Each year in December, Saint Andre Bessette Catholic Church (formerly known as Downtown Chapel) teams up with local photographers to offer professional-quality portrait-sittings to members of the Old Town community. The portraits are Christmas gifts to be both received and given by our daily guests and volunteers. 

Conceived in 2007, the vision of this project is to offer members of our community something that can be both received and given proudly: a gift that allows a person to be viewed through a new lens, by both the subject of the portrait, and any family or friends whom they may give it to. 

Our parish teams up with Jason Kaplan, a local photographer, to organize the event, which will take plan December 4-7 this year. Jason invites other local photographers to provide their services to the community free-of-charge. Much laughter is often heard from the studio room (set-up as an offering of our morning Hospitality Center), and many people are transformed by the experience... a testament to our photographers.

Then, a week before Christmas, the community will be invited to pick-up their portraits. Each person receives two 5"x7" color prints that they may keep or give as gifts for Christmas. Our parish provides Christmas cards, stationary and postage for mailing portraits to family and friends. These gifts are incredibly special for people who have been out of contact with family for far too long. In fact, in previous years these portraits have offered healing to many people.

Please contact Saint André Bessette Catholic Church to learn more: info@saintandrechurch.org