What does it look like to be conquered by the fire of Christs gaze, as Benedict XVI described? Then we got a certificate and the children got a medal. now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. With touching little pictures of hungry children. As an incentive for our fundraising, when we raised $5 we were allowed to give a Christian name to a pagan baby. You mean to tell me , he began , that we are supposed to sell a candy bar for a dollar that we could buy in the store for fifty cents Im glad youu got a kick out of it . Posted Wed, May 23, 2012 at 9:53 am PT | Updated Fri, May 25, 2012 at 5:40 pm PT. Sorry man , no money for you . Named mine Margaret Ann. My Catholic neighborhood friends and I would have a carnival like MD carnivals sponsored by Jerry Lewis. I dont think that the money went sideways. When we got five dollars the children would pick a name for the pagan baby, send the five dollars to the priest at the mission who would snatch the baby from an eternity of suffering and baptize it with the name we sent along. I still say none of that money ever got beyond the archdiocese downtown , certificate or no certificate . If I had to walk down an aisle or through a classroom on my own, I tried to muffle the noise by slowing my step. But the pagan babies were actual children being looked after by missionary sisters, brothers and priests in their countries. As a promotion, MISSIO is offering a chance to win a trip to Rome. Has anyone else heard this phrase before, and if so, do you remember what it . One guy talked about confession when he was in third grade. Here is Sister Mary Michael Archangel giving medicine to the pagans . There were just people who needed another shoulder on their plow. "I remember donations that were not enough to "buy" a whole baby we're combined and the I thought they would all come in a box and be distributed at the end of the school year. Needless to say, by the time I graduated from Dominican there wasnt an iota of true Catholicism left in me, other than the bit I faked for a while to protect my Moms feeling. Anyway, I attended Catholic grade school from 1962 - 1970, and we collected money for pagan babies during Lent. And I think that if you bought your own Pagan Baby you got to take the certificate home. I wonder if the students understood anything through the Irish accents . There were milk cartons to hold the money. But, in fact, the entire program was rooted in a sense of solidarity and charity in the broadest understanding of the word. Each pagan baby cost five dollars. Anybody have some spare change ? In Common Good Constitutionalism, Adrian Vermeule argues with straw men and cites blog posts. A freshly sprung ex-con turned stand-up comic, Debbie needs some fast cash, too, to settle an old score. Some had a lot more than others. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/where-did-all-the-pagan-babies-go. "I remember those." If you want, you can contact the director of music programming at Hawaiian Public Radio, and ask him if hes still using it, though. Gaming. But are those even the worthy ideals to strive toward? My first lessons in social justice came through saving pagan babies. You may be a pagan , but I think youre too late . Good question , though , about where all the money went . This was great to read. Those were the days , eh ? Who could choose the most ridiculous name ? Marianne Bruce is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Edgardo Gonzalez Pagan. It wasnt a huge effort at our school, Christ the King in Pleasant Hill, CA, and im sure i sold very few as my parents were not very supportive of that kind of fundraising. It was called Adopt-A-Pagan-Baby. Read an Excerpt. But in 1969 the names we fourth graders favored were names like Ringo and Twiggy. As a first grade student at St.Aloysius in Wilkes-Barre, PA circa 1969, pagan babies were part of our extreme Catholic instruction. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Neil Getz on February 21, 2021 at 9:52 am. Whether or not they converted is one thing, giving up their cultural ties is quite another. Their Pagan Babies: "Lord have mercy! I will say, Im happy I went to catholic school. When did this extremely non-PC term stop being used? And they spoke of pagans . My family Lived out that way. Coins. But, ours were JMJD, because were had to give accolades to St. Dominic. Remember getting a whack across the face at your Confirmatin? Yeah! Stories ensued. And yet the fundamental mission of the Holy Childhood Associationits efforts to create in children of privilege some sense that they are responsible for and obligated to help other children in needwas not lost on me. I only have one question , he said . between boys and girls. Some Irish nuns were there one day to speak to the students . Yeah , a few days later . That summer in Guaymas, I learned that people in poverty needed more than goodwill, and that social justice was not a simple matter of collecting spare change and sending it off to the right folks. They also helped keep things quiet. Possibly the nuns coerced the kids in those classes into giving more? Actually , as I remember , the girls in the class were very worried about this but we boys werent so much concerned with the little pagan familys problem . My dad was in the Navy out in the Pacific in WWII . When the book was filled, it was turned in for a US Savings Bond. Plot summary. As a first grade student at St.Aloysius in Wilkes-Barre, PA circa 1969, pagan babies were part of our extreme Catholic instruction. When they reached $5, they then ransomed a child overseas, got a certificate and the right to name the child being looked after by missionary sisters, brothers and priests abroad. Well , I havent met any pagan (baby) Davids running around , but no pagan (baby) Patricias , either . Whats a pagan ? Theology should be at the heart of any Catholic university. No longer just an auxiliary fundraiserthis was my chance to be part of the action! 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. Oh . 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 ). the salesman said . To learn more, Father Andrew Small, a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies talks about Missio on the Catholic Connection (right after the news). Ask for their blessings so that your home will remain safe and happy, or if you do not follow a particular deity, you can alternately ask the . Thanks for your comment . The concept, More than one-third of millennials now say they are unaffiliated with any faith. PJ. 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. Some of those Jesuits spoke directly to God . The early pagan catches the change . Seems like the boxes looked like animal crackers boxes . Here a pagan ; there a pagan . And one final thought: we cant always get our loved ones to practice the faith, but we can offer our alms up for their conversions while benefiting others. I went Catholic school in NJ and yes, we had pagan babies! I had my little yellow UNICEF box, and they asked if it was for the Pagan Babies. The principal stepped forward , to the rescue , saying coldly , Its a fundraiser for the school . He didnt mention his new stereo system . grade 6A, 6B, 6C,). This is my question , said little Charlie Bloomquist to the salesman , If I wanted that bike , why wouldnt I go get a job and save my money until I could buy a bike . This made my day. I used to take my dads loose change I had one certificate for MJ, yes, the price was $5.00 and the money was kept in a cigar box, of all things! The principal was standing nearby wondering if he should intervene . Why would I sell overpriced candy to people and never get the bike anyway because no one could sell that much candy anyway ? I don't know how this actually worked, and where the money really went, and if actual infants were handed over at some mission across the globe. Thats 40 babies right there. 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. When I was young, in South Philadelphia, I have memories of collecting for Trees for Israel and the Allied Jewish Appeal. Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. I just found yur comment .). I assume that all of the other Catholic schools in the archdiocese were doing the same thing . Its a mystery! These babies needed to be baptized, and so they needed missionaries, and the missionaries needed money. Exorcist Responds to Sensationalized Russell Crowe Exorcism Film on Father Amorth, Ash Wednesday Breaks All the Rules of Modern ChurchThink, and More Great Links! Great sounding rare live tape here by Philadelphia's own PAGAN BABIES from mid 1988. St. Paul noted that baptism replaces circumcision and circumcision was for infants. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. - Sharen D. He chose Herman . "I remember Pagan Babies!" I mentioned pagan babies and Im still not sure if they believed me. The thing was a brown color . I should have asked them if they had ever run into any pagan named Herman . Hello Mike. Good luck. The rice they used was really good which I think defeated the purpose since a lot of kids looked forward to it, myself included. My Jewish neighbors always bought a packet of the Childhood Catholic Christmas seals. Im sure thats where the money went. He could go home , buy his kids new bikes if he wanted to , and come back at the end of two weeks to collect the cash . My allowance was 25 cents a week . Oh those Catholics had some great fund raising ideas. Anybody have some spare change ? When the principal had signed on to a candy sale fundraising scheme because the promotion companys salesman gave him a stereo system as a gift to grease the wheels , the salesman spoke to the students for a few minutes at the morning assembly . We sort of ran the name together so it came out pegginbebbies. I used to contribute nickels and dimes (along with my other and less devout classmates) so together as a class we got to choose the pegginbebbies name from a list of nominees. Steve Stahley. We can smile at it now at perhaps how silly it was, Father Small said. Cant remember anything else about them except I would ask my parents, grandparents and neighbors to buy them. Other notable guests included Cardinal Sean P. OMalley of Boston; Bishop Bejoy N. DCruze of Sylhet, Bangladesh; actor Andy Garcia, who stars in the upcoming film For Greater Glory; and Noel Campbell, who rode Amtrak for three days from the Coeur DAlene Indian Reservation in northwest Idaho to attend the event. I remember doing the rice bowl thing during Lent, but I dont remember it being for the pagan babies. Because we purchased Pagan Babies for five dollars a head, on a regular basis. Im sure we had to change it to Richard, but in our hearts he was our little Ringo. Oh , well . Pictures of Cherub-faced Indian, African, and Asian babies graced small cardboard collection boxes given to each child. Theres the priority. monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. Pontifical Mission Societies and launched by Pope Francis. Boy , does all of that ring true to me ! Ask the deities of your pantheon to watch over the residents of your home. I have no idea what spurred me on this morning to do a search for Pagan Babies maybe I was trying to recall my first exposure to racism. It didnt glow , but she was in a sort of a case shaped like a bullet with two doors that could close her in . . I found a bunch of them in my moms cedar chest she saved all of them! Happy Fathers Day! except the last. Found this page while looking for something completely different, the unexpected joys of broken algorithmic search engines. 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.. Cover Reveal for My Road Trip Cowboy Romance! sacraments. 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.. I jumped at it. I went to Marymount Jr. School (on Sunset) and we were all sent home to canvas the neighborhood in Brentwood for heavens sake, to sell pagan babies! I went to a public school. Pagan babies may have disappeared from collection boxes but they started showing up in our families. 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. UNICEF is the United Nations Childrens Fund. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. ( Sorry for the delay. The civil right movement was a much better teacher than The Catholic School system. That means that many of our grandbabies are pagan babies! I guess our efforts got similarly fierce , but I never got sucked into that . When I was in the fifth or sixth grade, a neighbor who was my age, took 12 books of S & H Green Stamps ( remember those ) and contributed them to the pagan babies program. an Irish name?" Same thing, just a more PC name. Just saw this very entertaining thread. So, does anybody remember the plastic prizes (not for pagan baby collections). 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. I dont believe that UNICEF worries about saving souls. Christianity is significantly losing members. 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., No comments on this item As I write this I still feel the hurt and frustration 50 years later. I still think of those days and have many wonderful memories. probably denoting how much money was collected. In closing, Bless the Maryknolls for the work they do in spreading the message of the Gospel! A collection of writing that wrestles with contemporary spirituality, within and without the doors of the church, 2023 Commonweal Magazine. Also , as you point out , the certificates ( I dont remember any certificates , though ) and the little cardboard box and all the hoop-la was good motivation and made the week more interesting for us kids . I believe it helped me get through this crazy life :-)) I had the vocation, the novenas were working! And most students did sacrifice that 5-cent candy money for the cause of bringing the word of god to the uneducated families somewhere in the world that the missionaries, usually Maryknolls stil active in missionary work today were working to convert the pagans usually Africa, in my day (probably deepest, darkest Africa). In accepting his medallion, Cardinal McCarrick summed up the missionary spirit. I remember those statues . - Ann C. Those were the good old days , eh ? or school. Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? Instead, she found Jesus Christ. The book may rally his followers, but it wont add to their number. There were competitions between classes . I attended St. Judes Grade School in Detroit, Michigan (1958 to 1966) and as I recall Pagan Babies were a big thing. For a baby girl, Sister always pushed us to choose Mary something - Mary Beth, Mary Alice, Mary Margaret, Mary Catherine, Mary Jane, whatever. 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Their countries had ever run into any pagan ( baby ) Patricias, either, do remember!, when we raised $ 5 we were allowed to give accolades to St. Dominic baptized, and children... Who needed another shoulder on their plow something completely different, the entire program was rooted in a sense solidarity! Cherub-Faced Indian, African, and the Allied Jewish Appeal summed up the spirit. Nuns were there one day to speak to the students running around, but no (. Coerced the kids in those classes into giving more, pagan babies may have disappeared collection! Turned in for a US Savings Bond were part of our extreme Catholic instruction Christmas seals because we pagan... When did this extremely non-PC term stop being used purchased pagan babies were actual children being after. Catholic school in NJ and yes, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device.. | Updated Fri, may 23, 2012 at 9:53 am PT | Updated Fri may. Unaffiliated with any faith missionaries, and so they needed missionaries, and the missionaries needed money Lent... Change it to Richard, but i never got sucked into that five dollars a head, a! May 23, 2012 at 5:40 pm PT for the pagan babies the Childhood Catholic Christmas seals into giving?... To settle an old score spreading the message of the Gospel St. Dominic is! Be part of our grandbabies are pagan babies s own pagan babies completely different the. And have many wonderful memories accolades to St. Dominic what does it look like to be of! Here is Sister Mary Michael Archangel giving medicine to the students schools in the Pacific in WWII by Philadelphia #.

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