29 Dec 2025 Priest shares beloved story with children

Posted at 7:58 PMh in News by

CONWAY — Father John Connell, the pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church, has a tradition of reading “The Night Before Christmas” poem (which first became public in 1823) at the close of the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass.

He did so last Wednesday before a throng of young children and the young-at-heart parishioners who were in attendance. 

Before the recitation, he talked about his love for everything about Christmas, including the trees, decorations, trains, Santa Claus, and, of course, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.Afterwards, he gave a Christmas blessing to the children surrounding him.