CHRISTMAS MASSES

Tuesday - 24 December 

4:00 pm (Pageant begins at 3:45pm)

10:00 pm (Choir begins at 9:30pm). 

Wednesday - 25 December 

10:00 am 

11:30 am.

Pizza with the Pope!

"Pizza with the Pope"

Want to go past the headlines and get to know  what the Pope really thinks?

Pope Francis recently wrote, "The Joy of the Gospel" and YOU are invited to join Deacon Bill after the 11:30 Sunday mass for a luncheon group to reflect on the Pope's words.

The "Joy of the Gospel," is five chapters long  so we will be discussing one chapter per week over five consecutive weeks in 2014: January 5, 12, 19, 26 and February 2nd.

The Joy of the Gospel is also known by its Latin title: Evangelii Gaudium.

The luncheon will be for just one hour, roughly from 12:40 - 1:40pm (starting time may very slightly depending on when mass ends).

This series is free but we invite people to make a free will offering to offset the cost of the delicious pizza!. 

Please let us know if you can join us via email: msmith@saintbenedicts.com.  

We are looking forward to seeing you and listening to your thoughts on the Pope's words. 

Please join us!  

St. Ben's is located on Main Street and Eggert Road in Eggertsville (Amherst) NY. Directions on our website - www.saintbenedicts.com

[simply click "The Joy of the Gospel" or "Evangelii Gaudium" anywhere in this blog post to begin reading the document.]

Respect Life events coming up!

Respect Life news!

There is a lot happening in the coming weeks.  Please take a moment to read this and renew your commitment to protecting innocent human life from conception to natural death!   We deeply encourage your participation in these events.

·         March for Life – Hotel deadline is December 13, please make your reservations on time in order to get the low rate

o   Guest Speaker - Reverend William Scott Daniels, O.P.

o   Bus reservation deadline is January 4, 2014 (indicate bus# and pick up location)

o   Youth Groups – view our website for waivers, permission forms http://www.buffalodiocese.org/Evangelization/ProLife/YearlyCalendar.aspx

·         Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – 11:00 am Mass celebrated by Bishop Malone @ St. Anthony Parish, 306 Ingham Ave., Lackawanna 

·         National Night of Prayer – Various parishes will participate in this endeavor from 9:00 pm on December 8th to 1:00 am December 9th (with the exceptions noted by *.)  View our website for the list of parisheshttp://www.buffalodiocese.org/Evangelization/ProLife/YearlyCalendar.aspx

·         40 Days for Life - will be hosting a one hour peaceful and prayerful vigil in front of Buffalo Women services, 2500 Main Street, Buffalo, N.Y. 14214 from 10:00am-11:00am on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2013. All are invited to attend as we pray to end abortion and encourage adoption! Peter Adornetto, Director 2013

·         Special Blessing of the Child in the Womb - at Masses Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22 - St. Christopher Parish, 2660 Niagara Falls Blvd., Tonawanda, NY.  The Gospel reading for Sunday, December 22 is of the Annunciation of Jesus' impending birth foretold by Gabriel to Mary, so it is very appropriate for us to bless all unborn children that day. We invite all who are pregnant, parishioner or not, to join us that day along with their families for this very special blessing! For more information contact the parish at (716) 692-2660.

·         Roe v Wade Observance Mass – Saturday, January 18, 2014 @ 4:30 pm – Blessed John Paul II Parish, 2052 Lakeview Road, Lake View, NY 14085

·         Save the Date – St. Gianna Banquet – Wednesday, February 12, 2014 @ Classics V – 6:00 pm

Please continue to regularly check our website for updated Alerts, Events & Newshttp://www.buffalodiocese.org/Evangelization/ProLife.aspx.

Mary, Mother of the Living Gospel!

From Pope Francis - 

a prayer to Mary 

to help us bring the Gospel to life today....

Mary, Virgin and Mother,
you who, moved by the Holy Spirit,
welcomed the word of life
in the depths of your humble faith:

as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One,
help us to say our own “yes”
to the urgent call, as pressing as ever,
to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

Filled with Christ’s presence,
you brought joy to John the Baptist,
making him exult in the womb of his mother.

Brimming over with joy,
you sang of the great things done by God.

Standing at the foot of the cross
with unyielding faith,
you received the joyful comfort of the resurrection,
and joined the disciples in awaiting the Spirit
so that the evangelizing Church might be born.

Obtain for us now a new ardor born of the resurrection,
that we may bring to all the Gospel of life
which triumphs over death.

Give us a holy courage to seek new paths,
that the gift of unfading beauty
may reach every man and woman.

Virgin of listening and contemplation,Mother of love, Bride of the eternal wedding feast,

pray for the Church, whose pure icon you are,
that she may never be closed in on herself
or lose her passion for establishing God’s kingdom.

Star of the new evangelization,
help us to bear radiant witness to communion,
service, ardent and generous faith,
justice and love of the poor,
that the joy of the Gospel
may reach to the ends of the earth,
illuminating even the fringes of our world.

Mother of the living Gospel,
wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones,
pray for us.

Amen. Alleluia!
(Evangelii Gaudium, 288)

The "J" word.

I know what you are saying.  What is the J word exactly?

Well, the J word is JESUS.

In this very short blog post, I am inviting you to use the J word more this year.  

I know that some of you are aware that we have begun Advent and that Advent is the beginning of the church's new year of grace, but remember, not everyone knows that.  Sometimes we Catholics, even with the best of intentions, make following Jesus a little more complicated than it needs to be.  We sometimes get ahead of ourselves when trying to make new followers of Jesus.  We presume that people know words like advent or liturgy or hierarchy, the list goes on and on.  Since many of us have grown up as Catholics, we use these words effortlessly.  But people who have not yet accepted Jesus or have not heard of his love need to hear the J word more from our lips.

So let this be your new year's resolution: use the J word more!

Black Friday -"Don't be that guy!"

A meaningful Black Friday?   Sure, why not??

Just because you are looking for a great deal on Black Friday doesn't mean you have to become one of THEM!

You know who I mean - those shallow, frenzied buyers so wrapped up in themselves that they are oblivious to everyone else. Don't be that guy! But really, does anyone think of themselves as "that guy?"

We just sort of end up that way if we're not careful about our Black Friday behavior.

So here are some practical suggestions for a fun, meaningful and holy Black Friday:

1. Be healthy - eat a good breakfast before heading out and stop for lunch too. A hungry, tired shopper makes for a mean person by noon!  Your body and your soul are one; each affects the other!

2. Be realistic - no, you don't need to get everything on Black Friday.  Be mentally prepared for sell outs and disappointments. Don't ruin your day (and everyone else's) with a nasty attitude because things didn't go your way.

3. Be concerned - don't walk by people as if they are invisible.  Say this blessing silently when you walk by a fellow shopper: "peace be with you!"  or "God bring peace to your life!"  Say an extra prayer of thanks for those who have to work on Black Friday, especially for cashiers!.

4. Be centered - you are so much more important than the stuff you buy!  You are already a gift to all the people in your life. Thank God he made you. Thankful people are centered people.

5. Be holy - see all those people???   Each is unique.  Each is a gift from God.  Each is your brother or sister.  Treat them that way. As Pope Francis recently wrote: "The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus." Jesus is with you, even on Black Friday!  Remember that and holiness is yours to share!

Can you help us feed the poor Christmas Morning?

For the past couple of years, St. Benedict's has supported Little Portion Friary by serving breakfast to their guests on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning.

Parishioners generously donated their time and/or prepared breakfast items to help make a meal that much more special for those less fortunate. Denise Levy spearheaded this effort for many years and, as many of you know, Denise and her family have relocated to Dallas.

In keeping the tradition alive, Fred & Mimi Fadel have generously volunteered to coordinate the breakfast and to serve on Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings. 

We are currently all set for Thanksgiving but if you are interested in helping to serve and/or donate a prepared item for Christmas morning, we can certainly use your help!

If you would like to help serve, please email me at mattandag@mac.com. We can take up to 8 volunteers. 

If you are interested in providing food, here's the basic list of breakfast items we'd like to provide. If you're interested in sending something not listed, please email me.  

                    We would like to stay away from too many sugary baked goods as Little Portion 
                    receives many donated doughnuts and sweets. 

I've listed 4 egg items or egg bakes. If you want to provide one of them but don't have a recipe, I have an easy one I'd be glad to share.

General info: There are approximately 8 women and 18 men plus some volunteers on the premises. They eat in separate dining rooms so we try to divide the items among the two dining rooms accordingly. Breakfast is served at 9:00 am.

Fred & Mimi will meet folks in the Westfield parking lot at 8:15 Christmas morning. People providing the hot items should bring them hot. The Fadels will leave for Little Portion by 8:30, get there, set up and serve. The guests are responsible for clean up.

Breakfast items needed:

Eggs/Egg Bake:  

Eggs/Egg Bake:  

Eggs/Egg Bake:  

Eggs/Egg Bake:  

Bagels – dozen:  Megan Andrews, Strauss Family

Bagels – dozen:  Megan Andrews, Strauss Family

Bagels – dozen:  Strauss Family

Cream cheese – 3 bricks:  

Orange juice – 2 gallons:  

Orange juice – 2 gallons:  

Potatoes:  

Potatoes:  

Whole fruit (need 3 folks): David Croglio

Please email me back at mattandag@mac.com and let me know what you’re interested in providing for the breakfast and/or serving.

Thank you!

Diocesan Campaign for Phillippines Relief

Parish collection to aid Philippines typhoon victims

Most Reverend Richard J. Malone, Bishop of Buffalo, has asked all parishes of the Diocese of Buffalo to take up a special collection the weekends of Nov. 30-Dec.1, to assist the work of Catholic Relief Services in aiding those affected by Super-Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. 

Proceeds will be forwarded to Catholic Relief Services, which is managing the U.S. Catholic Church's emergency response in the affected areas, to help typhoon victims begin to rebuild their lives.

“When it comes to responding to those in need, be it in Western New York or halfway around the world, the faithful of the diocese have a long history of tremendous generosity, and I fully expect that will be the case with this special collection as well,” said Bishop Malone, a member of the Catholic Relief Services Board of Directors.

Catholic Relief Services, in cooperation with its partners, will provide 100,000 families (500,000 people) with shelter, essential living supplies, and clean water and sanitation, and will continue to identify the most vulnerable communities that need assistance.   Catholic Relief Services said it hopes to raise $20 million for this vital emergency response.

Catholic Relief Services’ presence in the Philippines is its oldest continuously operating country program. Prompted by the mass destruction and loss of life in the Philippines during World War II, Catholic Relief Services, then called War Relief Services, first launched relief efforts in that country in 1945. Just one year later, the agency was providing supplies to more than 800,000 people.

Today, Catholic Relief Services focuses on agro-enterprise and peace building programs in Mindanao and has teams at the ready to respond to natural disasters. Catholic Relief Services’ agricultural programs in the Philippines lift small-scale farmers from poverty by linking them to more profitable markets.  The peace building programs lessen violence, improve livelihoods and help create tolerance in the south.

 

Catholic Relief Services is also accepting online donations at: https://secure.Catholic Relief Services.org/site/Donation2?df_id=6140&6140.donation=form1&s_src=home-page-interupt

For more on Catholic Relief Services, visit http://crs.org/