St. David the King Parish, Princeton Junction, NJ, experienced a record crowd of 700 for their seventh annual 2014 Christmas Carol Festival (CCF). Ever since St. David’s was one of the first three parishes to pilot the festival process in 2007, there has been a yearly increase, including visitors from other parishes who come to learn how to offer Festivals in their own parishes. St. David’s parishioners invite friends, family and especially Inactive Catholics, on a person-to-person basis. There are endless stories about the impact of the CCF process on participants:
+Someone who hadn’t attended church in over a decade came to the Festival then returned for a Spaghetti Supper, and then a Bible Study over the course of several months. Many people sign up for Bible Studies, who never attended one before visiting the invitation table at the ‘Christmas Carol Festival.’ Others have signed up for and attended weekend Retreats at Loyola in Morristown, NJ.
+A teenager decided at the Festival that he wanted to enter the RCIA in order to become a Catholic, along with many others who have asked for parish registration forms and information about parish programs.
+A number of people have begun listening to our local Catholic Radio station 1260AM WFJS Domestic Church Media which we promote using their calling cards at our Invitation Table.
+This year one gentlemen traveled 2 ½ hours from upstate New York to attend St. David’s Festival. Another family plans it’s annual family reunion around this event. For more information go to www.christmascarolfestival.com
