;i.The Christmas Story 'I,
,A. T that time Caesar Augustus published a decree ordering
t"" a census of the whole world. This first census took place
I..
ST. THOMAS MORE CHURCH, SOMERSET Clothed in Nature's Christmas Cloak
With Saints, Angelic Hosts of Heaven, Fall River Diocese Awaits Saviour 'Twas the night before Christmas and gre~test to least In the Fall River Diocese waited the feast; . The stockings were hung by the chimney with care In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; . But not only he, but saints by the score Joined to salute the land by the shore: Gruff St. Peter, a fisherman yet,
Wise in ways of wind and net, Smiled on Provincetown, where seamen came To pray at the altar bearing his name. St. Patrick said, "My peace tonight To churches shining starry bright In Falmouth, Wareham, Somerset And in Fall River-telling yet The ageless tale the angels sang, The glorious tidings brought to man."
Said Mary, "Here my children raise A Christmas litany of praise," And clouds of angels to her came And sang her churches' lovely names:
Fairhaven New Bedford Taunuton North Dighton
Woods Hole,
-rIle Child," said he, "Is born tonight.
Your altars hold The Living Light."
The Precursor, the great St. John,
Prayed to God the Giver And prayed for Central Village church,
New Bedford and Fall River.
Iwhile Cyrinus was governor of Syria. And all went to register, teach to his own town. Joseph also went from the town of )~azareth in Galilee to Judea to the town of David, which is ;·called Bethlehem - because he was of the house and family :of David - to register with Mary, his engaged wife, who ~~as with child. But while they were there the time came for f'(the child to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn son, .j and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a crib because there was no place for them in the inn. And there were shepherds in the locality living in the fields and keeping night watch by turns over their flock. And the angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very much afraid. And the angel said to them: "00 not be afraid: I proclaim good news to you of a great joy which· will be shared by the whole people: today, in the city of David, a Savior has been born to yo~ who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a -crib."
And suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host was with the angel, praising God and saying:
NGlory to God in high heaven, and on earth peace among men of good will.*
Nor was this all: the Little Flower Remembered at this holy hour Attleboro and New Bedford shrines Where men would kneel at midnight chimes.
ST. tuKE - 2:T-'4 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine lI'anslatio.
St. John of God, St. Thomas More,
St. Dominic, a dozen more,
Joined in Christmas love and awe As Mary's Babe lay on the straw.
St. Joan of Arc did then advance,
Our Lady of Angels With her St. Mathieu, St. Louis de France,
Our Lady of Health Each heart to love, each voice to swen
Our Lady of Victory The holy choir that sang Noel.
Our Lady of the Cape Our Lady of the Isle·
Saints Anthony of Padua and of the Desert Our Lady of the Assumption wild Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Rejoiced to come together to laud the Holy Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Child, Our Lady of Mount Carmel . And still they came: beloved John, Our Lady of Perpetual Help St. Louis, St. Roch, the list runs on, Our Lady of Purgatory The warriors Michael and St. George, Our Lady of Grace This holy night with idle worda. Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Lourdes
Margaret, Peter, Augustine Notre Dame All bending down to earth, St. Mary's Rejoicing with their chrurches
At the Holy Birth.
There were Kilian, Hyacinth, Hedwig, ,. James, Xavier, William, Stanislaus, Boniface, Casimir, a host of names Elizabeth, Bernard, Stephen,
Invoking Christmas peace and joy Sang and praised their flocks
On man and woman, girl and boy Would draw yet closer heaven.
That lived within New Bedford town
And prayed to Christ from heaven come Assisi's Francis at the crib Sang a joyous hymn; down. Lawrence, flamelil forgotten,
Gladly echoed him.
St. Anne, Grandmother of the Lord,
Joined the chorus that adored St. Pius X came nearer
And sent a special Christmas prayer To the Little One he loved
To Fall River, New Bedford, Raynham And joined in sweet communion
where With all the hosts above. Churches named to honor her
And last the little Lord Himself,
Were decked with Christmas flower and In light of love aglow,
fir. Blessed every church and every soul
As earth and heaven bent low:
In Taunton, Holy Family,
Sacred Heart, St. Anthony,
Blessed Sacrament St. Jacques, St. Paul, Espirito Santo Rejoicing all Holy Name In Christmas light Holy Cross This holy night. Sacred Heart
Santo Christo
And Christmas blessings earthward calbe Holy Ghost
To churches proud of Joseph's name: Holy Redeemer
Sacred Hearts
Fall River Corpus Christl
Attleboro Holy Trinity
HOLY CROSS FATHERS ORDAINED: Bishop OonooUy, center, Ol' dained Rev. Lawrence Olszewski, C.S.C., of Pawtucket, left, and Rev. James Sheehan, C.S.C., of Shelton, Conn., right, at eeremonies in St. JOseph'. Ohapel, Holy C1"086 Fathers' Seminary, North Easton, OIl Saturday,
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WTheR
ANCHOR
Fall River, Mass., Thursday, Dec. 24, 1964
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1964 The Anchor
P,lce lOe per eop)' - $4.00 , . year
VoL 8, No. 52