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News & Herald Volume 6 Number 16
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
•
December 20, 1996
A Christmas Message from Bishop William G. Curlin
A Remembrance Of Christmas Past Everyone
has their favorite Christmas Story; mine took place 26 years ago when asked by my Archbishop to accept a new pastoral assignment on the following
When
reminded the Archbishop is Christmas Eve," he smiled and said: "Merry Christmas." I confess that I began my first pastor's appointment with a reluctant heart. My new parish was actually an old church in the inner city of Washday. that
I
"Tomorrow
ington, D.C., built in the 1800s.
Time
had taken its toll on both the church building and the neighborhood. The parish community consisted of a few subsidized apartments for senior citizens. recall
how
I
cold and dreary the weather
was that Christmas Day. Less than a hundred people had attended Mass dur-
somewhat discourwent into the church late on Christmas evening. There were few Christmas decorations in the church and the lighting was primarily that of votive candles. Suddenly I heard an elderly voice cry out: "Who's there?" I turned in the direction of the voice and saw an elderly African- American lady seated in one of the church pews. When I asked her name, she replied, "I'm Miss Hattie Davis." She explained that she had become a Catholic when she was 70 years of age and was now past 90. She had outlived her family and had no place to go on Christmas Day. She decided to "spend Christmas with the Lord in the ing the day. Feeling
aged,
I
church."
When Miss Hattie asked where I had come from,
I
described the beautiful
church in the suburb of Washington where I had lived until the day before. I also told Miss Hattie about the wonderful decorations in the church. Suddenly, Miss Hattie asked me: "Lord, Father, why did you come to a place like this?" I was immediately embarrassed. Her question taught me why I had been sent there. "I believe that
God
sent
me
here
Miss Hattie." I invited her to have Christmas dinner with me in the rectory. Remembering there was no food in the rectory, I asked Miss Hattie to remain while I searched the neighborhood for a grocery store. Finally I found a to find you,
small store that offered a limited supply of food; I recall buying hot dogs and
some canned beans. Miss Hattie didn't seem to mind the "poverty" of our Christmas dinner. She explained that every day she shared a can of dog food with a neighbor so the food would not spoil. in
my
Apparently other senior citizens new parish family did the same.
CNS
photo courtesy National Gallery
ot Art
Child. Mary offers grapes to the Christ child in this oil painting by Gerard David from 1510. The painting titled, "The Rest on the Flight into Egypt," is a holding of the National Gallery of Art, Andrew W. Mellon Collection, on display in
Virgin
and
Washington.
women, one of
From that point on, I was determined that
less
Miss Hattie and her friends would never eat dog food again. With the help of generous friends, we obtained two gas stoves for our large
Nation's Capitol. Miss Hattie died not
rectory kitchen.
was
My first culinary attempt
a "disaster," but in time
my
cooking skills improved. Others discovered what I was doing and came to offer their help. As the "cooks" increased in number so did the number of our guests; before long we were feeding hundreds. Many willing hearts and hands established a much-needed ministry in our community. In time our former school building
became
a center for senior citi-
zens and our convent a shelter for home-
the first in the All
we met on that Christmas Day, had taught me and many others
are invited to attend
long after but she
meaning of Christmas: seeing and serving Christ in one another. Perhaps you have a favorite Christ-
the true
mas
This can be a Christmas for each of us to remember. A Christmas that remembers Christ; Christ hidden in the story.
poor, the homeless, the neighbor or elderly friend living alone
May God bless you
and unnoticed. for your charity
and works of mercy during this holy season and throughout the year. Be assured of the remembrance in my Christmas Masses for you and all your loved ones.
a special Mass
Sunday, Jan.
12,
1997
at
3:00 p.m. at St.
Matthew Church
to
commemorate Bishop Michael
J.
Begley's
25th anniversary and the Silver Anniversary of the
Diocese of Charlotte.