Priest ruins Christmas

[Curious Orange]

From the BBC - Priest ruins Christmas

A Catholic priest has been criticised by parents in a city in northern Italy for telling their children that Father Christmas does not really exist.

Father Dino Bottino, the parish priest of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Novara, let out the secret at a children's mass earlier this month.

A local paper published complaints from dozens of parents. "You've ruined my children's Christmas," said one mother.

But an unrepentant Fr Bottino called it his duty to set the record straight.

"I told the children that Father Christmas was an invention that had nothing to do with the Christian Christmas story," he said.

"And I would repeat it again, if I had the chance," he added.

But Father Dino could not have imagined the scorn that would be heaped upon him after he told children at mass that neither Father Christmas - nor the kindly witch called the Befana who provides presents on 6 January to Italian children - really exist.

The priest said he had never intended to hurt anyone, but it was his duty to distinguish the reality of Jesus from the story of Father Christmas which was a fable just like Cinderella or Snow White.



Do you reckon someone should tell him what 'Christmas' was about before Christianity hijacked it?

 

[Walkers Cajun Squirrel]

What was it before Christianity??
I MUST know.

 

[Braders]

"I told the children that Father Christmas was an invention that had nothing to do with the Christian Christmas story," he said.

"And I would repeat it again, if I had the chance," he added.

But Father Dino could not have imagined the scorn that would be heaped upon him after he told children at mass that neither Father Christmas - nor the kindly witch called the Befana who provides presents on 6 January to Italian children - really exist.

:

does he still believe the rest of the Christian story mind?

 

[bhaexpress]

Interesting considering Father Christmas is St Nicholas ......

 

[Curious Orange]

What was it before Christianity??
I MUST know.

Depends on which country you were in really - but most of the Northern European communities had a Winter Festival of some description before the Christians came along. Jul in Sweden for instance (just in case you were wondering where the Yule log came from and what it had to do with the baby Jesus).

 

[withdeanwombat]

Cinderella and Snow White are fables?

But I've seen the films!

 

[Wardy]

Cinderella and Snow White are fables?

But I've seen the films!

I have seen the films and read the books so they must be true. Next they will be trying do say that the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy are not real.

 

[Don Quixote]

FATHER!

What are you doing?

Of course father christmas is real!

I've seen him you know.

 

[Questions]

Just a slight change folks..........just a tweak mind you.

Child ruins Christmas

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From the BBC - Child ruins Christmas

A young child has been criticised by his parents in a city in northern Italy for telling their local priest that God does not really exist.

Father Dino Bottino, the parish priest of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Novara, was informed of the secret at a children's mass earlier this month.

A local paper published complaints from dozens of people. "You've ruined my priests Christmas," said one churchgoer.

But an unrepentant child called it his duty to set the record straight.

"I told the priest that jesus was an invention that had nothing to do with a real Christmas '' said the boy.

"And I would repeat it again, if I had the chance," he added.

But the child (who cannot be named for legal reasons) could not have imagined the scorn that would be heaped upon him after he told other priests as well at mass that neither God - nor his kindly mother called mary - have ever really existed.

The child said he had never intended to hurt anyone, but it was his duty to distinguish the reality of xmas from the story of Jesus which was a fable just like Cinderella or Snow White.