Sierra Vista Sister-Franciscan: Christmas 2013 at Our Lady of the Mountains Parish

The 6:00pm Christmas Eve Mass at Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Sierra Vista, Arizona was the Mass All Saints Catholic School students were in charge of preparing. After many practices, I felt we were ready. The school choir sang the carols for Mass, the Gloria and then did the readings at Mass and also sang the psalm response. It was a beautiful way to begin the Mass to a very crowded church.

After the Gospel, two of the students narrated the Gospel story of the birth of Jesus Christ in the town of Bethlehem-which means bread. As they told us one part of the story, the appropriate statues for the Nativity Set were brought down the center aisle from the back of church. It took a lot of practicing to get the three students who carried them to be on time in the back of church with the next appropriate statues. They had to learn not to run back to the sacristy for the next statues and not to talk in the sacristy as they decided-"these are the next statues!!! Let's go!" as the doors were open so they could hear the narration but we could also hear them too. They became quiet after a quick reminder from me.

As they brought them up the center aisle the school choir sang the appropriate Christmas carol that went with that part of the story.

When it was time for Baby Jesus to be born, we had our pastor, Fr. Ariel Lustan, carry the babe up-nice and high and with reverence.

The kings came last as the choir sang, "We Three Kings of Orient are....."

For the homily, Fr. Ariel sat on the altar steps and invited the children to sit around him. They didn't need a 2nd call. They all rushed to be close to him.