Jesus As a Light of Peace Christmas May Be Very Different This Year Because of the for the World
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November 6, 2020 In This Issue ESSENGER M Serving the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky since 1926 Traditions honor namesake at St. Elizabeth Healthcare Special Section: Allegra Thatcher ing a healing property, and it’s a Vocations Assistant Editor way of using oil to acknowledge the page 9-20 November 17 will always be a special day sanctity of the body. The chaplains at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, though celebra- even offer the blessing to employees tions have changed over the years. It’s the in non-patient care, such as 2 Coronavirus report feast of their patron, St. Elizabeth of accounting and payroll. Hungary. The saint, a 13th century widowed “We’re all part of the mission princess who dedicated her life to the poor, is and ministry of St. Elizabeth,” said Institute of Religious the patron of hospitals and bakers. Mr. Bozzelli. “It’s such a well- Liberty Joseph Bozzelli, vice president of Mission received annual event that people ‘The Power of Interfaith Services and Pastoral Care at St. Elizabeth, really look forward to because it shared the story of St. Elizabeth while acknowledges that their work is Collaboration’ describing the hospital’s current practices. more than work — it’s a ministry of “We used to collect bread because of the healing and we’re all contributing 3 Get the 411 legend of her bringing bread to the poor at to it, whether we have direct patient night,” said Mr. Bozzelli. care or if we’re in finance and High school placement test The story tells of a young woman who we’re helping the hospital to stay High school Open Houses snuck out to give to the needy, but the mem- financially stable to do this min- bers of the royal family began to prohibit her istry. We celebrate our associates.” Harvest blessing from doing that because she was using their This year, the hospital plans to resources and they thought she was conceal- pray blessing prayers over the ing items and going out and selling them. intercom at the hospital, and the Ministry of Acolyte Her husband, Ludwig, confronted her one cafeteria nutrition services has evening when she was going out, and asked Hungarian food as a specialty. what was under her cloak, and when she A portrait of St. Elizabeth, opened up her cloak, the bread miraculously which formerly hung in the chapel turned into roses. Because of this, she is at St. Elizabeth Hospital, often depicted with her veil open and roses. Covington, has been reclaimed and St. Elizabeth died before her 24th birthday. hung at St. Anne Retreat Center, In the past, St. Elizabeth Healthcare Melbourne. Though a bit worn, the would collect bread on her feast day and give portrait portrays St. Elizabeth giv- it to food banks and food pantries. Today, ing help to the poor and needy. other traditions are celebrated. The community is encouraged This year looks a bit different because of to pray for local healthcare workers the COVID-19 pandemic, but typically on on the feast of St. Elizabeth, Nov. 17, Moving? Wrong address? November 17, as a way to celebrate St. and to make an extra effort to Call the circulation desk, Elizabeth and acknowledge the associates honor their work by making the (859) 392-1570 and volunteers, there is a blessing of hands. necessary sacrifices to reduce the Using oil that’s fragranced with lavender or spread of the coronavirus. frankincense, members of the pastoral care Especially during this year, health- Bishop’s Schedule . .3 department and volunteer chaplains go care workers have proven their ded- Classifieds . .5 throughout the hospital and bless the hands Profitt photo ication to the health and wellbeing Commentary . .6 of the associates and volunteers if they want A portrait of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, which formerly hung of each individual in the communi- it, as a way to signify the gifts they bring to ty and to their ministry of healing. People and Events . .8 in the chapel at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Covington, has been their ministry. Oil is often celebrated as hav- reclaimed and hung at St. Anne Retreat Center, Melbourne. Shopper’s Guide . .21 News Briefs . .21 Vatican Christmas: Details of stamps, Nativity The Vatican also revealed Missed an edition? Current and back scene, tree released the design for its 2020 Christmas issues of the Messenger are available stamps, which celebrate the online at covdio.org/messenger. VATICAN CITY — Although the Vatican knows birth of Jesus as a light of peace Christmas may be very different this year because of the for the world. COVID-19 pandemic, it already has chosen its stamps and The 1.15-euro stamp features the Nativity scene and tree that will stand in St. Peter’s the Baby Jesus with the Church Square. of the Christ Child in Steyr, The larger-than-life-sized ceramic figures in the Austria, in the background and Nativity scene will come from a high school in Castelli, a a 1.10-euro stamp shows Pope town in the ceramic-producing region of Teramo, north- Francis holding a lantern with east of Rome, the Vatican announced Oct. 30. St. Peter’s Basilica in the back- The F.A. Grue Institute, a high school focused on art, ground. will send only a handful of the 54 sculptures that students CNS photo/Vatican stamp and coin office As a joint issue with Austria, and teachers crafted for the scene between 1965 and 1975, Vatican Christmas stamps for 2020 show the baby Jesus a single sheet with the two the Vatican said. In addition to the Holy Family, an angel and Pope Francis holding a lantern. The theme of this stamps pays tribute to an and the three kings, there will be a bagpipe player, a pan- year’s Christmas stamps is “the light of the peace of Austrian initiative called pipe player, a shepherdess and a little girl carrying a doll. Bethlehem.” This page was jointly issued with Austria. “Peace Light of Bethlehem.” The scene will be displayed next to a towering spruce In early December each year, tree from Slovenia. an Austrian scout is chosen to go to Bethlehem and light a lantern from The tree, which is almost 92 feet tall, will come from an area outside the oil lamp hanging over the 14-point star that marks the spot where the town of Kocevje, the Vatican said. Jesus is believed to have been born. “This year, more than ever, the staging of the traditional space ded- The lantern is brought back to Austria where the flame is used to icated to Christmas in St. Peter’s Square is meant to be a sign of hope light other lamps and candles that families and parishes place next to and trust for the whole world,” the Vatican statement said. “It expresses their Nativity scenes. It also is shared with officials at the European the certainty that Jesus comes among his people to save and console Union offices in Belgium and, from there, taken throughout Europe. them.” The initiative, begun in 1986 by the Austrian broadcasting company, The Nativity scene will be unveiled, and the tree will be lighted Dec. ORF, also raises money for children with disabilities or other special 11, the Vatican said. needs. 2 November 6, 2020 Messenger Safety measures urged as more diocesan Coronavirus Report quick and healthy return of our students, teach- (as of Monday, Nov. 2) counties enter Ky. ‘red zone’ ers and staff at Holy Trinity School.” Messenger Staff Report At this time, three counties — Boone, Kenton Positive Cases With 10 weeks of in-person instruction completed in the and Campbell — where the majority of the Diocese of Active positive cases: 33 Diocese of Covington, one of its schools has had to transition Covington schools are located are in the ‘red zone.’ The red Recovered positive cases: 49 to at-home instruction due to COVID-19 cases. zone is the “critical” level of a colored code system developed Total ever positive cases: 82 Holy Trinity School, Bellevue, reported a positive case of by Governor Andy Beshear to indicate the spread of the coro- COVID-19 the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 27. That class began navirus in Kentucky. Currently Self-quarantined Contacts: 160 at-home instruction on Wednesday and by Friday, two more The color system is based on the number of unique cases Close Contacts: 287 positive cases were reported in that class. over a 7-day period. According to the Team KY website, the 7- On Friday, Katie Jacobs, principal, asked all of her elemen- day incidence is calculated by taking the total number of Returned to class after quarantine/ tary teachers be tested for COVID-19 and three more positive unique cases in each county over the past 7 days, divided by 7 self-quarantine: cases were reported over the Halloween weekend. By Sunday to get a daily average, divided by the U.S. census bureau coun- From Oct. 27–Nov. 2: 85 students night, Kendra McGuire, superintendent of Schools, and Mrs. ty population, and multiplied by 100,000 to get the incidence Total ever: 750 students Jacobs made the decision to transition the entire school to at- per 100,000 people. The green zone is the lowest level, indicat- home instruction until Monday, Nov. 16. Mrs. Jacobs said that ing that counties are “On Track” with less than 1 case per Schools currently with quarantines and Wednesday would be a calamity day for students while she 100k. The yellow zone indicates “Community Spread” (1 - 10 self-quarantines: and teachers gather Chromebooks and other materials to be per 100K); orange zone indicates “Accelerated” spread (10 - 25 Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria distributed to parents.