Laughter is Good for the Soul
Building on a successful inaugural year for the GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) program, Saint Dennis Parish held its first GIFT sessions of this year in early November, with more than 1,000 people attending the Sunday and Monday events. The featured presenter was Taylor Mason, nationally known ventriloquist, comedian, musician and former “Star Search” winner, whose hilarious program produced laughter from the youngest audience member to the oldest.
The evening started with a shared dinner in the school gymnasium, after which all attendees gathered in the church. The program began with an opening prayer by Father Kent Schmitt, followed by a selection of inspiring musical numbers from parish musicians. The event continued on an introspective note with a thought-provoking reading that incorporated this year’s theme of “Life Stories.” All were asked to remember significant moments in their lives and how God was present for each of them.
Taylor Mason then took the stage carrying a large duffel bag with a variety of puppets, who magically transformed throughout the evening into his cast of “characters.” He mesmerized audience members with his comedic skills and ability to bring these puppets – simply made from furniture foam and other materials – to “life” using a variety of voices and movements. Among the many puppet personas were Paco the pig, Romeo, a young man with swagger, his confident singer friend Juliet, and Sumo, a very large wrestler. He used another named “Brain” who began with no face and could only come alive with the help of two young audience members who maneuvered his arms and legs as Taylor added facial features and finally a “voice.” Robert, a tiny little lamb with a deep baritone and tons of confidence, came with a lesson that regardless of your appearance, “you can be anything you want to be.”
Reminding the audience the importance of community, including the community of faith gathered, Taylor took four of the puppets and asked audience members to work together to maneuver the mouths while he provided the numerous voices. This created a side-splitting routine that had many in the audience laughing until they cried.
His final puppet was Paquito, a tiny pig with no opening for a mouth. As Taylor reminded the audience that “God never gives you a problem you can’t handle,” even Paquito was able to “communicate” with the help of Taylor’s amazing skills.
“Taylor truly showed all of us gathered how to appreciate a new commandment – ‘Thou Shalt Laugh,’” says Father Schmitt. “Through this entertaining presentation, we were able to experience together the gift of laughter God gives us and the comfort it can bring, even during troubled and challenging times.”
As participants departed, they were given a home kit with materials incorporating the evening’s theme, including “Life Stories of the Saints” and a small workbook for answering questions on laughter’s role in our lives.