Twenty-four middle schoolers in grades 5-8 from Mary of Lourdes Catholic School in Little Falls participated in a brand-new Advent celebration where Scripture, sacred music and community combined.
Mary of Lourdes Catholic School was one of nine Catholic schools chosen from across Minnesota to participate in the ‘Christmas by Candlelight Concert: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols’ held at the Chapel of Saint Thomas Aquinas at the University of St. Thomas December 4.
“The event was prayerfully done and it was spiritual,” said Ann Marie Schlichting, who has worked as a music educator for 30 years and is in her first year with the school. She described the event with over 250 Catholic school students.
For the event, the students worked through months of preparation outside of their regular music class. Schlichting said the students did not fully understand what they were preparing for but were delighted by the experience.
“We were treated so well. A coach bus was sent for us. And for some of the kids, it was a lot of firsts,” Schlichting said.
For participating, Mary of Lourdes received a $1,000 grant for their music program from the event hosts, the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence.
The students received small gifts, including a water bottle, got to see the university and meet other Catholic school children from across the state.
Other choirs included the St. Thomas Liturgical Choir and student choirs from Ave Maria Academy, Maple Grove; St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School, Brooklyn Park; Pacelli Catholic School, Austin; St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, Buffalo; Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Marshall; St. Helena Catholic School, Minneapolis; Faithful Shepherd Catholic School, Eagan; and St. Therese Catholic School, Deephaven.
“It was fun to meet the other children from across the state,” Schlichting said. “The kids were so good and respectful. They bonded really well with each other.”
Each school performed a selection independently. Mary of Lourdes performed “O, Holy Night” by Adolphe Adam and arranged by Teresa Jennings.
The concert concluded with a blessing from Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda and a final song where all choirs performed together.
“What an inspiring evening and a perfect way to begin Advent,” Archbishop Hebda addressed the crowd. “We are so proud of our scholars who have performed so well this evening, not just in the sense of performance, but also lifting our hearts and minds to the Lord.”
Schlichting said her students enjoyed their experience and would like to do it again. She was grateful the kids saw their hard work pay off.
“They sounded beautiful. It gave me shivers,” said Schlichting. “It was fun to see the joy on the kids’ faces.”
The full concert can be viewed at https://youtu.be/bZ8AixVMLJw?si=yCqvzqt-yrK3R4YV. The students from Mary of Lourdes Catholic School in Little Falls enter the chapel for their performance at 45:15.
CSCOE is a nonprofit that works with Catholic schools to enhance excellence and increase enrollment in Minnesota’s 151 preschool through eighth grade Catholic schools, serving 35,000+ students.