Resurrection of the Lord Catholic Church

Feast date: Dec 06

On Dec. 6, the faithful commemorate a bishop in the early church who was known for generosity and love of children. Born in Lycia in Asia Minor around the late third or fourth century, St. Nicholas of Myra is more than just the inspiration for the modern day Santa.

As a young man he is said to have made a pilgrimage to Palestine and Egypt in order to study in the school of the Desert Fathers. On returning some years later he was almost immediately ordained Bishop of Myra, which is now Demre, on the coast of modern day Turkey. The bishop was imprisoned during the Diocletian persecution and only released when Constantine the Great came to power and made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

One of the most famous stories of the generosity of St. Nicholas says that he threw bags of gold through an open window in the house of a poor man to serve as dowry for the man’s daughters, who otherwise would have been forced into prostitution. The gold is said to have landed in the family’s shoes, which were drying near the fire. This is why children leave their shoes out by the door, or hang their stockings by the fireplace in the hopes of receiving a gift on the eve of his feast.

St. Nicholas is associated with Christmas because of the tradition that he had the custom of giving secret gifts to children. It is also conjectured that the saint, who was known to wear red robes and have a long white beard, was culturally converted into the large man with a reindeer-drawn sled full of toys because in German, his name is “San Nikolaus” which almost sounds like “Santa Claus.” In the East, he is known as St. Nicholas of Myra for the town in which he was bishop. But in the West he is called St. Nicholas of Bari because, during the Muslim conquest of Turkey in 1087, his relics were taken to Bari by the Italians. St Nicholas is the patron of children and of sailors. His intercession is sought by the shipwrecked, by those in difficult economic circumstances, and for those affected by fires. He died on December 6, 346.

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WASHINGTON - In light of recent statements regarding the Somali community in the United States, Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, called on all people to remember each person’s God-given human dignity.

Bishop Garcia’s full statement below: 

“As Catholics, we believe that every person is beloved by God and created in his image. Each child of God has value and dignity. Language that denigrates a person or community based on his or her ethnicity or country of origin is incompatible with this truth. I call on all—public officials, community leaders and individuals — to refrain from denigrating and dehumanizing language. May we recognize the rich gifts that neighbors from diverse cultures bring to our communities. The Body of Christ is beautiful in its diversity and each part, while different, is valued and needed. I pray that together, we can be people of welcome, respect, and understanding.” 

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV asked Canadian singer Michael Bublé and other artists to do their very best when performing a Christmas concert for the poor.

The annual concert at the Vatican "is not merely a performance by talented artists or simply a musical event, beautiful as it may be, nor even a moment of solidarity to ease our conscience in the face of society's injustices," the pope told Bublé and the other artists Dec. 5.

"I would like us, as we participate in this gathering, to recall the Lord's words: 'Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me,'" the pope said. 

Some 3,000 people assisted by the Vatican's charity office, the Rome diocesan Caritas and other Catholic charities in Rome will be the primary guests at the concert Dec. 6 in the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall. It will be livestreamed by Vatican Media.

The concert for the poor began as the initiative of Pope Francis in 2015, although he did not attend any of the performances. However, the Vatican said, Pope Leo will be present for the 2025 edition.

"If we concretely love those who are hungry and thirsty, those without clothing, the sick, the stranger, the prisoner, we are loving the Lord," Pope Leo told the artists, including members of the choir of the Diocese of Rome and the Nova Opera Orchestra.

"This is the Gospel," Pope Leo said, quoting from his exhortation on love for the poor: " This is not a matter of mere human kindness but a revelation: contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history. In the poor, he continues to speak to us."

"The dignity of men and women is not measured by what they possess," the pope insisted. "We are not our goods and belongings, but rather children loved by God; and this same love must be the measure of our actions toward our neighbor."

"For this reason, in our concert, the most vulnerable brothers and sisters occupy the first places," he said.

Msgr. Marco Frisina, director of the choir of the Diocese of Rome, said Pope Francis came up with the idea of the concert for the poor to give them "something they are never given -- something beautiful" and exclusive. 

Bublé, who spoke to reporters after meeting the pope, said he was "overwhelmed" and "I'm really still not over the moment."

A Catholic, the singer said he was able to bring his wife and parents to the papal audience.

"For this young kid from Burnaby (British Columbia), who grew up Catholic, to be sitting here now, it's almost impossible to really express to you how it feels," he said.

Bublé told reporters his set list for the concert includes several songs requested by Pope Leo, starting with the Ave Maria in Latin.

"To be really honest," he told reporters, "I sang that song once -- one time in a recording studio with all of the strings and the orchestra, and I never sang the song again. And when he asked, I was very, very nervous. I didn't want to let him or any of you down, but with the amazing group behind me, with the choir and this orchestra, I realized that there's no fear, there's only joy and rehearsal."

Asked about his faith, Bublé told reporters, "I have a wonderful personal relationship with God. And it doesn't just affect my music. It affects everything, everything I do, every decision I make."

"If my brand is anything," he said, "I very much hope that it's kindness and hope and love."
 

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