St. Mary's Parish Nurse Ministry Program
Ruth E. Williams, RN, MEPD, MSN

Dear Viewers, Peace to all during this Holy Christmas season in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The First Sunday of Advent was November 27, 2005. "What I say to you, I say to all: Stay awake" (Mark 13:37). Pray the O Antiphons this Advent. The O Antiphon for December 19th is "Root of Jesse, Tree of Life, you sprout from the royal line of King David. Yet you are the King of Kings. All nations do you homage. Come, take root in us and bring us to flower."

About the Coordinator... A Parish Nurse is a... The Basic Parish Nurse Ministry Program is... Examples of Parish Nurse Ministries... St. Mary's Parish Nurse Newsletter... Notes from Students & Clients... Home Page

What does the word CHRISTMAS mean? The word Christmas in Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ. In Dutch it is Kerst-misse. In Latin it is Dies Natalis "The Day of the Birth." In French it is Noel. In Spanish it is Navidad. In German it is Weihnachtfest.(newadvent.org) The first evidence of the feast day of Christmas is from Egypt about 200 AD. The feast was celebrated along with the Epiphany. Already St Clement in Alexandria (150-215) refers to this special feast on May 20th, and in Rome the Latin church began observing it on December 25th. (Catholic Dictionary, Hardon, 2004) Some of the customs are: the Christmas tree which is believed to have originated in Germany along with the Advent Wreath; the crib (creche) originated in 1223 by St. Francis of Assissi; the hymn Adeste Fideles is at the earliest of the seventeenth century; Santa Claus is based on the Bishop St. Nicholas of Myra whose feast day is December 6th and he gave generously to the children; celebrate the twelve days of Christmas to Epiphany known as Christmastide. Today, some things we can do are: Pray and attend the church of choice during this Christmas, give generously to the poor, visit the sick, pray for our soldiers, put up the creche, Christmas tree, and Advent Wreath, send a card to a shur-in, and take some time for yourself. The true meaning of Christmas was stated by John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."