Pagan Babies: and Other Catholic Memories. Pretty danged patronizing, offensive concept it was, too. Charlie waited for an adequate answer . I went to Marymount Jr. School (on Sunset) and we were all sent home to canvas the neighborhood in Brentwood for heavens sake, to sell pagan babies! He could go home , buy his kids new bikes if he wanted to , and come back at the end of two weeks to collect the cash . The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. I remember hearing the term too when I attended parochial school (mid 1960s), but by then it had been replaced by the UNICEF boxes. I feel the same way as you do. I mentioned pagan babies and Im still not sure if they believed me. Why would I sell overpriced candy to people and never get the bike anyway because no one could sell that much candy anyway ? Servant of God Mother Mary Lange and the Rich History of Black Catholic Religious Orders, Ukrainian Soldier Saved by Praying the Rosary, Priest Recounts, As We Forgive: Lenten Pastoral Note From Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver, A Lasting Trail of Light: The Witness of Pedro Ballester. Along with the Pagan babies does anyone remember selling books of small stamps people could use on envelopes? Yup. The civil right movement was a much better teacher than The Catholic School system. Bog bodies, secret passages, and amazing tombstones are all possibilities as well as the latest archaeological discovery. Regardless of whether pagan babies have become personal, we should still pray for and support the spread of the Catholic faith in foreign lands and in our own. Oh , well . I remember my Grandparents joking about it in the '70s. (After Vatican II beanies were no longer necessary.) Elementary ), and its name was even weirder - it was collect money to feed the Black babies. Of course, there was always the show-off who bought a whole pegginbebbie for themselves and got to name it without any of OUR help. Pagan babies, we all understood in the 50s, were babies born to parents who did not believe in a monotheistic (1 god) religion, because they had not yet received any instruction. Enjoyed reading all of your comments about Pagan Babies. Im not sure at this point for whom we were collecting I supposed it could have been UNICEF, or perhaps a Catholic charity. We were never quite sure what a pagan was . with any faith. That fits , I suppose . This reading is starting to stir up memories of holy water, chapel caps, rosaries that lit up a green color in the bed at night, memorizing the Catechism in case the Arch-Bishop asked me a question at our Confirmation, being chosen to carry up the gifts, and on and on. You know the drill . As a promotion, MISSIO is offering a chance to win a trip to Rome. Hilarious ! Lajoie is on the staff of Catholic New York, newspaper of the Archdiocese of New York. ), and its name was even weirder - it was collect money to feed . I named all my pagan babies after my cousin Karen, who had died at age 2. However, this 2012 article from Catholic News Service might be of interest: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1202140.htm. "What I loved about the Pagan Babies is that we were allowed to name them with our names. *One of them may have been slightly Asian, but that was pushing things in those days. Catholic mom and grandparents here. If you want, you can contact the director of music programming at Hawaiian Public Radio, and ask him if hes still using it, though. Saint Martins actoss the street from you back then. Ive been fortunate to travel to various parts of the world and to admire (our missionaries) extraordinary love of the world and of the people with whom they live, the cardinal added. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. I seriously want to start a band now, just so I can name us that. Pagan baby names continue to be popular name choices for many new parents. So, does anybody remember the plastic prizes (not for pagan baby collections). class voted on names. When Father Andrew Small, O.M.I., asked who remembered them at the inaugural World Mission Dinner May 2 at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan, a few hands went up, mostly belonging to people with gray hair. catholic school 1978-1991. The one boys name that sticks in my head is Zachary. But the "pagan babies" were actual children being looked after by missionary sisters, brothers and priests in their countries. I don't know how this actually worked, and where the money really went, and if actual infants were handed over at some mission across the globe. The teachers all smiled . Names chosen for each baby were REQUIRED to be the names of bonefide saints, beatified by process through Rome. collection boxes given to each child. We had Dominican Nuns. The certificates were white, thick,wrinkly paper with burnt orange and brown late 60s modern catholic designs. We all worked hard to buy four boy pagan babies so we could name them John, Paul, George, and Ringo. It may speed things up . Great sounding rare live tape here by Philadelphia's own PAGAN BABIES from mid 1988. Christians have always believed that baptism is the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. We'd all suggest names, and then vote for the one we liked best. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or Those who would like to know what became of their pagan babies will soon get a chance to find out when Pontifical Mission Societies formally launches its Great Works Campaign in the coming months. The rice they used was really good which I think defeated the purpose since a lot of kids looked forward to it, myself included. If you register with MISSIO by noon February 2, 2017, youll be entered for a chance to join the Pontifical Mission Societies on their pilgrimage to Rome in May 2017, and an audience with Pope Francis. Needless to say, Zachary stuck. If only we could all do so well with five bucks , eh ? At the end of the semester, the class that had accumulated the most donations was awarded a prize. Christians have always believed that baptism My mother wisely refrained from saying much about it. I remember those statues . Commonweal's latest, delivered twice weekly. They were called "pagan babies," certainly not the most sensitive appellation and one that would never be used today. Anyone have proof the Catholic Church ( the dedicated Nuns ) were able to get the pagan baby money to its intended recipients? With missionary nuns and pagan babies for starters. I smell the mendacity in this room ! I suspect nowhere . Father Terry Dunn thought he'd seen everything on the mean streets of Detroit, but that was before he went on a little retreat to Rwanda to evade a tax-fraud indictment. But for five dollars we could play Name That Pagan Baby . I Googled it because of my conviction that it was an acronym and I just couldnt quite figure out what the E stood for. Then I could choose the bike I wanted . When I attended Corpus Christi Catholic School in the 1950s and 1960s there was a program we all called Pagan Babies . Davey; "I named my Pagan Baby Patrick. Here is sister Mary So-and-So in the plane about to fly off to baptize the pagans . I can still see the certificates posted above the blackboards. in the classroom to see who had the most babies. Im 50, and though Ive heard the term pagan babies (mainly in books by people a little older than me) , it wasnt used when I was in Catholic school from about 1969-77. The students would sell candy bars for a dollar each and , depending on how many each child sold , he or she would win prizes . As a young girl at St. Albert the Great School in Dearborn, Michigan, we wore blue uniform jumpers and beanies. I went to Marymount Jr. School in the 60s too. A different time ; a different place . I keep asking her where MY money was! That means that many of our grandbabies are pagan babies! And so I traveled to Guaymas in the Sonoran desert expecting to accomplish great things. Check out our pagan babies selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. I just re-read your comment and am laughing about all that back then . He was a bartender later in life , at least for awhile . Wow. So it had to be pretty official, like our nun just couldnt pull a certificate out of her drawer and fill in the name.no, I think that it had to be signed by the big Catholic mucky-mucks. Im sure thats where the money went. "I loved Pagan Babies. NOT catholic, hallelujah. Someone must have decided it was no longer a good way to raise money for Catholic missions. Anybody have some spare change ? - Nancy K. Everywhere a pagan pagan . Seen the movie Mea Culpa? kids were allowed to give their baby a Christian name. I knew immediately what you were referring to even though we never went to church & I went to public school. Yes , of course , a money-raising strategy that tricked all of us kids I wonder now about our parents . You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. The Irish nuns in their full habits immediately looked around at the teachers as if to say , Arent you teaching these children anything ? When I was young, in South Philadelphia, I have memories of collecting for Trees for Israel and the Allied Jewish Appeal. Keep writingthis is good stuff! In three years, we bought sixthree boys and three girls. They were wondering how to react . I found I really did not have many skills to offer. Pictures of Cherub-faced Indian, African, and Asian babies graced small cardboard collection boxes given to each child. I have my doubts that any of ours got past downtown L.A. But , heres the thing : When the class had five dollars then that class got to name a pagan baby . This is such a funny story to me, I also went to Catholic School in the sixties and I remember raising money for the Pagan babies I dont remember what prizes do we got or anything but now my daughter who is 35 was talking about how Catholics or Pagan worshippers. Long time ago . I could fold bandages and scrub floors in the dispensario, change diapers and scrub floors in the orphanage, wash vestments and scrub floors in the churchyou can see the pattern. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Without her mothers knowledge ! Happy Fathers Day! When they reached $5, they then ransomed a child overseas, got a certificate and the right to name the child being looked after by missionary sisters, brothers and priests abroad. - Bob U. The principal stepped forward , to the rescue , saying coldly , Its a fundraiser for the school . He didnt mention his new stereo system . My first lessons in social justice came through saving pagan babies. I thought they would all come in a box and be distributed at the end of the school year. The rise of AI will generate cultural content designed not to be original or even to say anything, but to produce, like a drug, the same experience, again and again. The pagan baby he purchased was named Daniel James and his $5 gave him a Certificate of Adoption as a Souvenir of the Ransom and Baptism of an Adopted Pagan baby named Daniel James. Oh, my, what memories! There was something he needed to know . I jumped at it. - Kathy F. The oldest nun asked : Any questions , children ? Such a mitzvah. Sold by themeekdontwantit | Ends on 2023-03-07 21:40:38. print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the Its a wonderful window on the old days , isnt it ? Congratulations for moving on and helping children in other countries. time, before cynicism and political correctness found their stride. - Karyn D. Marianne Bruce is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Edgardo Gonzalez Pagan. How great ! How many people who raised their hands the first time were still in contact with their pagan babies? Now I am teaching fourth grade in a little Catholic school in Venice . Through their action the proclamation of the Gospel also becomes an intervention on behalf ones neighbor, justice for the poorest, possibility of education in the most remote villages, medical aid in isolated places, emancipation from poverty and rehabilitation for the marginalized, overcoming ethnic divisions and respect for life in all its stages, Archbishop Vigano said. Margaret Ann is a good respectable name . With touching little pictures of hungry children. I remember the little cardboard boxes and wanting to saving the poor pagan babies. Bury it beneath your front step or porch during a full moon. This is a serious problem. We had the cardboard boxes and there was stiff competition Remember what he said? I kept a large plastic Seagrams Seven bottle bank in my room at home that I put all my loose change into to save up for stuff I wanted and an occasional pagan baby. Lets never forget that one day we will account for how we helped others. 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