Elise Italiano Ureneck By Elise Italiano Ureneck • Catholic News Service • Posted February 23, 2021 During a homily this past Advent, my pastor referenced the 19th-century poem “In the Bleak Midwinter” by English poet Christina Rossetti. He spoke about its perennial relevance for Catholics living in New England: Each year at Christmas we celebrate the Incarnation, which is the subject of the poem. But at Christmas we also find ourselves preparing for midwinter, the half-marathon marker of the long, winter season that starts a few weeks before Thanksgiving and doesn’t let up until ...