Six of the priests and brothers from Saint Jean’s will be attending the Amplified Provincial Chapter of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation in Houston, Texas, February 8-12. This meeting is part of our planning for the next four years as we examine our Eucharistic life and mission in the United States in a context of prayer and dialogue.

Because of these absences, there will be no midday confessions Monday through Friday this week.

We are especially grateful to our own Father Sujith and to the Dominican Fathers for filling in while we are away. Thanks to their generosity, daily Masses and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will continue without interruption.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience. We ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers during this important meeting.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Chamber Orchestra of New York, under the direction of composer-conductor Salvatore di Vittorio, will present its Winter Concert Alla Respighiana in the church next Saturday, February 13, at 8:00 p.m. The program features several world and U.S. premieres.

World Marriage Day is an annual event honoring the vocation of marriage and family. By it, the church affirms the life-long, faithful commitment of husbands and wives and gives witness to the positive impact of their vocation. Next Sunday, February 14, a special Mass will take place at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Fifth Avenue and East 51 Street, at 10:15 a.m.

YOUNG ADULTS

Join us for Mass and a pre-Lenten gathering on Sunday, February 14, at 7:30 p.m. The social will take place in the Parish House. This will be a great way to transition into Lent. We hope to see you there!

CITY PILGRIMAGE

A coalition of area Catholic young adult groups invites you to its first annual pilgrimage. New York City has been blessed with great saints, great churches, and holy Catholic men and women. Join together in celebrating their legacy and finding inspiration in their life stories. On Saturday, March 20, we will walk from the shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, near Manhattan’s northern tip, to the shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, by Battery Park. Along the way we will visit other Catholic churches central to our city’s Catholic heritage.

The pilgrimage is free, but you must register for it at www.pofnyc.org. Browse the website to learn more about the churches and saints which will be included and the routes being followed.

SAVE THE DATE!

Pointing the Way:
Images of Saint John the Baptist

Art historian, author, and lecturer Jeanne Chenault Porter will explore the dynamic and varied representations of our church’s patron saint, who retreated into the wilderness, challenged conventional ways and called for conversion, baptized the Lord Jesus, and was martyred for his uncompromising fidelity to truth.

LENT AT SAINT JEAN BAPTISTE

"Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation"
2 Corinthians 6:2

Ash Wednesday
February 17

WELCOME TO SAINT JEAN BAPTISTE

Founded in 1882 as a national parish for the French Canadian population of Yorkville, Saint Jean Baptiste Church quickly became a spiritual center embracing many nationalities.

Since 1900, the church has been under the care of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, an international religious order dedicated to the Eucharist, the central sacrament of Catholic life and worship. Saint Jean Baptiste High School, founded in 1929, is administered by the Congregation of Notre Dame.

The present church opened in spring 1913. Its design, by Nicholas Serracino, won first prize at the International Exhibition in Turin, Italy, in 1911. It is of Italian Renaissance classical revival, with twin towers of 150 feet rising from the façade and a central dome soaring 175 feet above the floor. A major restoration of the church was completed in late 1997.

On entering the church from the northwest, you immediately see an imposing statue of the church’s patron, the Jewish prophet John the Baptist. It depicts John holding a cruciform staff, with a lamb’s hoof around his neck and a lamb at his feet. It was John who called Jesus the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn 1:29).

Beneath the dome stands the stately altar of sacrifice on which the Eucharist is celebrated. It is here that exposition of the Blessed Sacrament occurs during daytime hours, for prayerful contemplation. At the back of the sanctuary is the high altar, testimony to the Catholic Church’s long tradition of Eucharistic faith and practice. Side altars honor Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Saint Joseph, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, and Saint Anthony of Padua.

The stained glass windows were crafted in the renowned studios of Chartres, France, just prior to World War I. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the only other area Catholic church with Chartres windows.

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