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Valley Christians mark holiday
CAMPBELL — Christmas cheer and the love of Christ and family were evident at St. Lucy/St. Rose of Lima Church during a Mass to mark the Christmas holiday.
The church had only standing room left Thursday afternoon as dozens of families packed the sanctuary in observance of the birth of Jesus Christ. More than three dozen people lined the walls around the sanctuary.
Parishioners spent more than an hour singing hymns, reading scriptures from the Bible and praying.
Young children started the service by portraying Mary, Joseph and the shepherds present at the birth of Jesus. The young people, with Mary carrying baby Jesus, led a processional of clergy into the sanctuary.
Amalio Esparra, 15, portrayed Joseph during the service. The teen boy relished the thought of bringing to life such an important figure from the Bible and the opportunity to do so in front of family and friends.
“I am somewhat honored to do these things at the church. My family does a lot of church activities, and it is nice to be a part of one,” said Amalio.
Father Gerald DeLucia said it is important for everyone to remember that children are the future of the church. He said the church likes to see enthusiasm from young people in church activities.
Services like the Christmas Mass are important to not only kids but to the entire family, said DeLucia.
“This is Christmas Eve service, the first Mass of Christmas. This is essential because it celebrates the key event the birth of Christ, but it also brings people back together again in families. That is a key element and that is the power of God,” said DeLucia.
The church, according to DeLucia, has also experienced a coming together of two families. The current congregation is a mixture of what once was two separate churches with two distinct cultures. The congregation is celebrating its third Christmas as a unified church.
“This is our third Christmas together, a Hispanic congregation and an Italian-American congregation combined. When Bishop George Murry came to town he had this idea,” said DeLucia. “We have our own cultures, but the church is one. We live together and work together here.”
The church had two Mass celebrations Thursday — one in English and another in Spanish. Two more celebrations — one in English and another in Spanish — will be today.
jgoodwin@vindy.com