WHO is really Santa Claus ?. Why is he so popular worldwide that children
await him December of each year ? And why did retired Philippine bishop Teodoro Bacani said Santa is stealing Christmas from Jesus Christ who was supposed to be the center of attraction on his birth date December 25 .
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Bacani insists Santa “helps promote consumerism because he is the symbol of shopping and gift giving while Jesus Christ symbolizes the sacrifice of life of man “. He added “ Santa has more commercial draw “.
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If Santa is a culprit stealing away Christmas, then maybe the good bishop can explain to us why is he pitting Jesus Christ vs. Santa Claus and then pray tell us who is the ultimate killjoy who is dampening the season for billions of children of the world by discrediting a lovable figure.
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Or maybe the good bishop had forgotten that it was also his colleague in the cloth that gave birth to the character of Santa Claus, St.Nicholas of Myra (now modern day Turkey), who was a 4th century bishop regarded as a “champion of children and the needy “,a legend of his time for his kindness and generosity.
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Stories abound of St.Nicholas’ benevolence which said represented “two of the basic principles of the holiday spirit –giving to others and helping the less fortunate as well as the tradition of hanging stockings by the
fireplace “.
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In lamenting that Santa Claus is “stealing Christmas “ from Jesus Christ, Bishop Bacani seemed to have lost his faith ,doubted if not insulted the Filipino Christians belief in Jesus Christ. No matter how popular Santa maybe, still Jesus Christ is deeply embedded in every Filipino Christians heart whether Christmas or not.
What more, children love Santa but have never forgotten what December 25 is all about. Ask any children what the day stands for or what is Christmas to
them and I’m sure what the answer will be.
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I have often heard that “ makakalimutan din ng mga bata si Santa Claus paglaki nila ”. Yes ,children will outgrow Santa Claus (just as I did) convinced that he is just a Christmas character but the Christians in us
will remain.
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Yes indeed Santa has been commercialized, thanks to the Western world
but Bishop Bacani need not worry because in the Philippines, there is the strong Filipino values and traditions like the “Simbang Gabi “ where the birth of Christ is anticipated by a 16-day dawn mass culminating in the midnight Christmas eve mass called the “Misa de Gallo “.
On this occasion, the Filipino family with their children in tow are united in welcoming the birth of Jesus Christ…… and not Santa Claus . So Merry Christ-mas Bishop Bacani !
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TRANSITIONS/CELEBRATIONS: Our condolences to the family of the late Mrs. May Frances Luz of Scarborough and Lipa city, Batangas who joined her creator December 8. “Mummy May “ as she is fondly remembered is the mother of my long-time friend Willie Luz and his sisters and brothers namely Mita and the late Jose de Manuel, Bing and Lita,Cherry,Joey and Aurora, Franco and Barbara, Butch and Carol, Nina and George, Angel and Omar, Ronnie,Van,Frances, and Paul Partier.
Happy birthdays to December celebrants: Jovie Ciria, wife of singer Darius, Jaden A.Soriano, son of Ira Soriano and grandchild of
Ed and Thelma Soriano, my bro-in law Jess de la Cruz, Thelma Soriano,
Lady Elvis Zena Zagala, Jan Asensi, Cynthia Fabian wife of pareng Ver,
Kumareng Vivian Solis, Christian Alvarez, son of Ace and Gie Alvarez,
My sis Jocelyn de la Cruz and Ira Soriano.
SPECIAL THANKS: To Fr. Romy Tolentino and Fr. Ben Ebcas of the Our
Lady of Assumption church (OLA) for the special dedication in a mass for our journalist colleagues who perished in the infamous Maguindanao massacre of November 23.
FREED; As of this writing the Morong 43, the group of health workers arrested some 10 months ago , should have been out of detention and reunited with their families for the holidays.
ARRIVED: Rebel priest Fr. Luis Jalandoni, on exile in the Netherlands
finally set foot in the Philippines after a long absence for talks with Philippines president Noy Aquino as representative of the National Democratic Front (NDF) panel for the peace talks to seek an end to the
decades-long communist insurgency in the Philippines. A ceasefire is now in place between the Philippine government and the NDF for the holidays.
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TO OUR READERS: LET PEACE PREVAIL IN THE PHILIPPINES, IN CANADA AND EVERYWHERE…
MALIGAYANG PASKO..HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A PROMISING
PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR !
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