Bambinelli Sunday  

St. John the Beloved Parish invites you to bring the baby Jesus figurine from your home nativity to Mass this weekend (December 14-15) for a special blessing.
 
Saint John Paul II, during his papacy, instituted the celebration of Bambinelli Sunday (Italian for “baby boy” and specifically the Baby Jesus figurines) on the Third Sunday of Advent – a day on which children from Rome bring to St. Peter’s Square the figurine of the Christ Child from their families’ Nativity sets. The Holy Father blessed the statues of Baby Jesus which the children then take back to their homes to be placed under their Christmas trees.
 
Every pope since has continued the tradition. Parishes around the world now join in the celebration, encouraging young children as well as all the faithful to make the connection between the Nativity set at home and the local church where they worship each weekend.
 
On the weekend of December 14-15, the Third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete or “Rejoice” Sunday, we will bless these Bambinelli at all our weekend Masses here at St. John the Beloved.
 
As we behold the baby Jesus in our Nativities may we, like Saint Francis of Assisi (credited with building the first Christmas creche) be “overcome with love and filled with a wonderful happiness” because we know that we are gazing upon the image of the one who through his life, death and resurrection showed us the path to salvation.”

Mondays of Advent
Adoration of the Blessed, 3:00 to 7 p.m. 

Monday - Friday: Mass is celebrated at 6:30 & 8:00 a.m. 

Saturday Mass 8:00 a.m.   
Reconciliation (Confessions), 4:00 to 4:45 p.m.

Celebrate Bambinelli Sunday this weekend, December 15-16, The Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. We invite you to bring the Christ Child figurine from your home nativity for a special blessing. We will bless these Bambinelli at all our weekend Masses. 
Prepare your heart and home. Click to view our Advent page. 

Oplatki Christmas Wafers are available at the Parish Office. 

The Lord calls each of us to serve. Please take the opportunity to truly discover within yourself what God may be calling you to do, to serve in the various dynamics of our Catholic Parish. Click here to review the many ministries and organizations St. John the Beloved Parish offers to discover where you may be called to minister within our beloved parish.  

Subsequent Sunday Reading meetings will take place every Thursday morning, 9:30 AM until 11:00 AM, and again on Thursday evenings, 6:30 PM until 8:00 PM in the St. John Bosco Conference Room at St. John the Beloved. The same format will be used in both sessions to aid your availability. The next Sunday’s Readings from the Mass are informally discussed at each cloass. The intent is to help us prepare so that we can have a deeper understanding and further appreciation of the Mass. If any questions, please contact Deacon Dennis at 302-981-4567 or wuebbelsdg@verizon.net. All are invited.

To all those who have donated to our "Raise The Roof" Campaign, which was established to help raise funding to restore our beloved SJB Parish Hall, thank you!  Click here to learn more. 

“Gracious and loving God, we understand that you call us to be stewards of your abundance. Help us to always use your gifts wisely and teach us to share them generously.”

We are thankful for all the generous gifts that you provide to our parish, but we realize that you cannot be with us every Sunday. Please consider using our secure online giving program via ParishSOFT. This is a convenient and safe way to make a one-time, or recurring donation. Click here learn more. SIGN UP TODAY! 

Use My Own Church to add and update your church records at St. John the Beloved Parish online. Click here to learn more. We apprecaite your assistance. Thank you!

St John the Beloved Parish Students who attend public, or private schools are invited to receive their Faith Formation through our parish RE program which consists of class study and preparation for the reception of the sacraments. Click here for more information about religious education formation at St John the Beloved Parish and to register your child/ grandchild to attend our Tuesday evening program this fall.