Years ago, at my “day job,” I parked next to the car of a co-worker. The bumper proudly displayed a brand-new sticker: “Methodists: preaching the Gospel for 200 years.” I grinned, walked into the office, shook the owner’s hand and said: “Catholics: preaching the Gospel for 2000 years.” I can’t understand why she removed the bumper sticker from her car.

Catholics, by the grace of God and through no merit of their own, can rely on two thousand years of Tradition and tradition; it is a shame and a great loss that more of us do not bother to discover our deep, healthy and awesome roots. I did not realize what a blessing it was to grow up in a Country that was almost 100% Catholic, in a family that was 100% faithful. In those years, we breathed a deeply Catholic air. One could almost say that those of my generation and before, picked up the Faith by osmosis.

Everyone was familiar with the Saints of their particular area, not only because the feast day of the Saint was an occasion for great celebration, but because even lullabies and nursery-rhymes spoke of them. For instance, parents in my part of Italy, the Archdiocese of Milan, taught their children the great feast days of December with a ditty in the local dialect that translates like this: “St. Nicholas brings the apples; St. Ambrose cooks them; Our Lady peels them; and the Baby eats them.” That way it’s easy to remember that St. Nicholas is celebrated December 6th, St. Ambrose the 7th, the Immaculate Conception December 8th and of course, Christmas December 25th. Why apples? Because St. Nicholas of Myra is usually depicted with his bishop’s crosier in one hand and three golden apples over the Bible in the other. Again, why apples? Because tradition (with a small “t”), tells us that he threw three golden objects into the window of a poor family so that their three daughters could have a dowry and be married, rather than be sold into prostitution, as would otherwise have been their fate. Every December 6th, the four of us children would run into the dining-room the minute we woke up, and at our places we would find the most beautiful, shiniest, most gigantic apples that we could ever imagine plus some other small gift.

I would also get a bigger gift than my siblings, because, since my name is Nicoletta, December 6th is my “onomastico,” (same name day). Every Italian child used to be named after a Saint, and every person celebrated two special days during the year: birthday and Saint day. Of course we knew all about the Saint whose name we carried!

The child’s rhyme I related includes St. Ambrose because he is one of the three beloved patrons of the Archdiocese of Milan. Unlike most Saints, who are remembered on the day of their death, Ambrose’s feast marks the day in which he was consecrated our Bishop: December 7, 347 AD. Unlike most early Saints, of which little is known, we know him very well, thanks to the quantity of his writings and the witness of his biographer, Paolino. We know, for example, that he was the son of a very wealthy Roman, and was so bright and so kind that he is depicted with a bee-hive behind him (sweet tongue), a scourge in one hand and his bishop’s crosier in the other.

Why the scourge? Because the Lord raised him up in the very heart of the Roman empire, shortly after the persecution against Christians had ended, and when the Tradition (with a capital “T”) of our beloved Church was developing. For instance, the Nicaean Creed, which we recite every Sunday at Mass, was just a baby (325 AD), and Christians were still united in one Catholic body, although even then there were those who preached the wrong things: heresies (by the way, did you know that “heresy” comes from the Greek word airesis, or “choice”? Hmmm, interesting).

The biggest heresy at that time was Arianism, which called into question the divine nature of Jesus. Ambrose was so successful in debating and defeating that heresy that he was called “the scourge of heretics.” Hence, the scourge in his hand. And no, he did not whip anyone! But he did stand up to the emperor at a time when emperors pretty much could kill anyone without even the appearance of an excuse. These days, we hear much about “the division between Church and state,” and that “the Church better shut up and not criticize the government.” Tell that to Ambrose! Do you know what he did to the Emperor Theodosius because, during a war, he had the entire population of a city killed? Ambrose “excommunicated” him. He sent a letter to the emperor telling him that he could NOT receive Holy Communion until he repented (hmmm). The Emperor went to the Cathedral when Ambrose was celebrating the Mass, knelt at the feet of the Bishop, publicly admitted his sin and asked for absolution.

Ambrose also donated his immense wealth to the Church, to care for the poor and to build churches. These are some of the reasons why St. Ambrose is still a “big wig’ in Milan! And that’s why it is such a joy to belong to a Church that has “preached the Gospel for 2000 years!” The depth of our Tradition nourishes our souls, enlightens our minds and makes of us descendents of heroes and giants.