Casa Maria Marianists

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Advent. December. Study Week. With its community Christmas decorations on full display, the Casa María Marianist community celebrated the first Tuesday of the Advent season. Over 30 students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends celebrated Casa Tuesday with a preview of the Feast of St. Nicholas (Dec. 6) featuring Santa Cookies and the Legend of the Christmas Candy Cane.

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With temperatures hitting the upper 70s by mid-afternoon, brothers from Casa María set out to harvest its community Christmas tree from Devine Acres Farm. After cutting down a seven-and-a-half foot Cypress tree, the brothers enjoyed ice cream and ice-cold bottled water—appropriate treats associated with the season of winter (in south-central Texas!)—before returning home with the tree riding atop the community van.

Electrical Engineer and current Aspirant Andrew Giles applied his professional knowledge by leading the replacement of malfunctioned Christmas light bulbs—essential items for a properly-decorated Christmas tree.

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Although Advent doesn’t begin officially until December 2, Casa Tuesday focused its celebration on upcoming liturgical season with Pre-Advent Fest 2012 on Tuesday, November 27.

Over 75 students, faculty, staff, alumni and Marianists joined the celebration which included live musical entertainment on the front lawn of the community led by members of The Bridge, followed by supper inside the Marianist residence.

Making a special appearance, Chami greeted guests by distributing sweet treats and Advent calendars.

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The Marianists of Casa Maria spent their fall semester retreat at Tecaboca during the post-Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 23-25. The brothers were treated to the culinary skills of Brother Mitch Schweickart, S.M., who is in San Antonio attending the spiritual renewal program at the Oblate Center.

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To celebrate Thanksgiving 2012, the Marianists of the Casa Maria community joined the Marianist Sisters and were treated as guests to a special, home-cooked meal in honor of the national, annual holiday. Along with the featured dishes of turkey, stuffing, cranberry and dinner rolls, special pies such as pecan, cherry and Sr. Durie’s ‘Aloha pie,’ highlighted the dessert items.

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Two birthdays were celebrated at the weekly Casa Tuesday gathering of students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends—Brother Brian Halderman and Assistant Registrar Nicholas Medina—on Tuesday, Nov. 13. On the menu included two desserts: strawberry and cream petal cake and tunnel of fudge cake. Approximately 35 celebrated the ‘two for Tuesday’ birthday celebration.

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Casa María held a special election where guests could vote not on presidential candidates but on their cookie recipes. This fun food event was inspired by Family Circle magazine’s presidential bake-off. Since 1992, the publication has printed cookie recipes shared by the candidates’ spouses and then readers vote on their favorites. It is said that the winner of the cookie contest determines who also wins the election (except in 2008, when Cindy McCain’s cookies beat out those of Michelle Obama).

Back then, before this blog, Casa María’s guests also favored McCain’s cookies—but Obama went on to become president. Four years later, guests voted between a new cookie recipe from the First Lady (white/chocolate/mint chips with walnuts) and Ann Romney (M&Ms, chocolate chips, crunchy peanut butter and oatmeal).

Scroll down just past halfway to see those results from the November 12, 2008 edition of Family-Online.

The results? Romney = 17 votes; Obama = 11. Casa Maria’s tallies did not match the national results collected by Family Circle. And although Romney’s cookies won the votes on Casa Tuesday, President Obama won his second term in office on election night.