Posted on 12/22/2006 5:37:50 AM PST by Dominick
They wanted to make Christmas bright for patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital.
But, quite by accident, a group of parents, teachers and sisters from the Villa Madonna Catholic School stepped into the Christmas wars. Improbably, their opponent was St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, which has its roots in the Catholic Church.
At issue: whether the group could distribute religious-themed gifts to patients. During a Dec. 11 visit, the hospital staff assessed the group's offerings and quickly made a decision. Ornaments that read "Joy to the World" and "Peace on Earth" were in. Nativity lapel pins, ornaments bearing a "Merry Christmas" message and Jesus-themed T-shirts were out. They could only be given to patients with parental consent.
"Yes, we were founded by Catholic sisters, but we serve everybody in our community," said Sister Pat Shirley, a Franciscan sister and the hospital's vice president of missions. "We have to create an environment in which all feel comfortable whether it be Christmas or Hanukkah or Gasparilla or any circumstance."
The hospital, Sister Shirley said, has patients from varied religious backgrounds and carefully scrutinizes gifts, particularly those of a religious nature. Other bay area hospitals forbid donating religious items.
Sister Kim Keraitis, the school's principal and a member of the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, found the hospital's political correctness appalling.
(Excerpt) Read more at pqasb.pqarchiver.com ...
Gasparilla??
Ping a ling!
Merry Christmas!
All my kids were delivered there, because it WAS a Catholic hospital!
Gasparilla is the big Pirate festival in Tampa, I guess it is an important as Christmas to dress like a pirate, throw beads, and drink beer.
Gasparilla is a mock pirate invasion festival staged in Tampa every February. Named after Pirate Jose Gaspar.
Yeah, it's the moral equivalent of Christmas and Hannukah, at least to Sister Pat.
What next- VooDoo tree ornaments?
reading the story I imagined what Sister Pat would look like.
http://www.stanthonys.com/documents%2FGeneral%2F033266%20Franciscan%20Sisters%20Brochure.pdf
exactly as I imagined.
Reminds me of a Navy Captain Chaplain who never referred to Christ in his prayers. I asked him why he didn't pray in the name or through faith in Christ. He responded his faith was so strong, he didn't need to pray in the name of Christ when leading others in prayer. IMHO, such institutions have been saturated in worldly perspectives for so long that they have completely forsaken the only true God available to them. By their fruits, we know them.
Gasparilla was a pirate. Last I heard there was not yet a religion centered around him. But who knows?
Gasparilla? Gimme a break!
He was (theoretically) a pirate, and St Petes has Gasparilla days and events dedicated to talking like a pirate, dressing like a pirate, etc.
Somehow, I don't see this as being in the same league with Christmas. What the heck has happened to the mush-for-brains of the good sisters?
And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people."
To borrow a quote from Gen Honore - "Don't get stuck on stupid." The gospel is good news!
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