by Catherine Halbmaier
Special to The Leaven
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Families can get their Advent season off to the right start by finding their way to this year’s Advent Concert Tour.
For the third year in a row, the archdiocese is hosting concerts to kick off the Advent season; this year’s features Steve Angrisano. The concerts will be held during the first week in Advent in Scranton and Marysville.
The veteran of 10 World Youth Days, three National Catholic Youth Conferences, and countless other retreats and concerts, Angrisano is a renowned Catholic musician and performer. He is also a husband and father with three children, and, more recently, four grandchildren.
This year’s concert series is sure to be special, according to Angie Bittner, who is the archdiocese’s rural youth outreach coordinator.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity early in Advent,” Bittner said. “The First Sunday will just have happened. It’s a great opportunity for families and parish youth groups to start the season with their hearts and priorities in the right place.”
Bittner emphasized the prayerful nature of these concerts.
“You will not ever regret having changed plans or made plans to spend your evening listening to Steve and praying with him,” she said.
“Steve is an authentic, really good-hearted guy who loves the Lord and loves Catholics,” Bittner continued. “He can tell stories and convey the beauty of our faith just so well. He appeals to every audience, from the very young to the very old.
“Time spent with him is never ever a waste. You will always come away with you heart so much fuller than it started.”
According to Bittner, Angrisano will perform some seasonal favorites as well as worship songs.
“The concert is a good mix of praise and worship, as well as some beautiful songs of the season,” Bittner said. “Steve has a lifetime of stories just perfect to set our hearts in the right place.”
The locations of the two concerts were chosen to provide one opportunity in the northwest region of the archdiocese and one farther south. One or the other will hopefully be drivable to families across the archdiocese.
The southern concert will be in Scranton on Dec. 3 at Eleanor’s White Barn (336 W. 189th St.).
The northwestern concert will be held in Marysville on Dec. 4 at St. Gregory Parish (1310 Carolina St.).
For both locations, doors will open at 6 p.m. and the concert will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
“We realize that during the week it’s maybe not as easy to travel,” Bittner said, “but clear your schedule to travel for this. It will really help to have a holier Advent. If you want to prioritize and prepare for Christmas, this is a great start.”
There is no cost to attend the concerts and tickets are not required, although freewill donations are accepted. The concert will include light snacks and drinks.
