Advent Activities

The Advent season is filled with beautiful sights and sounds. Fully embrace the beauty through the following activities:

For the kids
Daily Prayer
Weekly Reflection
At some point before Christmas....

For the Kids (back to top)

• The Pro-Life Creche
  Fill creche with straw and place in it a  3 month preborn baby picture.  The second week will be a 5 month preborn. The third week will be a 7 month preborn. The fourth week, an 8 month preborn. On Christmas morning, place the baby Jesus in the cradle.
  (Courtesy of CatholicAdvent.com)

• Filling the Manger
  Have your child make a manger for baby Jesus.  This can basically be any small box that can be made of or covered in something brown.  Give your child as many pieces of yellow yarn "straw" as there are days in Advent. Each day, the child does a good deed or completes the activity and, at the end of the day, offers that good deed with the piece of straw that s/he places in the manger. Give the children small plastic "king cake" dolls to put in the cribs on Christmas. (Courtesy of CatholicAdvent.com)

Daily Prayer (back to top)

• Read Sacred Scripture each day. What is the baby Jesus whispering to you?

• Light the candle in the Advent Wreath each evening, perhaps before the dinner meal.

• Recite each week's Opening Prayer while lighting the Advent candle.

• Consider reading one of Archbishop Chaput's reflections during your daily prayer time.

Weekly (back to top)

• Listen to the audio archive of Archbishop Chaput's Sunday homily, either from this year or years past.

 At some point before Christmas.... (back to top)

• Be washed clean! Experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation (click here for confession schedules throughout the Archdiocese of Denver; click here for a list of special Advent Penance Services scheduled throughout the Archdiocese of Denver)

• Musical Reflection: "Unto the Heart"
  Fr. Peter Quang Nguyen of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish has recently published a new music CD titled “Unto the Heart.” He personally composed each song as a reflection on a different piece of the Christmas story. All proceeds will go towards support of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School. Considering purchasing a copy for the Advent season. To order a copy, contact the parish at 303-722-6861.

(Certain content provided courtesy of Catholic Online's Advent Web site at www.advent2008.com) 

Advent Events (read more)

• Thurs, Dec. 18 at 7 pm: Advent Seraphic Praise & Worship with Confessions Sponsored by the Secular Franciscans, to take place at St. Patrick's Oratory located at 3325 Pecos St. in Denver.
  
  
• Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. - Friday, Dec. 11: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration: Contact Ascension Catholic Church in Denver for more exact times and more information.
  
  
• Friday, Dec. 12: Guadalupe Celebration: Mananitas at 6 am, Mass (in English) at 8 am, Mass (bilingual) at 6 pm, Mariachi and Indian dancers from 7pm to 10 pm. Sponsored by St. Anthony of Padua in Denver.
  
• Friday, Dec. 16 at 6pm: "The Root" Advent Service: Free chili supper at 6 followed by presentations, confession and music. Sponsored by The Root & hosted by Risen Christ Parish. Email er.rivera@gmail.com for more info.

Advent Retreats

• Fri, Dec. 12 - Sun, Dec. 14: Young Adult Advent Retreat: Sponsored by St. Malo Catholic Retreat Center in Larkspur, CO; Contact Jorge Luna at jorgeluna@saintmalo.org or 747-0201 ext. 350