Noting that she has witnessed an “attempt to obliterate Christianity from society” during the past 15 years, Sister Schwarz, a religious for 49 years, added that Christians must stand up for their beliefs and not “be like lambs being led to slaughter.
“We have a right to express our beliefs publicly,” she said.
Matthew Grossi, a diocesan seminarian and a parishioner of Sts. Rose and Clement Church, Warwick, said he attended the Christmas tree blessing “to show his support for keeping Christ in Christmas.”
The second-year theology student said when he first learned that the State House tree was being called a “holiday tree,” he experienced anger and frustration.
“This is what we are called to do – to stand firm and deliver our message peacefully and respectfully,” Grossi said.
Fr. Derek Puleo, assistant pastor of SS. John and Paul Church, Coventry, noted that he addressed the issue of secularism in his recent homilies.
“This is a symptom of a larger issue of the secularists trying to push God and Christianity farther to the margins,” he said. “According to some people, the three most offensive people in our society are Jesus, Mary and Joseph.”
St. Patrick parishioner Jennifer Gederman said that the governor “doesn’t make sense.
“Christmas is Christmas,” she emphasized.
Michael Krzywonos, a parishioner of Blessed John Paul II Parish, Pawtucket, said that the large crowd standing in the rain made a “statement that the Christmas tree does matter.
“It’s a Christmas tree because it’s Christmas time, not holiday time,” he said.
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Krzywonos said that the crowd also was a testament to the fact that most people in Rhode Island believe that the evergreen displayed at this time of year is a “Christmas tree” and should not be known by any other name.
Printed with permission from Rhode Island Catholic, newspaper for the Diocese of Providence, R.I.