Christmas at St. Mary’s
Rising early on Christmas, Michael and I snuggled in our bed, enjoying each other and the peaceful morning together. It had been two years since we were able to enjoy Christmas morning together as I had been working at GlobalFoundries, a computer technology manufacturer in Malta, New York. But this year, I am embarking on a new journey into civil service, becoming an elected Councilperson for Glens Falls. And for the first time in eight years, Michael and I got dressed and headed to church on Christmas.
As I have previously mentioned, I had begun to reintroduce myself toward Catholicism. And I am not the only one, as Xochitl Gonzalez illustrates in her piece on Christmas Eve for the Atlantic. Growing up, my life was filled with Catholicism. I was baptized as a baby, introduced to the Eucharist as a child, confirmed as a teenager, spent the first eight years of schooling at a private Catholic church, called Saint Charles, and visited small towns in Kentucky for week-long religious retreats with Habitat for Humanity. While the nature of Catholicism was a reoccurring theme in my early life, there were many moments of doubt and hopelessness throughout those experiences.
Mixed throughout was the incessantly relentless bullies in my school life. While bullies were considered common, it severely chipped away at my positive outlook on life, creating a dark cloud that stayed with me for many years. It was hard to focus on the good that the pastors preached from the pulpit when my fellow schoolmates were so cruel. And as I progressed into adulthood with religious doubt, I slowly moved away from the teachings of the Bible and the familiarity of the church proceedings. The idea of believing in religion became unthinkable, until I met Michael Biele in 2015. He messaged me one day after seeing a post I made on Reddit, a website known for thousands of like-minded groups. His kindness, intelligence, and love helped me realize my sexuality. He helped repair my internal psyche from the many years of bullying, and he brought the story of the Jesus back into my life.
The story of Jesus is one of eternal truth, a symbol of peace and prosperity. It is a story that has transcended time across many cultures, histories, and religions, not just Christianity. The evils in the world, from greed, pride, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth, destroy the shared bond between all of us. “Love thy neighbor” is the golden rule, something that even some Christians forget to hold dear. Being gay does not preclude anyone from believing in the story of Jesus. We are all different, and our beautiful differences should be celebrated. But in recent decades, it has caused a strife that has torn many communities and countries apart. It shouldn’t be. Celebrating our differences is the definition of peace and prosperity. Loving each other, no matter our sexuality, skin color, origin, gender, or deficiencies, is what the message that Jesus tried to instill to his followers.
Walking into the Saint Mary’s on Christmas morning was like stepping back into time when I was a child. The tapestries of wreathes lining the brick walls, with enormous stained-glass windows of saints, led to a gorgeous altar with a depiction of Jesus on the cross. The pews were filling up fast, but we found open seating near the back left corner, underneath the shadow of the stained-glass depiction of Saint Augustus and Thomas. I appreciated the coincidence of the occasion, as my brother is named Thomas and our mutual friend is named August.
Before the mass officially began, the pastor, Father Scott VanDerveer, introduced the church for those that had not attended a service in a while. He mentioned that the Christmas Eve ceremonies had a record attendance of 1,500 people, with this past year netting an additional 50 families into the church. Saint Mary’s Parish, as he described, has been an institution in the community since 1848. While a lot has changed over the past 150 years, the community spirit and history that transcends this historic building remains a beacon for practicing Catholics in the Southern Adirondack region.
The Christmas mass began with the usual tenements, like a rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful from John Francis Wade in the 18th century. Though a cursory glance of history suggests the song has origins from Saint Bonaventure in the 13th century and King John IV of Portugal in the 17th century. The Bible readings during the liturgical proceedings were from the books of Isaiah, Titus, and Luke, each illustrating ways that the spirit of the son of God, Jesus Christ, will help “the people who walk in darkness [see] a great light.”
After the readings, Father Scott VanDerveer offered an exceptional historical perspective during his homily, describing the 350th celebration in 1959 when Netherland’s Princess Beatrix arrived in Albany, New York, the monumental results from the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, and the spiritually uplifting moments from the 1993 Catholic World Youth Day with John Paul II. He elaborated on the connection to Jesus Christ and the transformation that can occur in the world during these historic moments. Near the end of his homily, while he was singing some verses from a song, a child in the audience exclaimed their angelic vocal cords to the delight of everyone.
Through a litany of standing and kneeling during the liturgy of the Eucharist and Holy Communion, we felt an inner peace that will help guide everyone during the final days of the year. As Father Scott noted in the beginning of the church service, each church gathering helps to reaffirm that inner peace, helping to sustain our compassion and empathy for the world. As we gathered our belongings as the chorus jubilantly recites Joy to the World to the exiting crowd, I wished Diana Palmer and her daughter a wonderful Merry Christmas as we dispersed. I learned from Diana that Father Scott might be the nondenominational religious speaker next Thursday for the swearing-in ceremony for the City of Glens Falls.
As we headed outside, I chatted briefly with Father Scott, complimenting his well-researched homily and learning about the Old English word for Noel, spelled Nowell, in the hymnal. The cold air may have been frigid, but the warmth of the holy spirit coursing through our souls helped spur positive thoughts for the future. Later that day, I donned my Santa hat, laced up my running shoes, and headed back outside for a brisk run. I ran from our house, passed Big Cross Elementary School and turned toward South Street, reminiscing about the incredible changes in the past year with new apartment buildings and the Market Center standing tall in the wintry breeze. And it is only just beginning.
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas with friends and family! 🎄🎁
