catholicregister.org December 6, 2020 7
YOUTH NEWS
SPEAK
A Marian dream is put into action
It'll be different this year, but by no means is it cancelled
As many Canadian provinces ex- perience some version of a second lockdown, "normal Christmas is, quite frankly, out of the question," as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told us during a Nov. 20 press con- ference. Except for the presence of snow, the Perry Como Christmas classic "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" will not be applicable this time around. Store aisles won't be filled with candy canes, silver lanes won't fully glow, toys will remain a window decoration and the trees inside the malls won't be truly admired. This "normal C h r i s t m a s " we speak of is the kind of Christmas that pulls us into stores and buying the most elaborate things. It is also the kind of Christmas where we expect to be in work gatherings and family dinners. There is nothing wrong with this - in fact, we often look forward to these things. But this day should not be reduced to a simple family celebration. According to the Oxford Dic- tionary, the term holiday origi- nated from the old English term haligdaeg , meaning "holy day." Tra- ditionally, holidays were specific to the Christian liturgical calendar. Later on, the original meaning was weakened as holidays became as- sociated with days offfrom work. This year, the gust of the Holy Spirit is blowing us to celebrate Christmas simply and commemo- rate it as a holy day once again, not just a period of rest and shopping. Christmas is not simply a time for gathering. Bishop Robert Barron even called this a problem in our time, the domestication of Christmas, because we miss something crucial. Bishop Barron calls Christmas a "subversive feast from a Christian standpoint" - it challenges our alliances between the worldly kingdom versus the heavenly kingdom. It challeng- es the idea of the true king: the one who wants and needs to be protected or the one who would give Himself up for us, to save us. He continues: "The real king is the one placed in the manger - which is the spot where the animals came to eat. He becomes food for the world. That is meant to be in anticipation of Jesus' whole life climaxing at the last supper when He said: 'This is My body, this is My blood.' I am food and drink for you." Even though throughout our history Christmas has been promoted as the time for families to gather, Christmas is a reminder for all of us that God has come down to live among us, to liberate us and bring us to Heaven. It is a reminder that our Saviour has gone to the world, into our history, to save all of us. As explained by the late Bishop Fulton Sheen, the true meaning of Christmas is God is sent down to Earth to make us His children, to make us more than just human beings. He came to change our nature and elevate us into something more; more than beasts that roam the Earth. This is God's giftto all of us. As we prepare for the upcoming Christmas season, let us remember the core of what we really celebrate. Yes, Christmas will be different this year - family and social gath- erings will be close to impossible and will be moved to more virtual gatherings, choosing and buying gifts will be a little more tricky, photographs in front of pictur- esque Christmas bazaars will not be taken - but Christmas is not cancelled. Maybe we are simply forced to go into bare minimum and see what it really means. (Ducepec, 22, is a recent Bachelor of Science graduate from the University of Toronto.)
BY ANGELICA VECCHIATO Youth Speak News
Clothed in traditional blue and white garments, radiating a great light and youthfulness, the Mother of God appeared to Cosmo Femia in a dream, beseeching in imploring words: "You have a big responsibility, all those souls in your hands; will you bring them to my Son?" Bewildered and frightened, it was a recurring dream for the Ital- ian-Canadian educator, one that led him to found the Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (DIHM) club at Toronto's Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School several years ago. "Why did I have this dream? I do not know," said Femia. "I do not feel I am worthy or deserve this great honour. Are there people more worthy to do it? Absolutely. The fact is, it was asked of me by Our Lady and I had to respond." With his co-founder and twin brother Damiano, along with teacher moderator Antonio Manco, the club has expanded from three students to over 200, making DIHM one of the largest clubs at the all-girls academy. Femia, the religious depart- ment head and chaplain at Loretto Abbey, said he owes the club's to its founding ideas. "Our motto is that we are the servants of the poor, hands and feet of Jesus Christ," he said. "When the girls grow up to fulfill positions of leadership, it doesn't matter that they achieve material success, but what really matters is the type of person they will be on the inside. DIHM teaches the girls to show their love of Christ through the way they live their life and I think that is what is most at- tractive about it." The DIHM club calls its members to lead a life of service through acts of charity for the needy, at home and abroad. DIHM takes part in various charitable endeavours locally, and interna- tionally has raised funds to build solar panels in Tanzania and has hosted a barbecue in partnership with St. Peter's Parish in Vaughan, Ont., to raise funds for medical and school supplies for the poor in the Dominican Republic, among many other deeds. Victoria Marinelli, former 2018 DIHM president and Loretto Abbey alumna, reminisces fondly of her experience. "Running the club is an ongoing project," said the 20-year-old who is now a student at the University of Toronto. "Our biggest initiative, pasta night, takes nearly a year of planning. Closer to the date of the event, we get together with execu- tives to discuss both monetary and food donations. Then facilitating the actual night is a big responsibil- ity because it means co-ordinating 300 guests, our donors and student volunteers. It is really a leader- ship role because you are involved hands on with the sponsors." Marinelli's 18-year-old sister Olivia, an Abbey alumna and 2020 president of the DIHM club, said the club also produces noteworthy fruits locally. "Many Grade 9s join the club and they form solid friendships for their high school years and beyond," she said. The club "allows us girls to see a Christian club's values in action." Manco raves about the Femias brothers' leadership and guidance. "It's not often that you hear beautiful faith stories from such devout people," said Manco. "The Femias embody the true meaning of discipleship as they don't lead the group of students but instead join as equals on their faith journey." The dream goes beyond the halls of Loretto Abbey. "If COVID has taught us anything it is that we need Mother Mary and Jesus in this world," said Femia. "It would be a fulfilment of my dream and truly a miracle if we were to have a club like DIHM in each school across the city, targeted at student leadership to promote the morals and values of Christ." (Vecchiato, 16, is a Grade 11 student at Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School in Toronto.)
A return to a simple Christmas
Cosmo Femia, third from left, and twin brother Damiano founded the Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary club at Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School to empower students like Victoria and Olivia Marinelli to serve those in need of help both locally and globally.
(Photo courtesy Olivia Marinelli)
Bishop Robert Barron
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SPEAKING OUT PAULA DUCEPEC
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