Centennial 1908 ~ 2008

Pope Benedict XVI's blessing for our centennial

Papal blessing for our centennial


A century ago, on July 12, 1908, the cornerstone of our church was blessed by the Most. Rev. Patrick A. Ludden, the first bishop of the Syracuse Diocese. Throughout 2008-2009, our parish celebrated this auspicious moment by honoring our spiritual legacy, our pastors who guided us wisely, our beautiful church and most important, the St. Ambrose parish family.

Events:

  • View a photo gallery of our Centennial Mass here and our Centennial Dinner here.
  • Centennial Commemorative Books: Read the history of our beloved parish. A limited number of copies of this 60-page book, with full color photos of our stained glass windows, are STILL available for $8 each at the rectory during office hours.


    • Newspaper report of the formal dedication of St. Ambrose Church on June 20, 1909
  • On June 20, 2009, we celebrated the centennial of the formal dedication of St. Ambrose Church after the building was completed. According to a newspaper account of Tuesday, June 22, 1909, the previous Sunday more than 2,000 people attended the dedication. Bishop Patrick Ludden, the first bishop of the Syracuse diocese, officiated at the Mass.

    • Centennial Prayer


    Written by Rev. Charles Currie, pastor, for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the blessing of our cornerstone, July 13, 2008

    Almighty Father, One hundred years ago you summoned the faithful of the Village of Endicott — they gathered as the family of St. Ambrose Parish. Through their priests, deacons, religious sisters and lay ministers throughout the decades, they and their children were nurtured by the Good News of the gospel and the bountiful grace of your sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Thus enlivened and transformed, they became a community, a holy people, a people steadfast in their faith, unwavering in their hope and above all, a people generous in their service. We, the current parishioners of St. Ambrose, have inherited this rich spiritual legacy and we are profoundly grateful. Our prayer during this centennial year is that we remain worthy of their trust — and that we continue the sacred task of unfolding the vision of Church and Christian life they forged so long ago. In so doing, we will honor our glorious past and be a bridge to an even more glorious and faith-filled future. Amen.

    The Centennial Sermon ~ July 13, 2008


    The sower of the seed is the Lord Himself.

    The seed is the Good News of the Gospel -- the seed of faithfulness, prayer, commitment, generosity, sacrifice, long suffering, the seed of charity and love.

    The good soil is the receptive and open hearts and souls of the parishioners of St. Ambrose down through the decades these last 100 years...and up to this very day.

    The fruit, the yield, the harvest today, in this our day, is one hundredfold and beyond. Consider:

    1. this beautiful church, the Church on the Avenue, a powerful sign of God’s presence in the very heart of the community, a house of prayer, a source of rest and silence and comfort for our people


    2. the people of God themselves, of St. Ambrose from its beginnings in 1908 to you our current parishioners in 2008. You, like your forebears, are a holy people, a faith-filled people, a people of prayer and service. Consider...too


    3. our ministries and organizations started throughout the years and maintained to this very day by you, our faithful members...

      • our sacramental ministries in which our people are nurtured by word and sacrament and their sins forgiven in the Sacrament of Reconciliation
      • our marriage preparation ministry in which our men and women are prepared for a lifetime of committed love for one another
      • our pastoral ministry in which our sick and our homebound are visited and anointed with the Holy Oils...week in and week out
      • our bereavement ministry in which our deceased are prayed for and their families comforted...funeral ministry
      • our outreach and human development ministries in which our poor are received in our pantry and soup kitchen and in which their needs at home are responded to (e.g. gas and electric, medicine, etc.)...
      • our evangelical ministry embodied in our RCIA program in which people are introduced to and received into the church...
      • our missionary efforts as witnessed by our uniting with and supporting our sister church in Uganda to help spread the kingdom...
      • our religious education program in which our youth and our confirmation candidates are instructed in the faith...
      • the Parish Health and Nurse ministry in which health issues are addressed
      • consider, too, our other groups: our prayer network, our Altar/Rosary Society, the Legion of Mary, our Renew Groups, our youth program and others to say nothing of the individual acts of kindness and love performed by our devoted people.

      My brothers and sisters, the sower has indeed planted the seeds. We and our forebears have obediently nurtured the garden which is our portion of the kingdom of God on Earth -- and our yield continues to be one hundredfold -- all done to fulfill our mission from the very beginning -- to grow in faith and holiness as we seek to proclaim and live the gospel through our liturgy, prayer, and charitable works for all of God’s people.

      It is fitting then that we rejoice this weekend and celebrate by breaking bread together.

      Today let our common posture be one of prayerful gratitude and trust -- gratitude to God for His grace and gratitude to those who have gone before us for their sacrifices and gifts -- and trust that the Lord will continue to be present to us and to future generations as the years of our second century unfold.