The spirit of unity was palpable as Saint Athanasius hosted its first annual Night of Adoration.
The event, held on Friday, June 19 from 5:30-10 p.m. outside the church at 6100 Bay Parkway, featured appearances by motivational speakers Joe Manno and Father Agustino Corazon Puro, and live music by Alverlis, Darius Kaleb and Made from Dust. There was also 3D-light show and fireworks.
Monsignor David Cassato of Saint Athanasius declared the evening of faith a success. “I thought it was a very spectacular evening,” he said. There were maybe over 1,000 people in attendance, most of them on the younger side. It showed that being Catholic is not boring. It was very exciting. People were there and they enjoyed whole experience.”
Although the church held a jubilee in 2013, this was the first time it had held an event of this kind. “This (night) was more faith-oriented. Everything in this was about engaging young people in talking about faith,” Cassato said. “There were a number of speakers present. We had a jumbo screen that showed a taped production of other religious leaders.”
According to Cassato, the highlight of the evening was the hour of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. “It was very powerful,” he said. “It kind of brings people together focusing on the church, the world and making a difference in society.”
The event’s bilingual emcee, Natasha Bisbal, who is the manager of Hispanic relations for the Diocese of Brooklyn also considered the evening a success. “The event was incredible. The great thing about Saint Athanasius is its diverse community,” she said. “There was a wide range of different genres. There was something for everyone.
“I work with the Spanish community and reach out to Spanish families,” Bisbal added. “It was a great way to bring both communities together. One of the night’s best moments was putting differences aside and uniting, no matter what their age or background, with everyone coming together for their beliefs.”
According to Bisbal, another highlight of the evening for many was the light and fireworks show. “I think it’s the beginning of more events of this magnitude,” she said. “It open doors to allow both communities to do things together and sets an example for other communities as well.”
“I thought it was a wonderful event,” added Cassato. “We won’t do it every year, but probably every couple of years.”
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Corazon Aguirre