POPCS feeds the hungry at Christmastime!

by popadmin | Dec 3, 2020 | CIC Saint Writeups

The Catholic Identity Committee at POPCS has identified 10 local families who are in need of a Christmas dinner. When we say “need,” we mean that without our support, they will not have a holiday meal.

This opportunity for service is a beautiful way to teach children how to put virtue into practice. Please look through this sign up for the specific food items and quantities needed. Our goal is to gift each family a basket containing all the fixings for Christmas dinner.

 Food Collection will be EASY: we will collect all food items during morning AND afternoon carline on  Friday, 11 December.

6 December: Feast of St Nicholas

by popadmin | Nov 29, 2020 | CIC Saint Writeups

6 December: Feast of St Nicholas. St Nicholas is the patron of children, the hungry, brides and scholars! He was born in the year 270 and grew up on the coast of what is now Turkey with his wealthy Greek parents. He became bishop in Myra and died there on December 6, 343.  He was also known as “Nikaolaos of Myra” and “boy bishop”, because he became a bishop at the young age of 30. He was known for being incredibly generous, especially to children. In the year 800, he was officially recognized as a Saint. In France in the 1200s, Catholics began celebrating Bishop Nicholas Day on December 6. Throughout the years, Saint Nicholas became more well-known and Dutch immigrants brought their traditions to America. They added their pronunciation of his name — Sinter Klass. This began to lead the way to the tradition of gifts being brought in the night by the name of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

Traditions: The most popular way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day is to put shoes out for St. Nicholas to leave small treats and gifts in. This tradition is done in remembrance of how St. Nicholas himself would leave gifts for the poor outside their windows or doors at night. Children love this tradition! They put their shoes out the night before St. Nicholas Day. Shoes can be placed outside a door or by the fireplace. When they awake, it is a delight to find that St. Nicholas has left special surprises in their shoes!

St. Nicholas Day shoe gift ideas:

· Chocolate gold coins (to represent the gold coins St. Nicholas left for 3 poor daughters)

· Candy canes, Life Savers, or other little candies

· Small toys or trinkets

· Ginger or gingerbread cookies

· Clothing or new shoes (to represent how St. Nicholas gave clothing to the poor)

· A Christmas ornament

· Clementines (because they also represent the gold St. Nick gave away)

· Religious items (medals, holy cards, rosaries, saints books or videos, saints peg dolls, etc)

Some fun St. Nicholas feast day activities for children include coloring pages or printable ornaments:

· Check out these from Catholic Icing

· Here is an idea for making a St. Nicholas miter

· Another neat tradition is the blessing of candy canes. The candy cane shape reminds us of St. Nicholas’ crozier (bishop’s staff). On St. Nicholas day, you may purchase candy canes and say this blessing

· Most importantly, be sure to pray together and ask St. Nicholas to intercede for you and your family.

God our Father, we pray that through the intercession of St. Nicholas, you will protect our children. Keep them safe from harm and help them grow and become worthy in your sight. Give them strength to keep their Faith in You; and to keep alive their joy in your creation. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

God of joy and cheer, we thank you for your servant, the good bishop Nicholas.
In loving the poor, he showed us your kindness; in caring for your children, he revealed your love.
Make us thoughtful without need of reward so that we, too, may be good followers of Jesus.

Be sure to visit the FORMED website (using the free account for POP parishioners) to find great videos about St. Nicholas such as Nicholas: The Boy Who Became Santa!

22 November: Feast of Christ the King

by popadmin | Nov 16, 2020 | CIC Saint Writeups

22 November: Feast of Christ the King (the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe). Celebrated on the last Sunday of the liturgical year, this feast day was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925. As a response to the rise of secularization, atheism, and communism in the world and to publicly acknowledge the supremacy of Jesus Christ over all men and nations, Pope Pius XI issued the encyclical Quas Primas. This encyclical added the feast of “Our Lord Jesus Christ the King” to the Church liturgical calendar. It designated the feast to be celebrated on the last Sunday of October. This date, near All Saints’ Day and four weeks before Advent, was carefully chosen. It reminded the people that Jesus Christ is not only King of this world, reigning over the nations; He is also the eternal King, glorified by the saints in heaven, who will one day come to judge humankind. In his encyclical, the pope noted that the world’s disorder was the result of nations rejecting Christ. The pope instructed the faithful to use this annual feast as a time to consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; tying the celebration to devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the living Christ in the Eucharist. In 1969, Pope Paul VI further enhanced this feast. To emphasize Christ’s universal reign, he changed the feast day name to “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”. He also changed the feast date to the last Sunday in the liturgical year, emphasizing even more strongly the connection between Christ’s kingship and His second advent (coming) to judge the world. Fr. Smith aptly referred to this new feast date as “the crown of Ordinary Time”.  The pope also raised this feast to the highest rank of celebration on the Church calendar: that of a solemnity. Today, peace still eludes us; social, political and economic upheaval is still prevalent; and the nations continue to reject the Gospel. The world needs now, more than ever, our Christian witness to Christ the King’s rule over all things.  

23 November is the feast day of Blessed Miguel Pro. It is a perfect tie-in to learn the phrase that this Mexican martyr bravely died proclaiming: “Viva Christo Rey!”  (“Long live Christ the King!”)

Ideas for celebrating this feast day at home:

• Make crowns! (Or, visit Burger King today!) Here is a link for free printable Christ the King crowns.
• An easy Christ the King craft idea here.
• For a fun baking activity, make Christ the King cookie crowns.
• Set the table as if you were hosting a king for dinner: use cloth napkins, your best dishes. Light candles and fill fancy glasses with champagne or sparkling cider. You could also serve adults a Royal Flush cocktail made with Crown Royal.
• Make “Chicken á la king” for dinner: recipe here.
• Other dinner ideas “fit for a king”– a ham ‘jeweled’ with cloves; a crown roast; a very nice steak; or slow braised beef and vegetables with mashed potatoes. For dessert, a crown cake! (recipes here)
• Sing or listen to the hymn “For Christ the King” by Father Daniel Lord, from 1933. The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah is another resounding piece of music that captures the enthusiasm of this feast day: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords! And He shall reign for ever and ever.”
• Have a family procession in honor of Christ the King – idea here.
• Most importantly, consecrate your family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: instructions here.

“If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone.” (Quas Primas, Pope Pius XI)