December 24 – December 31, 2017
Weekly Activities
Thursday, December 28 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*
Saturday, December 30 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ~ NEW HOURS – SAT. ONLY – Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall
Saturday, December 30 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played 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 24 ~ Fourth Sunday of Advent ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. ~ All Souls (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Sunday, December 24 ~ Christmas Eve Mass of the Nativity of the Lord at 10:00 p.m., preceded by choral preludes at 9:30 p.m.
Monday, December 25 ~ Christmas Day Mass of the Nativity of the Lord at 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 26 ~ St. Stephen ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Ethel Grabenstatter – Birthday Remembrance (Bud and Mickey Dick)
Wednesday, December 27 ~ St. John, Apostle & Evangelist ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds, and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Thursday, December 28 ~ The Holy Innocents ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Fred Godert, Jr. (Family)
Friday, December 29 ~ St. Thomas Becket ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – All Souls (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Saturday, December 30 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Vincent, Frances and Agnes Manion (Estate)
Sunday, December 31 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Elizabeth Dick (Bud and Mickey Dick)
Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, December 30 and 31:
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Reader: John Curtin; Eucharistic Minister: Lorna Cameron
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Readers: Mary Kresse, Richard Plunkett; Eucharistic Ministers: Fran Cahill, Pat Hartinger, Maggie Gatson, John Curtin; Kathleen Marien – Choir
News from our Parish Community
Mass Schedule for Christmas
Our Christmas Eve or first Mass in celebration of The Nativity of
the Lord will be at 10:00 p.m. Sunday, December 24.
It will be preceded by choral preludes sung by the choir beginning at 9:30 p.m.
Our Mass on Monday, Christmas Day, will be celebrated at 10 a.m.
On Building a Manger…and Filling it the Same Day ~ This year’s Advent season seems to be over just too quickly – and it has, in fact, been 17 years since the Fourth Sunday of Advent fell on Christmas Eve. Our preparations are completed and our hearts are filled with love on the very same day – what a truly amazing and awesome God! The Blessed Trinity Choir is privileged to have spent this Advent with you, and we are excited at the prospect of filling the Christmas Season with traditional carols that our children may not yet know. We hope you will continue to bring your children and grandchildren to mass throughout the new year as we fill our liturgy with carols to warm your heart and fill your soul with Christ’s love.
Once, for a shining hour,
heav’n touched earth.
Hope was born anew,
and peace reigned in the world.
The choir will be taking a winter break following the Christmas season. Rehearsals resume on February 6, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in St. Charles Hall.
The Giving Tree ~ Please remember to place any Giving Tree envelopes containing your monetary donation for Gerard Place and St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy in the collection basket by Christmas Day. Checks should be made payable to “Blessed Trinity.”
St. John Paul II Schola Cantorum ~ If you attended last Sunday’s Service of Lessons and Carols, I am sure you would agree that it was a religious highlight of your preparation for Christmas. We are so grateful to Steve Quebral and his wonderful a capella choir for choosing to make Blessed Trinity the site of their public debut. If you would like to hear more of this talented group of eight, they will be performing in concert at 2:00 PM on Sunday, December 31, at All Saints Church, 127 Chadduck Street, Buffalo 14207.
Christmas Flowers ~ Donations for our Christmas flowers have been made in memory of: Allen M. Andrew, A. Michael Andrew, Grace Marie Bailey, Angeline Bailey, George Bailey, Isabel Rosemary Billittier, Joseph Billittier, Bridget Dick Blesnuk, Ithrene Cameron, Deceased Members of the Cameron Family, John and Rita Curtin, Theodore Davis, Kevin Davis, Sara and Homer Dick, Sr., Bernadette Dorsheimer, Michael Duffy, Kriste Duffy, John and Elizabeth Duffy, Christina Hartinger, Don Hartinger, Margaret Alice Hayes, Art Gray, Henry Family, Henry Heubusch, Eddie and Irene Hoder, Gretchen Owen Kelly, James J. Kelly, Sr., Hunter James Kelly, Angela Kilcoyne, Mary and Michael Korchowsky, Robert Krajnik, Kazemierez and Sophia Kresse, Julie and Dick Kresse, Dominic and Palma LaSpada, Mary Nelson, Robert Marien, Celia Marien, Lawrence and Margaret Miano, Lawrence and Jeannie Miano, William Parker, Anne Polglase, John Polglase, Allyson M. Porter, Jimmie Porter, Jr., Mildred J. Porter, Matthew and Anna Rebovich, Dewitt Roddy, Roddy Family, Carl and Evelyn Schmelzer, Carol Schmelzer, Elizabeth Shields, William Stiffler, Margaret Stiffler Schimpf, Grace Vogt, Don Vogt, Geraldine Waters, Joan West, Don and Peggy Williams, Trevor David Williams, Joseph and Mary Zanghi; and Tony and Josephine Zanghi.
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.
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.
Openings for Mass Intentions ~ Thank you to all who have recently placed Mass intentions. We again have openings on Saturdays and Sundays, so 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 we begin the new year, 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 ~ We have created a parish group email to be used for 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.
Steve Quebral, left, and the St. John Paul II Schola Cantorum
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Televised Sunday Mass on Fox-29 at 7:30PM on Sunday, December 24 is a celebation of the Fourth Sunday of Advent from Our Lady Chapel of St. Joseph Cathedral with Bishop Malone.
“Come Let Us Adore Him, Christmas Mass” with Bishop Malone from Our Lady Help of Christians Historic Chapel and Shrine in Cheektowaga airs on WKBW-TV, Channel 7, on Christmas Day at 6AM.
Christmas Concert featuring the St. John Paul II Schola Cantorum, Sunday, December 31, 2PM at All Saints Church, 127 Chadduck Street, Buffalo 14207.
Christmas Nativity Sets ~ Just two weekends remain to view display of 580 nativity sets from 58 countries at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church (75 Hickory & Eagle Streets – one block south of Clinton Street). Hours are 1-4pm on Saturday, December 30 and January 6, and Sunday, December 31 and January 7. There is no charge and there is a special section for children. the exhibit is closed on Christmas weekend.
“Stories for Christmas” ~ Uplifting local stories for Christmas will air on Monday, December 25 at 11pm on WKBW-TV Channel 7.
The Calix Society meets on the last Sunday of each Month at 3pm in the basement of St. Michael’s Church Rectory (651 Washington Street in Buffalo) for those seeking a spiritual-based program for recovery of alcoholism. More information at calixsociety.org or 716-847-2210.
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.