Jesuit Father Joseph Weiss, pastor of St. Thomas More parish in St. Paul, dressed as St. Nicholas Dec. 6 for a special day of activities for preschoolers and a visit to K-8 students at the parish school. Above, third-grader Declan Hegarty admires the costume. Dec. 6 is the Feast of St. Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop from Asia Minor who is the patron of children. Photos by Dianne Towalski / The Catholic SpiritSt. Nicholas walks down the hall at St. Thomas More School.Fourth-graders Sydney Ryberg, Allison Sowatzka and Sylvia Torkelson and their teacher Sue Wynne listen as St. Nicholas explains the history of the candy cane, which is shaped like his bishop’s crosier.Children ages 2 to 6 were invited to spend a special St. Nicholas Fun Day with preschoolers at the school. Above, preschoolers, front row from left, Hank Hughes, Tomas Cortes, Jameson Johnston and Yonni Zelinskas listened intently to the story of St. Nicholas.Preschooler Ronan Murphy waited to have the paper miter he made stapled together so he could wear it.Six-month-old Luke Ernest posed for a picture with St. Nicholas.
