Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4-B—THE BULLETIN, December 26, 1959
U. S. Air Force And Navy
Give Assist To Magi in Spain
Each year children of Madrid
look forward eagerly to the fes
tival of the Magi which is held
on January 6, the Epiphany of
Our Lord. This, the twelfth day
of Christmas, is the day on
which the people of Spain ex
change gifts. This day means as
much to a Spanish child as De
cember 25 does to an American
child.
: On January 6, 1959 a new
note was added. Americans
were present at the festival of
the Magi. Air Force musicians,
under the direction of Lieuten
ant Richard C. Daugherty, came
from their camp in England to
take part in the Horse Parade
that Madrid stages- every year.
Afterwards they visited the va
rious orphanages, schools and
children’s hospitals in Madrid.
JOIN IN HOMAGE
! Thus the Spanish children
who happily expected at Christ
mas time the coming of the
Kings of the Orient with their
load of toys and candies, had
last year another attraction.
They saw a parade of soldiers
of one of the greatest powers
ih the world who came to join
the homage to the generous
Kings who reward good boys
and girls.
It is a fact that up to seven
and eight years of age, the chil
dren in Spain firmly believe in
the three Magi and wait for
them to throw down through
the chimney, or leave next to
their shoes, or the fireplace, or
behind windows, their expected
gifts. The next morning very
early they are ready to start
their rumpus in joyful spirit.
Grown-ups also follow the
traditional expectations as par
ents, relatives and friends ex
change gifts. To this expecta
tion the parade of the three
Magi adds strength and the toys
and gifts are intended mainly
for the poor and the sick. The
addition of the United States
musicians was, therefore, high
ly welcomed by children and
grown-ups alike.
In many places both Spanish
and American children joined
their laughter during the fes
tivities. This was particularly
true of the military bases. The
Chaplains of the 16th Air Force,
stationed in Spain, celebrated
Christmas Mass in their chapels
and then attended a special
Christmas breakfast.
In schools attended by the
children of the American serv
icemen Christmas trees were
erected. At one place there was
one tree with more than 2,000
gifts from American children to
little Spanish boys and girls.
This happened at the Madrid
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Merry Christmas
MULHERIN
LUMBER COMPANY
INCORPORATED
625 THIRTEENTH STREET AUGUSTA, GA.
SHOW'S
LAUNDRY & DRY CLEANING
COMPANY
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
American College where the
teachers had also prepared the
children for the singing of
Christmas Carols in Spanish.
Despite the language barrier the
American children made fourth
place among the 23 school
groups participating in the local
Christmas Carols contest.
At the Air base in Torrejon
there was also a big feast for
the children of the neighbor
hood. Four hundred of them
came to see Christmas movies
and to listen to Christmas Ca
rols and were entertained by
the men of the base with gifts
and refreshments.
'CAPTAIN JACK'
But perhaps the most popular
character in whole season was
“Captain Jack”, better known
as “Saint Nicholas of the Air.”
Of course, most children
know that Saint Nicholas comes
through the air in his sleigh
loaded with toys and gifts on
Christmas Eve, pulled by the
flying reindeers.
But not so in Spain.
Captain Jack H. Capers, at
tached to a supply Air Force
group, had been flying back
and forth over more than 500
miles in his inspection trips
over the oil pipeline being built
from Zarogoza to Madrid and
from there to Rota. His job was
to see that no breakes or leak
ages went unchecked by the
workers. In doing this he had to
fly low all the time. In this
manner he soon became a close
friend of all the children on
the route who waved to him
from the ground as he went by.
When Christmas time ap
proached, “Captain Jack”
thought that it would be won
derful to drop a few packages
of candies on his little friends’
yards. He went with his idea to
his commanding officers, and
soon all the men were chipping
in their contributions; Their
families also joined in.
The next step was to find
enough big red stockings (which
are quite unknown in Spain)
but finally he had enough and
soon they were filled with can
dies and gifts.
When he started his regular
route of the oil pipeline, he
went around like a 20th century
Saint Nicholas, flying an air
plane and dropping gifts to his
little friends. He became for
hundreds of children a messen
ger of good will who proceeds
the coming of the three Magi.
THE FLEET CHIPS IN
The children of Barcelona
have also benefited by the
presence of United States serv
icemen. For the. fourth time in
a row American sailors station
ed in Barcelona came to help
Father Armengol and his Boys
Town School, Stella Maris.
The first time the sailors met
Father Armengol they realized
the pressure the many struggles
he was going through to keep
his school for poor children
running. The first thing they
have done each year was to
present their Christmas party
at Stella Maris School and
some 200 sailors would join in
the preparations.
The fund raising has steadily
increased contributions and last
year the sailors could boast of
a gift of $3,000. The party, of
course, had traditional ice
cream, cake, and candies but
there were also movies. Each
year at this time all the chil
dren receive new outfits from
top to bottom and are given all
their school books and toys by
the Saint Nicholas of the Navy.
So far most of the help has
come from the United States
destroyer Aucilla. Most of the
crew are trying to build a bet
ter school for Armengol’s chil
dren as of last year had col
lected $1,000 to begin.
For the children of Barcelona
the Aucilla is the best, greatest
and strongest ship in the world.
NAZARETH
A boy at play midst fields
Slow ripening toward
harvest time
Is cause for no concern
of passerby;
The wheels click on and
busy feet
Make haste with scarce
a thought
That here a young lad runs.
None will note the flowers
bend
And birds salute, or mark
the mountain
Tremble at his step, no
one guess
The awful secret nature keeps
That heaven kisses here
the earth—
The child at play is God.
—Anne Barry
TWO GOOD
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1427 MONTE SANO AVENUE
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2106 KINGS WAY — AUGUSTA, GA.
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IS YOUR CHRISTMAS CHRIST CENTERED?
(Continued from Page 3-B)
glorious refrain which the
angels sang on the momentous
night at Bethlehem—’“Glory to
God in the highest.”
WISE MOTHER CHURCH
Legend tells us that while the
Gospel of the Christmas Mass
was read, the Babe in the crib
stirred, stretching its tiny arms
toward St. Francis. As the poet
puts it:
“A sudden hush—then thrills
the list’ning silence.
My God, my All! Framed in
the straw strewn place.
A Babe—its reaching arms
sweetly inviting.
The intimacy of the saints
embraced.”
This scene, depicted for the
first time in the 14 century has
been taken up by Mother
Church and flashed throughout
the world. Today it has become
part of our Catholic heritage.
There is a lesson to be drawn
from this account. In the first
place, we see how wise Mother
Church is. She knows it is
easier to pray, our spiritual be
ing is more easily engaged, if
our imagination is stimulated
and our thoughts are enlivened
CHRISTMAS ENCHANTMENT
While helping her mother unpack the figures for the Christmas
Crib this little girl became spellbound by the image of the Christ
Child. When she sees Him in His crib under the tree on Christmas
morning the enchantment will be complete.
Out Of The Mouths Of Babes...
By
L. Victor Cleveland
Tiny babes have led strong
men and women to God. Solo
mon says, “Go to the ant,” —
that is, for a lesson. He might
well have said to go to the babe.
Or to a little child. “. .,. for of
such is the kingdom of God.”
The baby appearing on the
New Year calendars and in the
newspapers as representing
1960 is a robust, healthy and en
ergetic little fellow. But he of
fers only his bit toward a hope
ful year. So limited in power is
the symbolic little chap!
Another Babe was in our
minds at the Christmas Hour!
He offers so much more! While
some folks wish to throw a
party and blow a horn and ush
er in a new year, it might be
wise to remember solemnly
which Babe offers the very help
of God! As one writer says, the
shepherds of Bethlehem hark
ened to heavenly voices and
discovered a Saviour, while
Macbeth and his Lady heard
only the screams of witches and
went down to doom.
It does mater, then, to what
we listen, and what we seek.
When a young mother holds
darling, she envisions great
things for the child. Life has a
new dawn for her. New. plans
must be made for new years.
The building of the little cha
racter is a work of priority.
It is certain that in the new
year there is One who can -go
with us, and help bring the
high dreams to fruition arid Re
ality. The robust little fellow on
the calendar cannot be compar
ed to the Strong Son of God
who guides unerringly through
all the years and through the
very darkest valley at last.
Therefore, we must put first
things first! Santa must take a
“back seat” when compared
with the Gift of God’s Son, and
so it is, always when the Com
rade of each New Year is the
Master! The One who never
lets you down — the voice that
never yet has died — by whom
all character is measured.
No man can say what time
will inscribe on the pages of the
New Year, but the pages will
glow if we do not forget the
Greatest Life Ever Lived, as
recorded in the Greatest Book
Ever Written, a book which
tells The Greatest Story Ever
Told — how to bring ALL our
years to God at last in the tri
umph of faith!
In the New Year we may be
Questers for the Best!
Our highest hopes and deep
est dreams for our loved ones
are safest when our faith is re
posed in the Manger Babe who
becomes the Strong Son of God,
Master and Comrade of our
New Year’s new ways.
y
e whose birth we celebrate brought to earth the
gifts of love and peace, understanding
and good will. May all
these great gifts
be yours.
A. B. IEIEMCE COHPAAY
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
through the scenes.
The crib scene is a definite
aid in becoming God-conscious,
which should be an aim in the
life of every Christian. If we let
it, the insignificant crib scene
crowded into some shop win
dow amidst Santa Claus and a
pack of toys can sublimate the
notion of giftgiving.
As we push through the re
volving doors with the rest of
the Christmas shoppers let the
crib help us take what Frank
Sheed calls “a God bathed”
view of the world.
When we kneel in prayer be
fore the crib let us strive to
awaken those sentiments that
prompted St. Francis to build
the first crib. It was love and
love over and over again—
intensified, shaken together and
spilling over.
TOWN TAVERN
Seventh and Broad Streets
Augusta, Georgia
THE HEFFERNANS
Wjet'ry (Christmas
F. E. FERRIS & CO.
Clothiers and Haberdashers
752 BROAD STREET
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
REALTORS
REAL ESTATE AND RENTING
INSURANCE - MORTGAGE LOANS
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
Boris Jewelry Store
913 BROAD STREET : AUGUSTA, GA.
Season’s greetings and our thanks to
all our friends whose patronage we value so
highly! We’re all aglow with warm wishes for
a holiday full of love, joy and good cheer!
CHRYSLER AIRTEMP PRODUCTS
MIL BEffiK t
AIR COIDIYIORING COMPARY
855 WALKER STREET AUGUSTA, GEORGIA