Father Amal asked School to lead the Saturday evening mass last weekend, which was the third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete ‘Joyful’ Sunday), also sometimes called Bambinelli Sunday; a beautiful Advent Tradition instituted by Saint Pope John Paul II during his Papacy.

The tradition follows that on the Third Sunday of Advent children and adults bring their Baby Jesus figures from their homes to St Peters Square where they are blessed by the Pope. Father Amal had invited all of the children and families to bring their Baby Jesus figure from their homes, or ones they had made in school, to be blessed. 

Parishes around the world now join in the celebration, encouraging young children to make the connection between the Nativity set at home and the local church where they worship each weekend.

“It helps children and young people to prepare for Jesus.”  (Pope Francis)

A suggestion is, following the blessing, that the ‘Bambinelli’ are taken home, wrapped and opened as a family on Christmas morning, where the youngest member of the family then places it in the crib: a gift of the presence of Christ in our homes this Christmas.

Thank you all of the teachers who arranged for the children to make Bambinelli in School during the preceding week, to all of the children who came along to read, sing in the choir, light the candles on the Advent Wreath, or take up the gifts at the Offertory; it was a beautiful service and a great way to live out our Catholic Social Teaching principle of ‘Family and Community’, showing our love for others by our actions, as John told us to (1 John 3:18), ‘Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.’

Thank you also to Fr Amal for inviting us to lead and for blessing our Bambinelli.