St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617) August 23 St. Rose, born in Lima, Peru, was the first person from the Americas to be canonized a saint (1671). She is depicted in a grouping of “Virgins and Widows” in the great dome of our church as the second kneeling figure on the left, wearing a crown of roses. St. Rose is the patroness of embroiderers, gardeners, florists, people who suffer family problems, and those who suffer ridicule for their piety. Artist: Joseph Mazur. Photo credit: Gary Kelley.

St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617)
August 23
St. Rose, born in Lima, Peru, was the first person from the Americas to be canonized a saint (1671). She is depicted in a grouping of “Virgins and Widows” in the great dome of our church as the second kneeling figure on the left, wearing a crown of roses. St. Rose is the patroness of embroiderers, gardeners, florists, people who suffer family problems, and those who suffer ridicule for their piety.
Artist: Joseph Mazur. Photo credit: Gary Kelley.

August 21 – August 28, 2016

Weekly Activities

Thursday, August 25 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Friday, August 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, August 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, August 27 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

*Please remember that we have instituted age restrictions for admission to Bingo in response to requests from our players. As of  October 15, 2015, we no longer admit children under 8 years of age.

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.

Mass Intentions

Sunday, August 21 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. ~ Bob Kinmartin (Requested by Wife, Mary) and Kristi Duffy and Elizabeth Duffy (Requested by Duffy Family)

Monday, August 22 ~ The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin ~ No Service

Tuesday, August 23  ~ St. Rose of Lima ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)

Wednesday, August 24 ~ St. Bartholomew ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anna Snyder (Estate)

Thursday, August 25 ~ St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of Blessed Trinity Parish (Blessed Trinity Parish)

Friday, August 26 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Saturday, August 27 ~ St. Monica ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Leo M. Townsell (Family)

Sunday, August 28 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. ~ Cleveland Witherspoon (Family)

Assisting on the Altar – Ministry Schedule for Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28:

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.  Reader: Sr. Liz Savage; Eucharistic Minister: Lorna Cameron

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.   Readers: Bob Heicklen, Mary Kresse; Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Maggie Gatson, Kathleen Marien, Judy Casassa (Loft)

Readings for the Week of August 21

Sunday: Is 66:18-21; Ps 117:1-2; Heb 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk 13: 22-30
Monday: 2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12; Ps 96:1-5; Mt 23:13-22
Tuesday: 2 Thes 2:1-31; 14-17; Ps 96:10-13; Mt 23:23-26
Wednesday: Rev 21:9b-14; Ps 145:10-18; Jn 1:45-51
Thursday: 1 Cor 1:1-9; Ps 145:2-7; Mt 24:42-51
Friday: 1 Cor 1:17-25; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11; Mt 25:1-13
Saturday: 1 Cor 1:26-31; Ps 33:12-13, 18-21; Mt 25:14-30
Sunday, August 28: Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; Ps 68:4-7, 11-11; Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a; Lk 14:1, 7-14

News from our Parish Community

Full-time Position Available ~ We are still hoping to bring on a new custodian before Jerry Gallisdorfer leaves in September so that he can show the new person around and train him/her in the basic tasks of the job. If you know of someone qualified for the job, please have him/her submit a resume to the rectory as soon as possible.
The Custodian is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of several buildings and assisting with a variety of semi-skilled manual work in the maintenance, repair and energy management of the church and other parish buildings. Requires a high school education, completed police background check, basic knowledge of plumbing and electrical work, and ability to maintain the buildings and grounds of the parish. This is a full-time position, with salary commensurate with education and experience.
For detailed questions about the job, contact Bud Dick (832-2540). More information about the position is available at http://www.buffalodiocese.org/job-opportunities. Look under under “Parishes/Other.”

Preservationist Tom Yots (far right) and teachers from the Lewiston-Porter District on their Aug. 18, 2016 visit to BTC.

Preservationist Tom Yots (far right) and teachers from the Lewiston-Porter
District on their Aug. 18, 2016 visit to BTC.

Blessed Trinity Part of  “Summer School” Curriculum ~ Twenty-five teachers from the Lewiston-Porter School District, accompanied by local preservationist Tom Yots, participated in a docent-led architectural tour of our church on Thursday, August 18. We thank them for choosing to visit Blessed Trinity as part of their summertime professional development program.

Weekly Highlight from Faithful Citizenship: A message from Sister Maureen Harris ~ How does the Church help the Catholic Faithful to speak about political and social Questions? The last section of Part 1 of A Well-Formed Conscience contains important remarks on the four principles of Catholic Social Teaching: the dignity of the human person, the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity. In the words of Pope Francis, “Progress in building a people in peace, justice and fraternity depends on these 4 principles related to constant tensions present in every social reality.”

     #44 – Dignity of Human Life – We know all human life is sacred from womb to tomb. Catholic teaching about the dignity of life calls us to oppose torture, unjust wars, and the indiscriminate use of drones for violent purposes; to prevent genocide and attacks against noncombatants; to oppose racism; to oppose human trafficking; and to overcome poverty and suffering.

#46 – Subsidiarity – The human person is not only sacred but social. Full development takes place in relationship with others. The family is the first and fundamental unit of society. Respect for family should be reflected in every policy and program; we must uphold parents’ rights and responsibilities to care for their children, including the right to choose their children’s education.

#47 – How we organize our society – in economics and politics in law and policy – directly affects the common good and the capacity of individuals to develop their full potential. Every person and association has a right and a duty to participate actively in shaping society and to promote the well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. (Observations from Sr. Maureen Harris)

From “A Call to Political Responsibility” from the Catholic Bishops of the United States – “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” It is online if you want to read it yourself at www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithfulcitizenship/upload.

TRY (Teaching and Restoring Youth), a program for homeless young women ages 16 to 21, is in need of a variety of donations for our Annual Fund Raising Dinner to be held Friday, September 23 at 6 p.m. at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens Restaurant. If you can donate anything for our baskets, please leave them at church marked “TRY” and we will pick them up. Monetary donations can be sent directly to Annual Dinner, c/o Sr. Mary Augusta, 228 Brinkman Ave, Buffalo 14211. For dinner reservations call 716-896-5332. If there are any questions email SMAKaiser [at] roadrunner [dot] com.

Looking for a Bible Study? There is a lot of information out there now: video programs, the internet, social media. But, if you are looking for a solid Bible study program that has withstood the test of time, the Catholic Biblical Studies program may be just what you are looking for. The CBSP has been conducting classes in the Buffalo Diocese for 25 years. Entry into a study of the Bible is a lifelong journey. It begins with the first step! Please join us in September at one of our introductory classes: Tuesday 7-9pm at St. Mary’s Church, 1 St. Mary’s Hill, Lancaster; or Wednesday 10am-noon at Newman Center, UB North Campus, 495 Skinnersville Rd, Amherst. Registration information, including class dates and cost, is available on their website where you can also learn more about who we are and other upcoming events and programs. Visit us at www.cbstudies.org or call 716-871-9180. For “first-hand information,” see our parishioner Elsieta Chapman.

A Network of Caring ~ When you call on Catholic Charities,  you connect to a wealth of support. From professional counseling, mental health assessments, senior support, troubled teen programs, parenting to education and work readiness programs and more, we’ll respond with goals to grow stronger together. For more information, call 856-4494 or go to www.ccwny.org. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Rectory office hours are Tuesday-Thursday from 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM. Please call our secretary, Barbara Sercu, at 716-833-0301 if you have information for the bulletin, changes to your phone number or mailing address, or would like to register as a parishioner.

Our Helping Hands Food Pantry has extended its hours and now operates on both Friday and Saturday mornings from 9 AM – 12 Noon. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Luis Clay at 716-812-3461.

St. Bartholomew August 24 This ceramic medallion of St. Bartholomew originally hung in St. Bartholomew R. C. Church on Grider Street in Buffalo. Since the merger of our parishes in 1993,it has hung on the wall of the transept on the right (west) side of the church.

St. Bartholomew
August 24
This ceramic medallion of St. Bartholomew originally hung in St. Bartholomew R. C. Church on Grider Street in Buffalo. Since the merger of our parishes in 1993, it has hung on the wall of the transept on the right (west) side of the church.

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

September Concert ~ The Evangelization Committee at St. Martin de Porres (“SMDP”) is sponsoring The George Scott Big Band in concert at the church on Saturday, September 10 from 5-7 p.m. Tickets are available for $10.  Tickets purchased before August 22 will be eligible for a $50 cash drawing! Please call the SMDP office at 883-PRAY for further information.

Infant of Prague Lawn Fete, 921 Cleveland Drive, Cheektowaga, will be having their lawn fete on August 26-27 – rides and games, carnival food, games of chance, a beer tent, entertainment, a basket extravaganza and much more. On Friday the rides, midway and beer garden open at 5 pm; basket raffle extravaganza from 5-10 pm; “Party of Nine” in the beer garden from 7-11:30 pm. On Saturday the rides and midway open at 12 noon; basket raffle extravaganza from 12-10 pm; “Kids Zone” featuring Party Animals Petting Zoo, face painting and games from 1-6 pm; Krolick’s BBQ dinner from 4-6 pm (or sold out): “Hit ‘N Run” in the beer garden from 7-11:30 pm.

Artisan Fair & Farmers’ Market ~ Father Baker Manor, 6400 Powers Road, Orchard Park, will be sponsoring its Second Annual Artisan Fair & Farmer’s Market on Saturday, August 27, from 10 am – 4 pm. The event is open to the public and will be held rain or shine. The community is invited to enjoy local artisans, crafters, and market vendors. There will also be a Lucky Draw Raffle for a number of prizes. All proceeds to support special projects at Father Baker Manor, a Catholic Health Skilled Nursing Facility. For more information visit www.chsbuffalo.org/FBMfair or contact Jill Hirczak at jhirczak [at] chsbuffalo [dot] org or by calling 716-209-0744.

Summer Celebration Features Big Band Dance Under the Stars! Sunday, August 28 from 7-9 PM, St. Joseph University Church will host an outdoor Big Band Concert and Dance featuring the Jim Tudini Band with Bobby Militello. Join us for a great summer evening of music and dance under the stars! The Jim Tudini Band is an 11 piece contemporary big band perfect for dancing. Tudini has played with such notables as the Tommy Dorsey Band, Doc Severinson and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. The band specializes in traditional big band music as well as songs from the 70s through the 90s. Donation for the dance is $10 per person at the door. Beverages and light snacks will be available for purchase. For information contact 833-0298.

Prayer Service for Mercy ~ Join women and men Religious of the Diocese of Buffalo during this Year of Mercy for a Prayer Service for Mercy. The Buffalo Leadership Conference of Women Religious is inviting the public to join us in a prayer for Mercy. Host sites include: September 9 at 7 pm, St. Mary Center, 241 Lafayette Ave, Buffalo; September 11 at 2 pm, Immaculate Conception Convent, 5229 South Park Ave, Hamburg; Sacred Heart Center, 22 Meadowbrook Pkwy, Cheektowaga; St. Mary of the Angels Convent, 210 Reist St, Williamsville.

Uptown Fresh ~ A Healthy Lifestyle Market featuring fresh fruits and vegetables is now taking place every Saturday from 10 AM – 2 PM at the corner of Bailey and Dartmouth in Buffalo. It began operation on June 25 and will continue every Saturday (except Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3) through September 24.

“Griefshare” Support Group to meet at Our Lady of Pompeii Catholic Church ~ If you’ve experienced the death of a loved one, or know someone who has, please consider joining us on September 21 at 6:30 PM in our Ministry Center, 129 Laverack Avenue, Lancaster, NY. A different DVD will be shown on two Wednesdays of each month on how to cope with grief and loss. Coffee and an informal discussion will follow. Call Sister Joyce to register at 716-683-6522 x103.