A weekly column of benevolent gossip

Taking Time — As we flipped the page of another month, year and millennium on Jan. 1, raise your hand if you saluted a 16th century Jesuit named Christopher Clavius. A brilliant mathematician from Bavaria, he spent most of his time in Rome, teaching, studying and writing. But his influence helped revolutionize our dates and decades. When Pope Gregory XIII decided in 1582 to correct the Julian calendar devised in 45 BC by Julius Caesar, he set up a commission and put Clavius at its head. His job was to fix the system that by then was losing a day every 125 years! Quiet Clavius, age 37, the brain of the blue ribbon team, became the father of the new Gregorian calendar to be used by billions of people worldwide. But no one’s perfect. In his old age, Clavius rejected young Galileo’s proposition that the earth rotates around the sun, but Galileo forgave him.

Musical ambassadors —Cuerdas Clasicas String Ensemble and the Lira Singers will mark the 12th season of shared ethnic concerts of Mexican and Polish carols and hymns. The free program at 3 p.m. Jan. 7, in Holy Name Cathedral (N. State) called “a joyous explosion of song and ethnic traditions” by one reviewer, is performed by a troupe of 22, in costume and using traditional stringed instruments.

Reading, ’riting ’n remembering — Students from the former St. Hedwig Orphanage (it became Niles College Seminary), gathered Dec. 22 to swap memories and renew friendships. They also presented Christmas gifts to 20 Felician Sisters, like the sisters used to give them. The sisters cared for thousands of dependent Polish kids in the home from 1911-1961, including refugee children from Poland during world wars I and II. Life was not easy, but they were given a fine education, religious training and skills from music and sports to sewing and the trades. They competed proudly in the archdiocesan school system, with the sisters, acting as “other parents,” instilling self-esteem. The student-residents formed an association about 20 years ago and get together yearly. Former students can get in touch with Rose Marie Killips in Blanchardville, Wis. at (608) 523-1127.

Neither wind nor snow... — Activists from the Pro-Life Action League, the Citizens for a Pro-life Society and the Advocates Against Abortion at Christ Hospital joined forces to protest three Advocate Health Centers in Oak Brook, Park Ridge and Tinley Park, in bitter cold conditions Dec. 12. At the close of the third demonstration, temperatures had dropped to six degrees. Jill Stanek who blew the whistle on live-birth abortions at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, helped coordinate the protests. Deep snow made it possible for stalwart pro-lifers to set up many more life signs than they had protesters, by standing them in the snow banks. All three demonstrations were peaceful.

Decisions, decisions — Former Chicago radio personality and raconteur of the stars, Sig Sakowicz, sends Clips a local story out of the Vegas Review-Journal. A young Italian missionary Father Alberico Crescitelli served in China in 1900 and was brutally killed for his faith during the Boxer Rebellion. His great, great nephew, Don Scott, 62, in Vegas, whose mom’s maiden name was Crescitelli. grew up hearing the heroic story and Scott’s grandfather had known the missionary well. Scott has prayed to him through the years and several “cures” in the family have been credited to his intercession. The priest was one of 120 martyrs canonized in Rome last October. Now Scott’s faced with an unusual dilemma. With a saint in the family, should he pray to him formally as St. Alberico or as “Uncle Al” like always?

Calling all greeting cards — Want to recycle used greeting cards and cancelled stamps? Send them to: School Sisters of St. Francis, 526 Mill St., Campbellsport, WI 53010. And you’ll be included in their prayers as well!

Soup’s on — Daughter of St. Mary of Providence Sister Ann Schaffer, from the successful spoon-lickin’ good soup kitchen at St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish (W. Evergreen), reports that more than 76,427 meals were served in 2000 (not counting December), with the help of workers, donors and everyone’s prayers. In thanksgiving, Bishop Thad Jakubowski said a novena of Masses from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day.

Paper chase — St. Alphonsus School (1429 W. Wellington) needs scrap paper—non-stapled—any color—for Xeroxing. It’s OK if it has print on one side. If any firm has paper to give away, they can call Bruna Kreiling at the school (773) 348-4629 or the rectory (773) 525-0709.