Click HERE for additional photos from Easter 2015 at Blessed Trinity
April 26 – May 3, 2015
Weekly Activities
Sunday, April 26 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Coffee Hour in St. Charles Hall – Presentation by Lorena James
Monday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. ~ Choir rehearsal in St. Charles Hall.
Thursday, April 30 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, May 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, May 2 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.
Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
May 1
Photo is of the Shrine to St. Joseph to the left of the Sanctuary. The niche surrounding the statue “is one of the exquisite ceramic creations in the church.” (Rev. Walter Kern’s “Guide to Blessed Trinity R. C. Church,” page 45). Photo credit: Margaret Dick
Mass Intentions
Sunday, April 26 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Fred Reger (Requested by Bob and Mary Kresse) and Ithrene Cameron (Requested by Angela Jost)
Monday, April 27 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, April 28 ~ St. Peter Chanel, St. Louis Grignion de Montfort ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of Blessed Trinity Parish (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Wednesday, April 29 ~ St. Catherine of Siena ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)
Thursday, April 30 ~ St. Pius V ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Agnes Witherspoon (Family)
Friday, May 1 ~ St. Joseph the Worker ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anna Snyder (Estate)
Saturday, May 2 ~ St. Athanasius ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Paul G. Horan (Family)
Sunday, May 2 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Bridget Blesnuk (Al Szarejko) and Ithrene Cameron (Blessed Trinity Bingo Workers)
News from our Parish Community
All Are Invited to a Special Coffee Hour on Sunday, April 26, following the 10:00 a.m. Mass. Lorena James, daughter of Cathy Cummings, is a sophomore at Nichols School. She has been studying the Mandarin Chinese language for six years. Just before Easter, Lorena went on a school trip to China. She would like to share with us some of the highlights of her trip and her experience of living with Asian families.
Attention Choir Members ~ This week’s rehearsal is on Monday evening at 7:30 rather than the customary Tuesday.
Paula Hunt, pictured here with County Executive Mark Poloncarz when she received her “Unsung Hero Award” at the Homeless Alliance Luncheon in February.
Giving Back to Paula is the name of a benefit for Paula Heinz Hunt taking place on Sunday, May 3, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. at the Main-Transit Fire Hall, 6777 Main Street in Williamsville. Paula is being treated for Stage 3 skin cancer and has been unable to work for almost a year. We at Blessed Trinity know Paula best for all the work she does on behalf of Family Promise. A “true giver,” she has left footprints on the hearts of family members, friends and strangers too numerous to count. Paula is a loving wife, sister, aunt and friend, as well as a tireless advocate for the homeless, the poor, teenagers and young adults through her work at Family Promise of WNY, Ss. Columba-Brigid Parish and Rediscover Riverside. If you are unable to attend Sunday’s benefit but would like to help, consider a check in any amount, payable to Paula Hunt. Amy Johnson will be happy to accept your donation and see to it that Paula receives it.
Women of the Parish ~ You are invited, as guests of the Holy Name Society, to our traditional Mother’s Day Breakfast to be held on Sunday, May 10, following the 10:00 a.m. Mass. Reservations for the breakfast are necessary and may be made by calling the Rectory Office at 833-0301. The reservation deadline is Wednesday, May 6. Non-parishioner adult guests, such as daughters, mothers, sisters, similar-in-laws, etc. are welcome. No children, please. Cost for a guest is $5 per person, payable at the door.
Attention Prayer Partners ~ Your Pot Luck Supper is scheduled for Thursday, May 7, at 5:30 p.m. at Ss. Columba Brigid Church. Sign-up sheets are on the altar railing near Our Lady’s shrine. Please sign up no later than Sunday, April 26.
Call for Volunteers ~ On the weekend of May 16-17, 2015, Blessed Trinity will participate in the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Fifth Annual Sacred Sites Open House weekend. We will join dozens of houses of worship all over the state showcasing their landmark buildings. It’s an opportunity to highlight BT as a perfect example of art preserved by faith and faith preserved in art. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!! The Open House will take place on Saturday, May 16 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. (before 4:30 Mass), and on Sunday, May 17 from 12:00 noon (after 10:00 Mass) to 2:00 p.m. We will need docents, greeters, sellers, and general hosts. If you have worked any of our Open Houses in the past, you know everything you need to do. If you are new to Open House tours, we will happily train you. If you can help on either of these two days, please fill out one of the forms on the Communion rail indicating what type of role you are willing to play and which date/time you are available. Place the completed form in the basket. Judy Casassa will contact you with confirmation of your assignment. Please sign up to participate by Sunday, May 3. Thank you!
Watch us on PBS ~ Blessed Trinity was featured Sunday, April 19, on the PBS program, “Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.” The half-hour show is produced in Washington, DC by the Public Broadcasting System and broadcast locally at 12:30 p.m. on WNED-TV. Click HERE to watch the segment on the Buffalo Mass Mob filmed at our church on March 22, 2015.
The Catholic Home Missions Appeal collection will take place on April 25 and 26. Many dioceses right here in the United States do not have enough priests and trained lay ministers to serve their parishes. These dioceses are known as home missions. The Catholic Home Missions Appeal supports these dioceses by funding essential ministries, including seminary education and lay ministry training. Please be generous in this appeal and share your resources to strengthen the Church at home.
The Buffalo Brass Choir in Concert at Blessed Trinity
Final Trinity Series Concert on May 24 ~ There is just one concert remaining in our 2014-15 Trinity Series. Reflections on a Dance brings the concert season to a resounding close as our resident musical ensemble, the Buffalo Brass Choir, under the direction of Nick DelBello, performs music inspired by the dance. Their repertoire will include Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, Ginastera’s Dances from Estancia and David Sampson’s imaginative Reflections on a Dance. And here’s a tip for those of you who enjoyed the resonance of the Camerata’s string ensemble in our sanctuary: you’re going to be blown away by the Buffalo Brass Choir — and on Pentecost Sunday, no less! Please plan to be with us on Sunday, May 24, at 3:00 p.m.
Respite for Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren ~ The weekend of June 5-7 is a chance for low-income grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren to enjoy a little break. This respite weekend will be held at the Center of Renewal on the Stella Niagara campus in Lewiston. The weekend includes a modest room, meals, optional activities and an opportunity to rest. You’ll also have a chance to meet other grandmothers in WNY who are also raising their grandchildren. The cost is free, but a $15.00 donation would be appreciated. To apply you must complete an application form, a health form and have a referral from an agency or faith based organization or counselor. The deadline is May 21, 2015. For more info and applications call 893-0931 or Sr. Maureen Harris at 897-9948 x114.
We give prayerful thanks for Canisius College students Holly Bogdan, Brian Borgos, Paige Burkard, Kevin Caputi, Peter Domkbrowski, Tegan Foley, Sarah Kamienowski, James McGovern, David McMaster, Chelsea Raymond, Ben Schuver, Mike Sipior, Olena Spencer, and Kristin Wagoner. The Accounting Society members volunteered at our site on April 18 as part of the college’s Community Day of Service. They took advantage of a lovely Saturday morning to complete a messy but necessary spring task: scraping and painting the rails and gate in our parking lot. This is the second time in less than a month that Canisius has assisted us. On March 21, a team of administration volunteers helped us clean the church for a visit by the Buffalo Mass Mob. (Click HERE to be connected to the Buffalo Mass Mob’s Facebook page and links to photos from Mass Mob IX at Blessed Trinity and a TV segment with WGRZ’s Ron Plants).
Catholic Charities Appeal 2015 is still short of its goal. If you have not yet contributed or are in a position to make an additional donation, there still is time to donate online at www.ccwny.org, or give through our parish. Call the rectory office at 833-0301 for a donation/pledge card.
Spread The Word ~ Extra Copies of the Easter Issue of THE WORD are available in the usher’s pew in the middle of church. Feel free to take copies for family and friends.
Easter Water ~ Vials of Blessed Easter Water are still available to you in the basket on the altar railing near the Baptismal Font.
Summer Programs for Children ~ We are beginning to receive information regarding area summer opportunities for children. Materials will be displayed on the table in the front vestibule.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Marriage Problems? Retrovaille (RET-RO-VI) is a proven program for troubled marriages including the separated and divorced who want a second chance for their marriages. The program consists of a weekend experience with NO group discussions and a series of follow-up sessions. All inquiries are strictly confidential. The next weekend is May 1-3, 2015. For information and registration call Paul and Carol at (716) 474-9371 or visit our web site at www.marriagesaved.com.
Give Back in Style ~ Reeds Jenss, 3515 Abbott Road in Orchard Park and Maple Road in Amherst, is hosting a Giveback Day on April 26 with 10% of the cost of any store purchase being donated to the charity of your choice – like Catholic Charities! You can meet former athletes and Robyn Zimmer, Embrace the Difference jewelry creator, and enjoy a catered lunch. Also, anytime you buy Embrace the Difference jewelry, name Catholic Charities as the charity of choice and $30-$100 is donated to them. The Niagara Falls store will also honor the Giveback Day donation to charities. See the flyer under Events on our website, http://www.ccwny.org, for more details.
Providing a healthy start to life for new mothers and moms-to-be in Erie and Niagara Counties, Catholic Charities Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program provides food, participant-centered nutrition education and referrals for eligible pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants and children under the age of 5. The program now has a new, centralized phone number, 716-218-1484, that can be used to connect to any WIC office. Also, through May 6, the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County is hosting a Community Baby Shower, with WIC being one of the recipients. Items like sleep sacks, thermometers and diapers would be helpful to new moms and babies! To learn more about the program and how you can help with the Community Baby Shower, visit http://www.ccwny.org/wic
Boys & Girls Summer Basketball Camps ~ Hilbert College is offering summer basketball camps for boys (June 28-July 2 & July 12-16) and girls (July 5-9). Registration/check-ins take place on Sundays between 2:30-4 p.m. and camps conclude on Thursdays at 3 p.m. Campers are given the choice of staying on campus (resident camper) in air conditioned Trinity Hall or commuting (day camper). The camps run from 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. weekly. All meals are included in the cost. To download a free brochure, go to http://www.hilberthawks.com and click on “Events.” For more information, contact Rob deGrandpre at 716-926-8803 or rdegrandpre [at] hilbert [dot] edu (Boys) or Melissa Graham at 716-697-8946 or mgraham [at] hilbert [dot] edu (Girls).
Catholic Charities Offers a Gathering Place ~ The Adult Day Program located in the city of Buffalo, NY near the historic Broadway Market has been in existence since 1973 and was the first social adult day center in upstate New York. Currently there are between 35-40 participants, with an average daily census of between 12 and 18. The program operates Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Its staffing ratio ranges from 5:1 to 6:1. Some of the unique activities offered include: Tai Chi classes (Falls Prevention), inter-generational programming (collaborations with Buffalo Schools), creative and expressive arts, music and movement. Please call 896-6388, ext. 212, to arrange a visit for lunch and a tour.