Creator of “Kneeling Santa” was Lifelong Catholic and Activist

Michie

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The Kneeling Santa idea came to Ray Gauer while he was on retreat at a Trappist Monastery in Kentucky in the 1940s.


With the coming of the internet, inappropriate contentography has saturated society and become a challenging addiction for many to overcome. A few generations ago some saw the harm inappropriate content would unleash, and joined early efforts to have local and state governments enforce anti-obscenity laws. Among those was lifelong Catholic Ray Gauer (1921-1997), who is perhaps better known for his creation of the “kneeling Santa.”

Gauer was born in Chicago, where he attended both Catholic and public schools. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy, but contracted tuberculosis and was discharged in 1947. He recovered, married wife Ella and became the father of seven children. He studied accounting at DePaul University and moved to Hollywood, California, in 1954.

One evening in 1959, Gauer walked to a nearby Chinese restaurant to order a takeout dinner for his family. While waiting, he strolled outside and noticed a newly opened “inappropriate contento shop” featuring inappropriate contentographic magazines and peep show machines. He came home and complained to his wife, who responded, “Why don’t you do something about it?”

He wrote a letter to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, opining that such a business would be a detriment to the community. That very same week, police raided and closed the shop. Delighted with the quick response, he wrote the mayor of Los Angeles and suggested that the same action be taken there. Once again, the city took quick action, raiding six such shops and confiscating seven tons of inappropriate contentographic materials.

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Creator of “Kneeling Santa” was Lifelong Catholic and Activist