World Day of Prayer here at St. Ben's March 4th

World Day of Prayer 2016

Women, men and children in more than 170 countries and regions will celebrate World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 4, 2016.  This year the women of Cuba call us into worship considering the words “Receive children, receive me.”  With these words as backdrop, we are invited to learn about Cuba’s history and rich cultural diversity.  

World Day of Prayer was founded on the idea that prayer and action are inseparable in the service of God’s realm.  Services begin at sunrise in the Pacific and follow the sun across the globe.  Each year a different country’s committee serves as writer of the worship service.

The gathering for the Eggertsville/Snyder faith communities will be held at St. Benedict’s Church on Friday March 4 at 1 p.m.  Everyone is invited to participate.  Refreshments will follow.

Parish Retreat March 6-9

EVENING PRAYER SERVICE 24 January 6pm

UPDATE 2 Feb. 2016: A write-up about our Evening Prayer Service http://episcopalwny.org/eggertsville-churches-come-together-in-worship

To close out 2016’s Week Of Prayer For Christian Unity, the congregations of St. Benedict’s R.C. Church, and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will conduct a shared,  Evening Prayer Service . The date is Sunday, January 24, beginning at 6pm, and will be held at St. Peter’s- located at 205 Longmeadow Rd. in Eggertsville. Please Join us!

The clergies, musicians, laity, and choral groups from both churches will participate in this unique endeavor, in response to a joint letter calling for a collaborative effort to serve our community- generated by both Bishop William Franklin of the Episcopal Diocese of WNY, and Bishop Malone of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

Lay people and deacons from both churches in 2015 had been meeting to generate a response to last year’s joint letter, which recently resulted in a Thanksgiving Dinner for foreign ESL students that meet at St. Peter’s.  

It is hoped that this collaborative service and continued meetings between the two churches will generate more joint ventures in the areas of outreach ministries to the surrounding Eggertsville area, and to the wider WNY community.  

Christmas Masses 2015

We invite you to join us:

Thursday, December 24th
   4:00 pm  (with Children's Pageant 15 minutes prior)
   10:00 pm (music begins one-half hour prior)

Friday, December 25th
   10:00 am
   11:30 am

St. Benedict's is located at the corner of Main Street and Eggert Road, Amherst, NY.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

Every December 12th, the Church celebrates Mary under the title of "Our Lady of Guadalupe"

On December 9th, 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego and asked him to buld a church on the site of the apparition. The famous image of our Lady of Guadalupe is actually the image left behind by Mary on the tilma (cloak) of St. Juan Diego.

It is estimated that over 9 million indigenous people of Mexico became Catholic due to our Lady's appearance there. Our Lady of Guadalupe is venerated throughout the world, but particularly among Mexicans. Under this title, Mary is the Patroness of the Americas - South, Central and North. In addition to being the patroness of the Americas, our Lady of Guadalupe is also the patroness of the Pro-Life movement. It is the only apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary that shows her as an expectant mother.

St. John Paul II visited Mexico City in 1979 (he had just been elected pope in October of 1978). In fact, this was the first papal overseas trip for St. John Paul II. He would become known for his apostolic visits to numerous countries after his visit to Mexico. Pope Emeritus Benedict XIV has also visited the site.

Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Mexico and the shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe in coming months.  He wrote these words in 2014 about Our Lady of Guadalupe:

Tomorrow is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. On this occasion, I wish to greet the brothers and sisters of this continent, and I do so thinking of the Virgin of Tepeyac. 

When she appeared to St. Juan Diego, her face was that of a mestiza (mixed race) woman and her clothes were full of symbols of the indigenous culture. Following the example of Jesus, Mary is close to her children. She accompanies them on their way as a solicitous mother, and shares the joys and hopes, sufferings and anxieties of the people of God, who are called to form part of all the peoples of the earth.

 The appearance of the image of the Virgin on the tilma of Juan Diego was a prophetic sign of an embrace, Mary’s embrace, of all the inhabitants of the vast American lands, both those who were already there and those who came after.

This embrace of Mary pointed the way that has always characterized America: a land where different people can live together, a land capable of respecting human life at all stages, from birth to old age, able to welcome immigrants as well as the people and the poor and marginalized of all ages. America is a generous land. 

This is the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and this is my message, the message of the Church. I encourage all inhabitants of the American continent to have open arms like the Virgin Mary, with love and tenderness. 

I pray for all of you, dear brothers and sisters across America, and please pray for me, too. May the joy of the Gospel be always in your hearts. May the Lord bless you and the Virgin be with you.

A prayer for the Memorial of our Lady of Guadalupe:

God of power and mercy,

you blessed the Americas at Tepeyac

with the presence of the Virgin Mary at Guadalupe.

May her prayers help all men and women

to accept each other as brothers and sisters.

Through your justice present in our hearts,

may your peace reign in the world.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

St. Peter's Episcopal & St. Ben's serving together!

Last year, Bishop Franklin (of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York), and Bishop Malone released a Pastoral Letter encouraging members from both Dioceses to work together in addressing problems of poverty, discrimination, and other societal ills. Two parishes took that letter to heart.

Deacon Bill Hynes of St. Benedict’s and Deacon Tom Tripp of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church met during that awful 2014-15 Buffalo winter, and started a dialogue.



Maura MacDonald with
one of our Chinese Guests!

Both parishes mainly serve the Eggertsville-Snyder-Tonawanda areas directly northeast of the city. After several joint meetings between the deacons and lay people of the two parishes, it was decided to birth the collaboration with a Pre-Thanksgiving meal for ESL students that met regularly in the St. Peter’s building. Diana Leiker, an Episcopal Postulant [Diaconal Candidate], put the program together, after hosting two prior St. Peters’ dinners for the students during the summer months. This was part of her social ministry project for the Episcopal Diaconal Formation Program.


The joint dinner was held on Tuesday, Nov. 17, and was hosted by members of St. Peter’s vestry, plus those of the Outreach & Community Life team. St. Benedict’s had 18 people in attendance, led by their Salt & Light Group, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Deacon Hynes, and Father Robert Mock. St. Peter’s was represented by the parishioners mentioned above, several youth, and the presence of the Rev. Ann Markle, Deacon Tom, and Postulant Diana Leiker.  Several ESL students and their instructor rounded out the estimated 40 attendees.

The dinner began with thanksgiving blessings in several faith traditions that led into the traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. The ESL students spoke to the gathering about their own versions of ‘Thanksgiving” in their cultures. Everyone was invited to participate in their own personal art project, and a musical sing-a-long of traditional American songs closed out the evening.
The evening was filled with much of cross- informational talk between the laity of the parishes, plenty of interaction with the ESL students, and of course- plenty to eat.


Postulant Diana Leiker

We hope that this event was the beginning of a meaningful collaboration between Christian congregations to further welcome strangers to our shores, while working with refugee agencies such as Vive La Casa, Journey’s End and Catholic Charities.

The clergy of the two churches also decided to plan and hold a joint Vespers Service in January to further solidify our future efforts.  It will take place at St. Peter's January 24th at 6pm.  All are welcome.

[taken, with minor additions, from http://episcopalwny.org/early-thanksgiving-party?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+episcopalwny%2Fnews+%28Episcopal+Western+New+York+News%29]



Seminarian Peter Bassey



A welcoming gift for ESL families

 

 

Help the needy THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS breakfasts

Hello Vincentians and Friends

As many of you know, St. Benedict's Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society has supported Little Portion Friary by serving breakfast to their guests on Thanksgiving and on Christmas morning.

Vincentians and other Parishioners generously donate their time to prepare breakfast items to help make these holidays a bit more special for those less fortunate.

Donated items are delivered by you at  8:15AM holiday morning in the St. Ben's parking lot in order for the delivery and serving by others at 9AM at the shelter.

Please contact us at the emails or cell numbers below if you can prepare a breakfast item.

We will separately seek a few volunteers to help with delivery, with prep at the Friary that morning and to serve the breakfast.

Fred: 864-3166 fadelfm@aol.com

Mimi: 208-3255         mf188@aol.com

Below are the breakfast items needed. If you're interested in sending something not listed, please let us know. We would like to stay away from sugary baked goods as Little Portion receives many donated doughnuts and sweets. Breakfast Items that can be frozen or kept a reasonable period in refrigeration are a good idea.

Listed are 4 egg items (scrambled or  egg bake). If you're interested in providing an egg bake but don't have a recipe there are several online- BUT please replace or skip cheese and pork additions, for dietary and religious reasons.

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

Fred & Mimi will meet food providers in the Westfield parking lot at 8:15 Thanksgiving morning. People providing the hot items should bring them hot. The Fadels will leave for Little Portion by 8:30, in order to arrive in time to serve on time. The guests (residents) are responsible for clean up.

If you have a cold item or fruit you would like to drop off ahead of time, contact us.

Items needed:

1. Eggs/Egg Bake*: 

2. Eggs/Egg Bake*: 

3. Eggs/Egg Bake*: 

4. Eggs/Egg Bake*: 

5. Bagels – dozen: 

6. Bagels – dozen: 

7. Bagels – dozen: 

8. Cream cheese –3 bricks: 

9. Orange juice – 2 gallons: 

10.Orange juice – 2 gallons: 

11.Potatoes**: 

12.Potatoes**:

13.Potatoes** 

14.Whole fruit: 

15.Whole fruit:

16.Whole fruit:

17.Whole fruit:

*egg bake in an approx 9x15 disposable tray

**potatotes: McDonald style hash brown cakes,or other breakfast potato styles

A> Let us know which item & its number that  you would like to donate. Include a second choice if your first item is already spoken for.

B> Indicate for which holiday (please select only one holiday) We will contact you if that holiday is already spoken for.

C>Include a  tel number (& preferred email address if different from the one on file) if we need to reach you. 

D>Please don't hesitate to call with questions or comments. 

Yours in Christ,

Fred and Mimi 

Thanksgiving themed meal for ESL Community

St Peter's Episcopal Church (205 Longmeadow)

and

St. Benedict's Church (3980 Main Street) 

will host a Thanksgiving themed dinner at St Peter's Church November 17th from 5-8pm (dinner served around 5:30pm). We are hoping for approximately 50 people total (ESL members and volunteers).

ESL stands for English as a Second Language. Our Eggertsville community has a significant population of ESL people. This dinner will not only provide a Thanksgiving-themed meal, but it will also give the ESL group members a chance to practice speaking English.

Donations are greatly appreciated such as sweet potatoes recipes, pumpkin pie, apple pie, carrot cake, pumpkin bars, cranberry sauce or whatever Thanksgiving related item you would like to share.

RSVP by November 8th to Maura MacDonald at sixmacs85@gmail.com or by phone 832-5429.  Let us know what you are bringing as well. 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THE HANDS OF CHRIST!

Our service with St. Peter's was prompted by the joint Pastoral letters of our Bishops -- R. William Franklin of the Episcopal Diocese of WNY and Richard J. Malone of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. Representatives of our parishes have been meeting and praying together since that first joint Pastoral came out.  Here is the first Joint Pastoral Letter - http://bit.ly/1yWaItr