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                   Christmas: An Extraordinary Event

Those who have participated in the very successful Darwin Project this semester know that not only was Charles Darwin born 200 years ago this coming February 12, so was one of our greatest U.S. Presidents, Abraham Lincoln.  Christian storyteller, William Bausch in his book World of Stories writes  about a cartoon that was printed in the New York World on the occasion of Lincoln’s birthday in 1925.  The cartoon showed two Kentucky farmers talking over a picket fence. One asks, “Anything new happen lately?”  The other responds: “Nothing much. A new baby was born over at Tom Lincoln’s place, but nothing much ever happens around here.”  Bausch wonders if something similar could not have happened the day after Jesus’ birth with two residents of Bethlehem standing on a corner outside the inn.  “Anything new happen around here?”  “Naw, just a baby born down in the stable. Nothing much ever happens around here.”  If we aren’t careful, in the frantic pace of these last days of the semester and the rush of the season, we too might find ourselves approaching Christmas as just another ho-hum day honoring an event with little significance in our lives. And yet, the power of the simple story of a child’s birth, when recognized as God becoming one with humanity is a mindboggling event. My Christmas wish for all Ambrosians who celebrate this sacred season of Incarnation is to find time to pause and reflect on the significance of this event. Because of the one whose life is so intertwined with our own, “light shines even in darkness, and no darkness can overcome it” (John 1:5).  Congratulations to all who graduate this semester.  A blessed Christmas to all.    --Fr. Chuck

 •Christmas Break Mass Schedule
The only mass celebrated in the chapel next weekend - December 13 and 14 – will be the faculty/staff Christmas party mass at 5pm on Saturday, December 13. There will be NO Sunday masses December 14, 21, 28, and January 4. On January 11 and 18 only the 10:30am mass will be celebrated. The last daily mass of the semester will be this week’s student Candlelight mass at 8:30pm on Tuesday, December 9.

 •Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Monday December 8 is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics. Masses will be held at 12 noon and 4:30 p.m. in Christ the King Chapel.

 •Faculty Staff Christmas Mass
Faculty and staff are invited to join in leading the music for the Faculty/Staff Christmas Mass on December 13.  Please consider joining in this celebration as we come together before Christmas break.  For more information, contact Sr. Rita at x6189.
 

 •Christian Music Concert
Grayson Warren Brown will be in concert on Friday, Jan. 30, at the Shalom Retreat Center in Dubuque, Iowa.  Brown is an internationally known liturgical composer and will present an evening of inspirational Christian Music.  If you would like to attend the concert, contact Sr. Rita at x 6189 or cameronritah@sau.edu for ticket information. 

 •Hunger Week 2008
Thank you to all who took part in this year’s annual Hunger Week activities.  With the canned goods collected from CANstruction in the halls, CAB, SGA, Music Ministry, the different athletic teams, and all who donated individually, we were successfully able to fill the Central Community Circle Food Pantry in downtown Davenport. In addition to filling the food pantry, over $500 was collected from change and meal plan donations. All money has been sent to OxFam, a non-profit agency that works to fight hunger world-wide. Hunger Week is sponsored each year by Ambrosians for Peace & Justice, and would not be possible without help from Residence Life and Sodexo. Campus Ministry has saved a crate, bag, and tub that canned goods were donated in. If any of these belong to you and you would like it back, please email ministry@sau.edu.

 •2009 IMPACT Conference
Date: March 6-8 Location: University of Maryland, University College (Washington, DC, metropolitan area)
The IMPACT Conference is historically the largest convening in the country of campus community members involved in service, activism, politics, advocacy, and other socially responsible work across philosophical and ideological lines. This event builds on the legacy set forth by the COOL Conference and the Idealist Campus Conference, spanning an incredible 24-year history. The conference is the one time during the year that college students, nonprofit professionals, campus administrators, and year of service members meet together to share their experiences, stories, and resources in their work for social change. Conference attendees gather across philosophies, ideologies, issues, geography, and approaches to social change -- it is, indeed, a unique collection of young people and the professional staff who support them!  St. Ambrose students are able to register from Dec. 1 until January 23 at the Campus Compact reduced rate of $159.87.  For more information, see http://www.impactconference.org/.