Philadelphia Advent programs aim to bring Catholics 'home' with music

Published: 2007-12-10

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) -- It's called "Do you hear what I hear?" Think of it as a parish Advent program that, through the medium of Christmas music, helps set the tone for a truly Christian Christmas preparation in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. Designed by Franciscan Sister Louise Alff, archdiocesan coordinator for parish evangelization, it is also a low-key opportunity to reintroduce inactive Catholics, friends or relatives to parish life. She said several parishes had already presented an Advent program or planned to do so. St. Christopher Parish in the far northeast section of Philadelphia had a program Dec. 9 that featured the parish's 32-voice adult choir and 24-voice children's choir singing Christmas carols. In an interview beforehand, Father Ik-Joon Choi, the parish's parochial vicar, told The Catholic Standard & Times, Philadelphia's archdiocesan newspaper, that it was an opportunity to understand the "true meaning" of the lyrics of carols and "go into the deeper meaning of Christmas."

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