|
|
 |
|
CNS Story:
|
CHRISTMAS-GAZA Dec-27-2006 (420 words) xxxi
Priest says children fear Gaza Strip is too dangerous for Santa visit
By Judith Sudilovsky
Catholic News Service
JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Papa Noel is too afraid to come to the Gaza Strip, the first graders of Holy Family Parish school told their teachers as they accepted the traditional holiday chocolates before Christmas.
Normally the younger children believed Papa Noel, or Santa Claus, brought them sweets for Christmas, said Msgr. Manuel Musallam, the Holy Family Parish priest, in a telephone interview with Catholic News Service.
But just days before Christmas, three children were killed in the infighting between Hamas and Fatah forces which is dragging the Gaza Strip even further into a spiral of violence and lawlessness. The killings terrified the students, leading them to believe the Gaza Strip was too scary for Santa Claus to visit, the priest said.
And parents were not able to buy traditional holiday gifts and clothing for their children, said Msgr. Musallam. Many are government employees who haven't been paid because of the international boycott against the Hamas-led government since January.
Other families are living only from their savings, he said.
The past couple of years "have been difficult, but this one is more difficult because of the internal situation. In the past years we have had the same problems of no work, no money, but now added to this suffering is the fear not coming from Israel but because of fear from our people," Msgr. Musallam told CNS.
Because of the violence and killings, Msgr. Musallam canceled the traditional Christmas tree decorating competition at the school, the Christmas procession and midnight Mass.
The priest said that during the hour normally reserved for the Papa Noel festivities of singing and dancing the students instead spoke about the chaos they have been witnessing and the deaths of the children.
The giant pine tree in Gaza Square also wasn't decorated.
Msgr. Musallam said some 50 people, mainly neighboring Muslims who come to honor Christmas with the Christians, attended the 7 p.m. Mass. The others were Christian residents of the nearby Beach Refugee Camp whom the parish brought and returned by bus.
Normally about 200 people come for midnight Mass, he said.
"If (people) didn't show up for the 7 p.m. Mass, you can imagine they would have not been there for the midnight Mass. People are afraid," he said.
"Midnight Mass is a special Mass. People love this Mass. It is a symbol of peace and tranquillity we do once a year," said Msgr. Musallam.
END
Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250
|
|
|
|
