. It has nearly 2,000 living alumni of the 6,300 cared for since 1956. Twenty-nine of those live in Maine.

The two licensed and accredited centers of Guest House are in Lake Orion, Mich. – for women – and in Rochester, Minn. – for priests, deacons and males. Guest House also operates a recovery residence in Lake Orion for priests needing a longer-term environment.

Visit www.guesthouse.org to obtain more information.