Our Lady’s Thoughts on Christmas Day

As Christmas approaches, let us make some considerations about this great feast. What were Our Lady’s thoughts on Christmas Day? What did Christmas represent for Our Lady? We must consider that Our Lady carried Our Lord within herself as in a tabernacle. She evidently had the greatest intimacy with Him; she maintained a soul-to-soul relationship. … Read more

Why Is There an Ugly Christmas Sweater Day?

So much that passes for culture these days is just entertainment. What people consider “culture” is an excuse to have fun. Everything must be full of novelty and excitement. It must be Facebookable and Instagram-friendly. While these fun activities may be popular, they do not constitute culture. They have no depth. For many, even Christmas need … Read more

A Christmas Reflection

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We gather to celebrate the beautiful feast of Christmas, a lovable tradition, established and handed down to us through the centuries. As the year comes to a close, we look back to find that last year ended in similar circumstances: generalized chaos and confusion as risks increase. Presently our situation is similar to last year’s … Read more

Seeking the True Joy of Christmas

Return to Order Seeking the True Joy of Christmas

The state of world events is so uncertain that it is impossible to know the conditions in which we will celebrate Christmas or what the New Year will bring. This is a Christmas in which Americans are filled with uncertainty, trials and insecurity. One could rightly ask: “Is it proper to have these concerns during … Read more

The Parol: A Filipino Catholic Tradition and Vocation

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Decorations, lights and fanfare typify the festive celebration of Christmas in the Philippines, even as early as September. On the streets, one can see groups of children and adults alike going from house to house singing Filipino (and even English) Christmas Carols. At each successive stop, it is not uncommon for carolers to receive gifts. … Read more

The First Christmas Crib

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The beautiful custom of setting up mangers to commemorate the birth of the Infant Jesus was started by St. Francis of Assisi. It was the year 1223. St. Francis went to Rome to obtain from Pope Honorius III authorisation to celebrate Christmas in a totally new way. St. Francis chose a forest in the vicinity … Read more

A Lesson In Innocence

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One September morning in the year 1897, the editor of a New York daily newspaper called The Sun found a letter from an eight-year-old girl on his desk. The letter read: Dear Editor: I am eight-years-old. Some of my friends always tell me that Father Christmas does not exist. However, my father says that if … Read more

A Christmas meditation

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The Emperor Augustus then reigned over the East and the West. The nations that had been so proud of their independence, such as Italy, Spain, Africa, Greece, Egypt, Gaul (what is today France), Great Britain and Asia Minor, now transformed into mere provinces of the Roman empire, were subject to the laws of their conqueror. … Read more

In Search of Christmas

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One Christmas night, Our Lord, denying Himself the comfort of visiting those households where He knows He is loved, came down into the midst of a modern city to see what sinners were doing. Christmas!… Christmas!… Joy was universal. Everyone was celebrating. Christ encountered a policeman completely engrossed in directing traffic in a busy plaza. … Read more