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St. Joseph's bans religious gifts

The hospital shocks a Catholic school group that arrives with presents for patients.

By SHERRI DAY
Published December 21, 2006

TAMPA - They wanted to make Christmas bright for patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital.

But, quite by accident, a group of parents, teachers and nuns from Villa Madonna Catholic School stepped into the Christmas wars. Improbably, their opponent was St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, which has its roots in the Catholic Church.

At issue: whether the group could distribute religious-themed gifts to patients. During a Dec. 11 visit, the hospital staff assessed the group's offerings and quickly made some decisions. Ornaments that read "Joy to the World" and "Peace on Earth" were in. Nativity lapel pins, ornaments bearing a "Merry Christmas" message and Jesus-themed T-shirts were out. They could be given to patients only with parental consent.

"Yes, we were founded by Catholic sisters, but we serve everybody in our community," said Sister Pat Shirley, a Franciscan nun and the hospital's vice president of missions. "We have to create an environment in which all feel comfortable, whether it be Christmas or Hanukkah or Gasparilla or any circumstance."

The hospital, Sister Shirley said, has patients from various religious backgrounds and carefully scrutinizes gifts, particularly those of a religious nature. Other bay area hospitals won't accept donations of religious items as gifts.

Sister Kim Keraitis, the school's principal and a member of the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, found the hospital's political correctness appalling.

"It's not Tampa General," Sister Keraitis said. "It's not Wal-Mart. It's a Catholic hospital, so if you want to distribute items that say 'Merry Christmas,' even if there are people there that are of other faiths, it's kind of understood that it's a Catholic hospital."

This was the second year the group visited the hospital to cheer patients at Christmastime. This year, 18 supporters planned to sing songs about jingling bells and a red-nosed reindeer. One couple would dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and distribute glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets to brighten the children's nights.

But the glow jewelry, apparently, was held up at the North Pole.

So Sister Keraitis offered ornaments, nativity pins and red T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Jesus is the heart of Christmas ... Villa Madonna wishes you a Merry Christmas."

"What is Santa Claus with an empty sack when you go into a children's hospital?" asked Kimmie Martinez, a Villa Madonna teacher and parent who dressed up as Mrs. Claus. "The sister saved us."

Thus began the group's unexpected entry into a culture war. Last year, Christian advocacy groups around the nation waged a campaign against retailers who jettisoned "Merry Christmas" for the more secular "Happy Holidays." Bowing to pressure, some businesses, including Wal-Mart, again embraced Christmas this year, muting controversy.

After the Villa Madonna group found out that it needed permission from parents to distribute religious items, members made their way through the hospital last week singing Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, as parents eagerly allowed their children to accept the gifts, Martinez said.

When parents were not present, the volunteers asked patients if they said "Merry Christmas" or believed in Jesus. If they answered yes to either one, they got the gifts, Sister Keraitis said.

"I don't want to cause a big stir, but my concern was the fact that it's a Catholic institution," Sister Keraitis said. "Within the Catholic institution, we shouldn't have to apologize for saying 'Merry Christmas' to people."

The hospital is part of the St. Joseph's-Baptist Health Care System and part of a collection of 10 private, nonprofit hospitals in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

Martinez was not put off. She said she enjoys bringing joy to children in distress, and if the hospital allows her, she hopes to return. Next year, however, she'll make sure she has her glow-in-the-dark necklaces.

"I just want to be welcomed back because we all enjoy it."

Sherri Day can be reached at (813) 226-3405 or sday@sptimes.com

[Last modified December 21, 2006, 05:59:17]