December 25, 2016 – January 1, 2017

Weekly Activities

Thursday, December 29 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Friday, December 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, December 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, December 31  ~ NO BINGO

*In response to requests from our players, we have instituted age restrictions for admission to Bingo.  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

There will be a change to our daily Mass schedule beginning on January 16, 2017.
Mass on Mondays and Tuesdays will be an 8:00 am;
Mass on Wednesday – Friday will continue at 11:00 am.

Sunday, December 25 ~ Christmas Day Mass at 10:00 a.m. ~ Blessed Trinity Parish Community

Monday, December 26 ~ St. Stephen ~ No Service

Tuesday, December 27 ~ St. John, apostle & evangelist ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – All Souls (Queen of Martyrs Parish)

Wednesday, December 28 ~ The Holy Innocents ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Ray and Martha Freudenberger (Estate)

Thursday, December 29 ~ St. Thomas Becket ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Friday, December 30 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anna Snyder (Estate)

Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

Saturday, December 31 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. ~ Blessed Trinity Parish Community

Sunday, January 1 ~ New Year’s Day Mass at 10:00 a.m. ~ Blessed Trinity Parish Community

Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, December 31 and January 1, 2017:

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.  Reader: Lorna Cameron; Eucharistic Minister: Lucille Venezia; Mary Kresse (Loft)

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.   Readers: Mary Kresse, Richard Plunkett;  Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Alice Davis, Maggie Gatson, Fran Cahill (Choir)

For our schedule of Christmas season services, Click HERE

 

News from our Parish Community

“Christmas calls a community back to its origins by remembering Jesus’ own beginnings as a human child, a prophet of God’s reign, a judgment on the world and its projects. What the parish celebrates during this season is not primarily a birthday, but the beginning of a decisive new phase in the tempestuous history of God’s hunger for human companions. The social concerns of the season are thus rooted in Jesus’ proclamation of God’s reign: the renunciation of patterns that oppress others (holding, climbing, commanding) and the formation of a new human community that voluntarily embraces those renunciations. It is an adult Christ that the community encounters during the Advent and Christmas cycles of Sundays and feasts: a Risen Lord who invites sinful people to become church. Christmas does not ask us to pretend we were back in Bethlehem, kneeling before a crib; it asks us to recognize that the wood of the crib became the wood of the cross.” ~ Nathan Mitchell

A heartfelt “Thank You” to all the volunteers who decorated the church Monday and Tuesday and helped with flower arranging on Wednesday. We appreciate your service.

Prisoner Gifts 2016 ~ Giving hope and comfort to the imprisoned. On Friday morning, Dec. 9 volunteers, directed by Coordinator Janice Burns, sorted and counted, supplied and then filled 1,130 gift bags for the women at Albion Correctional Facility. The evening crew, representing churches, schools, social agencies and friends of Sr. Karen Klimczak, bagged 1,000 gifts for the men at Wende and packed all the shipping boxes. On Tuesday Dec. 13 “Paint of WNY” donated their truck and employees to help load the boxes. Delivery to the prisons was completed that day in good weather between the snowstorms. A BIG THANK YOU is extended to all at Blessed Trinity who donated hot chocolate and books, decorated bags (200+) and helped package and ship the gifts. Special thanks to Dan Korchowsky who helped unload at the prisons and to Judy Casassa who handled arrangements with BT staff and directed recycling efforts. Thanks and appreciation to Coordinator Jan Burns for her hard work bringing this project to another successful end. Having made last minute adjustments to changing prison regulations and schedules, Jan says, “I believe it is Sr. Karen’s spirit that gets us through this each year.”

Employment Opportunity at BT ~ Nick DelBello, our music director since 2010, is resigning to devote more time to the new addition to his family, Vincent Michael, and his teaching position in the Williamsville School District. His resignation is effective December 31, 2016. Father Ibhawa is currently accepting applications for the position. Click HERE to view requirements and information on how to apply.

Sodality Dues Reminder for 2017 ~ Membership in the Ladies Sodality of Blessed Trinity runs with the calendar year, and dues become payable each January.  Since 2016, we have only one category of membership – member in good standing – and annual dues are $5.00 with checks payable to “Ladies Sodality of Blessed Trinity.”  You do not have to pay dues if you are a member in good standing and have reached your 80th birthday. Our Membership Chair, Mickey Dick, is now accepting dues for 2017.

Nick DelBello (center front) with Christmas Eve Choir

A Farewell Message from Our Music Director, Nick DelBello ~
Dear Friends at Blessed Trinity: It has been my great joy over the last 7 years to serve as your Director of Music. In that time we have restored the church’s original Tellers-Kent organ, our choir has given concert performances both here at BT and across the diocese, we have grown our concert series, and the Buffalo Brass Choir has become BT’s ensemble-in-residence. As many of you know, Miranda and I recently welcomed a new addition to our family; our son, Vincent, born in October. I also started a new full-time position in the Williamsville Schools this past September. Wanting to spend more time with my growing family and apply myself more fully to my new full-time position in addition to pursuing some other musical opportunities led me to a difficult decision last month: to leave my position here at BT as Director of Music. Next week’s Christmas Eve and Day Masses will be my last here, and an interim director will take over on January 1st until a new, permanent director is found. I am proud of the things we have been able to accomplish and the legacy of high-quality liturgical music that we have been able to continue here at BT. I am looking forward to maintaining the Buffalo Brass Choir’s ensemble-in-residence status, and will be back at BT in February for our annual performance here. I wish to thank our talented and dedicated choir, as well as the entire congregation for their enthusiastic support of the musical ministry. A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!  Nick DelBello

Vocation View ~ Jesus, Mary and Joseph, as members of the Holy Family, always supported each other in doing God’s will, even though this was not always easy and meant letting go and trusting God. As the family of God’s children, we are to help each other in doing God’s will, which may be a vocation to priesthood or religious life. Let us not stand in the way of those whom God has called. If God is calling you to a Church vocation, call Fr. Andrew Lauricella at 716-847-5535. You can also check out the “Priest of the Month” stories at www.buffalovocations.org.

Detail of mural at 72 Jewett Avenue, Buffalo

Detail of mural at 72 Jewett Avenue, Buffalo

Our Landmark church building is featured on a mural created earlier this year by Danial Galas on a the building located at 72 Jewett Avenue at Halbert Street. The building was originally owned by the Culliton Ice Cream Co. Local historian and preservationist, Chuck LaChiusa, has shared some marvelous photos of the mural depicting Blessed Trinity and other historical sites in the neighborhood on his web site. Click HERE to view them.

Announcements ~ If you have meeting or church event information you would like read during Mass announcements, please make sure to submit the information for approval to Barbara Sercu by Thursday morning of each week.

Mass Intentions ~ If you wish to have a Mass offered for a special intention, please call Barbara Sercu at the Rectory Office 716-833-0301. She will be available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:30am-2:30pm. The Mass offering is $15.00.

Sunday TV Mass ~ For those who are unable to physically attend Mass, the Diocese of Buffalo provides a televised Mass from the Our Lady Chapel at St. Joseph Cathedral that airs each Sunday on WUTV-Fox at 7:30am.

 

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

Christmas Nativity Display ~ Fr. Roy Herberger invites you to experience a display of 580 nativity sets from 58 countries. These international crèches will be shown at Ss Columba-Brigid Church at 75 Hickory & Eagle St (one block south of Clinton). The building is handicapped accessible. Hours are from 1-4pm every Saturday and Sunday in December – except the weekend of Dec 24/25 – and  until the weekend of January 14/15. There is NO charge and there is a special section for children. If anyone would like to view the display during the week with a large group (e.g. school children, senior groups, church organizations, etc.), please call Fr. Roy at 716-852-2076.

Annual Festival of Lights Benefit and Auction on Saturday, January 14 at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, 1023 Swann Rd. (off Rt. 18E), Lewiston, NY. An elegant evening in support of the Shrine’s renovation will honor Shrine Rector, Fr. Julio Ciavaglia, CRSP on the occasion of his fiftieth anniversary of priestly ordination. Wine tasting, basket auction, door prizes and catered dinner. Limited tickets available by calling 716-754-7489. Encore lighting of Fatima Shrine’s Festival of Lights display makes the setting of this gala unique. Come enjoy a fun evening for a great cause. Preview night of auction baskets Friday, January 13 from 12-7pm and Saturday, January 14 from 9am-3pm.

Meat Raffle ~ St. Gregory the Great’s Home School Association will be holding a Meat Raffle on Friday, January 20 in the Ministry Center, 200 St. Gregory Court, Williamsville. Doors open at 6pm and the first spin is at 7pm. With admission you receive dinner and unlimited pop, beer and wine, as well as a ticket for our big ticket item raffle. Besides raffling off lots of different types of meats, we will also have a basket raffle and a 50/50. You can reserve a table or purchase individual tickets by contacting MeatRaffleTime [at] gmail [dot] com. Seating is limited but you can purchase tickets at the door if space is available. Hope to see you there!

For Women Only: Women Praying Through the Knots, A Spirituality of Imperfection! Presented by Mrs. Theresa Kehl on Monday, January 30 from 7-8pm at Our Lady of Pompeii Ministry Center (Marian Room), 129 Laverack Ave, Lancaster. All women are welcome: Free will offering accepted. Refreshments follow in the Aud together with the men from the 7pm men’s presentation.

For Men Only: The Real St. Joseph and the Tools for Real Manhood in the Home, the Church and the World! Presented by Deacon Mark Kehl on Monday, January 30 from 7-8pm at our Lady of Pompeii Ministry Center (St. Joseph Room), 129 Laverack Avenue, Lancaster. All men are welcome! Free will offering accepted. Refreshments follow in the Aud together with the women from the 7pm women’s presentation.