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)