Bambinelli Sunday – a roundup

First, a reminder that Benedizione dei Bambinelli is a real thing…here’s the proof!

(The group’s Facebook page. Here they are on Twitter.)

Here’s a nice sighting of the book on displacy – from Two Hearts Catholic Shoppe in Roswell, Georgia

Want a Bambinelli Sunday Pinterest board? Here it is! Lots more links. 
I’ve searched a bit for American parishes who are inviting children and families to bring in bambinelli for a blessing…here are a few more:

Corpus Christi Catholic Community – the Anglican Ordinariate Mass at 11:30 in Charleston

Old Saint Mary’s in Detroit

Saint Mary of Sorrows in Fairfax (pdf)

Our Lady of Guadalupe in Brooklyn

Saint James the Apostle in Springfield, NJ

St. Albert the Great in Las Cruces, NM

Our Lady of the Gulf, Bay St Louis, MO

St. Bartholomew, Columbus, IN

St. Jude, Hinesburg, VT

Annunciation Parish, Cincinnati – very nice bulletin insert!

First Presbyterian Church – Van Wert, Ohio!

An earlier list

Here’s a nice resource on using the book in catechesis. 

Sarah Reinhard on the book last year.

Also from last year, Elizabeth Foss.

MEDIA:

Ann & I will have a few interviews over the next few days:

Ann will be on Telecare (Diocese of Rockville Centre)’s Christmas Special tomorrow – watch it or catch the video later here.

I’ll be on the SonRise Morning Show Thursday morning at 745 AM 

A joint interview we did with Fr. Jim Lisante will air this coming weekend.

The Bookmark show we taped in November will also air this weekend on EWTN.

WDEL will be re-airing the interview I did with them last year – “Catholic Forum” – at 10:05 eastern.

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And the point?

The point is that Advent and Christmas are about welcoming the Word of God into our lives – which means our homes. The blessing of the Bambinelli – which we bring from our homes and return there – is an embodiment of this.  As Pope Emeritus Benedict said in his 2008 prayer for the event:

God, our Father 
you so loved humankind 
that you sent us your only Son Jesus, 
born of the Virgin Mary, 
to save us and lead us back to you.

We pray that with your Blessing 
these images of Jesus, 
who is about to come among us, 
may be a sign of your presence and 
love in our homes.

Good Father, 
give your Blessing to us too, 
to our parents, to our families and 
to our friends.

Open our hearts, 
so that we may be able to 
receive Jesus in joy, 
always do what he asks 
and see him in all those 
who are in need of our love.

We ask you this in the name of Jesus, 
your beloved Son 
who comes to give the world peace.

He lives and reigns forever and ever. 
Amen.

Here’s a link to Rome Reports’ account of last year’s blessing.

How the book came to be.