GARY – Warm greetings and jazzy musical notes welcomed a hardy group of faithful who joined Bishop Robert J. McClory in celebrating the Nativity of the Lord at the Christmas Eve vigil Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels.
On Dec. 24, cathedral parishioners and diocesan visitors braved single-digit temperatures to gather at the seat of the diocese to welcome the beginning of the Christmas season. With the singing of “O Come, All ye Faithful,” the Church marked the end of Advent and the beginning of a time of closeness to God.
After stepping to the ambo and presenting an enthusiastic “Merry Christmas” greeting to start his homily, Bishop McClory related passages from the second chapter of Luke to the opportunity today's faithful have to turn to the Lord, who was presented to the world as a gentle infant.
“You can turn to God for mercy; he loves you so tenderly that you don’t have to think of him as an angry God, but you can think of him as a little baby that you can hold in your arms and who can gaze upon you … it’s tender, it’s the truth, it’s the Gospel, it’s the Good News and now is our opportunity to say, ‘Amen,’” the bishop said.
An “Amen,” rose from those gathered in the cathedral, which was decked with garland and wreaths and featured several tall, brightly-lit Christmas trees.
Announcing that he has become a great-uncle for the first time, Bishop McClory said thoughts of the innocence of a baby have become “more real.”
“In a mere three days, I will be baptizing the next generation in my family,” the bishop said. “It makes it all the more incredible when you are (around) a baby to say, ‘That’s how God came to us.’”
The diocese’s shepherd said he has already met and held the infant Charles Jeffry, and he is eager to travel for the Baptism during Christmastime.
Bishop McClory concelebrated Mass with Father Michael Surufka, OFM, cathedral pastor and rector, and visiting Franciscan Father Jason Welle. Deacon Martin Brown assisted during the liturgy.
In his Christmas message, the bishop reaffirmed that salvation is a gift, and that gift is Jesus.
“The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold I proclaim to you Good News of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the City of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.’”
The bishop said the result of receiving such a gift should be to react like the shepherds in Luke’s Gospel: “They could not contain themselves.”
“They didn’t hold it close to the vest; they were evangelists. They let others know the Good News of Jesus,” Bishop McClory explained. “Emanating from Holy Angels Cathedral here in Gary is that same Good News that God loves you, that God came to save you, that you can turn to him for mercy.”
Drawn to join relatives at the cathedral, the Zdanowicz family of Crown Point sat in the right transept near the choir, directed by David Vicari, whose brother Michael Vicari played drums. Lisa Zdanowicz (nee Vicari), her husband Mike Zdanowicz, sons Leo and Matthew, and daughter Katrina seemed to double the size of the choir.
They, however, tipped their winter stocking caps to the Vicaris, who, along with parish singers and musicians visiting from other Gary churches, rounded out the unique sound that blended traditional Christmas songs with jazzy motifs.
“We were more so listening; Uncle David and Michael have the musical talent in the family,” Leo Zdanowicz said with a smile.
David Vicari thanked visiting musicians including Michael Cox, on the Hammond b3 organ, and Michael Carson, a saxophone player from Trinity United Church of Christ in Gary.
Following the vigil Mass, the Zdanowicz group and extended family posed for a photograph before the sanctuary with Bishop McClory.
“This is obviously a beautiful church, so I think it’s worth the trip no matter the weather. This is where family is,” Matthew Zdanowicz said.
David Vicari wished a Merry Christmas to his sister Anne Marie Vicari-Diambri, who was bundling up in the narthex with her daughter Marina and son-in-law Jon Tiemann.
“This place is gorgeous; I love all the marble and the stained glass is beautiful,” said Jon Tiemann, an emergency room physician based in St. Joseph, Mich., who worked last Christmas Day.
Eileen Wayte, cathedral administrative assistant said “there is no easy part” to coordinating efforts to invite people to the cathedral, but encouraged people to visit for Christmas or anytime.
John Pera and Peggy Guernsey-Pera have literally seen the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in the center of their lives since they were children. He recalled playing football near the church when he was growing up in the 60s, when Gary was “was a fabulous place to live.”
“For me, I grew up three blocks from here,” said John Pera, enjoying some after-Mass fellowship. “So, it was as a kid that I first saw the cathedral – and I wasn’t Catholic, I only became Catholic on Pentecost in 2005.”
Peggy Guernsey-Pera said it was decades ago when she was visiting in the cathedral neighborhood that a lady friend of her grandmother told her she was going to “set her up with her nephew.”
“I would tell her, ‘Oh, I don’t think that’s going to happen,’” she said, mentioning that the nephew was John Pera, with whom she would keep a connection through non-profit and professional work.
The couple married in October 2020.
Celebrating their long and winding road together, they said they pray that more people are led to the doors of the cathedral and the ‘warm’ people. “They are more devout – they give what they can. And I love the diversity,” said John Pera.
“Coming to Mass here is an excellent way to connect,” said Wayte, who arranged cookies and refreshments for guests. “We are parishioners here, but the cathedral belongs to everyone in the diocese. They should (feel welcome) to come here every once in a while.”