Waukesha Catholics gather on Christmas Eve 33 days since tragedy struck the community at the Christmas Parade
WAUKESHA - The Catholic community of Waukesha gathered on a gloomy Christmas Eve night, 33 days since a man driving a red SUV struck terror at the annual Waukesha Christmas parade.
A packed house at the St. William Catholic Church listened, sang and joined in prayer.
St. William is one of four parishes that make up the Catholic Community of Waukesha. Father Matthew Widder recently transitioned to head pastor of the Catholic Community on Sept. 1 and welcomed all parishioners and visitors to the church.
The other parishes making up the Catholic Community (St. Joseph, St. John Neumann and St. Mary), all held mass simultaneously. Widder led the sermon at Christmas Eve Mass at St. William.
"We've been filled with so many different blessings, and we also on the other side we also have challenges ... we also have sufferings. We think in our Waukesha community, of the parade that just took place ... the blessings and the challenges within it," said Widder.
Widder encouraged the congregation to lean on their faith when dealing with the trauma surrounding the parade.
Police and prosecutors say, Darrell Brooks, 39, of Milwaukee, drove his SUV into the crowd at the Waukesha Christmas Parade killing six and injuring at least 62 people. Brooks has been charged with six counts of first-degree intentional homicide.
The Christmas parade tragedy hits especially close to home for the church. The Catholic Community of Waukesha was marching in the parade and several members were struck and seriously injured including Father Patrick Heppe, who suffered a concussion.
Widder wanted to draw the congregation's attention to the Christmas season. He is grateful for Christmas, as it brings a sense of peace, he said.
He shared a story of his childhood Christmas. One year, a mysterious present was under the tree addressed to the family. He said it was mid-size gift with some weight on it, which led him to believe it was a toy or electronic device.
Upon opening the gift, the children discovered that it was a pack of batteries -- one thing necessary for many of the other gifts to work. And Widder said there is a lesson there.
"Without the batteries, nothing works. ... But, in essence, that was the most important gift, because it made everything else work," he said.
The lesson is that without the grace of God or the grace of Jesus Christ, people cannot make sense of what they need or don't understand, Widder said.
"We can have all those things, but we can't make sense of all of them, we can't truly use them."
Throughout mass, parishioners, both young and old, harmonized as a man led them in song.
"As we sing that meditation 'Silent Night', it gives us that sense that on Christmas Eve night, all is well ... Wherever we might be, all is well," Widder said.
"We know of the parade tragedy that many of us were a part of and there to see. People that have been impacted by that tragedy, here at mass tonight, in the healing process. It's a powerful testament to God's grace."
Widder closed the service by offering a prayer for the four parishes making up the Catholic Community of Waukesha.
"Go and announce the gospel, thanks be to God," he said.
Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Waukesha Catholics gather on Christmas Eve 33 days since tragedy struck the Christmas Parade
