Given the proximity of Christmas, the Confraternity of San Antonio del Monte Hacho has organized a series of activities of different kinds but all with the same objective: to honor and celebrate the birth of the Son of God in Bethlehem of Judea, not only in words but also with the works.
Carlos Orozco Pérez, older brother of the brotherhood, spoke to EL PUEBLO about these activities and commented “we have prepared a very nice program” with the intention of presenting the values and traditions that this season represents for Christians.
Christmas solidarity campaign
To help the Franciscan Brothers of Cruz Blanca, who need cleaning and personal hygiene products for adults assisted at the Residence of the Franciscan Brothers of Cruz Blanca in Ceuta, the Confraternity of San Antonio has dedicated its Solidarity Campaign for Christmas 2022 to collect donations of products such as shampoo, shower gel, cologne, which will directly benefit the grandparents who live there.
“Last year we dedicated it to the Adoratrices Sisters, and this year to the Franciscans,” said Orozco Pérez, who also reported that the collection of donations is at the Ermita San Antonio until January 3, 2023. “We continue also to collect, as throughout the year, food for the most needy and colored balloons for the sky of San Antonio”, he pointed out.
People wishing to collaborate must go to the hermitage to leave the donation during the usual opening hours, Tuesdays from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 17:15 to 19:00.
Candela Antoniana
Next Tuesday, December 13, will have the Candelá Antoniana after the celebration of the Holy Mass, in which the traditional Bethlehem of the Hermitage of San Antonio will be blessed and the brothers of the brotherhood will enjoy a coexistence around the candle and the Christmas carols performed by various choirs , including that of the church of San José and that of the Colegio la Inmaculada. “The choirs will come up to sing Christmas carols and we will enjoy hot cocoa,” explained the older brother of the fraternity.
advent retreat
“In search of Jesus, in the footsteps of Charles de Foucauld” is the retreat that the brothers of the Brotherhood of San Antonio have prepared for Saturday, December 17 and will be led by Fr. Rolando, a Javier missionary in Castillejo, Morocco, who will come to Ceuta to accompany the participants in reflection.
In this regard, Carlos Orozco Pérez stressed that although there is no age limit to participate in this retreat, it is not designed for the youngest. The activity will begin at 10:00 on the aforementioned Saturday 17 December, after which there will be a speech that will begin at 10:15, followed by a moment of reflection, personal prayer and confessions that will begin at 11:00 and The day it will conclude with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 1.30pm. No prior registration is required and interested parties just have to show up punctually at the reception time to participate.
The last of 13 Tuesdays
On Tuesday 20, the Confraternity of Sant’Antonio del Monte Hacho de Ceuta performs the Pious Exercise of Thirteen Tuesdays in honor of its titular, an occasion that will be used by the confreres to bless the images of the Child Jesus in their homes, for which the brother elder of said fraternity invites all those who will participate in that last Tuesday to bring their images of the Child God so that they too may be blessed.
Regarding the realization of the 13 Tuesdays in honor of San Antonio de Padua, Orozco Pérez comments that “we are very happy with the brotherhood because many, many, many people have participated, the hermitage has become small with people outside of it, in the street, come on, and the truth is that I am super happy with the strong devotion that has been there ”.
Christmas workshops for children
To finalize the agenda of activities corresponding to the year 2022, the brothers of the Brotherhood of San Antonio del Monte Hacho have organized for Tuesday, December 27, the feast of San Juan Evangelista, Patron Saint of Youth, activities dedicated to the youngest of the Brotherhood, and during in the morning they will carry out Christmas workshops with clippings and other surprises. “We invite the little ones of the brotherhood to participate in this activity which we will start at 11:00”. In the afternoon, like every Tuesday, Holy Mass will be celebrated.
