PORTAGE – Beginning their Advent journey in fellowship, families and friends of all ages came together at Nativity of Our Savior to pray, listen, discuss, share a meal and make Advent wreaths for their homes on Dec. 1, the first day of the season of hope.
“I wanted to start Advent out right,” said Cindy Rung, a Portage resident and Nativity parishioner about her reason for attending the Family Advent Day with new friends Alyce Weidner and Janet Kuech, who she met just last month at the annual Diocese of Gary Catechetical Conference hosted by Nativity. “We moved here four years ago from Oswego, Ill. and I knew nothing about the area. Since it was the midst of the COVID pandemic, we couldn’t even go to church at first, but we got really lucky with our parish,” Rung added.
After some seasonal music by choir members John Cox, Valerie Balogh and Dennis Murray to set the mood, attendees were welcomed by organizers Barb Houpt and Marian Weeks, who introduced the theme “Hope” and the keynote speaker, Deacon Ruben Ortiz.
Ortiz, a former Gary firefighter, gave an inspirational message about the difficulties that led him to follow God’s calling and become first a Catholic, and most recently a deacon. “We faithfully deal with our afflictions that give rise to patience and lead to perseverance, bringing hope, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit,” he said.
After suffering a knee injury while fighting a fire, Ortiz was forced to accept a disability retirement and admitted that he blamed God for separating him from the job he loved. After three years of bitterness, he began to feel “a pull” that kept growing, and his wife told him that he “had to pray about it, even though you don’t want to.”
A year later, she suggested the diaconate and Ortiz felt “a click as the pieces came together.” He remembered hearing a message from the Holy Spirit while he was in Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults studies: “One day you will do something amazing, but you have to wait for it.
“I was ready to turn my back on God, but Jesus said ‘No, I’m not done with you,’” said Ortiz. “Because of Jesus being who he is, he put me here to be your servant, to be your deacon.
“When we faithfully deal with our affliction, we find hope,” he said. “I don’t know what is going to happen from now on, but I love being a deacon, love this church and love being in this church.”
A list of discussion questions was distributed to the attendees, who shared “table talk” with others, and two parishioners stood to present their personal stories of hope.
“We came to the first Advent event last year and liked it, and we thought making our own Advent wreath was a great idea,” said Sarah Leitz, a Nativity parishioner who shared the afternoon with her husband, Chris Leitz, and their children Ben, Caitlin, Timothy and Oliver, all student at Nativity of Our Savior School. “The kids get to see what season we are celebrating, and to realize that Christmas isn’t here yet.”
Leitz said her family lights their Advent wreath before dinner each night and recites a special prayer. “We don’t decorate for Christmas all at once, but do it slowly,” she added.
Weeks explained that Advent programs “Help us to remember the waiting, as each Sunday we light another candle (on the wreath) to bring a bit more light into the darkness.”
While the adults listened to Deacon Ortiz, the children listened to Christmas stories and made candy cane crafts.
When the families were reunited, the children shared their activities with their parents and grandparents. Shortly after instructions were given for making Advent wreaths from Styrofoam rings and fresh evergreen branches to take home.
Everyone young and not-so-young dug in to create their own holiday wreaths, adding pine cones, purple and pink ribbons and candles as finishing touches.
“I’ve enjoyed the fellowship of the gathering, and the chance to make an Advent wreath to take home, said Valerie Mefford
The afternoon ended with the attendees enjoying a chicken dinner topped off with desserts home made by members of the Altar and Rosary Society.
“Whatever you are facing today, take it to Jesus, like the afflicted woman who touched the hem of His cloak,” said Deacon Ortiz. “She had hope and she trusted Jesus, and she was healed. You have to live with hope.”
Caption: Nathan Finke helps his daughters, Delilah, 3, and Penelope, 6, create a family Advent Wreath at Nativity of Our Savior in Portage on Dec. 1. The trio attended Family Advent Day at their parish, where Penelope Finke said she likes Advent (and searching for Elf on the Shelf) because it leads to Christmas. (Marlene A. Zloza photo)