The Ascension of the Lord
May 10
Oil on canvas painting of the Ascension of Christ by Joseph Mazur in the right transept of the church.
Photo credit: Steve Mangione

May 6 – May 13, 2018

Weekly Activities

Sunday, May 6 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Ladies Sodality Meeting in St. Charles Hall

Sunday, May 6 from 12 Noon – 2:00 p.m. ~ Sacred Sites Open House – Docent Guided Tours of Church

Sunday, May 6 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.  in Church ~ Performance by St. John Paul II Schola Cantorum

Tuesday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir rehearsal in St. Charles Hall

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

Saturday, May 12 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, May 12 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Sunday, May 13 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Mother’s Day Breakfast in St. Charles Hall hosted by Holy Name Society

Sunday, May 13 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, May 6 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Suzanne M. Dulski (Requested by Colleen Schroeder) and Edward Wilbert (Requested by Sam)

Monday, May 7 ~ No Service

Tuesday, May 8 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m.  – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Wednesday, May 9 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. –  All Deceased Members of the Wilbert and Brown Family (JC and Family)

Thursday, May 10 ~ The Ascension of the Lord ~ Mass at 6:00 p. m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

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

Saturday, May 12 ~ Ss. Nereus and Achilleus; St. Pancras ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Rev. Samuel Faiola (John Curtin)

Sunday, May 13 ~ Mother’s DayMass at 10:00 a.m. – Pauline Rollek (Bob and Mary Kresse) and My Daughter and Her Family (Fidelia Ejimadu)

Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13:

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.  Reader: Derek DeJac; Eucharistic Minister: Lucille Venezia

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.  Readers: Mary Kresse, Simon Kresse;  Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Maggie Gatson, John Curtin; Fran Cahill(Choir)

The St. John Paul Schola Cantorum performs at Blessed Trinity on Sunday, May 6, at 2pm.

News from our Parish Community

Stewardship: Time ~ Talent ~ Treasure … embracing God’s investment strategy

Sacred Sounds ~ Please remember the special musical offering this Sunday, May 6, as part of our participation in the statewide Sacred Sites Open House Weekend with its theme of “sacred sounds and settings.” The St. John Paul II Schola Cantorum, which presented Lessons and Carols for us last December, will be back with seasonal a cappella choral offerings from 2-3pm. This open house also provides a wonderful opportunity for you and your guests to learn more about the architecture, art and Christian symbolism that earned our church a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Docents will be on hand from 12 noon to 2pm to help you understand the significance of each. Tours are free; a free-will offering will be taken at the concert.

The Ladies Sodality will hold their monthly meeting after Mass this Sunday, May 6. It will be very brief so that those who have volunteered to help with Sacred Sites can be back in church before noon. There are several time-sensitive issues that need our attention, including our June 13 dinner with guest speaker Sr. Maureen Harris.

Fr. Victor will be away this weekend attending a special program in Indiana and returning Monday May 7. We thank Fr. Peter Ekanem for celebrating Mass with us during Father Victor’s absence.

Music in May ~ Your Blessed Trinity Choir is busy this month!  We were privileged to demonstrate our church’s splendid acoustic with a mini-concert before Saturday Mass during this weekend’s NY Landmarks Conservancy’s 8th Annual Sacred Sites Open House.  We are honored to be singing at this year’s Church Musicians’ Guild Festival Mass on Thursday, May 17 at 7:00 p.m. at St. John Gualbert Church in Cheektowaga.  This is an opportunity for all of the church musicians in our diocese to get together to celebrate the Eucharist and our commitment to beautiful music.  All are welcome! Our Mass setting for this month is new to our parish.  It is The Mass of Spirit and Grace and was written by Rev. Ricky Manalo, a Paulist priest and liturgical composer currently teaching at Santa Clara University.  He came to the Buffalo Diocese in 2017 to share his zest for praising God through song with the members of the Church Musicians’ Guild.  Some of his best-known hymns have been sung right here at Blessed Trinity: Pange Lingua, Spirit and Grace, and Worthy is the Lamb.  As we continue to expand our musical offerings, we will be checking in on this prolific priest/composer for new ways to enhance our liturgical experience. Choir practice resumes on Tuesday May 8, at 7pm in St. Charles Hall. New member are always welcome! Elizabeth

Change in Thursday Mass Time ~ This Thursday, May 10, we celebrate The Ascension of the Lord. Please note that the Mass for the Holy Day will be celebrated at 6pm instead of the usual weekday Mass time of 11am.

 

Mothers & daughters enjoy Mother’s Days brunch hosted by HNS

Women of the Parish: Our Holy Name Society has invited all women of the parish to be their guests at next Sunday’s Mother Day Breakfast following the 10am Mass. If you are planning to attend, please remember to make a reservation by calling the rectory office (716-833-0301) on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. Non-parishioner adult guests (daughters, mothers, sisters, similar in-laws) are welcome but – please – no children. A donation of $5 for each non-parishioner guest will be collected at the door.

Water With Blessings ~ The Ladies Sodality’s special collection to provide mothers (“water women”) in Jacmal, Haiti with water purification systems ends next Sunday, Mother’s Day. Each filter system costs $60, and we welcome your donation in any amount (checks payable to: Ladies Sodality). Special envelopes for this purpose are found on the tables as you enter church. Please use one to drop your offering in the regular weekend collection. There are additional ways in which you can help the Water with Blessings project: Join their supporters throughout the world by pausing each day to pray “in solidarity with all God’s thirsty children.” Make it a habit whenever you are running water to say a prayer for the millions who don’t enjoy this luxury. And, if you have a talent for crocheting or knitting, you can help by creating colorful protective “socks” for the water filters. You can find instructions at the project’s web site, https://www.waterwithblessings.org/crochet-for-a-cause.html or request a copy from Mickey Dick.

Upon This Rock Update~ Last year Blessed Trinity received two distribution checks from the diocesan Upon this Rock Campaign totaling $16,148. There are two distributions scheduled per year, and thus far this year, we’ve received our first payment for $6,062.00, giving us a total to date of $22,210.00. Thank you to all who generously pledged to Upon this Rock believing in the future of our diocese and our parish community. These funds must be used for repairs and capital improvements. Late last Fall we used Upon this Rock funds to extend and pave the handicapped parking lot on the east side of the church — additional, convenient parking spots — at a cost of $13,934.00. Later this Spring, the extension spots will be striped for easier alignment. These are the first slots filled, so we think this has been a welcome improvement!! Reminder: The amount of our distribution checks is determined by the amount of actual monies received in a given time period. Please continue to make your scheduled payments so that our parish portion, 35% of monies collected, will keep coming in. Thank you all!

Save the Date ~ Members of the Ladies Sodality invite women of the parish to join them for their annual season-ending dinner on Wednesday evening, June 13. Sister Maureen Harris, OSF, the Spiritual Care Outreach Coordinator for our Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo, will speak on her recent experiences in Tanzania. Details will follow.

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 prepared dinner on Saturday, April 21, for temporarily homeless families sheltered for the week at Ss. Colomba-Brigid Parish. 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–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.

Docent Eleanor Ash describes Sanctuary art and architecture to Sacred Sites Open House visitors.

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

May 1 to May 9 is Novena in Honor of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima. The Dominican Nuns will celebrate a Novena to Our Lady at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary (335 Doat Street in Buffalo). Confessions will be heard beginning at 6:15pm. The recitation of the Rosary will begin at 6:40pm and Holy Mass is at 7pm. All are welcomed to attend. Call 716-892-0066 for further information.

Food & Wine Tasting is being held to benefit the Sisters of St. Francis on Tuesday, May 8 (5-7pm) at St. Mary of the Angels (201 Reist Street in Williamsville), featuring fine wine, gourmet food, silent and live auctions, a “Wine Pull,” and “Nun-Sweeter” bake sale. Contact Cindy Munschauer at 632-2155 or cmunschauer [at] osfs [dot] org.

Healing the “Broken” Heart…Monday, May 7 at 4pm at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Church (157 Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga), presented by Sister Donna Lord, GNSH, Mercy Hospital Chaplain. Losing a loved one can result in a broken heart. Grief affects the heart. There is a void that cannot be filled. Speaker, Sister Donna will focus on the testimony of love shared and ways to honor that love as one strives towards healing the broken heart. Bring a 4×6 picture of your loved one and RSVP for supplies. For more information or to reserve a spot, call Marianne Hubert, Director of Grief Support, at 716-873-6500.

The African American Commission of The Office of Cultural Diversity Presents a retreat on Saturday, May 19 (9:30am-3:30pm) for those over 55 years old.  EMBRACING LIFE CHANGES: God + Self + Others, will be held at St. Anthony’s Church (306 Ingham Avenue in Lackawanna). Call 716-847-2217 for more information or email  mramos [at] buffalodiocese [dot] org.

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.

TOLTON: From Slave to Priest – performed live with Jim Coleman ~ Learn about Fr. Augustus Tolton, the first African-American priest, in a powerful multimedia performance on Wednesday, May 23, at 7pm (Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna) and Thursday, May 24 at 2pm and 7pm (Marie Maday Theater at Lyons’ Hall, Canisius College in Buffalo). Free-will Offering. Sponsored by Paul and Susan Santandreu and the Diocese of Buffalo. Find out more at ToltonDrama.com or call Luz Milagros Ramos at 716-847-2217.

Thursday May 24 is Rock Around the Block, hosted by St. John School (1085 Englewood Avenue in Kenmore) with food trucks and music by Vinderosa Trio. Call 716-873-6500 for more information.

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.

Have you experienced a loss in your family that your children are having a hard time with? The Office of Family Life Ministries can send you a packet of unique resources that can help you talk about death with children ages pre-school through teens. Please let us know the ages of the children that you are communicating with when you request this information. Contact us at familylife [at] buffalodiocese [dot] org or call 716-847-2210.

St. Mary’s High School is looking for interested applicants to become host families for incoming international students for the next school year.  If you would like more information, please reach out to Andrea Drabik, Dean of Student Life & Enrollment at adrabik [at] smhlancers [dot] org.