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Two Joliet Catholic churches are celebrating a combined feast day Sunday, and the community is invited.
Rev. Jermone Kish, pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church and St. Mary Nativity Catholic Church, said the celebration will be reverent and festive.
The reverent part is a Eucharistic procession that features the Polish Highlanders wearing native costumes and singing traditional Polish songs, Kish said.
The festive part resembles a church picnic. Highlights include American and ethnic foods, kids’ activities and games, Mr. Scott’s Giant Bubble Show, and live music by the Bruce Korosa Orchestra, D Street Band and Sundance.
Kish said the churches are celebrating two feast days: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sept. 8) and Exultation of the Holy Cross (Sept. 14).
“Who doesn’t love a birthday?” Kish said. “And if we love birthdays so much, even more when it’s the mother of God.”
Kish said Sept. 14′s feast day is a reminder of “what Jesus did for us” on the cross. The Eucharistic procession will include the carrying of the Blessed Sacrament (communion) in a monstrance.
“Who would not love to have Christ walk through their neighborhood? We need His healing power,” Kish said. “We believe that the living Christ is with his. So we’re going to carry Him through the streets in a procession.”
He said in an email that the Eucharistic procession, which the combined churches hold every year, has especial significance this year.
“The Catholic Church in the United States is in the middle of a Eucharistic Revival, trying to reignite the greater flame of faith that burned when all these city parishes were packed on Sunday, the Lord’s Day,” Kish said in the email.
Kish said some people will dress in native costumes to honor the Polish roots of Holy Cross and the Croatian roots of St. Mary Nativity. That is especially true of the Polish Highlanders, who will be part of the process and “who do a great job,” he said.
“The procession is going to be just a joyful and reverent event,” Kish said. “And after that the fun begins: the food, the music and friends. And we hope to find new friends. That’s why people should come out.”
Kish said the celebration is open to everyone, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, so they can “see the faith of the people in the city here, who believe that Christ is our neighbor and we love all our neighbors.”
And he hopes that the festivities might “move people to build up their faith.”
“We want people to come out and not just to connect to their church but to connect to one another,” Kish said.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Eucharistic Procession and Parish Feast Day celebration
WHEN: Sunday. Procession begins after the 10:30 a.m. Polish Mass at Holy Cross and proceeds to St. Mary Nativity, where Mass with Croatian music will be concluding. Celebration is from noon to 8 p.m. at St. Mary Nativity.
WHERE: Holy Cross Catholic Church, 830 Elizabeth St., Joliet to St. Mary Nativity Catholic Church, 706. N. Broadway St., Joliet
ETC: Eucharistic procession features the Polish Highlanders wearing native costumes and singing traditional Polish songs. Celebration of Nativity of Mary (Sept. 8) and Exultation of the Cross (Sept. 15). Celebration includes American and ethnic foods, kids’ activities and games, Mr. Scott’s Giant Bubble Show, and live music by the Bruce Korosa Orchestra, D Street Band and Sundance.
INFO: Call 815-726-4031 or visit stmarynativityholycross.com.