Remember getting a whack across the face at your Confirmatin? Yeah! Stories ensued. Anybody have some spare change ? members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission I love the four Beatles pagan babies idea and the adultery thing ! I remember hearing the term too when I attended parochial school (mid 1960s), but by then it had been replaced by the UNICEF boxes. Thats 40 babies right there. If theres a study done of it , I dont know . The mission has a Church, Cardinal Dolan reminded his guests in his opening remarks. I have been searching for a pagan baby box for 30 years, any idea where I can find one ? I also attended CCS and talk about the pagan babies all the time and the Lenten booklets where you saved dimes. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. "Wow, that certainly brings back memories. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. "I loved Pagan Babies. When five dollars was collected the box would go.somewhere ..and a new box would be folded out by the teacher . For a baby girl, Sister always pushed us to choose Mary something - Mary Beth, Mary Alice, Mary Margaret, Mary Catherine, Mary Jane, whatever. One guy talked about confession when he was in third grade. UNICEF is the United Nations Childrens Fund. Someone spilled the beans , I think , or he bragged to the wrong person just what he had done . The teacher lobbied for her but I still refused . The salesman had charts and pictures and a poster for every classroom of the glorious prizes . I taught in Catholic schools in the 1970s and pagan babies were a thing of the past ( as far as I know ; but never underestimate the nuns ). Thanks for the comment . How many people who raised their hands the first time were still in contact with their pagan babies? Some of those Jesuits spoke directly to God . Marianne Bruce is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Edgardo Gonzalez Pagan. My mother was horrified. I had a lot of Pagan Babies named Mary Margaret!! Like using Necco wafers to practice First Holy Communion. And yesyou know who you are. Thanks for a trip down memory lane and validating my recollection. He was a bartender later in life , at least for awhile . But, in fact, the entire program was rooted in a sense of solidarity and charity in the broadest understanding of the word. Does ANYONE know where the money did go? Im still not so sure . I assume that all of the other Catholic schools in the archdiocese were doing the same thing . I thoroughly enjoy your posts. I refused. SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. But the "pagan babies" were actual children being looked after by missionary sisters, brothers and priests in their countries. Take a look and see why Im so excited about this app and will be promoting it every chance I get. As a first grade student at St.Aloysius in Wilkes-Barre, PA circa 1969, pagan babies were part of our extreme Catholic instruction. I went Catholic school in NJ and yes, we had pagan babies! Of course, the prizes helped. As a promotion, MISSIO is offering a chance to win a trip to Rome. There were milk cartons to hold the money. At first, Sister tried to dissuade me from using Karen, as this was not a name on the published roster of saints. Then Father Small asked for a second show of hands. But, ours were JMJD, because were had to give accolades to St. Dominic. In our class it was the boys vs the girls. Theology should be at the heart of any Catholic university. Father Andrew Small, O.M.I., national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and host of the evening, welcomes the archbishop. It is a few years after the genocide of the Tutsis by the Hutus.. Father Terry lives in Rwanda with his girlfriend Chantelle. All good saints names . Thank God someone sent this information to me and redeemed my sanity. Thanks for the comment . In the 50s It used to be border line sacrilegious to question the church maybe it still is , but after seeing the movie spot light Im thinking maybe Archbishop whats his name might have bought another set of golf clubs ( or something far more sinister ) ? I dont remember collecting money for them. I still suspect the money collected ( probably in actuality just chicken-feed ? ) Pagan baby names continue to be popular name choices for many new parents. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. I ended up with about five babies!" I am not the age youre looking for, though, because I am > 50. They folded out . Simone Weil went into the factory to find out more about the social conditions of the modern worker in capitalism. Through their action the proclamation of the Gospel also becomes an intervention on behalf ones neighbor, justice for the poorest, possibility of education in the most remote villages, medical aid in isolated places, emancipation from poverty and rehabilitation for the marginalized, overcoming ethnic divisions and respect for life in all its stages, Archbishop Vigano said. "Wow, what a blast from the past!" I think the whole pagan babies thing was to give us something concrete to hold onto, plus those certificates that we got and plus, of course, naming rights all in the name of raising money for the Churchs missionary work. Weird, the kind of memories we carry over from childhood, isnt it? Davey; Pagan Babies | Commonweal Magazine Pagan Babies By Linda A. McMillin March 12, 2012 I am a Catholic of a certain age, a graduate of parochial school, and a former member of the Association of the Holy Childhood. You :-)) Prizes were given if we were successful. I dont remember the certificates , but , yeah , they came from on-high somewhere in the Archdiocese ( we believed , at least ) . Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? I told that I learned math through confessionit had been two weeks since my last confession, I was mean to my brothers every day, so that was fourteen times, I disobeyed my parents almost every day, so that was about ten times, etc., etc. In the book, Pope Francis also addresses corruption at the Vatican, abuses committed by members of the Church, the COVID-19 pandemic, Russias invasion of Ukraine, among other topics. My first lessons in social justice came through saving pagan babies. At every Catholic school in those days were I got JUG in high school - Jesuits a few times. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. is the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other Or for the poor, underprivileged kids in the USA? Enjoyed reading all of your comments about Pagan Babies. It was probably a good lesson in giving for us little ones ; but , the money - probably not a huge sum overall - ? Seen the movie Mea Culpa? I told some Catholic friends about collecting money for Pagan Babies at Dover (Ohio) St. Josephs and they had never heard of such a thing but Im sure we did it. They also helped keep things quiet. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission ( CCC 1213), Scripture stresses the importance of this sacrament. Went to Holy Name Grade School and when my friend was writing a book including some Catholic characters ( she is not Catholic), my fellow Holy Name and I gave her the pagan baby story to include, complete with only the rich kids got to name the baby since the rest of us did not have the means to save $5. What readers of her book talked about the most was either Is there really such a thing a pagan babies thats hilarious or Oh yes, I remember saving up during Lent to get to name a pagan baby. Thanks for the memories. And finally they finished . I dont think that the money went sideways. This made my day. Gina and her husband raised their two children in New Jersey and now live in Manhattan. Might make a nice story . Ah , yeah . We can smile at it now at perhaps how silly it was, Father Small said. I smell the mendacity in this room ! So, pagan baby collections in LaCrosse , too ! When I was in grade school prior to ~1961 in Catholic school, we collected money (our little pittances of coins) for some vague, needy group covered by the catch-all term pagan babies.* Were collecting money for the pagan babies?* As I recall, there were little paper boxes that we saved our coins in and then turned them in to someone periodically. Coins. Sometimes the girls in one class would be pitted against the boys : Who could collect the money to name the pagan baby first ? The civil right movement was a much better teacher than The Catholic School system. And then the certificate was put up above the chalkboard. And the fact that you great people, so distinguished, so esteemed, would be here this evening to rally around this sacred responsibility of missions, what a source of inspiration and joy.. Resurrection Along the way, in all the villages we passed through, there were people who were full of joy to see young people. My Jewish neighbors always bought a packet of the Childhood Catholic Christmas seals. Thanks for the interest. I remember Green Stamps . In Scotland, around 1966 or so, there was something similar in primary school (which one attends from age approx 5 to approx 12, and this school was not R.C. In addition we'd go and bless our herbs in the garden and around on Midsummer and then harvest them for John's night or the night before depending on the weather. Same thing, just a more PC name. Another thing at every Catholic school in those days were collections to save pagan babiesunbaptized children not taught about God. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. Scotland, late 60s/early 70s, Catholic primary school (ages 5-12) we had this, only we called it something like the black baby fund, rather than pagan babies. Acts 2:38, 22:16, Rom. Im sure thats where the money went. Anyone have proof the Catholic Church ( the dedicated Nuns ) were able to get the pagan baby money to its intended recipients? Bog bodies, secret passages, and amazing tombstones are all possibilities as well as the latest archaeological discovery. I think the Catholic church needed better PR people back then. Gotta laugh about it now. But I was in the mist of all of the Catholic Truths and those truths just werent ringing true to me. NEW YORK They were called pagan babies, an appellation that would never be used today. EIN 27-4581132 . Saving Pagan Babies occurred during a simpler Save that document. Pagan babies, we all understood in the 50s, were babies born to parents who did not believe in a monotheistic (1 god) religion, because they had not yet received any instruction. His parents cant now change the little pagans name , right ? Well , I havent met any pagan (baby) Davids running around , but no pagan (baby) Patricias , either . And they spoke of pagans . Never heard the term. One of my fellow employees is reading a book called Pagan Babies. We'd all suggest names, and then vote for the one we liked best. Reading this article and all of the comments has brought tears to my eyes Im laughing so hard. or school. We were sitting on the floor anyway, but soon we were all (the Catholics) rolling on the floor laughing our heads off! Im still a San Franciscan, but boy has everything changed. . Learn how your comment data is processed. I had the vocation, the novenas were working! 11 Facts About Murdered Bishop David OConnell, Cameron Bertuzzis Conversion to Catholicism, and More Great Links! When Father Andrew Small, O.M.I., asked who remembered them at the inaugural World Mission Dinner May 2 at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan, a few hands went up, mostly belonging to people with gray hair. in the classroom to see who had the most babies. Servant of God Mother Mary Lange and the Rich History of Black Catholic Religious Orders, Ukrainian Soldier Saved by Praying the Rosary, Priest Recounts, As We Forgive: Lenten Pastoral Note From Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver, A Lasting Trail of Light: The Witness of Pedro Ballester. Dell Publishing, $24.95 (272pp) ISBN 978--385-33392-4 The opening paragraph depicts a corner of hell on earth: a church in Rwanda after the recent. Remember it like it was yesterday. Steve, Thanks for the kind comment . OK, fair enough, it was about charity for this or that African country, but it so much stank of colonialism. Those memories come from a ways back . I think we were the hope, somehow, for all the people who were seeing us and a hope for the country, recalls Bishop Christian Carlassare of the nine-day pilgrimage to meet Pope Francis. Thanks for your comment . When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? (Matthew 25: 37-38). David. Come back 60 years ago and well ask the teacher for one ; but now , I dont know . "Wasn't there a bridge we had to get them over. When I was young, in South Philadelphia, I have memories of collecting for Trees for Israel and the Allied Jewish Appeal. Patti Maguire Armstrong Patti Maguire Armstrong is host of the TV talk show Ladies of Another View and an award-winning author and journalist. Then I developed dysentery, and the very people I was there to save were taking care of me. I also remember something about a bridge Over 50, attended Catholic schools from 1970-77 in Latin America. Pagan Names for your baby boy Achak: The name Achak is a Native American Origin name which means "Spirit." Adonis: Adonis means extremely good-looking (handsome), also of the Greek god of beauty and desire. Pagan Babies is a 2000 crime novel written by Elmore Leonard.He first used Pagan Babies as the name of a rock band in his 1981 novel Split Images.. Yeah , small world . My friends went to public school and public school had boys! The principal was standing nearby wondering if he should intervene . Explore . For those dying without baptism, however, the Catholic Church teaches us to hope in God. a Pagan Baby but lost touch. Well I am hurt that you would think I would steal your money to Buy and Name more pagan babies. Founded In Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States More than one artist goes by Pagan Babies 1. The missionary spirit was evident as Pontifical Mission Societies honored three people at the May 2 gala. That $5.00 bought you naming rights. Thanks for the comment . "I named my Pagan Baby Patrick. Pagan Babies is classic crime fiction from the master of suspense, New York Times bestselling author Elmore Leonard. Thanks for the comment . Mom went to catholic school in the midwest in the '60s, and I remember her mentioning Pagan babies in some context when I was a kid. And once, the guy who considered himself the smartest kid in the class proposed the name Jean-Pierre. I may have turned into a pagan . They were no doubt common . Youre stirring up memories . Congratulations for moving on and helping children in other countries. Other Brookliners Remember Adopting Contrary to popular belief, the United States fails to live up to its promised values of freedom and fairness. This is a serious problem. Each was presented with a medallion featuring a representation of the papal keys. Wow . Two stories I recall from those days: one boy in my room kept bringing in UNBELIEVABLY large amounts every day (. They spoke for an hour and I think that every sentence they uttered had the word pagan in it . Youre welcome . Despite its apparent condescending tone at times, it instilled a radical sense of urgency in children that we are responsible for one another.. In college, I was given the opportunity to work for a month at a Franciscan mission in Mexico. Sports. Its a mystery! I guess we survived . My nephew's school is doing "Pennies for Puerto Rico". On the other hand, the central charitable action of my generationsaving and naming pagan babieswas clearly a fiction (I mourn those African Karens), one that reinforced my American sense of exceptionalism and arrogance. Back in the 1950s and early-1960s, and And in pagan lands, there are pagan babies. Theyd say, Whats in it for me?. Many of those kids still have their adoption certificate, like Bob More than one-third of millennials now say they are unaffiliated with any faith. They spoke in thick Irish brogues . Who were these pagan babies, and did any of the pennies we contributed ever help any of them in any way? Even though I later went on to become a Catholic priest (and later resigned and married), my robust suspicion that Catholicism did not have all the answers began to take root way back in my young Catholic boyhood. Anyone else do this? Good hunting , though . Named mine Margaret Ann. class voted on names. The missionary spirit was evident as Pontifical Mission Societies honored three people at the gala. I could fold bandages and scrub floors in the dispensario, change diapers and scrub floors in the orphanage, wash vestments and scrub floors in the churchyou can see the pattern. Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States who greeted guests on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, called the Pontifical Mission Societies instruments for cooperation in the universal mission of the church across the world.. "I think they cost five dollars." I only have one question , he said . I ALSOvividly remember, that the certficates were five dollars each (pretty steep for thr 60s! Some became doctors and lawyers and schoolteachers and others became lay catechists, sisters and priests, operating clinics and schools, colleges and seminaries, Father Small explained, and let me tell you something they need your help today as much as they needed it 30 and 40 years ago. A kid in my class took a five dollar bill from his mother ( without her knowledge ) and a similar result happened . Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? The poor pagan was already named Herman , right ? You're teaching a 9 year old about slavery and ransom. I dont remember . Years later Larry Bye , another boy in the class , told me that his middle name was Herman and that he had been embarrassed when Cary chose the name Herman for the pagan baby. That bring back memories!" Im 34. To some of us Catholic school old-timers , pagan babies is a secret code , I guess, that gets us entry into some somewhat sardonic memories . Many students adopted several I feel the same way as you do. by reneeqyancy | Feb 9, 2010 | Blog | 8 comments. Each classroom was given small cardboard collection boxes . And when I got it, I was going to take care of it all by myself. Drawing its title from Hinckle's parochial education in San Francisco's Sunset District, "Ransoming Pagan Babies: The Selected Writings of Warren Hinckle" released by Berkeley nonprofit. Thanks for commenting! Long time ago . Im not sure at this point for whom we were collecting I supposed it could have been UNICEF, or perhaps a Catholic charity. If we sold a certain amount wed get a plastic statue of Mary and Jesus. This was great to read. Glad to have confirmed this for you , John . But Father Small, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, wasnt apologizing for the old adoption program in which children in Catholic schools would save their pennies. 6:34, Col. 2:1112). This brings back a memory now. What gyp. Plot summary. time, before cynicism and political correctness found their stride. The rise of AI will generate cultural content designed not to be original or even to say anything, but to produce, like a drug, the same experience, again and again. Great mix of early US HC punk & the then emerging "Youth Crew" sound. Those were the good old days , eh ? Oh , well . Each was presented with a medallion featuring a representation of the Papal Keys. possibly before that, the Catholic schools sponsored an ongoing drive to raise money I suspect nowhere . I thought they would all come in a box and be distributed at the end of the school year. Saint Martins actoss the street from you back then. Did the Catholic Schools consider Jewish People Pagans? By the way , I was born in SF . I specifically remember this from eighth grade in 1960. My family Lived out that way. Well, when mama found out, she threw a fit. Then we got a certificate and the children got a medal. The whole Pagan Babies thing was a big deal every year and resulted in a lot of competition among the 50+ pupils in Sr. Madeline Sophies 2nd grade class. Thanks for the comment ! Thanks for checking out my blog about my fathers WWII service on the PT boats. Written right on the top of the looseleaf paper, smack dab in the middle. When did this extremely non-PC term stop being used? For every $10.00 collected you got name the baby. But I assured her that my Karen went straight to heavenMonsignor had said so and celebrated a Mass of the angels in white vestments rather than the usual funeral Mass in her honor. My friend Sue, a Lutheran by way of Methodism cant get head around buying pagan babies. We were never quite sure what a pagan was . collection boxes given to each child. And so I traveled to Guaymas in the Sonoran desert expecting to accomplish great things. In A.D. 381, the early Church Fathers wrote in the Nicene Creed, "We believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.". When our family moved to another part of Dearborn, we transferred to St Alphonsus parish, and I traded the blue jumper for a plaid one, and the beanie for Hush Puppy shoes. The nuns tried to keep us on the Catholic path, but they had a lot of competition with of the civil rights movements of the time. A friend of mine, from back in the 80s, played guitar in a band with that name (weird thing about that is, hes Jewish). Charlie stood up to his full height of about four foot three , his head held high , a serious look on his face . Students gave their allowances to save I dont remember what exactly the certificates were certifying Im assuming that little Christine Marie had been duly baptized but I know when we were younger we were told that we were buying the pagan babies. - Bill R. "Thats what I remember. Pope Benedicts Resignation: Debate Continues 10 Years On, Example of Their Lives: 6 American Black Catholics Are on the Road to Sainthood, Ex-Cardinal McCarrick Asks for Dismissal of Sex Abuse Case Against Him, Citing Dementia, Albany Diocese Bans Latin Masses Following New Guidance From the Vatican, What Have the Jesuits Done About Rupnik? We boys , I think , had a sense of accomplishment somehow because even though he had been caught Cary still had the satisfaction of knowing that a pagan would go through life named Herman because of him . James Dingwall picked that name and the girls immediately protested! What was written on the boxes? I was beginning to think I had created this whole idea of Pagan Babies myself. "Me too! Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. Theres the priority. That reflects a certain dignified sincerity on your part , I think . I seriously want to start a band now, just so I can name us that. Sometimes disabilities don't fall along "guidelines" and some people just need a little extra help. Possibly the nuns coerced the kids in those classes into giving more? . Without her mothers knowledge ! Arlington Catholic Herald200 N. Glebe Rd.Suite 615Arlington, VA 22203703-841-2590800-377-0511, Website Design and Development by New Target, Funeral and public viewing set for murdered Bishop David OConnell, Catholics, are you going to confession? I spent all my paper boy money." Then I could choose the bike I wanted . Good luck. Sorry man , no money for you . Ransom and Baptism? Pagan babies may have disappeared from collection boxes but they started showing up in our families. Chapter 1: Catholic Kids Make Great Faces So then there was an ethical issue that , in some elementary way , even we students recognized . Those who would like to know what became of their pagan babies will get a chance to find out when Pontifical Mission Societies formally launches its Great Works Campaign in the coming months. I think there were religious pix on the stamps. Your description is how I remember things! Neil Getz on February 21, 2021 at 9:52 am.
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