13th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Week of July 1, 2018

July 1 – July 8, 2018

Weekly Activities

Thursday, July 5 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Saturday, July 7 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, July 7 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

*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, July 1 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Requested by Estate of Mary Reilly)

Monday, July 2 ~ No Service

Tuesday, July 3 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Wednesday, July 4 ~ Independence Day Holiday ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. –  Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Thursday, July 5 ~ St. Anthony Zaccaria; St. Elizabeth of Portugal ~ Mass at 11:00 a. m. – Catherine Casassa (Judy Casassa)

Friday, July 6 ~ First Friday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction from 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. in Daily Mass Chapel

Friday, July 6 ~ St. Maria Goretti~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Saturday, July 7~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Sunday, July 8 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Bridget Blesnuk – Birthday Remebrance (Family)

Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, July 7 & 8:

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.  Reader: John Curtin; Eucharistic Minister: Lucille Venezia

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.  Readers: Judy Casassa, Richard Plunkett;  Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Bernice Bradley; John Curtin (Loft)

News from our Parish Community

Due to the July 4th Holiday, please submit your bulletin submissions for the July 7-8 Bulletin to the Rectory Office no later than the morning of July 2.

Friday, July 6, is First Friday. There will be Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Daily Mass Chapel, from 8am – 11am, followed by morning Mass.

Missionary Priest to Address Congregation ~ On the weekend  of July 7/8, we welcome a visiting missionary, Father Roldan Zerna, who will talk to us about a special collection for The Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP). Having been established by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the MSP serves as the official and chief missionary arm of the Catholic Church of the Philippines in proclaiming the Gospel, especially to the young churches in Asia and other parts of the world. Since its inception in 1965, the MSP has been working in five continents and twelve countries, including the Diocese of Sacramento in California. The Church encourages the faithful to be in solidarity with the MSP, and the second collection at Masses that weekend will provide an opportunity for us to be part of its missionary work.

Buffalo Central City Parish Meetings ~ A three-year arrangement under which the CCCB parishes of St. Lawrence and St. Martin de Porres have been linked with the suburban parish of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be coming to an end. Rev. Ronald P. Sadjak, who previously served all three parishes, will remain as pastor at Nativity. Bishop Richard Malone is asking the central city parishes of St. Martin de Porres and St. Lawrence to join with Blessed Trinity and Ss. Columba-Brigid “to enact a ministry plan that will lead to their successful growth in ministry and continued witness to faith and justice on Buffalo’s East Side.” The Bishop remains committed to keeping all four of our parishes open and in active ministry. Sr. Maureen, our CCCB Pastoral Care Minister, has been invited to join the newly created Central City Task Force together with Rev. Joseph Rogliano (our Vicar) and Deacon Ron Thaler. The task force has been charged with the responsibility of setting up “town hall” meetings in each of the four parishes to review the accomplishments of parish ministries, discuss parish vitality, determine the desires of each parish for its own future, and suggest possibilities for future cooperation to ensure the health of our central city parish life. Each parish will host the task force and its own parish family to pray, discuss, and discern. Father Victor and the Parish Council encourage every parishioner to attend the “town hall” meeting in St. Charles Hall on Tuesday evening, August 7, at 7pm. In the interim, Bishop Malone asks us to “please join me as we pray for the creative energy of God’s Holy Spirit to continue to move, work, and inspire new venues of ministry for Buffalo’s Central City.”

Amen! It’s All in the Word(s) ~ Carefully selected hymn texts can reinforce liturgical themes and send us off carrying the Mass in our hearts through music.  Miguel Manzano and Bernadette Farrell joined creatively in setting a text from Revelation 7 and 21 with this weekend’s selection for the Presentation and Preparation of the Gifts: In God Alone.  The text rings true as we celebrate our Country’s birth as Catholic Christians  and look for eternal life in heaven.

Then I saw a new earth, a new heaven,
and the first heaven and earth disappear.
No more war, no more hate, no more hunger,
no more thirst, no more loss, no more fear.

No more pain, no more death, no more weeping,
earth and heaven are one on that day.
For I saw all our tears form a river,
and I saw every tear wiped away.

Then let all who are thirsty find water,
let it flow from the well of new life.
And let all who are waiting in darkness
know that God will become their new light.

For the world of the past is behind us,
and the whole of creation is new.
And a feast is prepared for all peoples,
for God’s promise is faithful and true.

In God alone my hope.
In God alone my strength.
In God alone my shelter be,
my home, my heart, my liberty

… Elizabeth

Good News! If you would like to have a Mass said for a deceased loved one or your own special intention, there are many days – even Sundays – available. In most parishes, people have to wait months to schedule a Mass, but we are in the unusual position of having many available dates, especially over the summer. This is particularly true of the daily Masses (11am, Tue-Fri). Even better, the donation (stipend) for a Mass intention is only $15. Please consider calling Pat in the church office with your Mass requests. If you have a particular date in mind, she will check to see if it is available. You may also submit a number of intention requests and have Pat schedule them on available dates. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reveals that “from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, [the Church] has honored with great respect the memory of the dead.” In its reference to the Second Vatican Council’s conclusion that “it is a wholly and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins,” the Catechism adds: “Our prayer for them is capable of not only helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.”

Water With Blessings Drive Benefits 80 Haitian Families ~The women of our Ladies Sodality would like to thank all the parishioners who donated to the Sodality’s Water With Blessings collection (April 22-May 13). As announced at its June 13 dinner, contributions to the collection totaled $1,200.00 and represented individual donations in amounts from $3 to $250, including a memorial contribution by Mary Karlis in memory of her mother, Evelyn Schmelzer. The monies will provide 20 water filter kits for the “Water Women” of Jacmel, Haiti. The 20 filters will in turn produce clean drinking waters for 80 families in Jacmel. The Haitian Water With Blessings project is spear-headed by the Felician Sisters of N. America who are working to “wash out” cholera in Haiti, one village at a time.

Family Promise of WNY ~ Our volunteer team, led by Amy Johnson, assisted temporarily homeless families housed at Ss. Colomba-Brigid Parish by preparing and serving a Saturday evening dinner on June 16. If you are able to help with this ministry by preparing part of the meal, please contact Amy Johnson at 716-836-4694. Our next scheduled dinner date is Saturday, July 21.

Pope Francis to Pray with and for Christians in the Middle East on July 7 ~ Every day Christians of Iraq, Syria, and other Middle Eastern countries beg for our prayers. They have been persecuted in recent years for committing one crime: that of being Christians. To awaken the world from its indifference, Pope Francis has convoked an ecumenical prayer meeting on July 7 in Bari, Italy, with the participation of the patriarchs and leaders of the Churches and Christian communities of the Middle East. During this last week of preparation for the Pope’s meeting in Bari, show your commitment by remembering Christians of the Middle East in your daily prayer.

BT in Architectural Spotlight ~ The May 22, 2018 Buffalo News (pages B-1 and C-12) highlights architectural features of our church in a pictorial array. To really appreciate the fine work of their photographer, Derek Gee, and view places in the church that you can’t normally see, visit the Buffalo News Photo Gallery. It includes 100 photos taken of our church!

Mass Intentions Available ~ The Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest and greatest form of prayer. Please contact the church office (716-833-0301) to request a Mass intention for a deceased loved one or a special intention. Even weekend Masses are available during the summer. The Mass stipend is $15.

Has your contact information changed? Our parish secretary is finding that our parish records contain a growing number of not-in-service phone numbers, and the recent parish mailing resulted in several letters returned for “expired forwarding.” If your contact information has changed, you can notify the rectory office in one of several ways: use the form on the back of the bulletin; phone our secretary at 716-833-0301 any Tuesday-Thursday between 10:30am and 2:30pm; send an email to blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com; or Click HERE to use the contact feature of our web site to submit the information. If you choose either of the last two, please use “New Contact” as the subject of the email or message.

Religious Ed Volunteers ~ We are in need of volunteers to help with the Religious Education of our parish children. Anyone interested in helping, please sign up on the orange sheets at the church entrances or call Father Victor (716-833-0301) during rectory office hours. You are also asked to call Father Victor if you are interested in enrolling a child or young adult preparing for Confirmation.

De-cluttering? Donate your gently used clothing items to St. Vincent de Paul. There is a blue bin located in the back parking lot to the right of St. Charles Hall. They ask that no loose items be left there. Please pack your donations in plastic bags. This bin is for clothing only. If you have appliances of other household goods, schedule a pick up by calling 716-882-3360.

Home Visits ~ Please notify the church office if you know of aged, sick, or homebound parishioners who may wish to receive a visit and the Eucharist on the last Friday of each month.

Our food pantry has a new name. The former Helping Hands Food Pantry is now known as the Catholic Central Food Pantry. The pantry’s hours, services and qualifications for assistance remain unchanged.

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

Driver Education Classes at Cardinal O’Hara High School, July 16 to August 6. Participants may choose from several class times. Drivers who complete the course will receive a DMV Certificate of Completion and will be eligible for insurance reduction certificate. A student’s permit or license is due prior to the start of class. For more information or to receive a registration form, visit cardinalohara.com.

Friday July 27 at 7pm is O’Harafest ~ Alumni, current students, incoming students and their families are all invited. Event takes place in the school’s backyard sports complex. Live music from The Jim Levinthal Band will be featured, along with food and beverages. For reservations or further information, call the school at 716-695-2600, ext. 312 or 311.

The students of the NativityMiguel Middle School, their parents and teachers express their appreciation to Father Ron Sajdak and the staff and parishioners of his congregations for all the encouragement and support during the past academic year. With your help, members of the Class of 2018 have earned substantial tuition awards to attend Mount Mercy Academy, Nardin Academy, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, Canisius High School and other Catholic schools and will be attending Tapestry Charter School and Health Sciences Charter School as well. A special thank you to St. Lawrence and St. Martin dePorres for hosting our graduation ceremonies again this year. We welcome the opportunity to provide a NativityMiguel education to parishioners entering 5th or 6th grade  Please visit our website at nativitymiguelbuffalo.org or call 836-5188 for details.

Seeking a Volunteer Opportunity? Ignatian Volunteers are semi-retired and retired men and women who share their time and talents to help local non-profit agencies address important community issues through volunteerism. IVC Buffalo needs help with administration (processing donations, mail, answering calls), communications, and as Volunteer Coordinator for a local school district. If you are interested in the opportunity to use your leadership and professional skills to transform our communities while being supported through spiritual reflection in your ministry and passion to serve others, contact Minnie Wyse, Director of Ignatian Volunteer Corps Buffalo, at St. Michael’s Parish at 716-854-6726 or 716-479-1334 or ivcusa.org.

Dinner Lecture Series continues at Christ the King Seminary (711 Knox Road in East Aurora). There are 3 remaining Wednesday evening events, each beginning with dinner at 5:45pm in the main dining room and a lecture at 6:45-8:45pm. Our summer dinner lecture series is a relaxing way to recharge your faith! Enjoy a meal and learn about a topic from one of our faculty members. Each evening is $35 for dinner and talk ($25 for talk only). Register at cks.edu or call 716-655-7099. June 20: Transform Daily Life Through the Trinity; July 18: The Lost Art of Letter Writing: Dorothy Day, Flannery O’Connor, Thomas Merton; July 25 : Thomas Merton Part II: Theological & Spiritual Influences.