Saint Martin's Procession of Carols and Candlelight Mass

November 17, 2009

Lacey, Washington – The Saint Martin's University Chorale, in collaboration with the Office of Campus Ministry and the Office of International Programs and Development, will usher in the Christmas season with the annual Procession of Carols and Candlelight Mass on Sunday, December 6. This family event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 5:30 p.m. in Saint Martin's Old Main building in Lacey.

Between 5:30 and 6:20 p.m., guests are invited to stroll the festively decorated halls of Old Main. The Saint Martin's Chorale, under the direction of Darrell Born, will be performing old and new holiday favorites on the second floor. On the fourth floor, Saint Martin's international students will be presenting a variety of food, music, and holiday traditions from their native countries, showcasing Christmas around the globe.

The fourth floor will also feature a special guest: parents and children will have an opportunity to take pictures with Santa Claus himself!

At 7:00 p.m., guests can proceed to the Candlelight Mass, which will take place in the Abbey Church and will feature the student liturgy choir. A prelude to the Mass, performed by the Saint Martin's Chorale, begins at 6:30 p.m.

The evening will conclude in Old Main's Saint Gertrude Dining Hall at 8:00 p.m., where Abbot Neal Roth, O.S.B. will perform a Christmas tree blessing followed by refreshments.

For more information, contact Susan Leyster, Director of Campus Ministry at 360-438-4381 or leysters@stmartin.edu.

Saint Martin’s University is an independent four-year, Catholic, coeducational university located on a 380-acre wooded campus in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 18 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University prepares students for successful lives through its 21 majors and six graduate programs spanning the liberal arts, business, education and engineering. Saint Martin’s welcomes 1,250 students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its main campus, and 650 more to its five extension campuses located at Fort Lewis Army Post, McChord Air Force Base, Olympic College, Centralia College, and Tacoma Community College.

For additional information:

Genevieve Canceko Chan
Director of Communications & Marketing
360-438-4332
gchan@stmartin.edu
www.stmartin.edu