Little by little during December, manger scenes completed themselves figure by figure until the three kings arrived at the stable to offer homage to Jesus Christ. In the same way the Tagaste family first prepared during Advent and then celebrated Christmas: piece by piece, group by group, we all contributed.
From the first all the way to the thirty-first, December was filled with graced occasions. First, came the SAR profession and Fr. Moriones' 94th birthday. On the 5th was the Guild Communion Brunch and installation of the special ministers of communion for the Hispanic Community. That Friday the Vigil Choir presented the first Tagaste Christmas Concert. It was incredible and we'd like to do it again.
Then, Sunday, 300 faithful came to pray the rosary and sing "Mañanitas" to Our Lady of Guadalupe the morning of December 12th. There were even tamales afterwards! The very same day a Spanish language Advent retreat was also held. That week Fr. Marlon and the seminarians began helping with the Simbang Gabi at St. Anthony's in Nanuet.
On Saturday, December 18th, 140 children received gifts at the Family Christmas Party organized by the Hispanic community. The Sons of Italy were a big help. The next day the children sang Christmas carols at the end of 10:30 Mass.
On Christmas Eve we celebrated with a bilingual Mass and hot chocolate and panetone afterwards. The friars from St. Augustine Province and St. Nicholas Province went to the Augustinian Recollect Sisters in Irvington on December 30th to celebrate together the Christmas Octave. And the month (and year) ended with the Tagaste friars gathered for a Holy Hour silently adoring Jesus Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament. All of us of the Tagaste family thank God as we remember December and the wonderful Christmas we celebrated together.
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