The Angelus - December 2011

Quick Links

Church of St. Michael

Bulletin

Did You Know?

Did you know Junior Troop 21557 and Families in Action packaged

60 Thanksgiving dinners for Southern Alliance for Battered Women?

HOly HeroEs

Saint

Maria G. Rossello

December 7th

Learn more about
St. Maria G. Rossello

The Angelus

Ring Out the Good News

December, 2011 _______________________________________

Greetings!

After my father died in 1959, my mother decided that our family should spend Christmas with her family in Elkader, Iowa. I am sure that she hoped that my father's absence would be less painful if we celebrated in a different but familiar and loving environment. It was with mixed feelings that I left for Iowa, leaving some presents at home, since there was not room to carry everything.

I remember attending Midnight Mass in the small and very old Church of St. Joseph in Elkader. This was the first time I had ever celebrated Christmas away from our home parish of St. Thomas in south Minneapolis. These are some of the things I can still remember about that Christmas celebration. In the sanctuary there were several aluminum Christmas Trees. They were the ugliest Christmas trees I had ever seen. The manger scene in the church was much smaller than the one back home and much less attractive. The choir that sang at Mass had enthusiasm but not much talent. I was no great musician myself but even I realized that the music that Christmas was "nothing special." My memories from our home parish of St. Thomas made the celebration at the Church of St. Joseph a disappointment. Yet, that Christmas was one of the most special that I can recall.

Continued Fr. Sieg's article

Christmas Memories

by Georgia Fritz

My favorite Christmas memories are those experienced as a child. Weeks of preparation and anticipation preceded the season which was all about the newborn Jesus. For us children the season began on the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th when the elaborately robed gentleman visited our school with bags of candy, nuts, and fruit for everyone. Gifts were rare, but those we found under the tree on Christmas morning, we believed were from the baby Jesus.

Creche

Visiting the Creche before midnight mass was always special, as was the Christmas program where we all showcased our "musical talents". We celebrated with extended family on Christmas Day followed by the feast of St. Stephen on December 26th, which was my uncle's names day.

We all played games and cards while the women and older girls prepared a fabulous feast for all of us to share. Christmas goose and lots of treats come to mind. The season ended on Jan. 6th, the feast of the Three Kings, and also my grandmother's birthday. Then we took the tree down and put the decorations away for next year.

Christmas in Chimbote Peru - 2004

by Michelle Nohner

Christmas in Chimbote, Peru is celebrated very differently than it is in the United States. For Peruvians, Christmas doesn't include all of the hustle and bustle that we have become so accustomed to over the years. In Chimbote, the season purely revolves around the Nativity Story and the precious birth of Jesus.

At Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the Christmas season begins with the celebration of the Immaculate Conception. Evening Mass is held outside the main church and begins with Gabriel appearing to Mary from the church's steeple. Gabriel, an elegant angel dressed in pure white and Mary, a young lady dressed in a light blue period robe with a headdress, enact Luke 1:28-38.