Fill the room with Christmas crèches

	POLISH CRECHE: Felice Maciejewski, Library Director at St. Norbert College, with a wood carving from Poland. The nativity scene is one of many she has collected. (Rick Evans photo)

By Joanne Flemming
Compass Correspondent

For Felice Maciejewski, director of the St. Norbert College library, De Pere, the Advent/Christmas season begins in mid-November.

That's when she brings her collection of Christmas crèches out from storage and displays them at St. Norbert and in her home.

Unwrapping them piece by piece "gives me that sense of anticipation of the birth of Christ," she said. There is "just that hope and that anticipation. When they are finally all out and people come to look, the looks on their faces bring me great joy."

Maciejewski has around 125 crèches, mainly from Latin America, but also from Africa and Poland. She displays 80-90 of them on the first floor of St. Norbert's Todd Wehr Library through the Epiphany, Jan. 6. She will put others out in her home.   Full story ...

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A d v e n t

• Everyday People, Everyday Faith articles  • Reflection on the Readings by Auxiliary Bishop Morneau --     Advent is a good time to stop the march  • Explaining the Scripture by Fr. Michael Stubbs --     'Luke the historian' earns his nickname  • Editorial -- Stamp contains symbols     Birds have meaning in new Christmas stamp  Advent articles from previous issues:  • Nov. 24, 2006 issue

 • Reflection on the Readings by Auxiliary Bishop Morneau --
    for December 3, 2006: Advent is a good time to stop the march (Advent)

 • Explaining the Scripture by Fr. Michael Stubbs --
    for December 3, 2006: 'Luke the historian' earns his nickname (Advent)

 • Editorial -- Music check
    Bishops approve new norms that eventually will affect the songs we sing
    at our liturgies

 • Editorial -- Stamp contains symbols (Advent)
    Birds have meaning in new Christmas stamp

 • Eye on the Capitol -- Election 2006 provides us food for thought for the future

 • Br. Steve Herro -- Darfur region needs our prayers

 • Fr. James Herring -- AIDS shows need for justice

 • Solidarity calls us to see, affirm human dignity (Advent)
    We must act as Jesus did with the woman at the well when we meet those
    with AIDS

 • Solidarity: Commitment, communion (Advent)
    We need to commit to help those in need and find oneness in God and others

 • Valuing solidarity and human work (Advent)
    We are instructed to judge decisions based on preserving others' dignity

 • Sixth century BC scribe served prophet Jeremiah -- Baruch (Advent)

Articles on   2006 Bishop's Appeal • Editorial -- Appeal needs you (Mar. 31, 2006) • Helping to bring spirituality home (Mar. 31, 2006)    Sidebar: Traits of a Functional (not perfect!) Family • Kaukauna's Padre John serves far-flung parish (Mar. 24, 2006) • Students choose mission over Florida beaches (Mar. 17, 2006) • Young men invite God to help them discern (Mar. 10, 2006) • Brother brings social teachings to community (Mar. 3, 2006) • Faith comes alive for all ages at the same time (Feb. 24, 2006) • 'I never saw myself as a very holy guy' (Feb. 17, 2006) • Ministry helps Hispanic youth encounter Christ (Feb. 10, 2006) • Appeal targets $5 million for the first time (Feb. 3, 2006) • Pie chart of Bishop's Appeal use (Feb. 3, 2006)