St. Ignatius of Loyola (c. 1491-1556)
July 31
St. Alphonsus Liguori (1695-1787)
August 1
St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Alphonsus Liguori, whose feast days we celebrate this week, are both depicted in a in a group of twelve figures identified as “Monks, Hermits, and Religious” in the dome of our church. St. Ignatius, fourth from the left (standing), was on his way to military fame before a debilitating war injury. His conversion experience began during his convalescence, and his writings during that time culminated in his greatest work, the Spiritual Exercises. Founder of the Jesuits, his feast day is July 31. St. Alphonsus, the first standing figure on the left, is pictured with a pen and book. Although he acquired fame as a writer, the founder of the Redemptorist Congregation is also remembered for his preaching and pastoral reforms. His feast is celebrated on August 1.
The dome painting is by Buffalo-born artist Joseph Mazur; the photo by Gary Kelley.

July 29 – August 5, 2018

Weekly Activities

Thursday, August 2 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Friday, August 3 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall – NEW HOURS

Saturday, August 4 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall – NEW HOURS

Saturday, August 4 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*

Tuesday, August 7 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Diocesan “Town Hall” 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, July 29 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Sara Dick (Requested by Family)

Monday, July 30 ~ St. Peter Chrysologus ~ No Service

Tuesday, July 31 ~ St. Ignatius of Loyola ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)

Wednesday, August 1 ~ St. Alphonsus Liguori ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. –  Dorothy Clough (Judy Casassa)

Thursday, August 2 ~ St. Eusebius of Vercelli;  St. Peter Julian Eymard ~ Mass at 11:00 a. m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)

Friday, August 3 ~ First Friday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction from 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. in Daily Mass Chapel

Friday, August 3 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)

Saturday, August 4 ~ St. John Vianney ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Kathy Mallery (Family)

Sunday, August 5 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Williams, Chapman and Cavitt Families (Seta Chapman)

Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, Augus 4 & 5:

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.  Reader: Gary Kelley; Eucharistic Minister: Lorna Cameron

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.  Readers: Richard Plunkett, Simon Kresse;  Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Kathleen Marien, Maggie Gatson

St. John Vianney
August 4
St. John Vianney (bottom left) is one of six saints depicted in silver relief on the doors of the church’s tabernacle. Each of these saints has some relationship to the offering of sacrificial gifts or to the Eucharist.

News from our Parish Community

Friday, August 3, is First Friday. There will be Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Daily Mass Chapel, from 8am – 11am, followed by morning Mass.

Our Catholic Central Food Pantry has new hours. The pantry in St. Charles Hall will once again be open on Fridays from 10am – 12 noon. It will continue to serve clients on Saturdays, also from 10am – 12 noon.

Buffalo Central City Parish Meetings ~ Father Victor and the Parish Council invite every parishioner to attend the “town hall” meeting in St. Charles Hall on Tuesday evening, August 7, at 7pm. A three-year arrangement under which the CCCB parishes of St. Lawrence and St. Martin de Porres have been linked with the suburban parish of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be coming to an end. Rev. Ronald P. Sadjak, who previously served all three parishes, will remain as pastor at Nativity. Bishop Richard Malone is asking the central city parishes of St. Martin de Porres and St. Lawrence to join with Blessed Trinity and Ss. Columba-Brigid “to enact a ministry plan that will lead to their successful growth in ministry and continued witness to faith and justice on Buffalo’s East Side.” The Bishop remains committed to keeping all four of our parishes open and in active ministry. Sr. Maureen, our CCCB Pastoral Care Minister, has been invited to join the newly created Central City Task Force together with Rev. Joseph Rogliano (our Vicar) and Deacon Ron Thaler. The task force has been charged with the responsibility of setting up “town hall” meetings in each of the four parishes to review the accomplishments of parish ministries, discuss parish vitality, determine the desires of each parish for its own future, and suggest possibilities for future cooperation to ensure the health of our central city parish life. Each parish will host the task force and its own parish family to pray, discuss, and discern. Our town hall is August 7. In the interim, Bishop Malone asks us to “please join me as we pray for the creative energy of God’s Holy Spirit to continue to move, work, and inspire new venues of ministry for Buffalo’s Central City.”

Special Collection ~ On the weekend of August 4/5, there will be a second collection for the Retired Diocesan Priests Medical Benefits Fund.

Sunday Family Supper ~ Who doesn’t enjoy a great meal on Sunday, surrounded by the people you love the most? The readings for these next five weeks in Ordinary Time are known are known as the “Bread of Life” discourse. We hear about Manna from Heaven in the Old Testament as well as how Jesus fed 5000 with abundant leftovers. Musical selections during these five weeks will focus on Christ’s generosity, and there are plenty of them. We will sing words contained in the Scriptures as well as some of the words in the Eucharistic Prayers spoken by the priest each week at Mass.  We will sing about gathering at the Table, enjoying the Feast, being Bread for others, and hoping for peace.  Do you find yourself tapping your toes or humming a hymn even after Mass?  If the musical selections at Mass make you crave second helpings, we are succeeding! If you have a favorite hymn about “Bread,” please let a choir member know. We have four more weekends to include it in the Liturgy. Remember, this is your Mass – let’s make it as meaningful as possible! … Elizabeth

Parish Council Nominations ~We are looking for candidates to run for Parish Council. What a great opportunity to get involved and serve your church. Pick up a green sheet on your way out of church today and sign up. Thank you.

George Palmer

Featured Artist with a BT Connection ~ The Kenan Center House Gallery (433 Locust Street in Lockport) is currently exhibiting “George Palmer: His Many Faces, 1956 – 2018,” featuring more than 80 artworks from the long career of Mr. Palmer who, at the age of 93, is still painting and teaching art from his Kenmore Avenue Studio. Parishioners may recognize George who occasionally attends our Sunday Mass, but his BT connection goes back to the beginning of his seven-decade career. In the early 1960s, Mr. Palmer painted the portrait of our fourth pastor, Rev. Charles T. Kraehn, which hangs in the Dewey Avenue entrance of St. Charles Hall. The exhibit continues through August 26 at the Kenan Center, a beautifully restored Victorian mansion.  Hours are Mon-Fri, 12 Noon – 5pm and Sun. 2 – 5pm. Admission is free, but donations help the Center to continue its mission of service to the WNY community.

Could you be the face of Christ to another? Our Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo are offering Compassion Ministry Training to any parishioner who is interested in learning more about visiting the sick of our parish who are homebound or hospitalized, or those living in senior care facilities.  The six-session program begins Monday, September 10, at St. Lawrence Parish. For details, call  Sr. Maureen Harris, OSF at 716-897-9948 (x114) or Pat Dyer at 716-256-2598.

Join the BT Family Promise Team ~ Our volunteer team, led by Amy Johnson, assists temporarily homeless families housed at Ss. Colomba-Brigid Parish under the Family Promise program. They will be preparing and serving a Monday evening dinner on October 22.  If you are able to help with this ministry by preparing part of the meal, please contact Amy Johnson at 716-836-4694.

Do you know that Mass is the highest and greatest form of prayer? The Catechism of the Catholic Church reveals that “from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, [the Church] has honored with great respect the memory of the dead.” In its reference to the Second Vatican Council’s conclusion that “it is a wholly and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins,” the Catechism adds: “Our prayer for them is capable of not only helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.” Consider contacting the church office (716-833-0301) to request a Mass for yourself, your deceased loved ones, or  for any intention. The stipend is $15.

Religious Ed Volunteers ~ We are in need of volunteers to help with the Religious Education of our parish children. Anyone interested in helping, please sign up on the orange sheets at the church entrances or call Father Victor (716-833-0301) during rectory office hours. You are also asked to call Father Victor if you are interested in enrolling a child or young adult preparing for Confirmation.

Has your contact information changed? Our parish secretary is finding that our parish records contain a growing number of not-in-service phone numbers, and the recent parish mailing resulted in several letters returned for “expired forwarding.” If your contact information has changed, you can notify the rectory office in one of several ways: use the form on the back of the bulletin; phone our secretary at 716-833-0301 any Tuesday-Thursday between 10:30am and 2:30pm; send an email to blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com; or Click HERE to use the contact feature of our web site to submit the information. If you choose either of the last two, please use “New Contact” as the subject of the email or message.

Home Visits ~ Please notify the church office if you know of aged, sick, or homebound parishioners who may wish to receive a visit and the Eucharist on the last Friday of each month.

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

Celebrate the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola at IggyFest, Tuesday evening, July 31, from 6 to 9. IggyFest is a fundraiser for The Nativity Miguel Middle School at St. Michael’s Church (51 St. Michael’s Place, next to the Church on Washington Street). Festival begins at 5:15pm Mass followed by live music with “Wilma,” 50/50, raffles, grilled menu, beer, wine. Volunteers needed. Contact nlanger [at] nativitymiguelbuffalo [dot] org  or call 716-836-5188.

Creativity and Spirituality Retreat ~ Thursday, August 2 at 7 pm to Friday, August 3 at 4 pm at Christ the King Seminary, East Aurora. Rendezvous with creativity while cultivating a spiritual place and sacred space this summer. Nurture your body, mind, and spirit through a variety of prayerful, artistic, and creative endeavors during this hands-on studio approach retreat. All are welcome; no experience necessary. Presented by Gina Marie Cutrona. For more information and to register, contact Doug George at 716-655-7091.

Thursday August 2 – Sunday August 5 is Summerfest 2018 at Fourteen Holy Helpers Parish (1345 Indian Church Road in West Seneca). Kicking off with a Meat Raffle on Thursday, August 2 at 7 pm in the hall. Join us each day for delicious dinners, raffles, Vera Bradley Bingo on Saturday, and much more. Prepare to be entertained with great live music including Nerds Gone Wild, Hit N’ Run, and The Buffalo Touch Polka Band. Don’t miss our Polka Mass on Sunday, August 5 at 12 noon, followed by our Polish Dinner. For more information, visit 14hh.org or call 716-674-2374.

Pilgrim Statue Comes to WNY ~ The National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima will be at Our Lady of Pompeii church for Veneration on Tuesday, August 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. a Vigil Mass for the feast of the Assumption will be celebrated followed by the Rosary and presentation by Mr. Bill Sockey, who is the custodian of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue and travels with the Statue throughout the United States. Stockey will present the Message of Our Lady of Fatima, that will include the five reasons for reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the promise by Our Lady of Fatima that was confided to Sr. Lucia, one of the three children, who witnessed the Marian apparitions at Fatima.

When was the last time you sat down with Mama Mary and had a heart-to-heart conversation? Yes, Jesus’ Mama Mary. She waits, particularly at her sacred heaven windows, icons of the Madonna and Child, listening to your heart as she did to Jesus’. Try this innovative, seven-year running, prayer twist at the Church of St. Casimir (160 Cable Street in Buffalo) weekday evenings at 7 pm, Sundays at 10 am from August 18-26. Maybe you’ve yet to discover the mysteries of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa, how the saints of the ages, Casimir and John Paul, and Mother Angela drew power and healing from God’s Mother, scarred by human hatred. Come, listen and sing her a song.

Sacred Sites of the UK – a Pilgrimage with Bishop Malone, October 26 – November 5. Visit Walsingham (EWTN Studios), Canterbury, Lindisfarne, St. Andrews, London, Edinburgh, York, and Cambridge! For reservations, contact Marianne at Unitours, 1-800-777-7432 or mpisano [at] unitours [dot] com.