A drive-through luminary display to honor and remember those who made an impact in our lives
BELMONT — Holy Angels celebrates its 65th anniversary with a powerful and inspirational luminary display.
The first Share the Light event will connect the community with Holy Angels, allowing supporters to drive through campus illuminated with candles, angels and a live progressive nativity scene with roles played by our residents.
On Saturday, Dec. 20 from 6 to 8 p.m., everyone is invited to drive through an audio-enhanced tour of the Holy Angels campus at 6600 Wilkinson Blvd. in Belmont.
"In this year filled with so many struggles and darkness, we wanted to help shine the light and be a beacon of hope for our community,” said Holy Angels President and CEO Regina Moody. “This is a perfect time for us to begin our 65 years of joy celebration!”
The community is invited to honor and/ or memorialize a loved one, friend or anyone else who made an impact in their lives. A donation of $25 for each luminary tribute and/or $250 for an Angel tribute with the name of the person or group is a very special way to share light and joy this season.
“We all know nurses, teachers and other front-line workers who went above and beyond this year to help and keep our country running,” Moody said. “Let’s celebrate these extraordinary heroes with a luminary or angel in their honor.”
Share the Light will be on what would have been the 65th birthday of Maria Morrow, the first resident of Holy Angels. They also consider this the birthday of Holy Angels.
In 1955, a desperate and overwhelmed mother left her infant child in the permanent care of the Sisters of Mercy. Medical professionals believed she wouldn’t live past three months old because of her medical disabilities. Maria left a remarkable legacy in her 54 years on Earth.
Now, Holy Angels celebrates her and all of the other residents, past, present and in the future in our 65 years of Joy for the Differently Able.
Holy Angels will invite the people being honored or the families of loved ones being memorialized to our first luminary display. These luminaries, angels and signs will be placed throughout the Holy Angels campus.
The public is invited on Dec. 20 to drive through campus and listen to the story of Holy Angels along with some Christmas music while experiencing this powerful light exhibit. With other Christmas events being canceled or minimalized this season, this is a chance to make family memories from the safe distance of your own car.
“We really hope this will make a lasting impression on our community, and becomes an annual tradition for many families for years to come,” Moody said.
Holy Angels was founded in 1955 by the Sisters of Mercy. The private, nonprofit corporation located in Belmont, NC, provides residential services and innovative programs for children and adults with intellectual developmental disabilities many with delicate medical conditions.
For more information, visit www.holyangelsnc.org/luminaries.
— Catholic News Herald