To celebrate the season of anticipating Christ’s birth, music is a common element for parishes, schools and other Catholic entities in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
A Dec. 4 concert at Guardian Angels in Oakdale — An Advent Concert of Gratitude — features three local liturgical composers who’ve spent two decades collaborating.
Father Michael Joncas, artist in residence and research fellow in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, David Haas and Marty Haugen will perform some of their popular songs such as “On Eagle’s Wings,” “Blest Are They” and “Shepherd Me, O God,” as well as new songs from a special “With Gratitude” album. The concert begins at 4 p.m., and all proceeds will benefit Southside Family Nurturing Center in Minneapolis, which helps children at risk of abuse and neglect.
Father Joncas explained that the concert takes place during the first segment of Advent, when Christians concentrate on the prophecies associated with the coming of the Messiah.
“Prophecies proclaimed in the Liturgy of the Hours and the Lectionary readings at Mass during the first segment of Advent, many from Isaiah, are among the most beloved of the Hebrew Scriptures,” he said. “I would hope that our concert at Guardian Angels would invite participants to ponder some of these prophetic texts, deepening our longing for the fulfillment of God’s intentions for history.”
He also wants the concert to be a “good spiritual and artistic preparation for Christmas.”
Haugen, who attends Mayflower United Church of Christ in Minneapolis, said they each contributed a new song to “With Gratitude.” His focuses on the refugee crisis. Father Joncas’, “A Place Called Home,” is based on immigration, and Haas wrote a Christmas carol.
Advent can be a time of healing and hope for people, Haugen said, especially now, post-election.
“When we sing together, it changes us,” he said. “More than usual, I want this Advent to be a time when people really can feel God’s spirit and can find ways to heal and connect.”
For tickets, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2603441.
