December 2023

This year we commemorate the 800th anniversary of Christmas at Greccio where the tradition of the Christmas Crèche finds its history. St. Francis of Assisi had a vision to gather the people to remind them of the Bambino of Bethlehem. One of the biographies (…)
Bejamin Ripley, OFM On November 4th, I was ordained to the ministerial priesthood with a beautiful and joyous ordination mass. I was deeply touched to celebrate this significant event in my religious life with my Franciscan brothers, family members and the local community of (…)
Eight hundred years ago St. Francis was worried the people of Greccio were forgetting the Bambino of Bethlehem and how present Christ was to them in their every day. He desired the simplicity, poverty, and humility of the Christ Child to be made known (…)
In the Christmas at Greccio 1223 text from the life of St. Francis by Friar Thomas Celano, the account includes the following tidbits of information. Blessed Francis had John summoned to him some fifteen days prior to the birthday of the Lord. Francis said (…)
Each year during the season of Advent we set up Nativity Scenes (crèches) in our homes and churches. This scene captures for us the glorious moment of Christ being born among us, telling the story of the Christ Child, Mary and Joseph, angels, shepherds, (…)