The solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a holy day of obligation celebrated on Dec. 8, also marked the end of the second round of Nine Nights of Night Prayer.
The event began Nov. 30 at nine parishes across the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. It ended with ice cream socials at each hosting parish. A special ice cream flavor, A Rose E’er Blooming, created by Country Parlour Ice Cream Co. in North Royalton. Father Damian Ference, vicar for evangelization, said it is a purple black raspberry ice cream woven with ribbons of pink raspberry crème. The ice cream earned a thumbs-up from attendees who enjoyed it after night prayer.
Father Ference said he and his team, which includes Mike Hayes, director of young adult ministry; Francine Costantini, director of youth ministry; Teresa Yohman, director for marriage and family ministry; and Greg Coogan, secretary for catechetical formation, are beginning plans for the third round of Nine Nights of Night Prayer, which will be hosted at nine more parishes across the eight-county diocese in March. He said the events are coordinated with Marian feast days: the Annunciation (March 25), Assumption (Aug. 15) and Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8).
“There will be another new ice cream for the next one,” he said. Although the flavor has not been determined yet, “I have some ideas,” Father Ference added, hinting that he’s thinking of a blue and white theme for the next ice cream.
Parishes for the third round of night prayer, which will run March 17-25, 2022, will be announced soon. Father Ference said the structure will remain much the same as before. Hosting pastors are encouraged to provide hospitality/greeters, a lector, presider and music. Night prayer takes about 15 minutes, but pastors open the churches about a half-hour before and invite people to stay – if they choose – to continue praying individually for a short time afterward.
Parish hosts for the second round were Holy Trinity Parish, Avon; Immaculate Conception Parish, Willoughby; Mary Queen of Peace Parish, Cleveland; Nativity of the Lord Jesus Parish, Akron; St, Mary Parish, Hudson; Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Wadsworth; St. Clement Parish, Lakewood; St. Peter Parish, downtown Cleveland; and St. Vitus Parish, Cleveland. They ranged from some of the oldest parishes in the diocese to some of the newest. And each parish added its own “flavor” to night prayer.
At St. Vitus, the choir practiced before the Friday night prayer (Dec. 3), so participants who arrived early could enjoy the music. Father John Retar, pastor of the parish which has a large Slovenian membership, said some choir members stayed for prayer. A guitarist accompanied the group. Father Retar said about 40-50 people attended the nightly sessions. The group prayed the rosary – part in English and part in Slovenian – after night prayer.
Holy Trinity Parish in Avon averaged about 40 for each night prayer session, according to Father Vince Hawk, pastor. He said the first night about 76 people attended. On Sunday, (Dec. 5), members of the parish Boy Scout troop served as greeters and hospitality ministers.
Father Joe Workman, pastor of St. Clement Parish in Lakewood, said attendance at his church was smaller – about 20 people per session – but some returned each night, as well as a few new faces.
On Dec. 6, the feast of St. Nicholas, those attending the night prayer event at St. Peter Church in downtown Cleveland got a treat: a small sack of gold chocolate coins from Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries, presider for the evening. He also shared the story of St. Nicholas with the attendees.
Father Phil Bernier, OFM Cap, said attendance for the sessions averaged 15-25 people. “But those who came talked about how much they enjoyed it,” he said, noting the sessions are exposing more people to the night prayer of the Church, something unfamiliar to many lay people.
Closing night, Dec. 8, Father Doug Brown, pastor of Mary Queen of Peace Parish in Cleveland, was pleased with the attendance: about 40. His parish celebrates the traditional Latin Mass and had a Mass scheduled at 7 p.m., just prior to night prayer, so a number of people stayed. The smell of incense lingered in the church as night prayer began.
During the ice cream social, parishioners and other attendees mingled, getting acquainted and enjoying the ice cream.
Father Ference, who – for the second time – attended night prayer at each hosting parish – said the prayer nights are a great way to invite someone back to the Church who may have fallen away. He noted it’s a less formal – and shorter – event than a Mass. He plans to offer the events three times per year at nine different parishes each time for three years. Father Ference said he’s hoping that some parishes will consider keeping night prayer as a part of their spiritual ministry.
“It’s also a good way to have people come inside and enjoy the beauty of our diocesan churches,” he added.
Click here for more information on Nine Nights of Night Prayer, including a short video featuring Father Ference that was recorded before the first session.