Happy St. Stephan's Day/ Boxing Day
Unless you're a mythology/religious studies fan....this will probably be boring. S..you'll enjoy it.
Went to midnight mass per tradition and enjoyed it. Then we got into a discussion with one of the younger priests who, startlingly enough, knows very little history.
I was saying how in my Noni's house the tree was *never* put up until December 24th, and not lit until we returned from midnight mass. We didn't sing songs that had to do with the Christ child arriving either before then -- because in that tradition he had not arrived until after the 24th at midnight.
And yes, we could discuss the true birth of Jesus and when his real birthdate was, pagan mythology and Celtic traditions, all of which combine into Christmas and, fittingly enough, into my family. We're Italian on Dad's side, Scottish/Welsh on Mum's. Talk about noisy family get-togethers!
This priest had no idea of those older traditions, which were once strongly practised in Catholic families. He wasn't even aware of what the Wren symbolised for St. Stephan's Day!!
How did he get out of school?? Anyways, we spent quite a while talking to him. I suppose he thinks we're quite pagan, but maybe they'll send him to the Old Country and he'll see how it all meshes together over there. Here in the States we've lost that cohesiveness, and it's too bad. I think the church lost a lot of tradition and beauty with the "main-streaming".
Then again, who nearly got kicked out of catechism for asking too many questions? ;)
Went to midnight mass per tradition and enjoyed it. Then we got into a discussion with one of the younger priests who, startlingly enough, knows very little history.
I was saying how in my Noni's house the tree was *never* put up until December 24th, and not lit until we returned from midnight mass. We didn't sing songs that had to do with the Christ child arriving either before then -- because in that tradition he had not arrived until after the 24th at midnight.
And yes, we could discuss the true birth of Jesus and when his real birthdate was, pagan mythology and Celtic traditions, all of which combine into Christmas and, fittingly enough, into my family. We're Italian on Dad's side, Scottish/Welsh on Mum's. Talk about noisy family get-togethers!
This priest had no idea of those older traditions, which were once strongly practised in Catholic families. He wasn't even aware of what the Wren symbolised for St. Stephan's Day!!
How did he get out of school?? Anyways, we spent quite a while talking to him. I suppose he thinks we're quite pagan, but maybe they'll send him to the Old Country and he'll see how it all meshes together over there. Here in the States we've lost that cohesiveness, and it's too bad. I think the church lost a lot of tradition and beauty with the "main-streaming".
Then again, who nearly got kicked out of catechism for asking too many questions? ;)