Out of the mouths of babes!

It was Christmas Eve 1974 at Midnight Mass that this event took place. Jennifer Skaja Scianna was 19 months old but possessed language skills well in advance of her years or almost years.

For some misguided reason, it was decided to take Jennifer to the Midnight Mass so she could hear her mother sing with the choir. Jennifer, dressed in her ruffly blue dress, was kept warm by a furry hat and coat.This little lady and her father took position in the front row of pews in the center aisle. This was like having lower box seats at a Cub playoff game( maybe we should substitute Bulls, Bears or Sox in order to relate). Surely, after opening packages earlier in the evening, Jennifer would be asleep in her father's arms long before mass would even begin. It must have been the dozens of lighted Christmas trees on the altar that supplied her second wind. The choir would perform the annual concert which began about 11PM. Jennifer became more engergized with every set of carols and applauded frequently. By the time the mass actually started, Jennifer was as hyper as a Starbucks junkie, however, maintianing her lady like behavior. She was the darling of the choir and all those who could see her.

After the reading of the Gospel, Fr J. Edward Duggan would deliver his homily. This was Fr Duggan's first Christmas as the new pastor of St John Brebeuf. His quick wit and verbal skills were superb. His voice carried strongly and his words were clear and deliberate. His manner of delivery was conversational and his eye contact with the congregation was engaging. Indeed, the listeners believed that he was speaking directly to them. He must have worked extra hard and long on the content of this homily as it was his first big Holy Day appearance. His thoughts were profound and his dissertation methodical. He spoke of the Incarnation of God within a human form. One of Christianity's greatest mystery. God as a man but not just man and not solely God.

The entire congregation was entranced with the clarity and enunciation of this mysterious concept. Even little Jennifer was attentively listening and following his every word. Fr Duggan was about to make his point and paused to make eye contact with everyone to let them know that the next words coming from his lips were the crux of the Christmas celebration. He was about to explain that this mystery of Incarnation is the very basis of our faith. His voice went soft to garner even further attention and then he said " We celebrate God becoming a man today in the birth of Jesus. Not just a human baby but also Divine Being. " A God Man." With this Jennifer's tiny but extremely articulate and loud voice exclaimed! " Daddy, daddy he swore! He said God Damn! Mommy says you should not say that. He said God Damn!" At this moment her father was putting his hand over her little loud mouth surrounded the laughter of the nearby faithful. He looked up to see a completely stunned Fr Duggan with a bewildered look on his face. Fr Duggan was beginning to regain his train of thought and composure. When Jennifer's father removed his hand from the beet red little face which was now contorted in anger, she screamed out even faster and louder. " He said God Damn! He should not say that." Wham the hand goes back over the mouth. The look from Fr Duggan was puzzling. Her father thought best to get Jennifer to the back of the church where she could do less harm. He picked up and began to hurry down the center aisle with Jennifer's loud articulate voice repeating faster the a machine gun."He said God Damn! He said God Damn!" This maneuver did little other than assure that the entire church heard her comments. Fr Duggan continued his homily certain that the entire congregation would ponder his words.

At Jennifer's wedding, Fr Duggan was asked to give the invocation. He went up to her and asked if she remembered what she did to him at his first Midnight Mass as pastor. Of course she did not so before grace he related the story to all of her family, new family and old friends.