On This Date in Nativity History

16 December 1973

During Nativity’s first Advent season, the parish’s sense of community was severely tested by the weather.  Father Ready planned a penance service during Advent on December 16, 1973 and had arranged for a number of visiting priests to be on hand to hear confessions.

Unfortunately, the area was hit by an unusually heavy (for December) snowstorm, and none of the invited priests were able to attend.  But the people came out in large numbers to “Holy Hunt,” (below) all walking because the roads were impassable.  So, Father Ready heard all the confessions by himself.  Someone produced a guitar, and the congregation sang folk and spiritual music all night as long as it took for the last confession to be heard.  Father Ready recalled later “Michael rowed that boat ashore for a really long time that night.”

 

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