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PITTSBURGH

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS MAGAZINE

The Mystic Nativity | Project Bundle-Up w w w. p ittsburghcatholic.org

Festival of Lights Presented by La Roche College and The Sisters of Divine Providence

Friday, Dec. 6, 2013 | 3 - 9 p.m.

Crafts, Santa, Games, Fireworks and Much More!

For a complete schedule of events, please visit laroche.edu

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2 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

Christmas Traditions 2013

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Inside this issue: 6 | Local project:

14 | Cosmic expectations:

8 | Warming hearts and bodies:

15 | Making things right:

Two Pittsburghers have lent their talents to producing “The Key to Christmas.”

Twenty-eight years ago, Project Bundle-Up was the dream of a former Pittsburgh mayor’s wife, TV meteorologist and sports team owner.

13 | Come one, come all:

Once again the Pittsburgh Creche is welcoming visitors on Grant Street.

Christmas Traditions 2013

A mother-to-be learns in a very real way that, for Catholics, Advent is all about waiting.

An artist records a song called “Christmas Card,” which contains a message of reconciliation.

16 | Mary in art:

Artists in their own way explore the age-old mysteries of Madonna and Child.

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 3

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18 | Special visitor:

St. Nicholas makes his yearly visit to children at the Mooncrest after-school program.

24 | The art of Christmas:

Sister Wendy Beckett, internationally known art expert, says appreciating and understanding fine art is a profound form of prayer.

26 | The ‘Great Society’:

Former President Lyndon Johnson wasn’t shy about asking his fellow Americans to address the problems of the poor.

28 | Christmas trivia:

Just in time for the holidays, some serious brain stumpers.

31 | Savoring the moment:

We all know what a trick memory can be, fooling us to tell the story differently as time goes by.

On the cover...

“Joy is the true gift of Christmas, not expensive presents that demand time and money. We can transmit this joy simply: with a smile, with a kind gesture, with some small help, with forgiveness. Let us give this joy and the joy given will be returned to us.”

— Pope Benedict VXI Homily at Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Dec. 18, 2005 Cover design by Karen Hanlin

VISIT THE MARKETPLACE: WWW.PITTSBURGHCATHOLIC.ORG

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PITTSBURGH

Catholic MAGAZINE 135 First Ave. • Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 1-800-392-4670 www.pittsburghcatholic.org

Vol. 5, No. 4 Publisher | Bishop David A. Zubik General Manager | Robert P. Lockwood Editor | William Cone Operations Manager | Carmella Weismantle Christmas Traditions Magazine Project Editors John W. Franko | Phil Taylor Associate Editors Phil Taylor (Special Projects) Chuck Moody (News) Staff Writer | John W. Franko Graphic Designers David Pagesh | Karen Hanlin Director of Advertising Carmella Weismantle Account Executives Michael A. Check | Paul Crowe Michael Wire Circulation Mgr./Parish News Coord.

Peggy Zezza Administrative Assistant | Amanda Wahlen

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Office Assistant | Karen Hanlin

Pittsburgh Catholic Christmas Traditions Magazine is a complimentary publication available at all 200 Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh from the Pittsburgh Catholic Publishing Associates, Inc. Paid firstclass delivered subscriptions are available.

Advertising: ads@pittsburghcatholic.org Editorial: editor@pittsburghcatholic.org Marketplace: www.pittsburghcatholic.org

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Live the spirit of Christmas all year Have your kids found the “key” to Christmas? Local author Rod Hess’ book, “ The Key to Christmas: A Timeless Story for All Time,” enables you to reinforce the true meaning of Christmas with your kids, while creating a family tradition that encourages them to live the spirit of Christmas beyond the season throughout the year.

“The Key to Christmas” is a story of a girl named Lillie, who, after giving Santa the list of presents she wanted for Christmas, has a change of heart. She decides that she has already been blessed with more than most kids have and asks Santa to give all of the gifts on her list, except for one gift of Santa’s choosing, to children not as fortunate as she. This one gift holds for her the “key” to the true meaning of Christmas. Through this experience, Lillie learns that Christmas is truly about love, and, when you give freely to others without wanting anything in return, good things will come to you many times over.

Although this is a Christmas story, the unique storyline makes it a refreshing break from the other traditional stories that resurface each season. Each book comes with a gold box with a gold key enclosed that you, and your child, can use as a tangible reminder of having found the key to Christmas. Your child can do as Lillie does — use the key as a tree ornament during the season and then hang it near the door so it can serve as a daily reminder to “live the spirit of Christmas” all year.

The book is illustrated by Dave Pini,

6 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

whom Hess recruited while Dave was a student at Hess’ alma mater, Pittsburgh’s Central Catholic High School. The book is an easy read and enables parents, grandparents or teachers to use their creativity in facilitating discussions with kids to stimulate ideas for how we can live Jesus’ message of “peace on earth and goodwill toward men.” Hess also has adapted his book for use in reading it to large groups in a classroom or assembly.

In a world filled with political correctness and materialism, it is becoming increasingly difficult for our children to live the Christian values of love and compassion on a daily basis.

While these values may be taught in our homes, schools and churches, it takes great strength for kids to practice these values in the real world. “ The Key to Christmas” will inspire kids to internalize and model their Christian faith on a daily basis and give birth to a new Christmas tradition for generations to come.

For more information about Hess’ book and other inspirational products he has created, you can visit his website at www.giftsthattouchthespirit.com (Gifts That Touch The Spirit). In addition to this website, Hess has another that outlines his work over the past 40 years in the field of organizational culture change. His program, Normative Leadership, provides an operating system, people skills and a philosophy for changing culture within a group, team or organization. His program is also adaptable for use with kids in dealing with peer pressure and bullying.

Over the years he has worked with organizations in the fields of business, education, human services and team sports. He has written a 270-page “how-to” book for leaders on changing culture entitled, “Normative Leadership: Powerful Skills for Creating Your Path.”

You can find more information on this at www.helpathy.com.

Christmas Traditions 2013

Wishing you grace and peace in this holy season Truver's Jewelry 3287 West Liberty Avenue

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Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 7

Steeler Kelvin Beachum and his wife, Jessica, shop with their young friend during the Steelers Bundle-up Oct. 15 at Macy’s in Ross Park Mall.

Project Bundle-Up

keeps bodies, hearts warm with gratitude

By MELISSA FEREDAY

Planning to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage or a 50th Anniversary in the next six months?

Celebrated the Sacrament of Marriage or a 50th Anniversary in the past six months?

Share your joyful announcement with the rest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in the Pittsburgh Catholic’s full-color Wedding Guide to be released in March 2014!

Send your color photograph and a 110 word announcement postmarked on or before Friday, January 24, 2014, to:

Wedding Guide, Pittsburgh Catholic, 135 First Ave., Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1513 or e-mail khanlin@pittsburghcatholic.org.

For questions, call Karen at 412-471-1253, Ext. 3570.

Hard copy photos will be returned to those providing a self-addressed stamped envelope.

More than 28 years ago, it began as a dream. A highly recognized television meteorologist, an owner of a national sports team and the wife of a former mayor felt a strong need to give back to the community.

Their drive to help support needy children has since exploded into a majorleague program that has dramatically impacted the lives of western Pennsylvania families for almost three decades. Their vision has grown and developed into the widely revered and respected “Project Bundle-Up.” “I remember it like it was yesterday,” said former WTAE chief meteorologist Joe DeNardo. DeNardo was the first chairman of “Project Bundle-Up” “We wanted to raise between $25,000 and $30,000, but people kept giving and the program kept growing.”

Year after year, The Salvation Army and WTAE-TV’s Project Bundle-Up relies on donors and volunteers to keep the program running. Local organizations, businesses, individuals, corporations and foundations join together to raise the funds used to provide new warm winter outerwear to underprivileged individuals who go without the basic necessities that many of us take for granted — particularly during the cold, winter months.

A place to sleep, food on the table and clothing are very often the difference between a necessity and a luxury.

Purchasing new winter outerwear for children is often a burden for those families whose basic needs exceed their limited See Bundle-Up, Page 10

8 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

Christmas Traditions 2013

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

It’s more than a piece of junk . . .

• It’s a month of meals for your unemployed neighbor and his family.

• It’s new beds & furniture for a family of six who just lost their house in a fire.

• It’s clothing for 10 children living in poverty.

• It’s a dignified burial for an elderly woman who died alone in a nursing home.

• It’s a month’s worth of gas & electricity payments for a family trying to make ends meet.

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul provides assistance to over 100,000 local people annually throughout the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Your tax deductible car donation enables us to serve our brothers and sisters in need.

Christmas Traditions 2013

It’s easy!

Just call 800.322.8284 or visit www.svdpusacars.org and we’ll take care of all the details.

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 9

What is the Catholic Funeral Plan™?

It is a faith-based planning alternative for Catholic families who wish to make the decisions about their funeral ahead of time. The planning assures that your decision will be carried out in the manner you requested and in the Catholic tradition.

The Catholic Funeral Plan™ Difference.

Unlike other plans, you maintain control of your money and know where it is until it is needed for your funeral. You choose the funeral home. Payment is made only when the funeral is delivered.

The choices you make today can be changed at anytime without penalty or obligation.

Before you pay for your funeral, find out more about the advantages of the Catholic Funeral Plan™. “We now have peace of mind knowing our wishes will be carried out the Catholic way, and our family will not be burdened with these decisions in the future!â€?

To receive a free copy of the pre-planning guide, Call 877-886-7526 or visit us online at www.cfppgh.com 10 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

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You can probably see the increased demand of our neighbors in need every day, everywhere. Unfortunately, the waiting list continues to grow due to a variety of reasons: fluctuating economy; rising unemployment; more agencies closing their doors due to funding cutbacks, etc.

Every year, our goal is to purchase new winter outerwear for children ages 0-18,

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Brian Arnfelt, a member of the Steelers practice squad, gets into the Christmas spirit with his shopper.

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income. That’s where The Salvation Army and WTAE-TV help with the services of Project Bundle-Up. Since 1986, more than 236,000 underprivileged western Pennsylvania children and senior citizens have been given the opportunity to purchase a new winter coat, a hat, a pair of boots and a pair of mittens or gloves of their choice — at no cost to them — through the efforts of The Salvation Army and WTAE-TV’s Project Bundle-Up. DeNardo remembers taking children shopping every year. “I remember one young boy had plenty of energy, and I told him you can’t leave until we clothe you!�

The Salvation Army and WTAE-TV’s Project Bundle-Up is designed to help families from Erie south to the West Virginia state line and from the Altoona area west to the Ohio state line. This division is known as the Western Pennsylvania Division of The Salvation Army. Eligibility for the program is based on economic need and by an application process administered by The Salvation Army.

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Continued from Page 8

ensuring a warmer wait at the bus stop and higher self-esteem. We also aim to purchase a new winter coat for senior citizens ages 62plus, allowing them to use their limited income for other necessities.

When a recipient walks away with their purchase the program has been successful and the feeling they get is priceless. They get a little extra warmth during the wintertime and everyone behind the scenes of this venture gets a warmer heart knowing that we made a difference in the lives of thousands of children and senior citizens.

DeNardo is humbled by his ability to help. “I never really realized how fortunate I was in life compared to some people. God gave me the chance to give something back.�

And that spirit of giving continues in DeNardo’s family. His granddaughter, Kelsey, now works to raise money for Project BundleUp while attending California University of Pennsylvania.

For more information, contact: The Salvation Army, 700 North Bell Ave., PO Box 742, Carnegie, PA 15106. Call 412-446-1639 phone or contact www.salvationarmy-wpa.org.

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Christmas Traditions 2013

SFU Xmas Ad layout alt2_Layout 1 10/14/13 1:08 PM Page 1

St.Francis and the ChristmasCreche

St. Francis of Assisi began the tradition of recreating the Nativity scene as a way of sharing the story of our Savior’s birth with people who were not able to read the story.

Here is the story as told by St. Bonaventure (d.1274) in his Life of St. Francis of Assisi: “It happened in the third year before his death, that in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity; and lest he should be accused of lightness or novelty, he asked and obtained the permission of the sovereign Pontiff. Then he prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise. The man of God [St. Francis] stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted

by Francis, the Levite of Christ. Then he preached to the people around the nativity of the poor King; and being unable to utter His name for the tenderness of His love, He called Him the Babe of Bethlehem.”

MerryChristmas from the faculty, staf f, and students of There's no telling how far you can go if you start from a good place.

117 Evergreen Drive, Loretto, PA

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Christmas Creche at Saint Francis University in front of the gates of the Schwab Estate in Loretto, Pa.

Christmas Traditions 2013

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 11

Like thousands of senior religious, Sister of Divine Providence John Margaret Walsh, 76, has spent her life serving others.

Today, she and some 34,000 elder Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests benefit from the Retirement Fund for Religious. Your gift provides funding for prescription medications, nursing care, and more.

Please give to those who have given a lifetime.

Retirement Fund for Religious 12 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

To donate: Retirement Fund for Religious c/o Department of Consecrated Life 111 Boulevard of the Allies Pittsburgh PA 15222-1618 Make your check payable to Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Please write RFR on the memo line.

Or give at your local parish November 16–17.

www.retiredreligious.org

Christmas Traditions 2013

Save the crèche

The Pittsburgh Crèche, the world’s only authorized replica of the crèche outside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, opened for viewing on Nov. 22 next to the USX Tower on Grant Street in Downtown Pittsburgh. It will remain on display through Jan. 7, 2014. The goal of the crèche is to preserve the true meaning of Christmas — to keep Christ in Christmas. Donations are being taken to ensure the creche’s presence for years to come. More information is available at www.diopitt.org. Search “donate to save crèche.” It is also available by calling 412-456-3065.

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iscover your Saint Joe’s!

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Admissions Placement Testing December 14, 2013 & January 11, 2014 · 9 am–12 pm

Spartan for a Day Experience a typical day at SJHS by shadowing a current student.

Centennial Celebration Academic Scholarships Application deadline is December 16, 2013. Additional scholarship opportunities are available. Call for more details.

Bus routes now available for students in Shaler and Morningside.

Ranked a “Top 50 Catholic High School in the Nation” every year since 2006!

SaintJosephHS.com Admissions Director Mrs. Shane Palumbo ‘92: (724) 226–4932 l admissions@saintjosephhs.com

Christmas Traditions 2013

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 13

Advent is not a journey in time, but to the Messiah

By DENISE BOSSERT My due date was the 26th of December, but by Christmas Eve 1985, I was ready to be done with it.

I stretched out on the bed and reluctantly prepared for another night of leg cramps and propped pillows. The Christmas presents were wrapped and ready. The Christmas cookies decorated. The overnight hospital bag was packed and waiting in the corner. My sister had arrived and was ready to look after my daughter.

Still, nothing happened.

The first pain hit at 9:30 p.m. I knew immediately that I had skipped early labor and entered active labor. At the hospital, the nurse

called it precipitate delivery. There would be no time for pain medicine. I was disappointed, but at least something was happening. I wouldn’t be pregnant forever.

I looked at the clock and wondered if our baby’s birthday would be Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Then the nurse checked the heartbeat and the questions about pain medicine and possible arrival time turned into terrible silence.

Something was wrong. The nurse wasn’t smiling. She just kept moving the obstetrical stethoscope from one spot to another. “I’m having trouble finding the heartbeat.� After a few more attempts, she muttered something about getting the doctor, and I was left alone in the

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small examination room The wait was excruciating. I knew what labor was like. I’d been through it two years earlier. I couldn’t imagine giving birth while overcome by grief.

Sometimes, waiting is like a game. It’s fun.

Exciting. Sometimes, waiting is a chore. It’s demanding. Requires effort. Sometimes, waiting is agonizing. Terrifying. Earth-shattering. This pregnancy had been all of these.

Before I became Catholic, every day between Halloween and Dec. 25 was Christmas, not Advent. I focused on making sure the food was ready, the cards were sent and the presents were wrapped. I prepared the house for Christmas, but I did not stop to think about how to prepare myself for Christmas.

Bottom line, I did not know how to wait.

As Catholics, we know that Advent is about waiting. Preparing. Journeying with Israel through salvation history. A man grows into a family.

Twelve sons become 12 tribes. The tribes become a nation. Prophets, judges and kings lead them.

Everything presses on to one great event.

A young woman steps into the center of all things and says “yes� to the most incredible proposition of all time. God has chosen you, Mary.

And all creation waits for an answer.

As that final week of Advent arrives, we see clearly. This is more than a journey through time.

This is a journey to a person. To the God-man.

Messiah. Mary’s child. God’s own Son. At times, the wait was exciting. Seas parted.

Angels visited. Walls tumbled. A donkey talked.

At times, the wait was difficult. Brothers argued. Kings failed. Generations were exiled.

At times, the wait was terrifying. People died.

Nations fought. God was silent.

And then, he spoke.

With one word, the waiting was over. “Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. And upon his shoulders, dominion rests.� (Isaiah 9:6).

Advent quietly passes. A baby cries. The wait is over.

On Christmas Eve 1985, a doctor stepped into the examination room and heard a heartbeat. My son was born at 11:53 p.m. The wait was over.

Every year, we pass through Advent and enter Christmas. The changing liturgical seasons are always fresh and new, like it is all happening right now — the waiting, the expectation, the fulfillment.

Bossert writes from Wentzville, Mo. Her work can be viewed at catholicbygrace.blogspot.com.

Christmas Traditions 2013

God, music and forgiveness for Christmas

By TONY ROSSI Great songs are often inspired by difficult times, even great Christmas songs. Yet, music has a way of turning pain into a relatable way of connecting with others, a form of consolation and even an opportunity to create a more hopeful situation.

When former “American Idol” finalist Brooke White released her Christmas album — called appropriately enough, “White Christmas” — she didn’t just include her favorite joyful hymns and carols; she also included a new song, “Christmas Card,” that has the potential to impact people in a positive way because it contains a message of reconciliation.

During an interview on “Christopher Closeup,” White explained, “I’d like to say that every relationship I’ve had is peachy and dandy, and there’s never been any sort of contention. But that’s just not life. There are always a few people that something happens with or you lose touch with. So that was on my mind and my heart.”

When she sat down to write an original song for the album, the idea of opening her address book to start working on Christmas cards popped into her mind. She thought of seeing the name of a person with whom a relationship had been severed and wondering if she should send them a card.

White said, “There’s that thought that maybe this is my chance to reach out. It doesn’t mean that everything’s fixed or back to normal, but it’s an attempt at either forgiving another person for being hurtful or apologizing to a person for, even in the most innocent ways, hurting them. I think every human being has a few people that they wish they could make things right with. So this song is my opportunity to put that into words.”

One of the motivations for White’s recording “Christmas Card” and other songs on the album, like “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silent Night,” was her faith. She said, “I wanted it to be, not just a fun Christmas record, but

Christmas Traditions 2013

one that celebrates Christ. ‘Christmas Card,’ even though it doesn’t necessarily bring up Christ, it’s about forgiveness which is a strong Christian theme.”

The traditions of home are on White’s mind since she grew up in Mesa, Ariz., in a family that cut down its own Christmas tree (and still does) — and went for twice-weekly rides in their Aerostar van to look at Christmas lights in the neighborhood. However, White is no longer just a daughter, sister and wife; she’s a mom.

In May 2012, she gave birth to her and her husband Dave’s first child, a daughter named London. And just like Jesus came as a gift of love for all of us, London has been a divine blessing as well.

White said, “I had just gotten home from New York and performing at the Rockefeller Center tree lighting. I laid London down to take a nap and she locked eyes with me … I was stressed out at the moment and a little

overwhelmed — and she looked at me and, truly, it was like the face of God. It’s like she was telling me, ‘This is what’s important, and it’s OK.’” White concluded, “Since she was born, everything shifted in my mind. I know most every parent goes through some sort of transformation, but for me it was instant with London. She came out not crying; her eyes were open, and she was this alert little person ready to live. I can’t wait to see this little person blossom and grow. I love her. She’s perfect.

She is love.”

For a free copy of the Christopher News Note, MAKING CHRISTMAS HAPPY AND HOLY, write: The Christophers, 5 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org.

Rossi is director of communications for The Christophers.

on any order Code: PCC11208

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 15

“Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.�

16 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

Christmas Traditions 2013

Christmas Traditions 2013

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 17

olas visi h c i N . t t s S

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n eM e r d o o nc re s t c h i l

Since 2010, Father Andrew Fischer pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Moon Township, has arranged the visit of St. Nicholas to the Mooncrest after-school children.

Each year, St. Nicholas relates the story to the children of his whereabouts from Myra, Turkey, and that he is over 1,000 years old. How he attended Myra high school and was interested in becoming a priest and later a bishop … known as St. Nicholas.

St. Nicholas relates the story of his stay in heaven but visits the children on earth every Dec. 6. He answers the wishes of the children.

In his visit, St. Nicholas receives help from the children sitting, standing and walking up and down the stairs … since he has trouble because of his age. So there are photos of the children helping him.

In talking with the children, St. Nicholas lets them know how important it is for them to be good and to give to others in any way … by good works, deeds and words.

In his visit, St. Nicholas also prays with the children and gives

18 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

them his blessing. You can see them in prayer huddles with him.

At the end of his visit, St. Nicholas hands out a treat — candy bars or the candy cane with the explanation of the meaning of the candy cane.

During his visit in 2010, St. Nicholas was ready to leave the children and told them he was returning to heaven. One of the boys, Jamar Woodson, asked St. Nicholas if he would be seeing his mother, Marcia (Marseeya), who had just died in August from leukemia. St. Nicholas’ response was that he saw her before his visit to Mooncrest and that she was watching over him. Jamar’s response was that “I miss her and wish I could just talk to her on the phone.”

St. Nicholas’ visit always leaves such an impact on the children.

They are never the same after St. Nicholas leaves. We are grateful to Father Andrew for arranging these visits. Each visit makes the children closer to God. Submitted by Felician Sister Rene Procopio, executive director of Mooncrest.

Christmas Traditions 2013

Hearing for the Holidays!

Beginning with the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner and continuing through the New Year celebration we immerse ourselves in a world of sound, song, and conversation.

Social Needs This is the traditional time of the year that we gather together in a variety of situations. Family gatherings, office parties, religious services and the hustlebustle of the season create a wide range of challenging listening environments. It is also, for many people, the only time of year that friends and families unite and reestablish the strong ties that we all cherish. How wonderful it is to hear the punch line at the same time as everyone else and to be actively involved in the friendly banter. If you or a loved one has been on the “outskirts” of conversations during past holidays, you know how isolating and lonely it can be. It is also hard to watch friends and loved ones withdraw from the group and activities they once enjoyed.

Safety Needs This busy time of year, we all make and receive many phone calls, are busy baking goodies, and perhaps babysitting while others go out for an evening. It is also a time of the year when everyone seems to be in a rush and making last minute trips to the store. Because of all the distractions, keen hearing becomes even more important. Obviously, hearing the oven alarm from another room is important.

However, being aware that someone has come up behind you as you remove hot goodies from the stove is equally as important. What fun we could miss in sharing the excitement of the season with the little ones in our care, and obviously, we need to hear when they become hurt or afraid. Finally, we need to be very aware of the traffic and that includes our own vehicles. Without good hearing, it is easy to leave a turn signal on by mistake or miss hearing the squeak that indicates the need for new brakes. Taking action to improve your hearing can help keep you and your loved ones safer now and during the holidays.

Emotional Needs Everyone wants to be part of and included in the fun. Hearing our child’s only line in the school play, singing songs of the

Christmas Traditions 2013

season, or listening to our favorite stories can provide a special connection with those close to you. We also look forward to catching up with old friends or talking to our loved ones that may be away or overseas. We all know that hopeful thrill in our hearts when we hear the phone ring, thinking it is that special someone.

Our ability to hear each other goes a long way in forming and maintaining our relationships. Good hearing also plays a significant role in those tender and quiet times. Somehow it is different when romantic music must be played at the maximum volume.

You can become part of the excitement and festivities again! The earlier you get started, the better your experience will

be. Adjustment to any sudden change in your hearing takes time and this includes the transition into better hearing. This is especially important as we enter a season filled with sounds and situations that can make understanding conversation more challenging. When seeking better hearing, schedule appointments so that you will not be rushed and take the time to make educated decisions. It is often helpful to bring a trusted friend or family member to help you through the process. Taking care of your hearing now can help you enjoy the upcoming holiday season.

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Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 19

20 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

Christmas Traditions 2013

Jesus is the reason!

Dalila and her sister, Michaela Weismantle, both students at St. Teresa of Avila School in Perrysville, explain why “JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.” Jesus is the reason for the season because without Jesus there would be no Christmas, there would be no special holiday. Jesus is acknowledged during this time because he was the most special thing to happen to the world at the time of his birth. Jesus was the only Messiah. Though others don’t believe that, it’s true. He was born without sin and slow to anger.

Without Christ, my classmates and I would not be where we are right now, in a Catholic school. Jesus is the reason for that. He is joy, happiness and inspiration. Though Herod was the king of the land, Jesus was the real king of creation. In my opinion, presents are symbols of Jesus, the greatest gift you could ever receive. When you give a gift think of that

happiness another person will receive knowing that Jesus is the reason for the celebration.

At Christmas Mass, keep in mind that Christ is and will always be there for you, through the good and bad. Remember that all are welcomed into the church, one person no more or no less than another. There is a reason for everything that happens, and it will all work out in the end. Good will always overcomes evil, like the perfect ending of every fairytale and in everyday life, only because Jesus is there. That is why Jesus is the reason for the season.

By Dalila — 5th grade Jesus is the reason for the season because that’s when Jesus is born. Jesus came with his mother, Mary, the virgin mother, and with his holy father, Joseph, riding a donkey, while he was in Mary’s tummy saying Alleluia, praise God with all your might and thanking God for

being born to save the universe. And Jesus will teach all the teachings of God and tell everyone to go to church and pray to God, and he will make all things better. And Jesus will make the blind people see, and he will let the poor people and the rich people come with him, as who they are. Jesus will take them and they can be his followers, because they can be poor or rich.

Jesus will still take them as one.

I love presents at Christmas, but the real thing you are supposed to be thinking about is Jesus. Think about the star in the dark sky, and think about when Mary was on the donkey waiting for the arrival of Jesus. Think about the sky with that big bright star and listening to the new baby’s cry and how Mary was holding him in her arms. He stopped crying and realized how thankful he was that Mary was his mother.

We all are to be happy about Jesus’ arrival!

That is why Jesus is the reason for the season.

By Michaela — 4th grade

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Christmas Traditions 2013

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 21

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Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 23

The Mystic Nativity

The following is reprinted with permission from “Sister Wendy on the Art of Christmas,” published by Franciscan Media.

By SISTER WENDY BECKETT The birth of our Lord is the one feast all the world celebrates, even nonbelievers.

We send each other Christmas cards, ideally showing pictures of the Nativity.

We erect three-dimensional crèches in our churches, and many people have Nativity scenes in their homes as well.

It is a time of togetherness, when family and friends, who may not have seen each other for the past year, meet for the Christmas meal.

Idyllic pictures of the stable, with Mary and Joseph and the child, perfectly reflect this ideal Christmas, this happy and glorious expression of our joy in and gratitude for Christ’s coming. In practice, though, the Christmas experience is all too often a tiring and testing time. We may well be exhausted from our preparations, irritated by family foibles (which we have avoided all year), perhaps anxious about expenses, nervously eager to make the day memorable. The shining light of Christmas may reveal an unseemly darkness.

The artist who most beautifully and movingly expresses this is Botticelli, in his “Mystic Nativity.” He had lived through the spiritual awakening that Dominican priest and reformer Savonarola offered to the people of 15th-century Florence: Botticelli’s brother was one of the friar’s most enthusiastic followers, and he had seen the destruction of Savonarola, by authorities both ecclesiastical and political. I think that “The Mystic Nativity” is an expression of these new and life-changing insights.

In this great painting, we are shown three levels of reality.

In the center, larger than life-size, Mary and Joseph are rapt in adoration, while the small Jesus opens his arms in love. On either side cluster the shepherds, brought to the crib by angels.

In most Christmas scenes, as in the Gospels themselves,

24 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

the announcement to the shepherds is enough to send them searching.

Botticelli feels, and this may well be something taught him by Savonarola, that human nature needs more than an announcement. Not only do the angels bring the shepherds, but they encourage them, embrace them, crown them with olive wreaths, and urge them forward, an unmistakable reference to the processions Savonarola organized, of which olive branches were a feature.

Even more tellingly, below the crib, from the deep fissures of the earth, creatures of darkness have emerged, those small devils that lurk in every psyche. But this nastiness, which can threaten us all under the pressure of Christmas, is being driven back and defeated by the activity we see at the bottom of the picture. Three human beings are actively embracing angels, symbolic of all that is good in each of them. Botticelli shows a difference in the distance between each man and his “angel.” The man at the far right has to stretch a long way, the man at the far left is already close.

Botticelli, in the gentlest and most beautiful way, is preaching to us. If we are to enter into the wonder of Christmas, we must actively embrace the love that Jesus makes visible. We cannot just go through the motions, going to Mass, giving presents, offering hospitality. Jesus came to save us from ourselves, but we must grasp and use his grace, we must take active steps. If we do, we banish that dark side of all of us that would keep us from walking up the path, which Botticelli clearly paints, and entering into the presence of the newborn Lord.

But the glory of this painting is in the top third, where a ring of angels, holding olive branches, float and dance above the crib.

The bright gold of heaven is behind them; they toss crowns to those on earth, and musically, joyfully, in celestial peace and love, celebrate the gift of Jesus, true God and true man.

Sister Wendy, a Carmelite nun, is an English hermit and art expert.

For information on how to order her book (Item #B36695- $14.99), call 1-800-488-0488.

Christmas Traditions 2013

Sorry, the photo on this page has been eliminated due to copyright issues.

‘Mystic Nativity’ Sandro Botticelli about 1445-1510 1500 © National Gallery, London Christmas Traditions 2013

Oil on canvas Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 25

I’m asking, can we make a change LBJ greets a man in the South while making his “Poverty Tour” in 1964.

I wondered what the heck he was doing.

Surprisingly, he asked me for some bucks as well. He collected the bills and gave it to them, We were still in high school, Gerald Jemison and they laughed joyfully as they started to and I. I never called him “Jerry,” he was simply bolt off. I noticed they didn’t even say thank known to me by his last name. you — no home training, just brats!

We were standing at the corner of Craig Mission accomplished, I thought and Centre avenues more than 40 years ago, sarcastically to myself. They hit us up, and now near a long-gone Giant Eagle supermarket in they’re on to the next unsuspecting suckers.

Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood when two “Look at their shoes,” Jemison pointed out. black boys rushed upon us begging for money.

“Phil. Look at their shoes!” he said again.

It was late December, and it was cold in I looked as they darted off. Rag tag and Pittsburgh. There was light snow on the badly worn gym shoes with large holes in their ground, and some dirty gray slush. The lads sides, easily letting the cold wet snow punish could not have been more than 7 or 8, but here their small feet — hardly shoes meant for they were — begging strangers for money in winter. the middle of the street.

I looked up at Jemison.

“C’mon misters, we need a dollar,” they “Poverty,” he said stoically. His face was a playfully jeered. mix of utter disdain and resentment all in one. I “Misters?” I thought. We were only seniors began to feel his anger and resentment as well. in high school. Perhaps our neckties fooled In those few seconds, I came to understand them … maybe not. much, even for a kid in high school. I came to I guess Jemison was way ahead on me on understand that life can be very unkind, even this one. He saw me revving up, I think, and to small, innocent children motioned for me to stow — even at Christmas. it. I was going to tell them he Great Society is a place When President that they shouldn’t be where every child can find Lyndon Baines Johnson “out in the street” asking knowledge to enrich his mind campaigned in 1964, “strangers who they didn’t and to enlarge his talents ... he declared his “war on know,” “strangers who It is a place where the city poverty.” Aka “LBJ,” he could provide a danger of man serves not only the challenged his “fellow to them,” for money. DID needs of the body and the Americans” to envision THEY’RE PARENTS KNOW demands of commerce but and build a “Great Society” ABOUT THIS — KNOW the desire for beauty and the that would address the WHAT THEY WE’RE hunger for community ... It is a place where men are more problems of the poor.

DOING? concerned with the quality of Johnson was riding high “Cool it, Phil,” he said. their goals than the quantity for a time, and Americans He reached into his of their goods. were in tune with many of pocket and brought (Lyndon B. Johnson) his policies enough to easily out a couple of dollars.

By PHIL TAYLOR

T

26 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

Christmas Traditions 2013

defeat presidential rival Barry Goldwater of Arizona.

Unfortunately, events in Southeast Asia soon overshadowed his great domestic achievements. Government funds that he had hoped to use to wage his fight on poverty were diverted to fund the war in Vietnam. Less decent housing and jobs and more funds for napalm.

— a clear sign of hunger and malnutrition. The idea that poor Americans are lazy and living off government handouts sometimes wins election for aspiring, opportunist politicians, but it is far from the real story.

Statistics show that there is an increasing overlap between those who used to be firmly locked in what was considered the middle class and those who are poor. The effects of the economic recession and high unemployment may continue to haunt the nation for some time to come. The “working poor,” have they always been a part of our society?

Maybe LBJ’s “Great Society” is still possible for Americans who aren’t afraid to really get down and get dirty — who aren’t afraid to face and witness truth just like Bobby did in Mississippi.

Just maybe it’s time to show a little more compassion for others who are experiencing tough times. It’s easy to write off or ignore

people once you have convinced yourself they are not deserving of mercy. Of course, we wisely reason, they have earned and deserve a painful existence.

I think the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, may have had it right in his song “Man In The Mirror.”

I’m starting with the man in the mirror I’m asking him to change his ways And no message could have been any clearer If you wanna make the world a better place Take a look at yourself, and then make a change That goes for the woman in the mirror, too.

Taylor is an associate editor of the Pittsburgh Catholic.

Photo by DON STURKEY In May 1964, President Johnson visited with tenant farmer William Marlow and his family outside Rocky Mount, N.C., to publicize his war on poverty.

Soon, LBJ faced unending criticism from conservatives for his domestic policies, and liberals derided him for his hawkish position on the war. In the end, it was enough to bring down the curtain on a great presidency.

Nearly a quarter-century later in 1988, President Ronald Reagan, in his final State of the Union address, drew laughter and applause when he announced that, “My friends, some years ago, the federal government declared war on poverty and poverty won.” Reagan was questioning whether the billions spent on major welfare programs was a legitimate and effective government expense.

Even today, for me, it’s an odd statement coming from the commander in chief.

According to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, 15 percent of Americans still lived in poverty in 2012. In addition, statistics show that one-half of all jobs in the U.S. now pay less than $35,000 per year, and, when adjusted for inflation, it is one of the lowest rates for American workers in five decades.

When LBJ declared his war, the face of poverty looked a lot different than today.

While traveling in Mississippi, Robert Kennedy saw children with bloated bellies (in America!)

Christmas Traditions 2013

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 27

Name That Christmas Carol (Quiz) Compiled by CONNIE STewART and JOHN FRANKO (Answers at the bottom) 1. Quadruped with crimson proboscis 2. 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. without noise 3. Miniscule hamlet in the Middle East 4. Ancient benevolent despot 5. Adorn the vestibule 6. Exuberance directed to the planet 7. Listen, aerial spirits harmonizing 8. Monarchial trio 9. Yonder in the haystack 10. Assemble, everyone who believes 11. Hallowed post meridian 12. Fantasies of a colorless Dec. 25 13. Tin tintinnabulums

14. A dozen 24-hour yule periods 15. Befell during the transparent bewitching hour 16. Homo sapien of crystallized vapor 17. I merely desire a pair of incisors 18. I spied my maternal parent osculating a fat man in red 19. Perambulating through a December solstice fantasy 20. Aloft on the acme of the abode 21. Slumber in ethereal quiet 22. Hey there! The announcing celestial beings carol 23. O greetings of ease and happiness.

24. On commencement of Yuletide my honey bestowed upon me 25. Decorate the passage with branches of

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28 Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine

evergreen sprigs 26. Once upon a misty night prior to Christ’s birthday 27. Ooh, celestial body of marvel, celestial body of strength 28. With a vegetable stem smoker and clothes fastening snout 29. It’s a fluff-ball sphere in the cold season 30. Come on, come on, come on, get moving 31. O sacred darkness, the asterisks are brilliantly shimmering 32. It’s fixin’ to appear extremely similar to Dec. 25 33. Small children with their optical aids entirely illuminated 34. Loyal buddies that are important to ourselves collect closely to ourselves again 35. Boppin’ while circling the tannenbaum 36. Royalty of royalties always and always 37. O approach, y’all devoted happy and victorious 38. Urban walkways, congested walkways, trimmed in a festive manner 39. Ah! The atmospheric condition beyond is terrific 40. Percussion instruments jingle, are you harking 41. Remarked the evening breeze to the tiny sheep 42. Wishing your dates be gleeful and intelligent 43. Harmony on the planet, kindness to Homo sapiens 44. Hop in the sack, hide your noggin, since the fat man comes this evening 45. Ourselves bid yourselves a joyous Noel and a cheerful neoteric 365 days ANSWERS: 1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 2. Silent Night 3. O’ Little Town of Bethlehem 4. Good King Wenceslas (or some say Jolly Old St. Nicholas) 5. Deck the Halls 6. Joy to the World 7. Hark the Herald Angels Sing 8. We Three Kings 9. Away in a Manger 10. Come All Ye Faithful 11. O Holy Night 12. I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas 13. Silver Bells 14. The Twelve Days of Christmas 15. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear 16. Frosty the Snowman 17. All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

Christmas Traditions 2013

RESULTS: 34 - 45 Correct — You don’t need any Yuletide spirit!

21 - 33 Correct — You could use something in your stocking!

0 - 20 Correct — Are you the grinch?

Christmas Traditions 2013

Christmas trivia and more

A. Who narrated the 1966 TV classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas?”

B. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created as a promotion for what department store?

C. What is the number one selling Christmas single of all time?

Claus is Coming to Town?”

H. What were the three gifts brought to baby Jesus in the manger by the three kings?

I. In the Christmas classic “A Christmas Story” what was the message orphan Annie sent to Ralphie through his decoder pen?

D. What was the name of the Grinch’s dog that he turned into a reindeer?

J. In the first paragraph of “A Christmas Carol” the author stresses that Scrooge’s old partner is what?

E. In the animated version of “Rudolph” what was the name of the elf who wanted to become a dentist?

K. In the animated movie “Rudolph” what is the name of the lion who ruled over the island of misfit toys?

F. Who wrote the Christmas classic “A Christmas Carol?”

L. What is it that Frosty says every time he is brought back to life by the hat?

G. What is the name of the bad guy who outlaws toys in the animated movie “Santa

See Trivia Answers, Page 30

Coming in April 2014

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Page 6

2013

18. I Saw Momma Kissin’ Santa Claus 19. Walking Through a Winter Wonderland 20. Up on the Rooftop 21. Sleep in heavenly peace. “Silent Night” 22. Hark! the herald angels sing. “Hark the Herald” 23. O tidings of comfort and joy. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” 24. On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” 25. Deck the halls with boughs of holly. “Deck the Halls” 26. Then one foggy Christmas Eve. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” 27. Ooh star of wonder, star of might. “Star of Wonder” 28. With a corncob pip and a button nose.

“Frosty the Snowman” 29. It’s a marshmallow world in the winter.

“It’s a Marshmallow World” 30. Giddyap, giddyap, giddyap let’s go. “Let it Snow” 31. O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining. “O Holy Night” 32. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” 33. Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow. “The Christmas Song” 34. Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” 35. Rockin’ ‘round the Christmas tree.

36. King of Kings, forever and ever.

“Hallelujah” 37. Oh come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant. “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” 38. City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style. “Silver Bells” 39. Oh, the weather outside is frightful. “Let it Snow” 40. Sleigh bells ring, are you listening.

“Walking in a Winter Wonderland” 41. Said the night wind to the lamb. “Do You Hear What I Hear” 42. May your days be merry and bright.

“White Christmas” 43. Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” 44. Jump in bed, cover up your head, ‘cause Santa Claus comes tonight. “Here comes Santa Claus” 45. We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. “We wish you a Merry Christmas”

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Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 29

KIDS’ CORNER

TRIVIA ANSWERS Continued from Page 29

A. Boris Karloff B. Montgomery Ward C. “White Christmas” D. Max E. Hermie F. Charles Dickens G. Burger Meister Meister Burger H. Gold, frankincense, myrrh I. Drink more Ovaltine J. Dead K. King Moonracer L. Happy Birthday

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Christmas Traditions 2013

Memories of Christmas only become richer with time

By ROBERT P. LOCKWOOD My parents were indulgent at Christmas, like most parents who spent their salad days in the Depression and World War II. They wanted to give what they never had.

I was in fourth grade, still young enough for Christmas to weave that special magic.

When I filed down the stairs with my brothers and sister on Christmas morning for the denouement of a month’s worth of anticipatory avarice, the first thing I spotted was the bike.

W

e all know what a trick memory can be. It fools us by telling the story differently as time goes by. The embellishments and the pace of the narrative become more important than the plain old story. The punch line becomes the highlight rather than an afterthought.

“Wow,” I said, “somebody got a bike!”

The Old Man responded, “Go see who gets it.”

I ran over, read the Christmas label, and saw that it was mine. I nearly danced.

For the next 35 years of his life, the Old Man loved to tell that story at Christmas. It always ended with, “the kid was so excited, he got sick all over the floor.”

It’s a good punch line. But it never happened. I had actually gotten sick that Christmas Eve, no doubt from too much sugary glop shoveled into a stomach already geeked-up in anticipation of the Big Day. But the Old Man’s version became the Christmas carol, and that’s okay because it made people laugh and made for a better Christmas memory.

We all know what a trick memory can be. It fools us by telling the story differently as time goes by. The embellishments and the pace of the narrative become more important than the plain old story. The punch line becomes the highlight rather than an afterthought.

It’s not lying. It’s just telling stories around the campfire.

Christmas Traditions 2013

Around that campfire, the memory can be far deeper, richer and meaningful than what we actually experienced at that moment in time.

The event may be pedestrian, but it’s what we bring to it in the remembering. An event is always a fleeting present. A memory brings past, present and future with it.

I remember the look on my older brother’s face when he unwrapped the basketball I got him for Christmas, the basketball I wanted. The joy, sadness, laughter and tears in that memory are not in those few seconds.

It’s in the memory of a little kid where unbridled greed won out, and a stubborn older brother that let that basketball deflate and gather dust in a closet rather than allow him to borrow it. How we would laugh ourselves silly telling that story over the years. And now he’s gone three Christmases past, so I hold that story even closer.

It’s ninth grade, and I’m sitting in the upper loft of Christ the King Church at midnight Mass.

They called it the choir loft, even though the choir was down in a side room off the sacristy.

I’m sitting with my friend, Jack Morwick.

He opens a small bag of chips and starts crunching on them. I tell him he’s making a racket. He shrugs and proceeds to squash them all up in the bag to make smaller pieces which makes a bigger racket than before. I start to giggle and he starts to giggle, and the elderly women in the pew in front turn to give us the look.

Morwick lived with his older sister in a tiny walk-up apartment because his parents were both gone. A few more years after Christmas Eve Mass in 1963 and he disappeared into the Army, and I never saw him again.

It’s actual grace that makes the ordinary into miracles. It is the grace of God in our daily moments, the points of light that bring us closer to the Lord throughout the days and nights of our lives. It’s what wraps itself up in our memories.

“Does anyone ever realize life while they live it … every, every minute?” Emily asks the stage manager in Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.”

“No. Saints and poets maybe … they do some,” he answers.

Have a merry, peaceful and faithful Christmas. Enjoy your memories.

Lockwood is general manager of the Pittsburgh Catholic and diocesan communications director.

Pittsburgh Catholic Magazine 31

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