Members of the choir at St. Cabrini Parish rode the Springfield trolley bus from house to house as they caroled to homebound parishioners.

On a cold and wintry day, Dec. 16, the St. Cabrini Parish choir loaded up the Springfield trolley bus with singers, guitars, chimes and bells to visit homebound people from the parish.

The choir brought not only the gift of music to each person they visited, but also a basket filled with homemade gifts that included a blanket made by a woman in the choir, a china tea cup with tea, a church music CD, candles, homemade cookies and candies.

"It was a great day of caroling, wassailing, fellowship and sharing," said St. Cabrini music director Madonna Jones. "There was a great reward in watching the faces of our homebound parishioners as we all gathered around their doorstep or filed into their homes to share the spirit of Christmas through our music making and to let them know that we miss their presence at church. Many had tears in their eyes, as did many of the carolers."

Jones said the day of caroling is a continuation and development of the ministry to the elderly and homebound that was begun by St. Cabrini's pastor, Father Richard Chiola, and includes the ministry of a parish nurse, Mary Ann Burns, and a pastoral associate, Sister Phillip Marie Lind, SSND.