The Making of a Christmas Card
Rev. Robert Moore ‘fore all ages, bides The Word ‘til The Father’s Voice is heard Now enfleshed – though not through seed, nor any other human deed – Comes The Word – Pure Gift of Love – from The Father; from Above. Bright, the heavens, dark the earth ‘til The Logos comes to birth. Then […]
“Strange things happen on the night of Christmas.”
Segundo Llorente, S.J. A priest told me what happened to him once in his first parish. After the Midnight Mass on Christmas Day, he personally locked the church. With the keys in his pocket, he went to his room and had a good sleep. At 7:30 in the morning he got up and went back […]
Merry Christmas
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to […]
Christmas Cribs 1878
The pious custom of celebrating our Lord’s birth by a tableau made up of the Divine Infant, the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, the ox, ass, stall, the shepherds and flocks, angels. Magi, etc., now common in so many countries, was originated by St. Francis of Assisi. He obtained in the year 1223 from a friend […]
The Catholic History of Christmas
Christmas is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for coming together with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages… But mostly, Christmas is for love. It was this love for which Jesus came to this world and sacrificed his life. Though the celebration of Christmas originated by Roman Catholics, who commemorate […]
Will Christmas be once again outlawed in America?
Victor R. Claveau, MJ The Puritans, including the group of them who came from England to our Plymouth shores, known as Pilgrims, banned Christmas. This was due to their intense hostility towards the “Romish Church,” and the Church of England, charged with following “popish” practices. Christmas was banned in England for eleven years by Act […]
Question: Please tell me a bit about how Saint Nicholas became Santa Claus.
Answer: The character of Santa Claus is copied from the life of a real person, a saint named Saint Nicholas. The name ‘Saint Nicholas’ even sounds like ‘San-ta claus,’ especially in the Dutch language. The Dutch veneration of ‘Sinter Klaus’ was brought to North America with the Dutch settlers and eventually became the story of Santa […]
Question 46: What is the significance of the pink candle on the advent wreath?
Answer: The color rose is only occasionally used liturgically, and it represents joy. Halfway through the otherwise muted season of Advent, we express the joyful aspect of anticipating the Lord’s coming. You can hear the theme of joy and rejoicing throughout the readings and prayers in the Mass. The third Sunday in Advent was nicknamed “Gaudete […]
THE CRIB OF BETHLEHEM.
Fr. Jean Grou, S.J. THE crib of Bethlehem is as much the school of the spiritual life as the cross is. We begin to learn at the crib, and we finish with the cross; the one contains all the elements of a life of holiness, the other contains its consummation. And as in all sciences […]
Family Prayers for the Advent Season
The Advent Wreath The Advent Wreath, a venerable European tradition, can be a way to involve even very little children in learning about Christian preparation – not only for celebrating Our Lord’s birth, but to make our hearts truly ready to receive Him. The wreath’s symbolism of the advent (coming) of Light into the world […]