Christmas

The Compassion Connection is looking for help to provide a merry Christmas to children living in foster care in Stearns County.

“This year has felt more Lent than Advent, but it has been a time of waiting, a year of mandated patience. We have not all done this equally well. Many of us have grown impatient at the long austerity of the COVID crisis. We don’t all feel we are sharing the same burden.”

Catholic Charities Emergency Services, in conjunction with the Valhalla Detachment of the U.S. Marine Corps League, is once again sponsoring the St. Cloud Area Toys for Tots program to help ensure no child goes without a gift at Christmastime.

Gatherings during these seasons will be different — the pandemic especially reminds us to be watchful and sacrifice for the needs of our community.

“It’s not an ideal situation, but in these uncertain, unprecedented times, we are wise to be realistic and keep hope that soon, we will be able to visit ‘as of old.'”

U.S. Catholic parishes, schools and groups have been collecting items since the fall to share Christmas joy in small packages for children in poverty-stricken nations and will deliver the gift boxes to local drop-off centers during Box of Joy Week, Nov. 7-15.

Facebook page goes viral with a photo of cattle feeding in the shape of a giant cross.

I try to imagine what it was like to be there on that night more than 2,000 years ago. What was it like for the shepherds, the Holy Family gathered around the manger and, later, the Magi when they finally arrived at their destination and saw the Blessed Mother and her baby?