Christmas Star
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 41 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
The cathedral in Cartargo, Costa Rica, has a rather similar painting in a side chapel which dates from the same time. It is obviously a U.S. soldier. He is not squatting and facing the star (frankly, I don’t remember if there is a prominent star, but I think there was). Rather, he is on his knees and facing the viewer, though not square on, with a small hill running up behind him. His hands are folded in prayer. There are white clouds in the distance blocking some of the stars, and in the clouds can be seen the images of Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson, among others. My driver was a bit proud of the painting.