St. Viator Catholic Community in Las Vegas is celebrating its 70th year of serving parishioners in southern Nevada. Among its longstanding traditions is the Women’s Guild Christmas Bazaar, a highly anticipated event now in its 46th year.
Women’s Guild member with a hand painted olive oil dispenser
This year’s event took place last week and it featured 50 vendors, as well as down home cooking in its café, unique treasures in its Grandma’s Attic section and an array of sweets offered in its bake sale.
“The bazaar is a fun way to promote community while raising money for our parish,” says Beth Schill, parish staff member and Women’s Guild member.
While Women’s Guild members book the vendors and organize the event, but young people in the parish also volunteer. Confirmation students were on hand to welcome visitors and parishioners, while helping out where needed.
“It’s a bazaar way of living out the Viatorian mission,” quips Fr. Richard Rinn, CSV, Pastor.
This monstrance and altar cloth were purchased with funds from the Women’s Guild.
In fact, it is. Proceeds from the Christmas bazaar are donated to the parish for special wish list items, or those not covered in the annual operating budget. This year’s event raised $11,000. In past years, Women’s Guild members have purchased the large sign in front of the church entrance which lists Mass times, as well as benches in the church plaza, altar cloths and a monstrance for the Blessed Sacrament, among other needs. The Women’s Guild also donated $10,000 toward the church restoration project.
Women’s Guild members paid for this sign.
All in all, the annual Women’s Guild Christmas Bazaar does in fact help advance the Viatorian mission, which is to “raise up communities where faith is lived, deepened and celebrated.”