Following the 53rdannual Christmas For Others campaign, the Padua community gathered together Friday, December 20, 2024, to celebrate one final Mass before the Christmas break.
After the CFO Mass, Padua President Dave Stec ’86 addressed the students, faculty, staff and alumni in attendance and delivered a reflection centering on the “Magic” and “Wonder” of the Christmas season, and what is most important during this blessed time of year.
“This is truly a magical, wonderful day,” Stec said. “It is a day where we bring our community together. That’s heartwarming for us when our students and our young ones continue to find joy in our faith and what we believe in.
“Christmas is the most important time for me personally, and the blessings of Christmas For Others makes it even more meaningful, not just because Christmas For Others is fun. There’s a lot of fun that goes along with it, but it’s also because it’s the largest student-run fundraiser in Northeast Ohio.
“We’re blessed to be a part of all of these accomplishments. I want to thank certainly all the recipients of the work that our community did. Your model is inspiring. It continues to care for others in a way that we can only pray and continue to try to do things to help them.”
It is during Christmas For Others that Padua’s motto of “In Holiness and Learning” becomes a tangible representation of the school’s true mission.
While signing Christmas cards and enjoying music of the season, Stec was struck by the amount of talk of “magic” and “wonder.” Those two words served as the motivation behind Stec’s message to the CFO Mass attendees.
Stec utilized visual aids of wrapped gifts during his address. The items wrapped in boxes included a children’s coat, diapers, ramen noodles, a dinosaur toy and winter hat and gloves set. After the gifts were opened, Stec reminded attendees that while those items were not on most Christmas lists, there are people who need those items.
“There are parents who are praying that Santa gives them a toddler coat for their child, and there’s families who are hoping to get diapers so that their child could be safe and comfortable,” Stec said. “Could you imagine having food on your Christmas list or the need of hats and gloves and scarves to stay warm so you can go outside? Could you imagine if that was on your Christmas list?
“Notice that God once again gave us what we need to start again because we gave it away, and God gives us everything we need to care for those in need.”
After making his remarks, Stec announced the cumulative record total of $41,374 in cash along with the thousands of items donated to benefit those in need throughout the Northeast Ohio community and beyond.
In order to share the gift of love with those in need, students used their many talents to raise funds throughout the December campaign.
From the Italian Club’s Spaghetti Dinner, the Spanish Club’s sale of nachos and the German Club making root beer floats to a student vs. faculty volleyball game, as well as the creation of custom pet portraits and a talent show, the students worked diligently to make this campaign a success.
Additionally, there was a Pickleball Tournament (hosted by MyTrack® business students), a Mario Kart Tournament (presented by the Robotics Club), trivia contests, card and infant blanket making, a hot chocolate sale, first-period collections and the well-known Coin Wars competition, which raised $7,414.
Also, Padua held a blood drive, where 27 Bruins rolled up their sleeves and donated, which will help save 81 lives.
“Being full of wonder is not about doubt,” Stec said. “It’s amazing. It surprises us. It fills us with joy. It’s real. It’s awareness of God. Wonder and awe is the gift of the Holy Spirit. It moves us to love God so much that we want to take care of others, and it’s extraordinary. It guides us to a much deeper understanding of what this is all about.
“The Christmas story of wonder is about the Virgin Mary. It’s about the miracle incarnation, God with us, becoming one of us. It’s about salvation, and it’s about a gift of incredible love, that love that we can experience in gift of others. There’s two ways to look at Christmas For Others. The gift or the real impact, what you see first and what it means, things versus people. The magic of Christmas For Others, the fun coin wars and volleyball and nachos and pickle ball and spaghetti and ugly sweaters. That’s what you see. It’s fun. It’s magical.
“The wonder is the surprise we get when we recognize the real impact of what this is all about. It’s about that love, that came to our earth so that we can be saved, and that we can continue to bring it to other people. And that is why this is so wonderful.”
Representatives from most of the 25 charities positively impacted by CFO were in attendance at Mass to receive the donations and celebrate the spirit of the Christmas season.
Started in 1971, CFO has raised nearly $1 million for charity. It is organized and operated by the students, under the direction of Padua’s Key (Kiwanis) Club.
“This is the most important lesson you can ever learn; this is about finding God and being good,” Stec said. “We know we are wonderfully blessed, and we give back because others need us. We pray, we care, we serve and we bring peace, and it is wonderful.
“Celebrate all the stories. No matter how old you are, hold onto the fate of a child who believes in the magic of Christmas and be moved to love God so much that you want to do good and bring Christ alive every day of your life. And when both of these stories come together, it’s magical, and it’s most certainly wonderful.”
