Category: Fundraiser

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin April 9, 2023

by Terrie Evans

Welcome to San Antonio Church as we celebrate Easter or Resurrection Sunday with our 9:00 A.M. Mass.  Our parishioners welcome Easter Sunday with, “Buona Pasqua”; as other Easter services typically begin with the Paschal greeting “Christ is Risen” and the response from the faithful is “He is Risen indeed, Alleluia”.   Easter, also called “Pascha” is the beginning of the Easter Season that will last seven weeks until May 28^th, Pentecost Sunday.   The liturgical season from Easter to the Sunday after Pentecost known as the Pentecost Arion taken from a Byzantine Rite Book; contains the prospers of the moveable feasts in the period between Easter and the week after Pentecost.  The week following Easter Sunday is called Easter Week or the Octave of Easter with every day of the week after Easter Sunday will be prefaced with Easter, as Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday, etc.   The date of Easter was fixed by means of the local Jewish lunisolar calendar which is consistent with the celebration of Easter having entered Christianity during its earliest Jewish period.  Easter is linked to Passover and the Exodus from Egypt that is recorded in the Old Testament through the Last Supper and the sufferings and the crucifixion that preceded Jesus’ Resurrection. 

The traditional liturgical observance for Easter Sunday is practiced among Roman Catholics, Lutherans and some Anglicans that begins on the night of Holy Saturday with the Easter Vigil that follows an ancient liturgy which includes symbols of light, candles, water with readings from the Old and New Testament.  In other denominations such as the Methodist Church, there will be Easter Sunrise Services with some starting in cemeteries to recall and remember the biblical narrative of the Gospels.  In the Eastern Orthodox Church, services begin on late Saturday evening with a darkened church as parishioners wait in anticipation for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  At midnight, the Priest will light a candle then the altar servers will light candles as the procession moves three times around the church to represent the three days in the tomb.  The Orthodox service with all parishioners holding lit candles will last to the early hours of Easter Sunday morning with another traditional service to be held later in the day on Easter. 

On this Resurrection Sunday, we light our new blessed Pascal Candle that will be used during the following liturgical year.  The Pascal Candle symbolizes the light of Christ rising in glory that scatters the darkness of sin and death.  The Paschal Candle has a cross, Alpha and Omega (the beginning and the end) and the numerals of the current year displayed on it.   Grains of incense and wax “Nails” are affixed at the ends of the crossbars and in the center of the cross to be placed near the pulpit or the altar.  During the 50 days of the Easter Season the Candle will be lit until the Solemnity of Pentecost.   

There are many items associated with Easter such as the Lily that reminds us that all the events of Jesus’ life point to His death and Resurrection.  A popular symbol is the Lamb often used to represent Christ which is also seen as good luck.  Another Easter symbol is the egg which is an ancient symbol of new life, rebirth, spring and a new beginning.  In early Christianity, it was forbidden to eat eggs during Lent as eggs were associated with the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. 

In the Christian Community of Mesopotamia where the custom of the Easter Egg originated, the eggs were stained red in memory of the blood of Christ that was shed at His crucifixion.  In many Italian homes, eggs will be colored on Holy Saturday a tradition that started in Italy around 1400, when Italians started dying Easter eggs by staining them with flowers, herbs and vegetables of different colors.  They would use violets to color an egg purple or onion skins to dye them a bright golden hue.  In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Easter Eggs in families baskets are blessed by their Priests along with other foods forbidden during the Great Lent for distribution in church or to give in celebration of Easter.  The Easter Egg for Christians symbolizes an empty tomb.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin April 2, 2023

by Terrie Evans

On this 5^th Sunday of Lent, we observe Palm Sunday to commemorate the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem.  According to the Gospels, Jesus Christ rode on a donkey, considered an animal of peace into Jerusalem with throngs of   those celebrating faithful laying down their cloaks and small branches of trees in front of him.  In ancient times, it was customary to cover in some way the path of an individual who is considered of the highest honor.   This Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week and the final week if Lent as Palm Sunday combines the Jerusalem custom of blessing palms and the Roman custom of proclaiming the Passion.  Palm branches, symbolizing goodness and victory were placed in his path before His arrest on Holy Thursday and His Crucifixion on Good Friday. 

In Christian denominations, palm branches are blessed with Holy Water and carried into churches   for worshipers to receive the fresh palm leaves on Palm Sunday and in the Catholic Church, these blessed palms are seen as sacramentals.  Also referred to as Passion Sunday with scarlet red vestments worn and displayed on the altar to indicate the sacrifice Christ would endure as he entered the city to fulfill his Passion and Resurrection in Jerusalem.  Before the revision of the liturgical calendar at Vatican II, these last two weeks of the Lenten Season were once called Passiontide.  This 5^th Sunday of Lent is also referred to as Judica Sunday from the entrance antiphon of the Mass.  In Germany during Lent, the custom is to veil crucifixes and statues with violet cloths but, on this 5^th Sunday of Lent, Palm Sunday  referred to as Black Sunday all veiled coverings will be changed to black for Holy Week.  

            On Palm Sunday, the tradition is for Christians to take these blessed palms into their homes to hang them next to pictures of their patron saints, or other Christian art. Many families will make crosses to decorate their homes or place some palms above their doorways while others will visit their loved ones graves on Palm Sunday.  These palms will be saved until the beginning of Lent and will be burned on Shrove Tuesday the following year for distributions of ashes used on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. 

In many parts of Europe there are old practices that are still held in towns and villages on Palm Sunday.  In Belgium, a procession of townspeople will take place with residents dressed as the Twelve Apostles.  They will carry a wooden statue of Christ as the children go door to door to offer palms in exchange for a donation to the church.  In England, during ancient times, a straw effigy (Judas) as a way to show revenge on Judas Iscariot   would later be burned on Palm Sunday for his betrayal of Christ.  In Northern England, and some parts of Scotland,  a traditional dinner will be served with carlin (field)  peas (mushy pea)  brough to England during the siege of 1327 that are boiled then fried.  In Ireland, Domhnach an Iuir or Yew Sunday as yew, silver fir, spruce or cypress will be used as real palm leaves are not available due to the cold climate.  In 1940, St. Patrick’s Day and Palm Sunday fell on the same day.  This coincidence “when the shamrock and the palm are worn together” will not occur again until the year 2391. 

In Italy, palm branches along with olive branches will be placed above the doorway until the year.  In Malta Hadd il-Palm is celebrated with the blessing of palm and olive leaves as they adorn their statues while reciting  “Jesus prays in the Olive Garden” (Gesu fl Ort) and the “Betrayal of Judas” (Bewsa ta Guda).  In the towns and villages throughout Poland, competitions are held for the biggest artificial highest palm, the highest was 33.39 meters 110 feet in the year 2008.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin February 28, 2021

by Terrie Evans

In the history of San Antonio Church, our church community has always planned and celebrated yearly events.  This year, we scheduled our winter Pizza Party for Saturday, March 6, 2021.  The pizza and sauce  recipe to be served on that day goes back to our 1^st  San Antonio Festival in 1923.  The St. Anthony’s Men’s Society, established in 1922 decided to introduce our new church to their neighbors and friends.  At that time, South Fairmount had many German and Italian families with many good cooks and bakers.  The German Mutter’s  were known for their yeast coffee cakes while the Italian Madre’s were known for their fresh baked bread.  When those Italian Mamma’s would make their homemade bread, they made extra dough for pizzas as a treat for their families.  They were so good at making those pies, the  San Antonio Festival Committee asked them to offer their services for the 1^st festival.  They were very popular and soon became known   as the “Ladies of the Lot Pizzas”.   Those pizzas  became a westside staple at all the past  San Antonio Festivals.  So around 13 years ago; the Men’s and Ladies Sodality decided to bring back this tradition.  Since that time; it has been a very successful venture to not only share our  history, but to showcase our church.  

This year we will offer 7 different types of pizza at $12 each; plus the option of purchasing a quart of our signature pizza sauce at $10 each.  This year we will offer CARRY OUT SERVICE so please remember to make your choice and book a time for CARRY OUT SERVICE from 11:30 AM UNTIL 7:45 PM.  To ORDER BY PHONE, or to buy a Split the Pot ticket for $5 each, CALL DAVE SABATELLI AT 513-405-6444 or ON LINE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE https://www.facebook.com/SanAntonioItalianChapelCincinnati.

Pizzas available for order are: The favorite” Ladies of the Lot Pizza” with a light touch of Sauce,  Pecorino  Cheese and Olive Oil  or our Traditional Cheese Pizza with Sauce, Provolone Cheese and edges brushed with Garlic Sauce.  Our Pepperoni Pizza has Sauce, 2 layers of Pepperoni, Provolone Cheese with Garlic Sauce.  The Meat Lovers Pizza contains not just Pepperoni, Italian Sausage but Capicola, Provolone Cheese and Garlic Sauce.  For all the Anchovy Lovers order this pizza with Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced Black Olives, Anchovies, Garlic Sauce and garnished with Parsley.  Our Veggie Lovers Pizza has Sauce, Provolone Cheese, Red &Yellow Peppers ,Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions ,Fresh Tomatoes, Artichoke Hearts, Provolone Cheese and Garlic Sauce.  We are also offering  2 Dessert Pizzas the 1^sthas Peaches Caramelized in Brown Sugar and Topped with a Streusel Caramel Topping.  The 2^nd Dessert Pizza contains a Crust brushed with Olive Oil,  Pears, Gorgonzola Cheese, Caramelized Onions and topped with a Balsamic Vinegar Glaze.  Mangia!