Families enjoy a night under the stars

On a crisp, starry December night, people embarked on a locomotive ride from St. Isidore Church in Baker to the North Pole with lightening quick dips, careens, as well as a break-slamming, screeching halt for a large herd of caribous on the tracks. 

With their “free ticket in hand” attendees journeyed from their vehicles and lawn chairs during a drive-in movie style showing of “The North Pole.” 

According to Monice Oliphant, director of religious formation at St. Isidore, Donna Bass, wife of pastor Father Frank Bass, wanted to offer parishioners something that would bring the community together and was outside and safe. The two brainstormed and came up with the idea of a drive-in style movie night.

“Once we came up with the idea everything came into place. We got all of the equipment we needed,” said Oliphant. “I knew it was the Holy Spirit, because if I would think of somebody (they came through).  We needed a transmitter and I had a friend – I worked with him 25 years ago and I hadn’t talked to him in 15 years – his named popped into my head. I called him and the day before someone had given him a transmitter. And he was able to give us the transmitter, so the Holy Spirit wanted us to do this.”

The Dec. 4 movie night was the second for St. Isidore.  The first in October was part of two Fatima events for the church: a public America Needs Fatima, public square rosary and the showing of the new “Fatima” movie. Using an inflatable screen borrowed from St. Alphonsus Church in Greenwell Springs, parishioners gathered in the parking lot and watched the movie in their cars, with audio being supplied using a transmitter through their car radio. 

Some people brought lawn chairs to sit in the open air where speakers were set up. The night was popular and people wanted more.

“They loved the (“Fatima”) movie,” said Oliphant. “People were waiting for an opportunity to see it, but even more important they wanted to see each other.

“We had between 80 to 85 people that showed up. After the first one people were very excited to see each other, even if they had to stay in their car.” 

The second movie was scheduled for the first weekend of December to celebrate the holiday season.

Parishioners voted on the movie they would like to see on the church’s Facebook page and “Polar Express” won. 

“The kids in PSR, all grade levels, were excited about ‘Polar Express,’ ” said Oliphant.

As people arrived “Mary Poppins” was playing.

The church has a theatre-quality popcorn popper and when safe to do so, they hope to offer concessions, according to Oliphant. Other churches in the diocese have contacted her to ask about St. Isidore’s experience.

As the audience members munched on snacks and sipped drinks brought from home, the large movie screen enhanced audience members’ experience.

“This is the first time we are using this screen,” said Oliphant. “Whenever we did the last (movie) it was much smaller and it was inflatable. One of our parishioners told me about this type of screen. I investigated it and it was a price we could afford. 

“We practiced setting it up and tearing it down so we are excited to use it. This is much bigger (nine feet x 16 feet) and it’s more stable.”

Bass noted the events have been a positive experience.

“It’s new and we feel it will probably grow,” said Bass.

She said the church plans to have periodic movie nights and possibly after the Saturday Vigil Mass to give people an evening out.

“It’s helping to lift spirits and bring people together to enjoy family and community,” said Bass.

Huddled under blankets, sitting in trucks or camped out in the back of SUVs, the families expressed their enjoyment.

Kayla Oliphant said, “It’s fun to get together during COVID and we knew it would be enjoyable. Nestled with her were children Charlotte Chadha and Addeison Baillio. 

Addeison said she liked “everything” about the event.

“I love being together as a family,” said Luz Maria Villa, who watched the movie from her truck with children Marcos, 8, Julianna, 10, and Casey, 3.

Stephen Hooge, who entered the Catholic Church at St. Isidore in the spring, reminisced about going to the drive-in theatre as a youth.

“We’d sit in the back of a station wagon,” said Hooge, whose wife, Sarah, and children Noah, 15 and Annabeth, 7,  camped out in the back of an SUV for “Polar Express,” a family favorite.

Sarah Hooge noted they have Christmas ornaments of the movie’s namesake sleigh bell. In the animated feature Chris, known as the “hero boy,” was doubting his belief in Santa Clause and “down on the Christmas spirit” until he received a silver bell from Santa’s sleigh following his adventure. The bell makes a beautiful and sweet ringing sound that only individuals who truly believe in Santa Claus and the Christmas spirit can hear.

As the credits rolled, the message to believe in the deepest, faith-filled sense rang true for attendees as they drove through the parking lot and passed St. Isidore Church into the night.