Pentecost Sunday
May 20, 2018
P. Kuhnle’s ceramic bas relief depiction of Pentecost over doorway in left side vestibule

May 20 – May 27, 2018

Weekly Activities

Sunday, May 20 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Anointing of the sick and well-aging in church

Sunday, May 20 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Liturgy Committee Meeting in St. Charles Hall

Monday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Bible Study in St. Charles Hall

Tuesday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir rehearsal in St. Charles Hall

Thursday, May 24 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Saturday, May 26 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, May 26 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Sunday, May 27 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Trinity Sunday reception 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, May 20 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Eugene and Anna Koenig (Requested by Sister Ann Helene Koenig)

Sunday, May 20 ~ Baptism of Markus Michael Brodfuehrer at 12:00 Noon

Monday, May 21 ~ St. Christopher Magallanes & Companions ~ No Service

Tuesday, May 22 ~ St. Rita of Cascia ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m.  – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Wednesday, May 23 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. –  Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Thursday, May 24 ~ Mass at 11:00 a. m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Friday, May 25 ~ St. Bede the Venerable – St. Gregory – St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Saturday, May 26 ~ St. Philip Neri ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – John and Esther Downs (Family)

Sunday, May 27 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Hon. John D. Spellman (Bob and Mary Kresse) and Fred Godert, Jr. (Family)

Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and 27:

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.  Reader: Gary Kelley; Eucharistic Minister: Lucille Venezia

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.  Readers: Chris Porter, David Iheke;  Eucharistic Ministers: Fran Cahill, Pat Hartinger, Maggie Gatson; Sharon Dunnigan (Choir)

Blessed Trinity sopranos were “center stage” in the loft at St. John Gualbert’s for May 17 CMG Festival Mass. Photo Credit: Luis Clay

News from our Parish Community

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. Additional photos appear in their Photo Gallery — and just in time for our feast day!

We welcome Markus Michael Brodfuehrer, son of Sean and Elizabeth Brodfuehrer, baptized into the Christian family at Blessed Trinity on Pentecost Sunday.

Parish Bible Study will resume Monday, May 21 at 7pm in St. Charles Hall.  This meeting will be held for two hours for bible sharing and to plan for future bible study meetings.  The assigned reading for the next bible study meeting will be from the booklet Genesis 12-23 Abraham and Sarah’s Journey-by Kevin and Louise Perrotta: Loyola Press, 2002.  Participants should read pages 4-23. Those who want to obtain the booklet and participate in bible study should contact Althea Porter at 716-316-8395.

Sunday, May 27, is Trinity Sunday and our parish feast day.  We will officially welcome members who have recently joined our parish family during the 10am Mass. We will also be commemorating the 90th anniversary of our church building, which was dedicated by Bishop Turner on June 3, 1928. At the end of Mass, the assembly is invited to process outside where Father Victor will bless the building’s cornerstone and the church’s new sign. These ceremonies will be followed by a reception in St. Charles Hall.

Bearing Fruit with the Spirit of God ~ Pentecost Sunday is one of my personal favorites because of the sheer magnitude of the drama:  Wind!  Fire!  Fear!  Groaning!  Gifts of the Spirit!  Speaking in tongues!  Flowing water!  Mystery!  Marvels!  Your musical selections this weekend included a meditation new to Blessed Trinity called Spirit of God by Louis S. Valenzi, a music educator, actor, director and music minister at St. James Parish in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.  The text is based on Isaiah 61, and it perfectly coincides with this weekend’s liturgical theme:

Spirit of God, rest upon me,
rain down your life-giving love.
When I wake or lie down,
with peace you surround me;
Spirit, come make your home in my heart.

May we all experience the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Spirit, come make your home in our hearts! Choir practice continues on Tuesday, May 22, at 7:00pm in St. Charles Hall.  All are welcome! Elizabeth

Sodality Dinner Amy Johnson is accepting reservations through June 6 for the Sodality’s June 13 dinner in St. Charles Hall. The $20 per person cost includes a buffet dinner featuring salad, vegetarian lasagna, chicken parmesan, garlic bread, dessert, coffee, tea and soda. Our guest speaker will be Sister Maureen Harris, OSF, who recently returned from a six-month assignment in her congregation’s mission in Tanzania, Africa. With the help of photos from her journey, Sister will share her faith experience with us, including insights into the life and ministries of the native Sisters of her congregation. Women from the other CCCB parishes have been invited to join us for the evening, and friends are welcome. Please call or email Amy at 836-4694 or acjohnson4 [at] verizon [dot] net with your reservation. Checks payable to: Ladies Sodality.

Blessed Trinity Featured Choir ~ The Church Musicians’ Guild (CMG) of Buffalo’s 2018 Festival Mass and Awards Ceremony took place on Thursday, May 17, at St. John Gualbert Church. The choir for the Mass was composed of members of the choirs of Blessed Trinity and St. John XXIII (W. Seneca) and the St. John Paul II Schola Cantorum. The combined choirs sang Richard Hillert’s Festival Canticle as the Processional — the same Processional sung by our choir for the Feast of Pentecost. Elizabeth Clay cantored the Responsorial Psalm and directed the Song of Thanksgiving (a Blessed Trinity favorite), John L. Bell’s Over My Head.  Our choir was honored to be chosen for their role at the event, which is held annually at the end of the Easter Season and honors those who serve in music ministry throughout the diocese. At the close of the Mass, the Guild’s Cecelia Roy Kenny Award was presented to Robert Chambers in recognition of his seventy years of music ministry at Buffalo’s Holy Angels Church. James Boback (Christ the King) received the Msgr. Kawalec Organ Scholarship, and Chelsea Brodka (St. Benedict) was recognized with the CMG’s first award for young adult music ministry.

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.

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

Spring Cleaning? 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.

Mass Intentions Available ~ The Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest and greatest form of prayer. Contact the church office to request a Mass for yourself, your loved ones, or for any intention. We have both weekday and weekend availability.

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.

“Come, O Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home shed a ray of light divine!
You, of comforters the best; You, the soul’s more welcome guest;
sweet refreshment here below.
Pentecost Sequence

Symbol of Holy Spirit – detail in church skylight above the altar. Photo credit: Terry Cervi

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

Pope Francis: A Man of His Wordthe new Focus Features film directed by Wim Wenders, is now showing at the Eastern Hills Dipson Theater. Co-produced with the Vatican’s Office of Communication, this movie experience offers a chance to meet Pope Francis through interviews and footage of public appearances. In addition to footage from the Pope’s many international journeys, settings include unique and special locations within the Papal palaces and Vatican gardens.

Voices of Mercy ~ St. Margaret Parish will host St. Luke’s Mission Voices of Mercy on Wednesday, May 23, 6:30-7:30pm, at St. Margaret (1395 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo).  A free will offering may be made to benefit St. Luke’s. Refreshments will be served following the concert in the rectory adjoining the church. For further information, contact Diane at 716-876-5318.

Spring Concert ~ Thursday, May 24, at 7:30pm the St. Louis Church Choir presents “A Choral Evening” at St. Louis Church (35 Edward Street in Buffalo). The program is free and open to all. Featured will be works of Bach, Mozart, Farrant, Ouseley, Friedel, Poston, and others. Call 716-852-6040 or email scintaf [at] canisius [dot] edu for more information.

The Society of Our Lady of Divine Mercy is hosting a Divine Mercy concert, “Proclaim God’s Marvelous Deeds,” at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Orchard Park on May 25  at 7:00 P.M. It is a Praise and Worship concert of God’s Mercy. There is a free-will offering and proceeds go to fund the Pilgrimage to the Divine Mercy Shrine for St. Faustina Day.

Celebrating Memorial Day at a Catholic Cemetery is truly a mixture of flags and wreaths and tributes and taps. Join us as we honor those who have served our country in the military at one of our Memorial Day Masses. On Saturday, May 26 at 10am, Masses will be held at the following cemeteries: Mount Olivet in Kenmore, Holy Cross in Lackawanna, Gate of Heaven in Lewiston, and Holy Sepulchre in Cheektowaga. On Monday, May 28 at 10am, Masses will be held at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Lockport and St. Adalbert Cemetery in Lancaster. Honoring all those buried in the cemetery is the focus of our Eucharistic celebrations and our voiced intercessions. For more information, please call 716-873-6500.

Healing Mass in Honor of St. Peregrine for those afflicted with cancer or in need of special healing, will take place at St. Aloysius Gonzaga (157 Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga) Thursday, May 31 at 7pm. Call 716-283-0011 for information.

Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School announces that registration is now open for Summer Timon 2018. All boys entering fifth through eighth grades are invited to participate. Each day campers will experience a wide-range of activities from history tours of WNY, rowing, photography, field trips, and much more! We make sure that all our campers get a well-rounded experience, learning something new while still having fun. Week 1 is July 9-13; week 2 is July 16-20. You can sign up for both or just one. Register online at bishoptimon.com or contact Jim Barnes at 716-826-3610 for more information.

St. Joe’s Collegiate Summer, a four-week program for students entering the eighth grade, is June 25-July 20 from 9am to 3pm each day. Find out more and register at sjci.com or call 716-874-4953.

Lord Teach Me to Pray, a 3-Part Ignatian Prayer Series, begins Saturday, June 16, at 8:30am at Christ the King Seminary Retreat Center (711 Knox Road, East Aurora, NY). Visit lordteachmetopray.com for more information and registration or call 504-439-5933.