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We all know how our Founder
was deeply touched by the Mystery of the Incarnation. This obviously had
him wish that everybody would share with him the joy he found on
meditating this profound mystery of God's love towards humanity.
It was the year 1921, when early in December Fr
George expressed his wishes, that during the Christmas of that year, the
Society must do something very special and original. The Members, who now
knew him quite well, knew that he had already something mind: therefore
they waited for him to proceed. In fact wanted the Members to organize a
demonstration with the statue of Baby Jesus around the vilage streets. One
of the early Members, a certain Saviour, asked our Founder if this meant
that they should go round shouting some slogans about Jesus. Obviously
this is what groups do during demonstrations! Fr George immediatly made
himself clear by explaining what he wished. He told them that he felt
inspired that he should gather all the Members together with the children
of the first SDC Centre and organize a demonstration. Each Members should
bring with him a candle or some burning amber, the children must hold some
palm or olive branches, and to go around the village streets singing
Christmas carols and proclaiming to all and everybody that the Son of God
became flesh for us and our salvation.
What our Founder was asking from the Members was
very simple indeed, yet there were some logistical problems. In those
days, Christmas was not celebrated in the way we are used today, and
even a statue of Baby Jesus was not easy to find. In fact theMembers tried
hard to borrow a statue of Baby Jesus. they went to various priests and
parish priests but all was to no avail. Finally, someone brought news that
in the Franciscan Convent in Valletta, the friars are known to have one.
Two Members went to Valletta, this was only three days before Christmas
Eve and asked to talk to Fr Francis Micallef. After explaining to the
Friar what they came for, Fr Francis went to get permission from his
Superior in order to be able to lend them the statue. At first the Members
thought that the answer was in the nrgative as they saw the monk returning
empty handed, but then they were overjoyed because they learned that the
superior agreed that they can borrow the statue but only to come for it on
the same day and return it immediately.
That evening, our Founder together with the whole
group of senior and junior Members, were extremely happy that the Lord
showed his approval of the demonstration by providing this statue. The
choir was by now well organized and fully prepared. Everyone who was
responsable for some particular task did his very best to do what he was
asked to.
The day arrived and at five in the afternoon,
everything was ready for the first demonstration to begin. As the Members
went out of the Centre singing and praying, people started to peep out of
their windows and balconies to see what's happening. Others thought that
they should go out and stand on the pavement to witness this something new
that the Members of the Society of Christian Doctrine deemed fit to do.
2001 is therefore the 80th anniversary of the
first Christmas demonstration. Today, such processions are being organized
practically wherever the Society is present, that is, in Australia, the
Sudan, Kenya, the UK and Albania.
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