FLORIDA: PERE NOEL ARRIVES EARLY AT MARY HELP 20 Dec 2018

By Lili DeGrasse

(Tampa, Fla. – December 13) – The Council of Catholic Women of Mary Help of Christians Parish in Tampa hosted a Christmas party for the retired priests and brothers of St. Philip Residence on Monday, December 3. The evening began with hors d’oeuvres and dinner prepared and brought in by the CCW members. A trivia contest followed, the subject matter naturally being Christmas. There were questions about the origins and various traditions of Christmas (e.g., when he lived in Belgium, what would Fr. Paul Grauls have called Santa Claus?) as well as liturgical Christmas questions. The evening closed with dessert and gifts. The women distributed Christmas gifts to each of the confreres – such little treasures as a barbecue cookout for Bro. Mike Brinkman, an “I climbed Croagh Patrick” t-shirt for Fr. Raul Acosta, books, clothing, and other good things. Merriment and joy pervaded the hall, and many of the elder SDBs’ faces were beaming with smiles.