January 3 – January 10, 2016
Weekly Activities
Sunday, January 3 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. ~ CCCB Christmas in the City in church
Thursday, January 7, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*
Saturday, January 9, 2016 ~ from 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall
Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. ~ Sodality Meeting in St. Charles Hall
Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*
*In response to requests from our players, we have instituted age restrictions for admission to Bingo. As of Thursday, October 15, 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, January 3 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Norine Hackney (Requested by Ed Marien) and Arthur Kopra – Birthday Remembrance (Requested by Bud & Mickey Dick)
Monday, January 4 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m. in Daily Mass Chapel
Tuesday, January 5 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Beatrice Hamsik (Angela Jost)
Wednesday, January 6 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anna Snyder (Estate)
Thursday, January 7 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Winifred Enright (Estate)
Friday, January 8 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of Blessed Trinity Parish (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Saturday, January 9 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Sunday, January 10 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Joseph Kohn (Family) and John Duffy (Duffy Family)
Readings for the Week of January 3
Sunday: Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a; Mt 2:1-12
Monday: 1 Jn 3:22-4:6; Ps 2:7-8, 10-12; Mt 4:12-17, 23-25
Tuesday: 1 Jn 4:7-10; Ps 72:1-4, 7-8; Mk 6:34-44
Wednesday: 1 Jn 4:11-18; Ps 72:1-2, 10, 12-13; Mk 6:45-52
Thursday: 1 Jn 4:19-5:4; Ps 72:1-2, 14-15, 17; Lk 4:14-22a
Friday: 1 Jn 5:5-13; Ps 147:12-15, 19-20; Lk 5:12-16
Saturday: 1 Jn 5:14-21; Ps 149:1-6, 9; Jn 3:22-30
Sunday, January 10: Is 42:1-4, 6-7 or Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Acts 10:34-38 or Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
St. Martin de Porres Children’s Choir performs at “Christmas in the City.”
News from our Parish Community
Christmas in the City ~ This Sunday, January 3, our parish will host the Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo (“CCCB”) as we celebrate our Christmas faith. The annual joint celebration will begin in church at 2 PM with a musical program featuring adult and children’s choirs from Blessed Trinity, Ss. Columba-Brigid, St. Lawrence and St. Martin de Porres, and conclude with a social in St. Charles Hall. Please join us in welcoming our visitors from the CCCB.
Epiphany Blessing ~ There is a traditional method of blessing homes this day using chalk (an image reminding us of the dust of the earth from which we were made) and “Jordan water.” The chalk is used to mark: 20 + C + M + B + 16 over our doorways. The initials remind us of the traditional names of the magi – Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar – and also stand for the Latin motto: “Christus, mansionem benedicat” (“May Christ bless this house”). Bless chalk is available on the altar railing near our creche.
Sodality Members will meet this coming Saturday, January 9, to help with the mailing of tickets for the February 7th Basket of Cheer raffle. Please join the “work party” at 1 PM in St. Charles Hall. Our next scheduled meeting is Sunday, March 6.
Many thanks to all of the parishioners from Blessed Trinity Church who came to the Catholic Central Helping Hands Food Pantry (CCHHFP) to lend their support. During the year 2015 these included the following: Luis Clay, Cathy Cummings, Darvan Draper, Marquis Draper, Vontrese Draper, Sharon “Shammy” Dunnigan, Nashelle Gittens, Lorena James, Miles James, Dan Korchowsky, Dianne Riordan, Elizabeth Bailey Sands and Palma Zanghi. I am especially grateful for those who gave their support during the months of May to September on many Saturdays. Due to the lack of participating school programs during this time period, we relied on parishioners plus regular volunteers who come weekly to carry us through the summer. Sincerely, Richard Plunkett.
The Christ Child accepted human nature. Have you? Our Parish Council invites you to join your fellow parishioners in reading A Spirituality of Being Human by local author Hugh Brady, D. Min. In Dr. Brady’s own words, “a spirituality of being human…is loving and accepting human nature in its brokenness and in its state of grace. It is awareness of the deeply transformative experience of being human.” A group discussion of the book is planned for the Lenten season, which begins on February 10. Copies of the book are available after Sunday Mass from Dianne Riordan, or you can pick one up at the rectory. The purchase price is $20, with a portion being donated to the Little Portion Friary. Some of our “loaner copies” have already been read and returned and are once again available to borrow.
Give the gift of food. Just as the three kings brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, you can give gifts to those in need. There are containers in each of the church’s side vestibules where you can place non-perishable food items for our own Helping Hands Food Pantry. If you find it easier to make a monetary donation, please use a separate envelope clearly marked “HELPING HANDS,” and place it in the collection basket.
Merry Christmas from Catholic Charities ~ May the gift of the Christ child bless you and your family this season. You can also give in the spirit of Christmas to the Catholic Charities Immigrant and Refugee Assistance Program. The program helps hundreds of refugees start life anew in the form of housing, furniture, and even gift cards. Have a gift card to spare? An old table and chairs to re-purpose? Consider donating to people in need in our own diocese. Please call 716-842-0270 for information or to offer assistance. Visit ccwny.org for more information on our programs.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
BISON Children’s Scholarship Fund ~ This fund believes that all children, whether rich or poor, should have access to the widest array of educational opportunities as possible. By offering partial scholarship assistance to economically disadvantaged families, BISON is empowering parents, often for the first time, with the ability to choose the school which best meets their child’s needs. Visit the website at www.bisonfund.com and complete an electronic Scholarship Pre-Application for the 2016-17 school year. Please note the scholarship amounts very depending on the family’s income, household size and the school’s tuition cost. The highest scholarship amount for 2016-17 will be $1,800. Families will be expected to contribute partial tuition towards their child’s education. Time of the essence! Our first deadline is February 29, 2016. All pre-applications will be entered into a lottery drawing in early March. If your name is drawn in the lottery, you will received notification with instructions on how to proceed with the application. If you have questions or need further information, call the BISON Fund office at 716-854-0869.