{"id":49978,"date":"2023-12-18T22:47:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T22:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/5.capp-usa.org\/?p=49978"},"modified":"2026-07-28T16:49:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T16:49:27","slug":"an-old-fashioned-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/5.capp-usa.org\/es\/2023\/12\/an-old-fashioned-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"An Old Fashioned Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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An Old-Fashioned Christmas<\/span><\/h1>\n

with Catholic Social Teaching<\/span><\/h2>\n

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by CAPP-USA<\/span><\/h5>\n

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\"An<\/p>\n

An old-fashioned Christmas needs God and family.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What is an Old Fashioned Christmas?<\/span><\/h2>\n


There are a lot of Christmas traditions, and for many Americans, the traditions are what make an old-fashioned Christmas<\/strong>.
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Family knocking at the door a few days before Christmas? A classic movie like\u00a0It's a Wonderful Life<\/em>? Decorating the tree, volunteering, Christmas shopping, a concert, lights, and singing loudly to Bing Crosby or Mariah Carey.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There are many things that make for an old-fashioned Christmas. But there is one thing the Church makes clear: Christmas celebrates the incarnation of Emmanuel - God with us. And it is no accident that God chose to reveal Himself in and through the family.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Today there are powers, large and small, attempting to redefine the family<\/a>. But the importance of the \u201cold fashioned\u201d family<\/strong> remains the same.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

An 'Old-Fashioned' Family<\/span><\/h2>\n


\"[M]arriage and the family constitute one of the most precious of human values\". (Pope St. John Paul II, 1)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere we mean the family\u00a0founded on marriage, in which\u00a0the\u00a0<\/strong>mutual gift<\/b>\u00a0of<\/strong>\u00a0self<\/strong>\u00a0by husband and wife<\/strong>\u00a0creates an environment in which\u00a0children\u00a0can be born and\u00a0develop\u00a0their potentialities, become\u00a0aware of their dignity\u00a0and prepare to\u00a0face\u00a0their unique and individual\u00a0destiny.\u201d\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul II, 39)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe remain firmly convinced that\u00a0the\u00a0family\u00a0is a\u00a0gift of God, the place where he reveals the power of his saving grace.\u201d (Synod Report to Pope Francis, 5)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Christmas<\/strong> doesn\u2019t need presents, but it requires generosity. It doesn\u2019t need music, but it requires joy. It doesn\u2019t need strings of lights, trees, reindeer, or hot cocoa, but is best celebrated in a family<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Family \u201cis\u00a0the place in which\u00a0life\u00a0\u2014 the gift of God \u2014\u00a0can be properly\u00a0welcomed\u00a0and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance with what constitutes authentic human growth\u201d.\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul II, 39)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Meaning of Christmas<\/span><\/h2>\n


\"In a few days we shall celebrate Christmas, the<\/strong> holy day which is so full of meaning<\/strong> for all children in every family.\" (Pope St. John Paul II)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"The family constitutes\u2026a\u00a0<\/strong>community of love<\/b> and solidarity, which is uniquely\u00a0suited to teach and transmit\u00a0cultural, ethical, social, spiritual and religious\u00a0values,\u00a0essential for\u00a0the development and well-being of its own members and of\u00a0society.\" (Preamble, E., Charter of the Rights of the Family)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This includes learning about the real meaning of Christmas<\/strong>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And what is Christmas without God and the family - which is the image of God\u00a0who \u201cin his deepest\u00a0mystery\u00a0is not all by himself, but a family, since he has in himself fatherhood, sonship and the essence of the family, which is love\u201d.\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul II)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What is Family?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Top Magisterial Quotes about Family<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What is Marriage?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Top Marriage Quotes from the Church<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Why is Family Important?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Healthy Families are the Future<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Consumption and Family Life<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Is Family Life Today Under Attack?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Types of Families and New Definitions<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What Does the Bible Say About Divorce?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Rediscovering the Power of Fatherhood<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Importance of Motherhood<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Learning from the Holy Family<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

More About the Family<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Back to Articles<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\"Three<\/div>

Three Key Principles<\/a><\/h2>

Catholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles -\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity<\/strong>,\u00a0Solidarity\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Subsidiarity.\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity, embodied in a correct understanding of the human person, is the greatest. The others flow from it. Good governments and good economic systems find ways of fostering the three principles.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Human Dignity<\/a><\/h2>

This means a correct understanding of the human person and of each person\u2019s unique value. All Catholic social teaching flows from this: the inherent dignity of every person that comes from being made in God\u2019s image.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Solidarity<\/a><\/h2>

Solidarity is not \u201ca feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of others. It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good\u201d. (Pope St. John Paul II, 38)<\/a> Love of God and love of neighbor are, in fact, linked and form one, single commandment.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Subsidiarity<\/a><\/h2>

Subsidiarity \u201cis a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry. So, too, it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and a disturbance of right order to transfer to the larger and higher collectivity functions which can be performed and provided for by the lesser and subordinate bodies\u201d. (Pope Pius XI)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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