Supplements

Commentary

By Liz Quirin

Time to Find Some Christmas Enthusiasm

When you start seeing Christmas decorations go up in October and then the stock market goes way south faster than you can say sub-prime mortgage, it takes more than a little enthusiasm to deck those halls. Then, when you read about all of the greed of a few people who ravaged the life savings of a multitude of others — to say nothing of layoffs — you must wonder, as I did, what kind of Christmas many people will have this year.

As the news continued to worsen, I began to see what was going on in this diocese, in our parishes — the backbone of our church. I didn’t hear anyone saying “oh, poor me.” Rather, I saw people saying: “What more can I do?” as they pulled more than one tag off the parish Giving Tree. Instead of giving up, wallowing in a pity pool until someone rescues them, our folks have stretched themselves farther than they thought possible to help the so many people in need.

They have also become creative. Children, instead of chucking last year’s electronic wonders into the trash, have been selling those “gently used” toys on ebay or shopped them in some other way. People have found “upscale” consignment stores to shop for bona fide bargains, and they are not holding on to other clothes they once believed would someday fit again. Those go to the consignment shop or to a resale shop for the needy.
All over the diocese, people in parishes are collecting toys and clothes for others. At a potluck in Royalton, folks dropped off new toys on their way to the kitchen to drop off a delicious — I was there, I know — dish to share with others. After the dinner, the children reenacted an abbreviated Posada for the dinner guests with cameras flashing for an adoring crowd of family members and friends.

Long-standing traditions look like they’ve expanded, especially at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Herrin where so many gifts were collected for others. The same was true at the cathedral where a “brown bag” held something special for those the St. Vincent de Paul Society helps.

At Catholic Urban Programs in East St. Louis people from agencies like DCFS were streaming in to pick up toys for families they serve. Later, other families picked up gifts for their children themselves. Rooms full of toys would be distributed before this week is over. Daystar in Cairo is receiving help as well.

Christmas is truly coming — maybe not the one you envisioned when you put the decorations away last year and wondered what this year would bring, but it is coming on the wings of joy and hope from all of the people of this diocese. It doesn’t stop at our geographic borders either since many people send gifts to children they sponsor from other lands or organizations that help someone who needs a helping hand.

Maybe some people started a little early, but now it’s almost here. Christmas blessings to you all.