BasilicaFEST Planning Committee is looking for volunteers to chair the food concessions and food & beverage tickets! You will be trained and guided to do the job! Contact our co-chairs and join the planning team! Open to all EMCC parishes!
Don’t forget to start the year off by making a commitment to volunteer in any of the EMCC ministries! Contact Cathy, our new Parish Life Coordinator at [email protected] or call the Parish Office Hub at 716-372-4841 if you can help.
The San Damiano Cross is a well-known example of that which is referred to as an icon. An icon is religious instruction through stylized painting or drawing. St. Francis was praying before this cross when the Lord spoke to him, asking Francis to “Rebuild My Church.” Through the details of the cross, it teaches more fully the meaning of the crucifixion.
Let us embrace this Jubilee year in the spirit that has Pope Francis exclaiming, “Let us even now be drawn to this hope! May the power of hope fill our days, as we await with confidence the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and glory, now and forever.
This year, 2025, is an ordinary year, as it is occurring on a quarter year of the century. This ordinary Jubilee is an intentional time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, one another, and all of creation. It is an opportunity to celebrate prayer, forgiveness and reconciliation in the Catholic Church.
God is not asking us to brining Him gold, frankincense and myrrh. He is asking us to use what he has already given us to help our neighbor and bring the joy of Christmas into the world.
This is a joyful season because this is the time that we celebrate God’s love for us. When God gave humanity the ultimate gift--He entered into our time so that we would know that we are never alone. Sure, all of the festivities of Christmas are fun, and I certainly encourage us to have a little more fun in our lives, but fun is not enough. We celebrate that during the darkest days of the year, the light of Christ shown first in Bethlehem. We celebrate that in a time that values money, power, and status. The Son of God was born in a small town to poor parents. We celebrate because we remember that Christ came to save us all.
BLESSING OF THE BAMBINELLI
Parishioners of our EM Catholic Community are invited to bring your figurine of the infant Jesus on Gaudete Sunday. During each Mass parishioners will hold up their infant Jesus for a blessing and then place Jesus in the manger scene at home.
The Blessing of the Bambinelli (baby Jesus) was first instituted by St. John Paul II. On the Third Sunday of Advent, the children of Rome are encouraged to bring the baby Jesus (Bambinelli) from each of their nativity sets to St. Peter’s Square. Following the Sunday Angelus address, the Pope blesses the figurines. Now celebrated in many churches around the world, this Advent tradition is a way for children to connect their nativity scene at home to the celebration of Christmas at their church. But this tradition is for all ages!
Let us be joyful this Gaudete Sunday and every Sunday. We acknowledge the work that needs to be done, not simply in terms of Advent preparations, but in terms of our lives on Earth. However, we are joyful because we are not alone. We have our Savior, our Church, and our Community to walk with us on this journey. Click on title for the complete reflection.