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Baby Jesus Stolen Before Blessing
Bishop Borrows Figure For Philly Créche Ceremony
By Erin Maguire, The Bulletin
For the past 12 years, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Knights of Columbus have constructed a nativity display on Independence Mall to remind passersby of the real reason for Christmas and for religious freedom in America.
This year, that freedom was slighted with the theft of baby Jesus one day before the Christmas crèche’s blessing. Although the statue was not found prior to the 4 p.m. ceremony yesterday, Philadelphia Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Joseph P. McFadden nevertheless blessed the crèche complete with a borrowed baby Jesus.
After a gathering prayer, Bishop McFadden prayed over the statues followed by Christmas carols sung by St. Mary Interparochial School’s choir.
Continued On Page 4Stephen Augustine Stanton played bagpipes for a crowd that included children, parents, tourists, media and those in professed religious life. In addition to Bishop McFadden, the Rev. Msgr. Daniel P. Sullivan, the Rev. Paul DiGirolamo, the Rev. Daniel Ruff, S.J. represented the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
“We know the purpose of Jesus coming was to bring peace,” Bishop McFadden said, beginning the ceremony. “The Lord calls each one of us to be his people, to help bring his kingdom … to be people of peace,” he added. “Peace does not come through violence or armies, peace comes through the heart.”
After St. Mary’s sang, “We shall be the light of God, a light for all to see,” this message of peace was reiterated through the reading of St. Francis of Assisi’s Prayer for Peace:
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love, where there is injury pardon, where there is doubt faith, where there is despair hope, where there is darkness light and where there is sadness joy.”
St. Francis developed the idea of a Christmas crèche in 1223 to help the peasants in Italy learn about the meaning of Christmas, “to visibly mark the birth of Christ reverently,” James Tayoun, a member of the Christmas Crèche Committee, said.
Mr. Tayoun along with John Stanton and others decided to bring this Christian message to Philadelphia after they witnessed the lighting of a Hanukkah menorah outside Independence Hall years back. Mr. Tayoun made the initial visit to the Independence Hall offices where he received no objection to the religious marking of a holiday.
“We’re making a bold statement: ‘Hey, wake up! The reason we’re celebrating this holiday is because of the Christ Jesus,’” Mr. Tayoun said. “Santa has replaced Christ; this [crèche] marks the true spirit of Christmas.”
Lisa Arbitman, whose daughter sung in the choir, agreed.
“The ceremony and the kids singing brings out the true meaning of Christmas,” she said.
Taylor Arbitman, 9, who had just finished singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus, said the message she hoped people got from the ceremony was, “Jesus was born this day. That’s what Christmas is all about.”
Mr. Stanton, a longtime veteran of the pro-life movement, said he hopes the scene would “bring peace to the city where there is so much violence, especially against the pre-born. Life and peace, how do you separate them?” he asked gesturing to the infant Jesus, which was borrowed from his home parish, Immaculate Conception in Jenkintown.
Pat Stanton, John’s son and part-assembler of the crèche said the display is “a tremendous witness so that the message of Christmas does not get lost.”
“Everybody needs reminders,” he said, “and the nativity is the greatest bailout in all of history!”
Erin Maguire can be reached at emaguire@thebulletin.us.
This year, that freedom was slighted with the theft of baby Jesus one day before the Christmas crèche’s blessing. Although the statue was not found prior to the 4 p.m. ceremony yesterday, Philadelphia Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Joseph P. McFadden nevertheless blessed the crèche complete with a borrowed baby Jesus.
After a gathering prayer, Bishop McFadden prayed over the statues followed by Christmas carols sung by St. Mary Interparochial School’s choir.
Continued On Page 4Stephen Augustine Stanton played bagpipes for a crowd that included children, parents, tourists, media and those in professed religious life. In addition to Bishop McFadden, the Rev. Msgr. Daniel P. Sullivan, the Rev. Paul DiGirolamo, the Rev. Daniel Ruff, S.J. represented the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
“We know the purpose of Jesus coming was to bring peace,” Bishop McFadden said, beginning the ceremony. “The Lord calls each one of us to be his people, to help bring his kingdom … to be people of peace,” he added. “Peace does not come through violence or armies, peace comes through the heart.”
After St. Mary’s sang, “We shall be the light of God, a light for all to see,” this message of peace was reiterated through the reading of St. Francis of Assisi’s Prayer for Peace:
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love, where there is injury pardon, where there is doubt faith, where there is despair hope, where there is darkness light and where there is sadness joy.”
St. Francis developed the idea of a Christmas crèche in 1223 to help the peasants in Italy learn about the meaning of Christmas, “to visibly mark the birth of Christ reverently,” James Tayoun, a member of the Christmas Crèche Committee, said.
Mr. Tayoun along with John Stanton and others decided to bring this Christian message to Philadelphia after they witnessed the lighting of a Hanukkah menorah outside Independence Hall years back. Mr. Tayoun made the initial visit to the Independence Hall offices where he received no objection to the religious marking of a holiday.
“We’re making a bold statement: ‘Hey, wake up! The reason we’re celebrating this holiday is because of the Christ Jesus,’” Mr. Tayoun said. “Santa has replaced Christ; this [crèche] marks the true spirit of Christmas.”
Lisa Arbitman, whose daughter sung in the choir, agreed.
“The ceremony and the kids singing brings out the true meaning of Christmas,” she said.
Taylor Arbitman, 9, who had just finished singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus, said the message she hoped people got from the ceremony was, “Jesus was born this day. That’s what Christmas is all about.”
Mr. Stanton, a longtime veteran of the pro-life movement, said he hopes the scene would “bring peace to the city where there is so much violence, especially against the pre-born. Life and peace, how do you separate them?” he asked gesturing to the infant Jesus, which was borrowed from his home parish, Immaculate Conception in Jenkintown.
Pat Stanton, John’s son and part-assembler of the crèche said the display is “a tremendous witness so that the message of Christmas does not get lost.”
“Everybody needs reminders,” he said, “and the nativity is the greatest bailout in all of history!”
Erin Maguire can be reached at emaguire@thebulletin.us.
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