You, personally? We had to pool our money together, the whole classroom until we saved up the $5 to send to the missions to buy our pagan baby. And you got to name them yourself? We took a vote with the whole room. How did you get away with naming your pagan babies after people in show business? We always picked a good saint's name so our pagan babies would have that heavenly help. I suppose you did slide a couple of saints in there. But clearly, you were more interested in the singers than the saints.
We forgive you. You were nine.
Although you were past the age of reason (seven).
I don't have the addresses of the "missions in Africa". After we purchased our pagan babies and gave them a name, all we got was a certificate to hang in the front of the classroom. In my first grade room, our certificates lined the front of the the blackboard like laundry on the line. By the time I was in the fifth grade, the pagan baby program had gone the was of the Boy Saviour Club.
Because of the Boy Saviour Club I learned "Robert's Rules" in the second grade. You just can't beat a Catholic education!
You'll never know what became of little Elvis and little Connie. Let's pray that the baptism and Catholic upbringing you made possible helped them to live good lives, avoid Las Vegas and looking for where the boys are and get past the embarrassment of going through life with those names.
7 comments:
You learn something every day.
Oh my goodness! What a memory jogger this was! I too had pagan babies...I don't remember what I named them, but boy was I proud!! What a great memory...long long ago...
Hugs Sharon
I also "bought" pagan babies -- and all of them were named Constance something after my favorite nun. I don't remember "buying" any boys -- maybe girls weren't allowed to.
I have, over the years, wondered about those children...and asked their forgiveness in prayer for saddling them with such a difficult name. But then there were a lot of them, so maybe Constance is now popular in Africa!
I guess the current programs where one can sponsor a child in a third world country is similar, but much more expensive since the purpose is not to get them baptized but to feed and clothe them, their families and others in their village/area/whatever and I have sponsored two children. As wonderful as that is to do, I still feel that bringing those other children into the faith was more important. Since the death toll for children was very high from dehydration, poor nutrition and disease, perhaps there are several Constances in heaven because they were baptized as infants.
Saint of the Day - Chair of St. Peter
As soon as I saw this question, it brought back a lot of memories of "buying" pagan babies in first grade. When I married my husband he had never been baptized in any faith. The priest who married us referred to my husband as a pagan which led a brother-in-law to speculate whether my husband was the pagan baby he had bought all those years ago. My husband has since converted, but still does not understand the idea of a pagan baby.
Love your blog Sister.
O Mi goodness ... that's proper informative liiike .
Luv ya ;O
2k11
I heard a priest talk at a Religious Education Conference in California about 10 years ago. He told us "Thanks" and explained that he was one of thoswe pagan babies. Now he is working in California. Let's face it folks we in the USA have become a mission...What goes around comes around...See...You did not waste your money!
Dear Sister,
Can you advise me on how to grow in virtue? Are there any books on the subject that you recommend?
Thank you and God bless, Jenna
p.s. I love your blog!
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