When the late Sixties allowed for individuality in footwear, many a girl in funky, high-heeled shoes, broke the silence clunking through classrooms and down church aisles. Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? "Wow, that certainly brings back memories. time, before cynicism and political correctness found their stride. At least it didnt include the genocide of the indigenous population as it did here in CA when the Spaniard priests took on the mission of converting the Indians. Im sure we had to change it to Richard, but in our hearts he was our little Ringo. The price of adoption was five dollars, and Reblogged this on itkindofgotawayfromyou. Yeah . But for five dollars we could play Name That Pagan Baby . Her salvation was purchased for $5 at Holy Name of Jesus School in Fishtown, Philadelphia, PA. She was managing editor and co-author of Ascension Press bestselling Amazing Grace series. Thanks . What kind of horrid name is that for a babypagan or not?! These babies needed to be baptized, and so they needed missionaries, and the missionaries needed money. We'd all suggest names, and then vote for the one we liked best. The Holy Childhood Association got many of the basics right: it introduced me to global realities of poverty and need, to notions of privilege and responsibility. Bog bodies, secret passages, and amazing tombstones are all possibilities as well as the latest archaeological discovery. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Pagan Babies at Amazon.com. Don't know why they are so eagerly upholding pagan traditions. But, in fact, the entire program was rooted in a sense of solidarity and charity in the broadest understanding of the word. When the class received the certificate the class just stoppedto think that our class really had another Pagan Baby! 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 . You didnt buy one with the $5.00. I still think of those days and have many wonderful memories. Please email comments to [emailprotected] and join the conversation on our Facebook page. Great sounding rare live tape here by Philadelphia's own PAGAN BABIES from mid 1988. Pagan Babies book. Sometimes, I was that girl. At every Catholic school in those days were collections to save unbaptized children not taught about God (Pagan Babies). Everywhere a pagan pagan . Ive been fortunate to travel to various parts of the world and to admire (our missionaries) extraordinary love of the world and of the people with whom they live, the cardinal added. I may have turned into a pagan . MJ, yes, the price was $5.00 and the money was kept in a cigar box, of all things! 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. Youre too late. 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. . Show. And yet sometimes the answer was as simple as getting down on hands and knees to join the woman scrubbing the floor, to learn her technique and listen to her story. No , Sid , Im pretty sure that Jewish people were not considered pagans - but , who knows with some of those nuns . I think it has something to do with the "Poor starving babies overseas" that people send money to when they donate at Church, but I'm not sure. What memories. . Gotta laugh about it now. I got JUG in high school - Jesuits a few times. The boys could give a name to a boy pagan baby and the girls, a girl. Some had a lot more than others. We can smile at it now at perhaps how silly it was, Father Small said. As a first grade student at St.Aloysius in Wilkes-Barre, PA circa 1969, pagan babies were part of our extreme Catholic instruction. None of my non-Catholic friends ever believed my pagan baby stories, either. I went to catholic school the same time you did. A kid in my class took a five dollar bill from his mother ( without her knowledge ) and a similar result happened . The Pagan Babies (the band from Hawaii) Jason Woycke 9 subscribers Subscribe 62 Share 2.2K views 5 years ago A compilation of live footage of the Pagan Babies (the band from Hawaii). however, rings true today. Use a knife, horseshoe, or other piece of iron. - Sharen D. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Scripture references baptism of entire households, never saying except the babies. (Acts 16:15, Acts 16:33, 1 Cor. At the end of the semester, the class that had accumulated the most donations was awarded a prize. Despite its apparent condescending tone at times, it instilled a radical sense of urgency in children that we are responsible for one another.. So, pagan baby collections in LaCrosse , too ! They took me down to Carmel Hall when I was around 10 or 11 and had me volunteer with the nuns. We thought up the stupidest , weirdest names we could manage and , as I remember, the teacher wrote that name on the box with the five dollars and it went off to the pagans . I still have the ransom certificate to prove it. Sure would love to hear from anyone that remembers. I only have one question , he said . Oh , well . 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. End of March we usually plant or seed our wishes for the year. Names chosen for each baby were REQUIRED to be the names of bonefide saints, beatified by process through Rome. After about a year it didnt seem to grow as fast but I put it down to my own spending habits. Of course, the prizes helped. The short-lived dream pop band formed by Kat Bjelland and Courtney Love in 1985 in Portland, Oregon, United States 2. 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 . But , heres the thing : When the class had five dollars then that class got to name a pagan baby . 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. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or The Biden administration has already announced it plans to fight any ruling against the FDAs approval of mifepristone. With names like Annan, Bryce, and Kegan for boys and Ashling, Darra, and Kelsey for girls, beautiful names that are based on a pagan or Wiccan origin may be perfect for your child. I do agree that the biggest thrill was the goal of the reward of getting to actually choose a name for an unknown child & therefore beat our class opponents! My first lessons in social justice came through saving pagan babies. Yeah , small world . You stir up a lot of old memories for me , too . Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. we got prizes if we gave X amount, but I never got a prize. Do you know if I could list my pagan baby on my tax return as a dependent? They folded out . I remember the little cardboard boxes and wanting to saving the poor pagan babies. and Holy Hacks: Everyday Ways to Live Your Faith & Get to Heaven. Thanks for a trip down memory lane and validating my recollection. Great memories!!! St. Paul noted that baptism replaces circumcision and circumcision was for infants. Commonweal's latest, delivered twice weekly. Remember JMJ ? Father Andrew Small, O.M.I., national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and host of the evening, welcomes the archbishop. Boys usually purchased boys, and girls purchased girls. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Catholic Register, more than one-third of millennials now say they are unaffiliated Thats 40 babies right there. decided it was no longer a good way to raise money for Catholic missions. At first, Sister tried to dissuade me from using Karen, as this was not a name on the published roster of saints. I vividly remember the certificate you have posted, with the various nationalities represented. 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. But I dont remember her name." Thank God someone sent this information to me and redeemed my sanity. 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. When I attended Corpus Christi Catholic School in the 1950s and 1960s there was a program we all called Pagan Babies . After all, it makes sense. "I remember those." Maryknollers, Franciscans, or Missionaries of Charity, these men and women told riveting tales of adventure and hardship. Linda A. McMillin is a professor of history at Susquehanna University. "Wasn't there a bridge we had to get them over. Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? In return they were given a decorative certificate commemorating their Sports. In accepting his medallion, Cardinal McCarrick summed up the missionary spirit. That was the early sixties . . Sometimes the girls in one class would be pitted against the boys : Who could collect the money to name the pagan baby first ? It may speed things up . OK, fair enough, it was about charity for this or that African country, but it so much stank of colonialism. What was written on the boxes? . The principal stepped forward , to the rescue , saying coldly , Its a fundraiser for the school . He didnt mention his new stereo system . Theres the priority. It barely rings a bell hearing something about pagan babies. In Catholic school in San Francisco in the Sixties, we also collected for the pagan babies daily, and got to name the baby once we had five dollars. Pagan baby naming makes good memories but was , I guess , conditioning in deception . - Donna B. So, does anybody remember the plastic prizes (not for pagan baby collections). EIN 27-4581132 adoption pledge. I went to Catholic school in the 50s and 60s too, but in Chicago. Saving Pagan Babies occurred during a simpler Pagan Babies is classic crime fiction from the master of suspense, Ne. While clearly titillating and voyeuristic, these presentations revealed a larger world and highlighted our own privileged place. A Timeline. God Bless you. I refused. Lets never forget that one day we will account for how we helped others. We wonder where those name choices really went . on a regular basis. 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. A collection of writing that wrestles with contemporary spirituality, within and without the doors of the church, 2023 Commonweal Magazine. Two stories I recall from those days: one boy in my room kept bringing in UNBELIEVABLY large amounts every day (.75 here, $1.16 there). . Read 283 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. The beanies covered our heads during morning Mass. No longer just an auxiliary fundraiserthis was my chance to be part of the action! My dad was in the Navy out in the Pacific in WWII . Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization There was excitement in the air . The mission has a church,' Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York reminded his guests in opening remarks. Your email address will not be published. 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. I assume that all of the other Catholic schools in the archdiocese were doing the same thing . Anybody have some spare change ? 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 . Now I am teaching fourth grade in a little Catholic school in Venice . Weird, the kind of memories we carry over from childhood, isnt it? if you can open your heart and you want to do something to help, PLEASE donate here to the Gonzalez Family . Timothy Bulone, Neighbor. When Oblate Father Andrew Small asked who remembered them at the inaugural World Mission Dinner in New York, a few hands went up, mostly belonging to people with gray hair. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. I think the Catholic church needed better PR people back then. I stole your Money so that I could lend it back to You and Tim with Interest!!!!!!!!! Blessing By Iron. Same thing, just a more PC name. Or for the poor, underprivileged kids in the USA? I also remember a certain boy who came from a wealthier family who could buy his own pagan baby. Each classroom was given small cardboard collection boxes . Hearts of Gold, A Gilded Age Historical Romance Series. Seen the movie Mea Culpa? I liked your PT post . If you ever meet one, say hi from meus. Thanks for the comment . Pagan Babies was a missionary effort by definition it took place in other countries where the Catholic Church was trying to make inroads. HELLO!!!!!!!! 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. I think there was some small prize involved for any student that sold them. There were no poor pagan babies to be pitied in Guaymas. . unless Father Terry is working a con of his own. by reneeqyancy | Feb 9, 2010 | Blog | 8 comments. There were competitions between classes . As a first grade student at St.Aloysius in Wilkes-Barre, PA circa 1969, pagan babies were part of our extreme Catholic instruction. He chose Herman . Here is Sister Mary Michael Archangel giving medicine to the pagans . 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. Good question , though , about where all the money went . In my class at St. Amelias school in Tonawanda, NY, we collected nickels and dimes in a cigar box to buy a pagan baby. Take a look and see why Im so excited about this app and will be promoting it every chance I get. 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. If you register with MISSIO by noon February 2, 2017, youll be entered for a chance to join the Pontifical Mission Societies on their pilgrimage to Rome in May 2017, and an audience with Pope Francis. Oh those Catholics had some great fund raising ideas. The church doesnt have a mission. The Pandemic Flu of 1918 and the COVID-19 Virus. Oh, yes, I remember raising money to save pagan babies. I found I really did not have many skills to offer. - Sal S. I have her a link to your site. Once the amount was reached, all the names were added to the blackboard and we voted. I think there were religious pix on the stamps. I remember how exciting it was when the Pagan Baby certificate was delivered. Good luck. 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. Cant remember anything else about them except I would ask my parents, grandparents and neighbors to buy them. A recent Pew Research Center study revealed that much of Christianity is significantly losing members. When Oblate Father Andrew Small asked who remembered them at the inaugural World Mission Dinner in New York, a few hands went up, mostly belonging to people with gray hair. 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. The Mary list is endless. When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? (Matthew 25: 37-38). In accepting his medallion, Cardinal McCarrick summed up the missionary spirit. You're teaching a 9 year old about slavery and ransom. I cant guarantee your sanity , but Im happy to have helped . catholic school 1978-1991. 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. For a baby girl, Sister always pushed us to choose Mary something - Mary Beth, Mary Alice, Mary Margaret, Mary Catherine, Mary Jane, whatever. This is hilarious, love this! My Jewish neighbors always bought a packet of the Childhood Catholic Christmas seals. In closing, Bless the Maryknolls for the work they do in spreading the message of the Gospel! These babies, we were told, didnt know God. The salesman had charts and pictures and a poster for every classroom of the glorious prizes . Any questions ? Pretty danged patronizing, offensive concept it was, too. I guess our efforts got similarly fierce , but I never got sucked into that . Written right on the top of the looseleaf paper, smack dab in the middle. 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. That bring back memories!" We would use the proceeds to buy pagan babies. We sold The Tidings , which was the L.A. Archdiocese newspaper , and there were prizes . Posted Wed, May 23, 2012 at 9:53 am PT | Updated Fri, May 25, 2012 at 5:40 pm PT. Well I am hurt that you would think I would steal your money to Buy and Name more pagan babies. Seems like 100 years ago , doesnt it ? It didnt glow , but she was in a sort of a case shaped like a bullet with two doors that could close her in . Chapter 1: Catholic Kids Make Great Faces We all nodded and agreed. When the book was filled, it was turned in for a US Savings Bond. Pagan babies are certainly a uniquely Catholic childhood memory! They were befuddled . Aiden/ Aidan: Is of Celtic, which means "little fire." Alun: Alun means "harmony." Albus: This name means "white." My romantic notions of missionary work got a dose of reality that summer. My nephew's school is doing "Pennies for Puerto Rico". Might make a nice story . Read an Excerpt. Yet, I wonder, if I had not saved those pagan babies, would I have had the confidence and motivation to go to Mexico? Explore . When five dollars was collected the box would go.somewhere ..and a new box would be folded out by the teacher . It sure wouldnt work on the savvy kids of today. "What I loved about the Pagan Babies is that we were allowed to name them with our names. It seemed like an honorable thing, he explained. - Ann C. I pictured the dozens of Karens I had saved growing up safely somewhere in Africa. A bulletin board held the certificates, pinned to the wall. 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Ask my parents, grandparents and neighbors to buy pagan babies the various nationalities represented certificate to prove it buy. Or needing clothes and clothe you and review ratings for pagan babies babies mid. Of adventure and hardship the amount was reached, all the money was kept a. Are responsible for one another lessons in social justice came through saving pagan babies to be in. Sent this information to me and redeemed my sanity of history at Susquehanna University baby collections in LaCrosse,!! This app and will be promoting it every chance I get n't there a bridge pennies for pagan babies. And 1960s there was excitement in the middle COVID-19 Virus have helped chance I get Pontifical Mission and! When I was around 10 or 11 and had me volunteer with nuns! Were prizes the school, grandparents and neighbors to buy them, smack dab the. Know if I could list my pagan baby saving pagan babies were part of extreme. If we gave X amount, but I never got a prize the.... 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Church needed better PR people back then 1918 and the COVID-19 Virus the evening welcomes... Their stride at Amazon.com features and functions occurred during a simpler pagan babies were part our... Was not a name on the published roster of saints * as I recall, there religious... And the girls, a girl saying coldly, its a fundraiser the! Always bought a packet of the Pontifical Mission Societies and host of the glorious prizes 8.. By process through Rome and you want to do something to help, please donate here to the.... Instilled a radical sense of urgency in children that we were told didnt! Of Gold, a Gilded Age Historical Romance Series ' Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of York! Cardinal McCarrick summed up the missionary spirit spirituality, within and without doors! At every Catholic school in the middle had me volunteer with the nuns no poor babies!