Saint Paul Catholic Classical School

This year, as a school family, we are bringing focus to the virtues. Stemming from the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, we name two virtues each month to discover and strive to live out. Additionally, we learn about a saint who embodies those particular virtues.

For the month of December, the virtues are Magnificence and Generosity. On December 6, we celebrate Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors and protector of children.

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara in Asia Minor. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Through the centuries St. Nicholas has continued to be venerated by Catholics and Orthodox and honored by Protestants. By his example of generosity to those in need, especially children, St. Nicholas continues to be a model for the compassionate life.

Widely celebrated in Europe, St. Nicholas’ feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In Germany and Poland, boys dressed as bishops begged alms for the poor—and sometimes for themselves! In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrived on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in much of Europe. For example, in the Netherlands St. Nicholas is celebrated on the 5th, the eve of the day, by sharing candies (thrown in the door), chocolate initial letters, small gifts, and riddles. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint’s horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. Simple gift-giving in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the Christ Child.

Learn more about Saint Nicholas at Who is St. Nicholas? ::: St. Nicholas Center (stnicholascenter.org)

Please talk with your children about how they can live the virtues of Magnificence and Generosity. According to the Dominican Friars, Magnificence means to express courage in situations where big projects require substantial expenditures of time, money or energy. The magnificent person looks to the greatness of the work being undertaken, its value, and not simply to the cost, and does not allow fear of the cost to prevent wonderful works being done to honor God.

The virtue of magnificence gives us the courage to stand up for the precious, the unique and the irreplaceable, and to sponsor works of great value particularly in education, in the arts and crafts, in strengthening the life of communities, and in making more beautiful our worship of God.

Generosity means to selflessly give of ourselves. The perfect example of generosity is God the Creator. By means of His generosity, He generated man in His image. For Christians, God's gift of Himself through Christ represents the ultimate form of generosity, and serves as a model for all human generosity.

Because God created man in His image out of His own generosity, a dynamic impulse toward generosity is implanted in the depth of man's being. As a consequence, to live authentically means to give generously. Personality and generosity, therefore, are virtually synonymous. To live authentically is to give generously of oneself.

At the end of the month, we will recognize a student from each class who has demonstrated these virtues. As St. George of Nyssa said, "The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God, " and at SPCCS we embrace the virtues and strive to live this virtuous life.