By far my favorite Christmas Carols are “O Holy Night and Silent Night.

Silent Night/Stille Nacht

Josephus Francisus Mohr, (Joseph Mohr) a Roman Catholic priest, had written the lyrics to “Stille Nacht/Silent Night.” He desperately needed a Christmas carol for the Midnight Mass. Father Mohr asked the choir director, Franz Xaver Gruber, to help him by composing a melody to “Silent Night.”

It took Franz Gruber only a few hours to compose the melody to Silent Night. The two men stood before the altar, accompanied by the choir and for the first time on December 24, 1818, performed “Silent Night” at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Oberndorf, Austria.

O Holy Night/Cantique de Noel

Placide Cappeau, a poet,  wrote the lyrics to the song  “O Holy Night”. Placide, not being a religious man, was surprised when a  priest from the local parish first approached him with the request. He studied  the Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke and imagined himself there. When he finished the song, he thought that it was more than a poem, so he asked his friend Adolphe Charles Adam to write the melody.

Adolphe Charles Adam

Adolphe Charles Adam, a famous classical musician renowned throughout Europe, complied with this unusual request. It was unusual because he was Jewish. He did not celebrate Christ or anything having to do with Christianity.

But he  did compose the music to go along with the words of his friend Placide. Three weeks later the song was performed at the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

Placide Cappeau 

When Placide joined a socialist movement and it was discovered that Adolphe Adam was a Jew, the French Catholic Church leaders cancelled “O Holy Night.” The French Catholic Church  may have been one of the  first “cancel culture”societies, a movement in our country that is frowned upon by many.

Banned

For nearly two decades “O Holy Night” was banned from being sung at church services, but the French loved the song so much that they continued singing it in their homes.

The Rebirth

In 1870 the song regained popularity during the Franco–Prussian War, when a lone French soldier stepped out of the trenches, lifted his eyes toward heaven and sang “O Holy Night.”  This was followed by a German soldier singing a German Christmas carol.  For 24 hours peace filled the air and there was a ceasefire from both sides in observance of Christmas Day.

John Sullivan Dwight

John Sullivan Dwight, an American abolitionist, fell in love with this song. He was particularly moved by these verses:

“Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is Love and His gospel is Peace. Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease.” In 1855 he translated “O Holy Night” from French to English.

Mr. Dwight published “O Holy Night” in his magazine and it found great favor in America, especially in the North during the Civil War. The Christmas carol became an anti-slavery anthem during the 1850’s.

Reginald Fessenden

Reginald Fessenden took “O Holy Night” to a higher level. This 33-year-old university professor and former chief chemist for Thomas Edison accomplished something that at that time was considered impossible.

 The Airwaves

In 1906 he used the radio telegraphic communication across the Atlantic Ocean. Introducing a new type of generator, Reginald Fessenden spoke into a microphone and, for the first time,  a man’s voice was heard over the airwaves. Imagine ships at sea hearing a man’s voice preaching the gospel  instead of receiving coded messages. The airwaves were created to send the gospel to the world.

The Christmas Story

Fessenden read from:

The beauty of this incredible story is that it occurred on Christmas Eve. Mr. Fessenden ended the broadcast by playing “O Holy Night” on his violin.

The Connection

Discovering the history of these timeless Christmas carols is a clear message on how God uses us for His glory. Father Mohr was an illegitimate child whose father had abandoned him before his birth. Despite this he became the priest who wrote the lyrics to one of the most beloved songs: ” Silent Night.”

Placide, inspired by the Christmas Story in the Book of Luke, wrote about what he experienced reliving the birth of Christ. Adolphe Charles Adam, a Jew, was  used mightily by God to compose the melody for  “O Holy Night.” Though they were cancelled by the Catholic Church in France, no one can deny the fact that together they did a glorious job collaborating this master piece.

God used John Sullivan Dwight, a magazine publisher, to give “O Holy Night” new recognition.  Reginald Fessenden’s contribution was introducing the Gospel through the airwaves for the first time.

All these talented men will go down in history for their contribution of reaching those who are in the Valley of Decision because these songs tug at your heart.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, we are in the trenches of life, not certain about our future with the war at our doorstep. Lord, may the world listen to the words of these songs and cause a ceasefire in Ukraine and Israel and Hamas in Gaza. We pray for the miracle of peace throughout this earth. Amen.

We exchange gifts because the Magi presented gifts to the Christ child.

The Gifts

The Wisemen, the Three Kings, presented  gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.

– The gold represents Christ deity; a gift fit for a king.

– Frankincense represents Christ’s ministry, because it was used for religious worship.

– Myrrh represents Christ’s death and burial.

The Season Of Giving

We are in the Christmas season. Whether providing gifts for our loved ones or not, we all need to be in the spirit of giving. Give yourselves through volunteering, and, if you don’t have time for that, donate funds to a Christian organization that will assist families during the holidays. You can also contribute by sharing the gifts God has given you.

Trevor

I would like to share a story about my friend Trevor, a young man who is part of St. Norbert Parish. I met him several years ago at the church parking lot.   His commitment  to attending daily Mass intrigued me. One day I approached him and asked, “Are you studying to become a priest?”  With a broad smile, he answered, “No.” I discerned that he was a quiet, kindhearted man.

Sacristan

I noticed that Trevor was serving as a sacristan during daily Mass. A sacristan is a person who is in charge of the sacristy and its contents. I thought to myself, “What a great position for Trevor because he is familiar with the holy matters of God.”

The Flyer

I had shared with Trevor that I was a blogger. Ultimately, I want the  community of our parish to read the blog because many stories are about our church.   As I was leaving, Trevor handed me a flyer about a project he created “Catholic Stories for Children.”  Trevor received the idea for these stories from the Holy Spirit.

Mary

In Trevor’s words, “Mary always leads us to Christ.” He found an animator and an illustrator and produced his first series dedicated to the”Hail Mary.”

I watched the video on Youtube, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. For this reason, I believe that Trevor’s stories are not only going to teach children but also going to lead others to the simple understanding of our Catholic faith,

Franciscan University

Trevor is currently working on his Master of Theology degree as an online student. Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, conducts an annual event called GRACE (Gallery of Research, Artistry and Community Engagement).

Trevor was reluctant to enter the competition because he felt that it was not for him. He was only taking one online class, but submitted the project after someone persuaded him. Much to his surprise, he ended up winning the Dr. James Coyle Media Award.
The Abbey

Trevor is a contemplative, who prays for direction for his projects. He was spending quiet time with the Lord at St. Michael’s Abbey.  The Abbey is located in Silverado Canyon, California, tucked away in the hills surrounded by God’s landscape of natural beauty. As Trevor was leaving the Abbey, a man approached him and asked if he was okay. After a short conversation, they  decided to meet for coffee.

Providence  of God

The coffee session included the man and his sister, who happened to run The International Hollywood Film Festival!  Even though the organization was no longer accepting submissions, the lady encouraged him to enter his film. But in order to be considered for the festival, all the paperwork had to be filled out that night.  Again, Trevor felt that maybe this was not for him; after all this was Hollywood and his film was about the Hail Mary prayer.  That night, after much prayer, he filled out the forms and sent them via email.

After Trevor submitted his film, he received an email stating that it was accepted. A few months passed before he received another update. His film became a nominee. Then another email informed him that his film would be screened at the iconic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles!

Before the showing, they would select five films to show a trailer and to talk about the project. Trevor was not comfortable doing this; he was afraid that the Hollywood audience would not receive this film. He thought that it would be difficult to present to an audience that does not respect the Catholic Church. He received another email stating that there was only one spot left.

Mary Again

That evening, Trevor received a call from the man that he met at St. Michael’s Abbey. He encouraged Trevor to submit the film. He told him to go to Mary and to pray about it. Once again Trevor put it in the hands of God.

Hollywood

Trevor was terrified to present this talk to a very large crowd, mostly because he was unaccustomed to being on any stage, let alone one from Hollywood.  He made the one-minute trailer for his three-minute film, prepared a short talk about his project, and submitted it. The Hail Mary story was greatly received. He met fallen away Catholics who were reminded of their Catholic upbringing.

The animated film was shown in the iconic theater and received six awards from the film festival!

Behind the Scenes

The cost for the first animated film was $10,000; it involved three animators, an illustrator and a sound designer. The new series could cost from $20,000 to $30,000 each. They included a screen writer, illustrator, animation studio, music composer, voice actors/singers and a 3-D designer. The animation studio is located in Mexico City, the music composers are  in Ohio and the 3-D illustrator is in Italy, making it an international virtual project.

Trevor was blessed to receive a generous grant from a foundation who wishes to remain anonymous. You can also donate to this holy project by:

https://catholicstoriesforchildren.com

Disney

On the contrary, Disney’s last “woke” movie, Wish cost over $200 million to produce. I do not believe anyone at Disney is praying about their productions because  both the feminist Marvel and Wish flopped in the box office. Besides, Disney is still trying to recoup the $300 million lost from Marvel.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, Thank You for all the favor You have bestowed on Trevor. Lord, even in our state of doubt, remind us of our gifts. May Trevor’s “Catholic Stories for Children” spread throughout the world. Amen.

It’s  been seven years since I first published the first story on my Blog. This idea came to me during  Advent. I never gave up on this dream until it came to fruition. This was given to me by the Holy Spirit; it came about through much prayer. I felt a strong calling to describe my life experiences by sharing them in a Blog.

The Blog

I wanted to start a Blog but had no idea how to begin this venture, I prayed about it for a very long time. In December of 2015,  I received a dream from the Lord who instructed me to name the Blog “My Catholic Roots Are Showing.” I was also given a vision of what the logo should look like. This was a vivid dream so after journaling, I kept telling God, “But I don’t really want to use the word Catholic because I minister to Protestants as well.”  I reminded the Lord that many of my relatives were non-Catholic, including my son and his family. God knows everything, so after I stopped questioning and complaining about His directions, everything fell into place.

Lauren

Lauren, a family friend, was in between jobs when she decided to join our weekly Bible study group. I mentioned my dream and she graciously volunteered to help me.  She was an answer to my prayers.  Thanks to Lauren’s hard work and  perseverance, within three days my new Blog was up and running.

The vision the Lord gave me  for the logo was my face with the extensions of my hair being roots . When Lauren designed the logo, she added my face as the “O” in Catholic.

The Vision

The only thing that’s certain is that if God gives you a vision He will see you through it. This Blog is to bring light to non-Catholics the root of our beliefs and to gently guide wayward Catholics back home. I will not  pound anyone over the head with Catholic doctrine to help him better understand the Catholic point of view; rather I will witness through my faith what God is doing in my life. I do not waver in my beliefs; my Catholic faith has brought serving God to its fullest. It took a big trial for me to reach this pinnacle.

The Exit

My history with her majesty, the Catholic Church, started when my eldest brother died of cancer in 1983. There was conflict with a priest at our local parish. He questioned  me about my brother’s funeral arrangements and wanted to know if we attended Mass regularly. All of my siblings were in a state of spiritual limbo and none of us were remotely attending Mass. Aside from Christmas and Easter, I never went to any Catholic services.

I pleaded with the priest that my brother was too sick to attend services, but I knew that it had been many years.  In frustration and anger over the manner in which one priest handled my brother’s death, I left the Catholic Church. Disappointment quickly turned into a hardened heart toward my former church.  Emotionally charged and spiritually void, led me to a 15-year hiatus of bouncing from one Protestant church to another.

The Valley Vineyard

I was led to the Valley Vineyard. There our young family settled in and I found a new love for the Word of God. This ministry was my favorite; we became good friends with the pastor and his wife, but sadly, due to Mike’s job, we had to move to Orange County. So for 15 years I went from Anaheim Vineyard, to Calvary Church, to Calvary Chapel, and many other churches in between. All of these were wonderful growing experiences, but one church in particular continued to  feed into my anger against Catholics. When I heard these negative words from the pulpit about my former church, it intensified my contempt for Catholics even greater.

The Journey

My husband and children were all cradle Catholics; however, my new religion became theirs. This new-found faith brought me to a group that was led by a lady named Michelle. I was so impressed by Michelle’s knowledge and wisdom of the Word of God. Her preaching was powerful and incited my spirit to desire more of God. I wanted so badly to introduce her to my Catholic friends with the intention of converting them. I talked to other Anaheim Vineyard members, and was taken aback when I was informed that Michelle was Catholic! My thoughts were, “How can this be? How can a Catholic have the fire of God like this?” Michelle’s ecumenical giftings allowed her to work alongside popular pastors and many other renowned movers and shakers in the Protestant faith.

From Michelle’s teaching came my introduction to her mother Joanne, also Catholic. I became a member of Christ In You in 1994, attending two weekly services. I fully committed myself to serve in this ministry. In addition I started attending daily Mass. These were the stepping stones that led me back to Catholicism.

Coming Home

I remember the Sunday when I returned to Catholic Mass because it was an unusual experience. I walked in with my husband to the sound of solemn music. The praise and worship was structured.  “What was I doing here?  Is this really from You Lord?”  I was accustomed to lifting my hands in worship and swaying back and forth to the sounds of loud praise music. It took time for me to readjust to the quiet beauty of the Mass, but it all came back to me gradually. The reverence of the people and genuflecting before the Eucharist, the kneeling, the standing –  these physical movements honored and respected the holiness of God.

The Manna

These rituals are unchanging and enriching, but it was not until I received  the Eucharist that the spirit of completeness came over me. It took several services before I realized that truly I was where God had called me. The Eucharist is spiritual food that I cannot live without.  Attending daily Mass is what sustains my walk; nothing can replace the real manna, the true Body of Christ.

Susanna and Helen

During this entire journey my dear friend Susanna was praying for me to return to the Catholic Church. Her gentle, stern approach, was steadfast because she was well catechized and knew how to defend her faith. My best friend Helen, also Catholic, listened to all my preachings  but never wavered from her beliefs either. Flanked by these two strong Catholic women, my ambiguous mind was now at rest.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray that You would continue to give me insight as to the direction for my Blog. May Your Holy Spirit continue to grace me with wisdom on subject matter to touch the hearts of those who are searching, hurting or lost in the journey to You. May this first week of Advent lead them onto the right path.

I pray that my Blog will enlighten, make you laugh and most of all to seek His Face. Amen.