Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Patron Feast Day of the U.S.A.
December 8

December 3 – December 10, 2017

Weekly Activities

Sunday, December 3 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Liturgy Committee Meeting

Sunday, December 3 at 3:00 p.m. ~ Freudig Singers Christmas Pie Concert in church; dessert reception in St. Charles Hall

Tuesday, December 5 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall

Wednesday, December 6 at 6:00 p.m. ~ Sodality Christmas Part at The Family Tree

Thursday, December 7 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Friday, December 8 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. – ? ~ Assembly of gift bags for Prison Project in church

Saturday, December 9 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ~ NEW HOURS – SAT. ONLY – Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall

Saturday, December 9 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Sunday, December 10 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Gifts for homebound seniors available for delivery

Sunday, December 10 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Coffee Hour 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, December 3 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. ~ Mary C. Nelson (Requested by Family) and Frank and Delores Downing (Requested by Bob and Mary Kresse)

Monday, December 4 ~ St. John Damascene ~ No Service

Tuesday, December 5 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, December 6 ~ St. Nicholas ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.

Thursday, December 7 ~ St. Ambrose ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Fred Godert, Jr. (Family)

Friday, December 8 ~ Feast of the Immaculate Conception ~ Mass at 5:00 p.m. – All Souls (Blessed Trinity Parish)

Saturday, December 9 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Vincent, Frances and Agnes Manion (Estate)

Sunday, December 10 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. ~ Bridget Blesnuk (Donald Blesnuk) and Fred Godert, Jr. (Family)

Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, December 9 and 10:

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.  Reader: Lorna Cameron; Eucharistic Minister: Michael Ogoh

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.  Readers: Bernice Bradley, Chris Porter;  Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Mary Kresse, Pat Hartinger, Alice Davis; Sharon Dunnigan (Choir)

    

We thank Roland Martin and the Freudig Singers of WNY
for another wonderful Christmas Pie Concert.

News from our Parish Community

Stewardship is all about your heart… Everything we have is a gift from God that we are to use to help others.

Bulletin Distribution ~ Beginning Sunday, December 3, ushers will be standing near the 3 doors at the end of Mass to hand out the bulletin. We hope you will appreciate the return of their “personal touch.”

December 3 Concert ~ DON’T FORGET!! This Sunday at 3:00 p.m. the dynamic Freudig Singers of WNY will be back with their delightful and delicious Christmas Pie Concert and Reception. The group will perform a glorious array of seasonal music, some well-known traditional songs, some new music, and some just-for-fun pieces. There will also be a raffle of signature pies, CDs for sale, and a reception with pie for everybody. Bring a friend. Suggested donation: $15.

Christ, Our Rose ~ Advent brings preparation and anticipation for the birth of our Savior. This week, the Blessed Trinity Choir traveled to St. John the XIII parish to sing at the 4pm liturgy with Bill Fay and his choir. This was the second part of our first choir exchange, and we have learned a lot about enhancing our liturgy through music. We pray you are noticing our enthusiasm and dedication to worship and look forward to sharing this advent and Christmas season with you. If you didn’t recognize today’s Mass Setting, it is because it has not been sung at Blessed Trinity for many years. It is the Mass for Christian Unity, by Jan M. Vermulst. Today’s meditation, My Lord! What a Morning, was suggested by the National Pastoral Musician’s Guild to be sung at Mass during the first Sunday of Advent. It is a new Spiritual for the BT choir, but is quickly becoming one of our favorites. Today’s offertory hymn contains a beautiful text, originally written in German in the fifteenth century, set to a lovely melody harmonized by Michael Praetorius in the late sixteenth century. Can you imagine today’s music enduring over 400 years? We are grateful to be singing such wonderful music in our incredible church.

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming
As those of old have sung.
It came, a flow’ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half-spent was the night.

Christmas rehearsal continue on Tuesday evenings in St. Charles Hall at 7:00 p.m. – please join us!

We thank all parishioners who selected an envelope from the Giving Tree at Mass this weekend.

An Invitation of Christmas Sharing ~ Beginning this weekend, we are inviting all parishioners to help two local service agencies by means of a Giving Tree—with a little difference. The two agencies are St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy and Gerard Place. These two groups usually receive many gifts at Christmas time for the needy children they assist. However, the groups themselves can use a hand to help them help others.  Many of their expenses are behind the scenes and don’t have personal appeal.  BUT, things like heat, water, repairs carry big bills and are essential for enabling the agencies to help the people they serve. Sooo, the Parish Council has created a Giving Tree that’s a little different. There are envelopes on the tree—located in the front left side of the church.  Each envelope has a request for a specific gift. Please do not buy the gift! Instead, we ask that you put the value of the gift in the envelope. If you wish to give via check, make it payable to Blessed Trinity Church. Put your donation (cash or check) in the same envelope from the tree and put that envelope in the collection basket by Sunday, December 24. All donations will be sent to the service organizations.

Holy Day of Obligation ~ Friday, December 8, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass will be celebrated at 5pm rather than the usual 11am.

A Big Thank You for your generous donations toward Blessed Trinity’s Prisoner Gifts 2017 goal of 4,200 packets of hot chocolate. Reminder: Friday, December 8,  is Packing Day for the Christmas Prison Project! Bag Decorators: Please return all bags (decorated or not) by 10am that morning. We will pack the gifts into the decorated bags  and box them for delivery in two shifts (10am-1pm and 6pm-completion). We need lots of people with the energy and heart to help. Friday, December 8, is also the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The parish Holyday Mass will be celebrated at 5pm to accommodate the evening packing shift. Come to Mass and stay to help with packing. Light snacks will be available. Contact Amy Johnson (716-836-4694) with questions.

Second Collection ~ The second collection on the weekend of December 9-10 is for the Retirement fund for Religious. Please give to those who have given a lifetime.

December Coffee Hour ~ Please note that our December coffee hour will be held on Sunday, December 10, rather than the usual third Sunday.

Parish Council Mailing ~ During the past week, you should have received an Advent Calendar, as well as a schedule of parish Advent services and activities in the mail. We hope the calendar will help you prepare your own “way of the Lord” between now and Christmas. Additional copies of each can be found at the church divide near the ushers’ pew. If you did not receive the mailing, please check with the parish office to be sure we have up-to-date contact information for you.

Gifts for Homebound Parishioners ~ The Ladies Sodality would like to thank everyone who has so generously supported our collection of gifts for homebound parishioners. When you come to church next weekend, beautiful gift bags and poinsettia plants will be waiting for delivery. If you are willing to deliver one of these gifts and spend a few minutes visiting with a parishioner by December 19, please call Mickey Dick at 716-832-2540. Nine stops are in close proximity to church; one is in Cheektowaga.

Your help Christmas Prison Package Project is needed on Friday, December 8

Prison Project Update: Congratulations and Thank You! We met our goal of 4,200 packets of cocoa! Many wonderful people brought in boxes of hot chocolate or donated money so we could buy them in bulk. There will be lots of warm tummies in Albion and Wende at Christmas! Next Steps: During the week of December 4, other food and goodies collected by other churches and organizations will be delivered here for the Big Event: Packing Day! On Friday, December 8, we will pack all the gifts into the bags decorated by schoolchildren and community groups and box them for delivery. Packing will occur in two shifts: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM until ? (the job is finished). We need lots of people with good muscles and a caring heart to help. If you can come for a few hours for either shift, please do. It’s a congenial gathering and a rewarding experience. Call Amy Johnson at 716-836-4694 with your questions. We need your help!!

Sodality Christmas Dinner ~ If you have made a reservation for the Ladies Sodality annual Christmas dinner, please remember that it is at 6pm this Wednesday, December 6, at the Family Tree Restaurant, 4346 Bailey near Longmeadow in Amherst. If you forgot to make your reservation, please call Amy Johnson today at 836-4694. Entree choices include: pot roast, chicken souvlaki, sweet and sour salmon, or a fish fry. The price for the dinner is $25.00, which includes tax and gratuity.

Advent Lessons and Carols ~ Plan now to attend Blessed Trinity’s first Advent Service of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, December 17, at 3pm. This service is a gift from the Saint John Paul II Schola Cantorum, under the direction of Steve Quebral, which will be making its debut at our church.

New parking spaces have been added to the wheelchair ramp side of the church to compensate for losing ten spaces behind the old school building (FLARE) with the sale of the building. The new owner plans to rehab the structure into twenty apartments, a project that will certainly benefit the neighborhood.

Lectors ~ Please pick up your workbooks for the 2018 Litugical year from the Sacristy after Mass.

MLK Day of Organizing is January 15, 2018 at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church (75 Hickory Street in Buffalo). It will be a day of learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. and learning ways to organize a community action. Churches in the northern vicariate are welcomed to help in this planning. For more information ask Fr. Jud Weiksnar at 716-852-3331.

Welcome to Barbara Strusienski, who has joined our part-time administrative team as a bookkeeper, while continuing to provide the same services for the CCCB parishes of St. Martin de Porres and St. Lawrence. We are grateful for her expertise and hope that this will be long and successful relationship for both Barb and our parish.

While Father Victor is away (through December 17), Rev. Peter Drilling, former rector of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, and Rev. Martin Eneh will celebrate Masses and Sacraments each Thursday through Sunday at the times indicated below. Please remember that there is a temporary change in daily services during this time. There will be no service on Mondays. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Jack Curtin will offer a Communion Service at 11:00 am. There will be Mass at 11:00 a.m. each Thursday and Friday. There is NO CHANGE in the weekend Mass times.

Openings for Mass Intentions ~ Thank you to all who have recently placed Mass intentions. Please contact the church office (716-833-0301) with your requests. Office hours are: 10:30am-2:30pm, Tuesday through Thursday. The Mass Stipend is $15.

Important Deadlines to Remember ~ As the year ends and we think ahead to 2018, please remember to contact our secretary, Pat Pendleton, with dates (even tentative ones) that should appear on the parish calendar. Our bulletin is printed on Thursdays, so please remember to submit your announcements to no later than Noon on the Wednesday prior to the weekend you wish it to appear. Announcements to be read at weekend Masses are due on Thursday. You may contact Pat at blessedtrinitychurch@gmail or 716-833-0301 any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 10:30am and 2:30pm.

Parish Record Keeping ~ Several parishioners have inquired about the possibility of group email notification of time-sensitive information; e.g., a mid-week funeral service. If you would be interested in receiving such messages, please make sure that the church office has your email address. If you need to update your contact information or would like to register as a parishioner, please call the church office (716-833-0301) on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday during office hours: 10:30am-2:30pm, email your contact information to blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com, or use the CONTACT feature of this web site.

Christmas gifts for parish homebound will be ready for delivery on the weekend of December 9-10.

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

Vigil of National Night of Prayer for Life is Thursday, December 7 (5:30-6:30pm) at Our Lady of Pompeii Catholic Church (158 Laverack Avenue in Lancaster) with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction at 6:20pm, followed by Mass of the Immaculate Conception of Mary at 6:30pm.

Christmas Nativity Sets on display at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church (75 Hickory & Eagle Streets – one block south of Clinton Street). Father Roy Herberger invites you to experience a display of 580 nativity sets from 58 countries (1-4pm every Saturday and Sunday from the weekend of November 25-26 until the weekend of January 6 & 7 (except December 23-24). There is no charge and there is a special section for children. Please call Father Roy at 716-852-2076 for additional information.

“Our Daily Bread.” On Saturday, December 9, at 6:30am on WKBW-TV Ch. 7, “Our Daily Bread” host, Fr. Paul Seil, will be talking about the season of Advent with Fr. Jack Ledwon, Pastor of St. Joseph University Parish. Together they will make Root of Jesse Stew, quinoa salad, and green salad with blueberries and blueberry dressing.

“Building a Basilica,” the National Award winning hour documentary about how Fr. Nelson Baker envisioned and Architect Emile Ulrich designed Our Lady of Victory Basilica and National Shrine, will air on Sunday, December 10 at 1pm on WKBW-TV Ch. 7.

Christmas by Candlelight ~ Harmonia Chamber Singers, Artistic Director-Robert Pacillo, continues its tradition of a cappella Advent and Christmas music, performed in the beauty of candlelight, featuring music from the Renaissance through the present (Bach, Poulenc, Rutter, Lauridsen, Mealor, Stopford, Gibbs, Rockapella). Saturday, December 9, at 7:30pm at St. Bernadette Church (5930 S. Abbott Road in Orchard Park), Saturday, December 16, at 7pm at St. Peter Church (620 Center Street in Lewiston), and Sunday, December 17, at 4pm at St. Joseph University Church (3269 Main Street in Buffalo). Nominal donation.

Buffalo Choral Art Society, a 115-voice community chorus, presents “Ringing in the Season,” a group of Christmas concerts featuring guest artists, The Royalton Ringers: Handbell Quartet. Concerts will be held on Sunday, December 3 at 3pm at St. Joseph Cathedral (50 Franklin Street in Buffalo), and Saturday, December 9 at 7:30pm at SS. Peter & Paul Church (66 East Main Street in Hamburg). More information at 716-775-7664 or BuffaloChoralArts.org.

Christmas Show to be Remembered with Marsha McWilson is Saturday December 9, 6-9pm at Niagara Catholic High School (520 66th Street  in  Niagara Falls). Featuring  the sounds of Etta James, Tina Turner, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones and The Temptations with Vegas entertainer Richie Derwald and the vocal harmony group, “Steadfast.” Proceeds go to struggling families to help with tuition assistance so their kids can go to Niagara Catholic HS. Visit marshachristmas.brownpapertickets.com for tickets (admission at the door is $25).

Poustinia Experience is Saturday, December 9 (10am-noon) at Christ the King Seminary (711 Knox Road in East Aurora). Looking for something different during Advent? Consider this invitation to young adults 18-26 for a special experience to be alone with God for a day of silence, solitude, nature, fasting, and Scripture. This is experience is offered by an experienced retreat team. For further information, contact Kathy White at 716-605-0558 or email PoustiniaNY [at] gmail [dot] com.

Villa Maria Chorale Christmas Concert is Sunday December 10 at 3pm at Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel (600 Doat Street in Buffalo). Free will offering.

Old World Christmas Cookie Shoppe is Sunday December 10, 11:30am – 2pm at Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish (57 Center Avenue in North Tonawanda). Have a photo taken with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Browse Santa’s workshop for small gifts.

Grief and the Holidays program is scheduled for Thursday, December 14 (2-3pm) at the Hospice Buffalo Education Center (225 Como Park Boulevard in Cheektowaga). Email mgiesler [at] palliativecare [dot] org or call 716-836-6460 for required registration .

Cleaning out your closets? Catholic Charities is accepting donations of new or gently used clothing, footwear, purses, bags, and household items like small kitchen appliance, curtains, drapes, and dishes, and bed linens. Drop off weekdays 10am-2:30pm at 1122 Broadway in Buffalo or 10am-1:30pm on the first Saturday of the month (except holiday weekends). Visit ccwny.org for more information.

Struggling to make ends meet and still put food on the table? We can help. Catholic Charities is the provider of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) federal nutrition program provides nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, prenatal and postpartum support, referrals and supplemental food vouchers for all kinds of families with children under 5 years old. Services are free of charge. Call 716-218-1484 or visit ccwny.org/wic.