Scottish Catholic Observer

Each year on the third Sunday of Advent children and adults bring their Baby Jesus figures from their crib at home to St Peter’s Square where the Pope blesses the people and the figurines (pictured above).

This Christmas, the Catholic Grandparents Association (CGA) is hoping parishes across Scotland will take up the tradition this weekend.

Deacon Ron Wylie, Scotland’s representative for the CGA, said that the tradition gives children an understanding of what is really important at Christmas.

Jesus comes first

On Christmas morning, children will unwrap their blessed Baby Jesus figures before other gifts to remind them that Jesus comes first on Christmas.

Deacon Wylie said: “It makes Jesus the focus of it all—there’s a real need for that now.”

So far, several Catholic Churches in Scotland have shown an interest in hosting Bambinelli Sunday celebrations this year, such as St Francis Xavier’s in Carfin and St Joseph’s Church in Dundee, where Deacon Wylie is based. A number of Scottish parishes took part in the tradition last year.

Fr Leszek Wiecaszek, parish priest of St Joseph’s, said: “It gives me great joy to begin this new tradition in St Joseph’s Church of the Blessing of the little figures of the baby Jesus, the bambinello, from the families in the parish to be placed later in the Nativity scene in our homes.”

Deacon Wylie believes grandparents play an important part in teaching their grandkids about the Catholic Faith.

Importance of grandparents

While he was studying for the permanent diaconate he researched the role grandparents have in educating the Catholic youth, and discovered the CGA.

He said: “When I was going for my ordination, [Bishop Stephen Robson of Dunkeld Diocese] asked me to take up this role as well.

“So I said okay, and that’s why I got involved with it.”

Deacon Wylie added: “We get stories too from a lot of people—grandparents who are concerned about what’s happening with their grandkids—so the bambinelli Sunday provides a nice short ceremony for them and their grandkids, and obviously parents can come and bring their kids, too.”