St. Mary of Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament Parish
648 JAY ST., UTICA, NY 13501 – 315-735-1482
(1910 – 1997) We witness so few bonified saints during our lifetime. Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu became one of the most visible and universally admired people to achieve that honor in the last 50 years. Let’s explore her remarkable story. Agnes was born in Skopje, Macedonia, to the Albanians, Nikola and Dranafile. Her father was a […]
(Born 1130) St. Rosalia, born in Palermo in Sicily, was the daughter of a noble family descended from Charlemagne. Legend suggests that she was born at the court of Roger II, king of Sicily. Her father was Sinibald, Lord of Roses and Quisquina. Even as a young girl Rosalia was drawn to the Lord and […]
(540–604) When Gregory was born, Italy had been suffering from the reconquest of the peninsula by Justinian, the emperor who ruled from Constantinople. In 568, the Lombard invasion caused many more years of war and suffering. Strongmen rose in various regions seized power without care for the good […]
This is the second in a series of articles highlighting the history of our parish leading up to its 125th anniversary. Read Part 1 here. 1896-1903 With large and small monetary donations, and the sweat of those unable to give a financial contribution, a plot of land stretching from Catherine Street to Jay Street was […]
(Died 1792 / 1794) In this country our Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” From our vary foundation, by naming the Creator, […]
(Died 8th or 7th century) St. Giles (or Egidio in Italian) is one of those characters whose story is shrouded in myth and legend. It is believed he was born in Greece near Athens to a wealthy family who gave him a Christian education. One of the stories says that upon the death of his […]
(1st century) The Gospels describe Joseph of Arimathea as “a rich man” (Mt 27:57); a “respected member of the council,” or Sanhedrin (Mk 15:43), the governing body of the Jewish people that would have been the legal and religious reference point for the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and as a “good and righteous man” (Lk 23:50). […]
(1792–1879) Today’s saint lived a life of service even though she had truly little material wealth to give. She reminds us that sometimes the most precious gift we can give to countries around the world. Jeanne Jugan was born in northern France during the French Revolution. When Jeanne was 3 years old, her father, a […]
Our church has a statue and a window of St. Rocco, a statue of St. Donato, and a window of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. The feasts of these men are all during the month of August. For more on the saints, check out our Saint of the Day feature St. Donato: The Shattered Chalice & […]
(2nd century A.D.) Sabina was a pagan and Roman noble. She was given in marriage to a Senator, Valentinus. She converted to Christianity through the influence of a slave girl, Serapia. Together, at night, Sabina and Serapia would descend into the catacombs, where at that time the Christians gathered in secret to escape persecution. It […]