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THE CATHOLIC PAGE 3 Pope Francis paves the way for Blessed ommentator Teresa’s sainthood. December 25,ommentator 2015 Vol. 53, No. 23 SERVING THE DIOCESE OF BATON ROUGE SINCE 1963 thecatholiccommentator.org CC ‘WORD BECOMES FLESH’ Christ center of Christmas By Rachele Smith The Catholic Commentator The tree is decorated. The presents are purchased. The Christmas meal is cooked. Time now to celebrate. But what exactly is this day about? Going to catechism taught us that Christmas is the day Christ was born. Yet, the true meaning, according to sev- eral area priests, is so much more. “For us Christians, it is the incarna- tion; when the word becomes flesh,” explained Father Bob Stine, pastor of Christ the King Church and Student Center at LSU. But becoming flesh takes on a spe- cific, more far-reaching meaning as Fa- ther Stine emphasizes the greater glory inherent in the birth of Christ. “It is this union of man and the di- vine. We often speak of this as the mar- This beautifully crafted nativity scene at Sts. Anthony of Padua and LeVan Phung Church reminds us that advent, the season of riage of humanity and divinity,” said waiting, is over. Christmas is here, and God’s love for us has been fully realized. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, SEE CHRISTMAS PAGE 19 a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11). Photo by Richard Meek | The Catholic Commentator Bearing his cross leads to answer from God By Richard Meek Perhaps. (God) wanted me to be here so any- The Catholic Commentator For parishioners at Immaculate thing I can do, I just do it.” Heart of Mary Church in Maring- O’Neal suffered a heart attack on Days after suffering a severe heart ouin, however, the answer arrived Oct. 17, 2014 when he was cutting attack and other complications, in- on the first Sunday of Advent when grass at his son’s house in Johnson cluding dying “at least three times,” a stunningly beautiful and unique City, Tennessee. His son, a resident doctors told Wade O’Neal his sur- cross made of vines and limbs taken surgeon in Johnson City, immedi- vival was nothing short of a miracle. out of Whiskey Bay was unveiled. ately began CPR and a rescue crew Their message: Return to his New The seven-foot cross was O’Neal’s from the local fire department ar- Roads home and figure out why God creation, built with his vision under rived minutes later. Two attempts kept him alive. Apparently, there was the direction of God’s hands. at restarting his heart by shocking unfinished business. “I owe the man up top a lot,” said it failed, but a third one, this time A little more than a year later, O’Neal, a bank president who spends by local emergency responders, was A cross made from vines and limbs from Whis- O’Neal admits he still does not have his free time “building things,” espe- successful. key Bay was unveiled at Immaculate Heart of the answer, although he frequently cially those associated with wood- O’Neal was released from the hos- Mary Church in Maringouin on the first Sun- talks to God. working. pital four days later, but additional day of Advent. Photo by Richard Meek | The Catholic Com- “One day he is going to answer “It’s just giving back,” he added. complications landed him back in the mentator me,” O’Neal joked. “Anything I can do to give back. SEE CROSS PAGE 7 2 The Catholic Commentator The LIGHTER SIDE of FAI t H December 25, 2015 | TREASURES FROM THE DIOCESE | DID YOU KNOW Differing accounts, same message Jesus’ birth and the Na- eventually back to Nazareth. tivity scene are perhaps The theological empha- the most read passages sis of what each Gospel in the Bible, especially offers provides insight during this Christmas into the minds of all the season. Yet, only two Gospel writers. Gospel writers, St. St. Mark, for exam- Matthew and St. Luke, ple, did not author a describe the details of narrative of Jesus’ birth his birth. and does not mention And even their ac- Bethlehem but has sev- counts offer some dif- eral references as Jesus ferences. of Nazareth. His Gospel Naturally, there are marks one reference to many commonalities, in- Mary, calling Jesus the “son cluding Mary, St. Joseph and of Mary.” Mark’s Gospel does Jesus, the angels, the Holy Spirit, not mention Joseph by name. the locations and the historical period. St. John, in his Gospel, mentions St. However. St. Luke’s account of Jesus’ Joseph twice but even then does not deal birth and events leading up to the Nativ- directly with the conception and birth of ity goes into far greater detail, including Jesus. the angel Gabriel announcing the birth Most agree that Jesus was not born of St. John the Baptist and Jesus’ birth to on Dec. 25, and the exact date remains Mary. In St. Matthew’s account, an un- uncertain. Even today, there remains named angel announces Jesus’ birth to some discussion as to how Dec. 25 was St. Joseph in a dream. designated to celebrate Christmas, but St. Luke describes the journey of St. the most popular belief is that it revolved Joseph and the Virgin Mary to Beth- around a Roman mid-winter Saturnalia lehem and the angels appearing to the festival in late December. shepherds. St. Matthew says Mary’s son Despite some differences, what is most was born in Bethlehem and named Jesus important is that Christ was born to save but then goes to the Magi from the East all men. Of that, the facts are clear, and This exquisite mural of the Blessed Mother and Christ Child is in the religious education coming after first visiting Herod and then this is the time we celebrate the arrival of building at Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs. The mural was crafted by the Holy Family’s fleeing to Egypt, and our Savior. members of the church’s St. Martha’s Circle. The group formed to do crafts about three years ago. The group was inspired to make the mural from Mardi Gras beads after taking | classes from artist Stephen Wagner, who developed his craft of making murals out of CORRECTION beads that were discarded on the ground after Mardi Gras parades. The mural is one of The Dec. 11 issue story, “Faith leaders urge unity among ‘all,’ stated that Interfaith many art pieces by local artists in the two-story religious education building. Photo by Debbie Federation of Greater Baton Rouge sponsored the interfaith dialogue. The Our Lady of Shelley | The Catholic Commentator the Lake, Office of Campus Ministry sponsored and organized the event. public when I was a Jesuit novice in 1972. Classical, jazz and contemporary I spent 12 weeks there learning Spanish. A gospel. I enjoy attending the Riv- It was well before the Dominican Repub- er City Jazz Masters Series here in Baton lic became a popular tourist destination. Rouge. … with FATHER THOMAS CLARK, pas- That was the first time I was ever out of tor, Immaculate Conception Church, Baton the country and I learned that there was a What are some of your favorite Rouge whole new world out there. Q foods? What are your favorite hobbies? What is your favorite type of mu- All kinds of Louisiana food, es- Q Q sic? A pecially boiled crawfish, which I religiously eat every Friday in Lent. My hobbies are reading and A watching Netflix. Most recent- ly I have read “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr; “The Monks of Tibhirine” by John Kiser; I am working thecatholiccommentator.org | Facebook.com/TheCatholicCommentator my way through the journals of Thomas Merton. I have now read four of the sev- Bishop Robert W. Muench Publisher Wanda L. Koch Advertising Manager en volumes. I just finished “Between the Father Tom Ranzino Assistant Publisher Penny G. Saia Production Manager World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates. On Richard Meek Editor Lisa Disney Secretary/Circulation Netflix I like to “binge watch” TV series. What are some of the interesting Debbie Shelley Assistant Editor Rachele Smith Staff Writer Lately my favorites have been: “Long- places you have traveled to? If so, Q The Catholic Commentator (ISSN 07460511; USPS 093-680) mire,” “Justified,” “House of Cards,” what captured your interest about that Published bi-weekly (every other week) by the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge,1800 South Acadian “Breaking Bad” and “The Killing.” I also destination? Thruway, Baton Rouge, LA 70808; 225-387-0983 or 225-387-0561. Periodical Postage Paid at Baton enjoy going to Southern University foot- Rouge, LA. Copy must reach the above address by Wednesday for use in the next week’s paper. Sub- ball, basketball and women’s volleyball The most interesting place I have scription rate: $14.00 per year. POSTMASTER, send address changes to The Catholic Commentator, P.O. Box 14746, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-4746. when I get the chance. A traveled to is the Dominican Re- December 25, 2015 The Catholic Commentator 3 Pope recognizes miracle needed to declare Mother Teresa a saint VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis in Santos, Brazil. St. John Paul II had made an excep- has approved a miracle attributed to the Doctors diagnosed the man with a vi- tion to the usual canonization process intercession of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata, ral brain infection that resulted in mul- in Mother Teresa’s case by allowing her thus paving the way for her canonization.