"Let us all meet at the holy crib of our good holy Infant Jesus to learn there the virtues of which he came to give us an example." (Letter 289, Saint Julie Billiart)
Quotes, like this one, link to the devotion to the Infant Jesus among the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. From Saint Julie's time, the tradition has existed of centrally placing a beautiful image of the Infant in our Christmas decorations. Every year the Archives loan one from our collections to place in the chapel at Mt. Notre Dame. The Sixth Street Bambino, pictured above, is sometimes chosen.
Carved from a single block of wood in Italy, it was presented to Sister Superior Louise in 1855 by Mrs. Sarah Peter. It is said that each Christmas, Sister Superior Louise took this infant from the crib and blessed the Sixth Street Community. This Christmas may we all be "born again with our good Jesus". (Letter 293)