December 7 – December 14, 2014
Weekly Activities
Sunday, December 14 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Retrieval of Christmas decorations (in church), followed by Pastor’s Reception for parish volunteers (in rectory).
Monday, December 15 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Church ~ “Deck the Halls” Phase I: decorating the church for Christmas.
Tuesday, December 16 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall.
Wednesday, December 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Church ~ “Deck the Halls” Phase II: decorating the church for Christmas continues.
Thursday, December 18 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, December 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, December 20 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
We now have a Bingo camera with TV monitors and electronic verification! To check the Red, White & Blue and progressive Share-the-Wealth carry over amounts and progressive numbers for this week, click HERE and visit our Facebook page. 
Mass Intentions
Sunday, December 14 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Bridget Dick Blesnuk (Requested by Family) and Irene Hodur (Requested by Family)
Monday, December 15 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 16 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)
Wednesday, December 17 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Winifred Enright (Estate)
Thursday, December 18 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members and Families of Blessed Trinity Parish (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Friday, December 19 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anthony and Teresa Hafner (Estate)
Saturday, December 20 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel – Leo Townsell (Horan Family)
Sunday, December 21 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Joan West (West Children) and Carl and Evelyn Schmelzer (Mary Schmelzer Karlis)
News from our Parish Community
Delivery Reminder ~ If you have agreed to deliver a gift to one of our parishioners who is confined to home or a senior care facility, they are available for pick-up in church this weekend, December 13 and 14.
It’s Time to “Deck the Halls” ~ We commence Phase I of our Christmas decorating efforts on Monday evening, December 15, at 6:30 p.m. Thanks to everyone who stayed after Mass on Sunday and carried the various decorations from storage into the Sanctuary. Now please come back and help put them in place. There are all kinds of tasks to do, and willing hearts and hands and Christmas spirit will make the work load light for all. The fun will continue with Phase II at the same time and place on Wednesday, December 17.
Come! We’ll Leave the Light on for You ~ An opportunity for Confession, Penance Reconciliation and Healing every day this week, sponsored by the Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo: Sunday, December 14 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at St. Katharine Drexel; Monday, December 15 from 3 – 5 p.m. at St. Joseph Hospital; Tuesday, December 16 from 6 – 9 p.m. at St. Martin de Porres; Wednesday, December 17 from 6 – 9 p.m. at Ss. Columba/Brigid; Thursday, December 18 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at St. Lawrence; Friday, December 19 from 3 – 5 p.m. at Sisters Hospital; and Saturday, December 20, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Blessed Trinity.
Our Trinity Concert Series continues on Sunday, January 11, 2015. Did you ever enjoy a Christmas present so much that you wanted to pass it on, even after the holiday season? That’s just what Music Director Nick DelBello and our concert committee had in mind when they concocted Christmas Re-Gifted. The combined choirs of Blessed Trinity and Our Lady of Pompeii, conducted and accompanied by Nick and his colleague, Peter Gonciarz, invite you to share a post-holiday concert featuring some of the choral favorites they all worked so hard to perfect for Christmas. And you and your friends will have two chances to enjoy this musical finale: Sunday, January 11, at 3 p.m. here at Blessed Trinity Church, and again on Friday, January 16, at 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Pompeii Church, 158 Lavarack Ave., Lancaster. To see photos from the last weekend’s Christmas Pie concert and reception featuring the Freudig Singers of WNY and their signature pies, Click HERE.
Support Religious Communities ~ “Your generous contribution helps us to care for our retired sisters and enables our younger sisters to continue in active ministry,” writes a religious sister. Your gift to the collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious provides vital support for the retirement needs of senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests. It also helps ensure that younger members can continue the good works of their elders!
The Christmas Prison Package Project ~ Thanks to everyone who donated cocoa, decorated gift bags, and showed up on Friday, December 12, to assemble more than 2,000 presents for for men and women in the Wende and Albion correctional facilities. Sister Karen is surely smiling. Click HERE to view photos from the community volunteer effort.
A Request from Our Ushers ~ Following services and other events held in church, we find all kinds of items left in the pews: hats, gloves, scarves, eye/sun glasses, jewelry, books, toys, etc. Items are kept in the Ushers Room in the back of church near the front entrance. If you are missing something, please look at “the collection” by January 1, 2015. All unclaimed items will then be given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Thanks for your cooperation.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Christmas Nativity Sets on Display ~ The annual display of nativity sets is now taking place at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church located at 75 Hickory Street at Eagle (one block south of Clinton Street in downtown Buffalo). There are 507 creches from 57 countries with a special section for the children. Sets are made from such diverse materials as banana leaves, corn husks, newspapers, automobile parts, rice, cork, and coal. The display runs each weekend through January 4 on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. It is free and handicap accessible.
Cathedral Lessons and Carols ~ The St. Joseph Cathedral Choir will present a concert of Christmas Lessons and Carols on Saturday, December 20, at 7:30 p.m. under the direction of Organist-Choir director Tim Socha. They will be joined by The Royalton Ringers and Diane Dick, Solo Handbells. All are welcome. There will be a free-will offering. St. Joseph Cathedral is located at 50 Franklin Street, downtown Buffalo, between Church and Swan Streets. Call 716-854-5855 for more information.