Parishes planning for 2000

Our Lady of Grace Church in Ballston Lake doesn't usually make a big deal of New Year's Eve, but the parish decided to throw "the Party of the Century" this year to celebrate 2,000 years since the birth of Christ.

A "Table of Plenty" pot-luck dinner with dancing for party-goers of all ages will be a big part of the evening. There also will be a liturgy and prayer service to ring in the new millennium and recall what happened in Bethlehem, said Rev. Anthony Diacetis, pastor.

"That's the idea behind it: to celebrate the new millennium as a community of faith and realize that it is the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Christ," Father Diacetis said.

Parish plans

Some parishes will party like it's 1999 this New Year's Eve, but they'll be doing so with the true, Christian meaning of a new millennium in mind. Once the party's over, there also are ways for Catholics to keep the Jubilee 2000 celebration going.

For example, St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Rotterdam will celebrate its usual New Year's Eve vigil Mass at 6 p.m., but that's only the beginning of the celebration, said Rev. Leo Markert, pastor.

After Mass, there will be a party in the parish hall from 7 to 9 p.m. for people to snack and socialize. A prayer service with Benediction will follow, and the partying will resume around 10 p.m. with music and free food in the gym.

The clock used for basketball games will be set at 11:30 p.m. to count down the final minutes until midnight, and after the euphoria has died down, there will be a brief prayer service "to thank the Lord for our faith and one another," Father Markert said.

New millennium

St. Gabriel's used to celebrate New Year's Eve with an open house at the rectory, but parishioners decided to go all out this year to ring in the third millennium.

"We want them to come, enjoy themselves and usher in the new year as a parish family with spiritual and social interaction," Father Markert said.

He senses that people are remembering the religious significance of the year 2000 amid all of the Y2K hype and won't forget it when the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1.

"I don't hear a lot of people getting uptight about their computers," Father Markert said. "They're taking it in stride."

Family focus

Our Lady of Grace surveyed parishioners to decide how to celebrate the millennium. A committee was formed to plan the party, and "we've tried to make it a family affair," Father Diacetis said.

Baby-sitting will be available, with fun activities planned for children; teens will have a private party room for munchies and their own music.

But the "Party of the Century" won't just be about partying; people will be reminded of the Christian importance of 2000 through the liturgy and a prayer service. "That's why the liturgy is so important and is in the context of the celebration," Father Diacetis pointed out.

Year-long celebration

After the New Year's Eve parties have ended, Catholics can continue to celebrate all through the Jubilee Year 2000, according to Joyce Solimini, from the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis (OEC)

"We need to look at the new millennium positively," she said. "This is a time for a new beginning, and the jubilee theme sets us on that road."

"The Family Page," a newsletter published by the OEC, gives the following suggestions for families to get in the jubilee spirit:

* Instead of taking on more activities this year, try to be more reflective, and choose activities carefully in light of the Gospel values celebrated this jubilee year;

* Examine your family's lifestyle and consumption habits, and pledge to use your resources more carefully and less wastefully. Do not buy from companies that exploit their workers;

* Take a look at some habits that contribute to disharmony in the family, such as non-communication and harboring grudges, and make an effort to change them.

Jubilee Year 2000 and the new millennium seem to be encouraging Catholics to celebrate New Year's Eve in a special way, Mrs. Solimini pointed out.

"I think there's a sense that because it's a new millennium, it's different from any other New Year's Eve," she said.