Church Clips

Stand-up guy — Pat McGann is graciously at it again — doing his stand-up routine at a comedy night fundraiser for a Southwest side parish Side parochial school — this time Queen of Martyrs (Evergreen Park). McGann, who grew up in St. Cajetan Parish (W. 112th St.) and went to Marist High School (W. 115th St.), left a sales job a few years ago and turned his talents to making people laugh. He’s a natural. Proof of the pudding is his appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman last January. As he told the Trib after the experience, “Once I got the first laugh from Dave, it registered: ‘Man, David Letterman laughed at my joke. That’s awesome.’” Married with two children, the likeable McGann is a frequent emcee at Zanies’ in Old Town and Rosemont and pops up on local TV and radio. The Jan. 16 Martyrs show includes Kevin Bozeman from Comedy Central and Jim Flannigan. It’s $25/in ad-vance, or $30/when the doors open at 7 p.m., with a cash bar, and BYO appetizers. One neighborhood joke that brings down the house is McGann’s faux pitch to be alderman of the 19th Ward. One of his promises: “More cemeteries. There aren’t enough dead people in this neighborhood!” (The 19th Ward is “home” to seven, count ’em, cemeteries, including the arch’s Mount Olivet and St. Casimir.) Call 708-422-1540 for tickets.

Empty mangers, empty cribs —Why do people keep stealing “Baby Jesus” from Nativity scenes? Whether it’s a plastic baby from your front lawn or a $3,000 imported Jesus forcibly removed and stolen from a crèche in the town square in Greenfield, Massachusetts, the act is disturbing and reprehensible. Closer to home, the outdoor Nativity scene at St. Odilo Church in Berwyn was vandalized and defaced just before the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. One public Nativity scene in Indi-ana finally had its Jesus equipped with a GPS tracking device. The next time the Baby Jesus was stolen, it was returned a few days later.
On the other hand, the Pro-Life Action League brings an empty manger with them for their “Empty Manger Christmas Caroling” day outside abortion clinics in the Chicago area and in DuPage County. The carols and empty manger have been a tradition since 2003, symbolizing “the anticipation of Christ’s birth and the emptiness left behind by abortion.” More pro-life activists around the country are now holding their own Christmas caroling events out-side abortion clinics. The league supplies them with a how-to kit, a booklet of carols and de-tailed instructions on how to build a simple manger. This year 29 cities participated in the apostolate, from Tacoma, Washington, to Knoxville, Tennessee. That doesn’t include the eight Chicago-area abortion clinics the carolers visited Dec. 20 and three in DuPage County. Eric Sheidler of the league says, “Over the years women have occasionally chosen life for their babies when they heard the songs of Christmas outside the abortion facility. On Dec. 20 four women that we know of cancelled their abortion appointments.”

Mail call — Father Chris Doering, former pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish (W. Agatite) still serves as chaplain in the U.S. Army. Clips readers have followed his initial raining with the paratroopers to his time of de-ployment in Afghanistan . Last September, while stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, his orders said he was to be the garrison's Catholic chaplain, “akin to a parish pastor for Capt. Father Chris Doering the Catholic
community on post. Well, as the saying goes, if you want God to laugh, make plans.” Following a lot of army rumors, he got official word last September he was the only priest available in the 101st Airborne Division and would be shipping out. His new unit, the 101st Special Troops Battalion would be a part of Operation United Assistance — helping the Army’s efforts to stop the spread of Ebola in East Africa.
Father Chris has now been deployed a couple months. He’s upbeat. The weather is hot and moist and the amenities problematic, but he’s able to phone his parents often. He says Mass on Saturdays at two locations and at two other spots on Sundays in the neighborhood of Liberia. “During the week there are meetings, counseling and chatting with the soldiers.” He hitches a ride on C-130 cargo prop planes when he can for other ministry sites.
His big news is the brigadier general announced they’re winning against the virus, “but we can’t get complacent.” Padre Chris says he’s proud to be a part of the effort. “The sheer presence of the American forces, USAID and other agencies has brought hope and confidence to the people of Liberia. Pray for healing for those afflicted, peace for the troubled and safety for those in danger. And don’t forget to pray for one of their chaplains as well. A blessed New Year to the great folks in the archdiocese, Father Chris Doering.”