UPDATE: Christmas is time for sharing, not commercialism, pope says
by Junno Arocho Esteves for Catholic News Service
Read the Full Article at Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Christmas tree and Nativity crèche should evoke the joy and the peace of God’s love and not the selfish indulgence of consumerism and indifference, Pope Francis said.
Meeting Dec. 10 with delegations from Andalo in Italy’s Trentino-South Tyrol region and from Peru’s Huancavelica region — responsible, respectively, for the Christmas tree and the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square — the pope said the traditional Christmas symbols bring an atmosphere that is “rich in tenderness, sharing and family closeness.”
“Let us not live a fake, commercial Christmas! Let us allow ourselves to be enveloped by God’s closeness, by the Christmas atmosphere that art, music, songs and traditions bring to our heart,” he said.
More Stories
DIAPER DRIVE Recap!
On Sunday, Jan. 30, volunteers gathered in the parish hall to sort diapers, baby wipes, bottles and other items donated in the parish's...Read more
Old Ideas and New Words
Ever since 2014, Pope Francis has been using a word unfamiliar to American ears. The word is “accompaniment.” Though new to us, the word...Read more
The Penance of Ralph Norwich
Ralph Norwich gave up bubble gum for Lent in 1953. It was an odd thing to do because he didn’t believe in God. Odder...Read more
