Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Week of February 4, 2018

February 4, 2018 – February 11, 2018

Rev. Msgr. Paul R. Juenker, pastor of Blessed Trinity from 1970-1974, passed from death into eternal life on Thursday, February 8, at the age of 97. Parishioners who wish to express their condolences to his family may do so at the Ginnane Funeral Home, 3215 Delaware Ave in Kenmore on Sunday or Monday from 2-4 and 7-9pm or at Blessed Sacrament Church, Delaware Ave. at W. Utica St. on Tuesday, January 13, beginning at 9am. Bishop Malone will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial for Msgr. Juenker at 10am.

Weekly Activities

Tuesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall

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

Saturday, February 10 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, February 10 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Sunday, February 11 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Liturgy Committee meeting 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, February 4 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Holly Hecker (Requested by Bud & Mickey Dick)

Monday, February 5  ~ No Service

Tuesday, February 6 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)

Wednesday, February 7 ~ Ss. Perpetua and Felicity ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds, and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Thursday, February 8 ~ St. John of God ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)

Friday, February 9 ~ St. Frances of Rome ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds, and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Saturday, February 10 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)

Sunday, February 11 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Deacon Jimmie Boyd (Blessed Trinity Parish)

Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, February 10 and 11:

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.  Reader: Michael Ogoh; Eucharistic Minister: Lucille Venezia

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.  Readers: Bob Heicklen, David Iheke;  Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Pat Hartinger, Mary Kresse, John Curtin, Fran Cahill; Kathleen Marien, Loft

News from our Parish Community

Stewardship: We are gifted; we are called.

Blessing of Throats ~ Saturday, February 3, is the Feast of St. Blaise. The Blessing of Throats will take place after both weekend Masses.

Healing ~ A bout of laryngitis this week had me researching music about healing even before I read this week’s Gospel!  Personal healing is a priority for all of us, but this week’s music focuses on Christ’s ability to heal our world spiritually. Scott Soper composed this week’s communion hymn.  I think the text is beautiful – and so appropriate for this week as well as this era.

Jesus, You are the healing, You came to make us whole again.
Jesus, You are the healing, come show us how to live.

Jesus, You are the freedom, You break the chains that bind us.
Jesus, You are the freedom, come show us how to live.

Jesus, You are the power, You triumph over sin and death.
Jesus, You are the power, come show us how to live.

Jesus, the Resurrection, You raise us to eternal life.
Jesus, the Resurrection, come show us how to live.

We all need Christ’s healing right about now. I, for one, am looking forward to having my throat blessed on the Feast of St. Blaise! Choir practice resumes on February 6, 2018 at 7:00 p.m (in St. Charles Hall). All are welcome! Elizabeth

The Liturgy Committee will meet on Sunday, February 11, in St. Charles Hall after Mass.

Child and Youth Religious Education Program is scheduled to resume in the fall, but we need to know the number and ages of prospective students. If you are interested in enrolling a child or young adult preparing for Confirmation, please call Father Victor at 716-833-0301 .

Ash Wednesday is February 14. Our Mass that day will be at 7pm.

CCCB Lenten Journey Masses will be celebrated at 6:30pm on Monday evenings during Lent. The first one is Monday, February 19 at Blessed Trinity. We will then “journey” to the other Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo on successive Mondays.

Our 2018 Lenten program will take place on three consecutive Wednesday evenings: February 28, March 7 and March 14. Members of your Parish Council are working out the details with our speakers and discussion leaders, so watch for more information in future bulletins and online “This Week” posts at blessedtrinitybuffalo.org. Our soup supper will be March 7.

Thank you for all you do. We so appreciate our dedicated volunteers who will be concluding their time of service in order to pass on important tasks to other parishioners:  Thank you Angela Jost for laundering the Mass linens, and thank you to Mickey Dick for crafting the weekly Prayer of the Faithful.

Sodality Dues Reminder for 2018 ~ Sodality membership runs with the calendar year. Have you renewed? Dues are still only $5 and Mickey Dick, our membership chair, will be happy to accept your payment in cash or check payable to “Ladies Sodality of Blessed Trinity.” You may also drop your dues in the collection basket in an envelope marked “Sodality Dues.”

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

“Making a Difference – One Family at a Time” is the mission of Family Promise of WNY. The network of local religious organizations responds to the needs of homeless families. It is one of only three local agencies that keep families together as a unit in an emergency shelter. As a host congregation, Ss. Columba-Brigid Parish shelters families for a week, four times a year, and serves as the Family Promise Day Center providing laundry, shower, kitchen facilities, mail delivery, internet access, case management, and school bus service. As a support parish, Blessed Trinity cooks and serves one dinner a week during the four weeks hosted by Ss. C-B. Our next date is March 24. We need a few new volunteers to join our BT team. If willing to help, please contact Amy Johnson at 716-836-4694.

Bible Study will resume at 7pm on Monday March 19 in St. Charles Hall and continue on Monday evenings through April 16. The first assigned reading is from the booklet, Genesis 12-23  Abraham and Sarah’s Journey, by Kevin and Louise Perrotta (Loyola Press, 2002), pages 4-23. Please contact Althea Porter at 716-316-8395 to obtain the booklet and participate in bible study.

Openings for Mass Intentions ~ Do you know that Mass is the highest and greatest form of prayer? Contact the church office (716-833-0301) to request a Mass for your loved ones for any intention. Office hours are: 10:30am-2:30pm, Tuesday through Thursday. The Mass Stipend is $15.

New parking spaces have been added to the wheelchair ramp side of the church to compensate for losing ten spaces behind the old school building (FLARE) with the sale of the building. The new owner plans to rehab the structure into twenty apartments, a project that will certainly benefit the neighborhood.

Important Deadlines to Remember ~ As we begin the new year, please remember to contact our secretary, Pat Pendleton, with dates (even tentative ones) that should appear on the parish calendar. Our bulletin is printed on Thursdays, so announcements should be submitted no later than Noon on the Wednesday prior to the weekend you wish it to appear. Announcements to be read at weekend Masses are due on Thursday. You may contact Pat at blessedtrinitychurch@gmail or 716-833-0301 any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 10:30am and 2:30pm.

Parish Record Keeping ~ We have created a parish group email to be used for notification of time-sensitive information; e.g., a mid-week funeral service. If you would be interested in receiving such messages, please make sure that the church office has your email address. If you need to update your contact information or would like to register as a parishioner, please call the church office (716-833-0301) on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday during office hours: 10:30am-2:30pm, email your contact information to blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com, or use the CONTACT feature of this web site.

 

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

MLK Day of Organizing: Part 2 is this Wednesday, February 7, from 7:15-8:30pm at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church, 75 Hickory Street. Join the conversation about community organizing. To register, please call their parish office at 852-3331.

2018 White Mass for all healthcare workers will be held on Saturday, February 10, at 4:30pm at St. Joseph Cathedral (50 Franklin Street in Buffao). Bishop Richard Malone will celebrate Mass and confer a blessing on all healthcare workers; dinner and speaker will follow at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. Ellen Snyder will speak of her miraculous healing of stage IV breast cancer and Marie Romagnano, Catastrophic Injury Medical Director and founder of Healthcare Professionals for Divine Mercy, will be the keynote speaker. Tickets can be purchased online at cmabuffalo.org or call Dr. Roetzer at 716-228-0439.

Homemade Spaghetti Dinner, Saturday, February 10 (4-7pm), hosted by the Sodality of Our Lady at Fourteen Holy Helpers Church in the Msgr. Ebner Hall (1345 Indian Church Road in West Seneca). Tickets will be on sale at the door only: adult $9, child (3-10), family with 3+ children $35. Dinner includes all you can eat spaghetti, 2 meatballs, salad, bread and butter, beverage, along with a Valentine’s cupcake. Wine and beer will be available for purchase. Please call the church Rectory at 716-674-2374 with questions.

Father/Daughter Bonding Day will be Sunday February 11 (1-4pm) for girls in grades 4-7 and their fathers at the Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart Academy (3860 Main Street in Eggertsville). Call 716-834-2101, ext. 311  or visit sacredheartacademy.org to register.

Catholic Charities’ 2018 Appeal Begins. Catholic Charities offers basic, emergency assistance such as food, housing, medications, and clothing.  “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14. Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, especially those who are struggling. Your donation to the 2018 Appeal helps us to ease the struggling by giving food to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and shelter to the homeless. To make a donation, call 716-218-1400 or visit ccwny.org/donation.  “Love your neighbor.”

A Gathering Place ~ Are you an older adult who is looking for a social program? Or do you have a loved one who could benefit from one? Try Catholic Charities’ A Gathering Place, a program designed for adults age 60+ who may need assistance with activities of daily living, in addition to physical and cognitive activities and socialization. The program is held in a supervised and safe environment at 128 Wilson Street in Buffalo. Services include individualized program options, nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day, and shower services. For more information, call 716-896-6388.  For more information on Catholic Charities and other services and programs we provide, visit ccwny.org.  Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.