If it’s Advent, the Daughters of St. Paul choir is travelling
around the eastern United States giving Christmas concerts
and delighting audiences at parishes and schools. The choir
has been performing for 15 years, but this was their first
stop in the Arlington Diocese. They were welcomed by an
enthusiastic audience ready for a Christmas celebration.
Sister Margaret Michael Gillis, from the Pauline Books and
Media store in Alexandria, welcomed the audience and
introduced Sister Margaret Timothy Sato, provincial superior
of the United States. Sister Margaret made opening remarks
and introduced the members of the choir: Sisters Helena
Burns, Julia M. Darrenkamp, Tracey Dugas, Bridget C. Ellis,
Anne Joan Flanagan, Raymond M. Gerard, Rebecca M. Hoffart,
Sean Marie D. Mayer, Bernadette Reis and Nancy M. Usselman.
Choir member Sister Tracey Dugas spoke of the evolving
mission of the Daughters of St. Paul and how they’ve moved
from press, film and radio to Web-based communication.
“How many of you have heard of Twitter or Facebook?” she
asked the audience.
A good number raised their hands.
“(We’re) happy to communicate God’s message of love,” she
said.
Sister Tracy reminded the audience that they only do this
concert series once a year during Advent.
“We do have day jobs,” she laughed.
The repertoire of songs ranged from classics such as “O Holy
Night,” “Little Drummer Boy” and “Good Christians all
Rejoice,” to songs not usually associated with Christmas such
as the moving “Angels Among Us,” by the country group
Alabama. The sisters walked out to the pews to sing to the
audience.
“Oh I believe there are angels among us/ sent down to us from
somewhere up above/ they come to you and me in our darkest
hours/ to show us how to live/ to teach us how to give/ to
guide us with a light of love.”
The lyrics brought tears to many at the concert.
Sister Anne Joan Flanagan followed up with a beautiful
rendition of “Oh Holy Night.”
The choir mixed it up a bit with secular hits like “Winter
Wonderland” and “Silver Bells/Jingle Bells,” for which the
sisters donned red scarves and gloves.
“This is our one costume change,” said Sister Tracey.
For the finale, the choir invited children from the audience
to join them in singing Elton John and Bernie Tobin’s “Step
into Christmas.” Audience members left their pews and joined
the sisters and the children clapping and raising their arms.
The audience demanded an encore and they received one.
Members of the audience left the church filled with Christmas
spirit.
Father John Cregan, pastor of Blessed Sacrament, was pleased
with the concert and said he hoped to see them back next
year.
The choir finishes its tour in Massachusetts with three
concerts in Attleboro and Jamaica Plains.
Hopefully the angels will be among us in Virginia again next
Advent.
