October is dedicated to Mary under her title, Our Lady of the Rosary. The Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries are reflected in Blessed Trinity’s three rose windows. The left transept window symbols represent the Joyful Mysteries. “The four circular windows at the top, bottom, and both sides…are the most important…. At the top is Our Lady of the Rosary, and at the bottom is St. Dominic…the great promoter of the rosary…..”
Rev. Walter Kern’s “Guidebook to Blessed Trinity R. C. Church, page 43.
Photo credit: Derek Gee, Buffalo News
October 21 – October 28, 2018
Weekly Activities
Sunday, October 21 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Anointing of the Sick and Well-Aging in Church
Tuesday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall
Wednesday, October 24 ~ Happy Birthday Father Victor!
Wednesday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Parish Council Meeting in St. Charles Hall
Thursday, October 25 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*
Friday, October 26 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall – NEW HOURS
Saturday, October 27 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall – NEW HOURS
Saturday, October 27 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*
Sunday, October 28 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ October Birthdays Coffee Hour in St. Charles Hall
Sunday, October 28 at 12:30 p.m. ~ Explore Buffalo docent-guided tour of our church
*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, October 21 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Bridget Blesnuk (Requested by Family) and David Downing (Requested by Bob and Mary Kresse)
Monday, October 22 ~ St. John Paul II ~ No Service
Tuesday, October 23 ~ St. John of Capistrano ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Wednesday, October 24 ~ St. Anthony Mary Claret ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – St. Ignatius of Antioch ~ Birthday Thanksgiving for Fr. Victor Ibhawa (The Castillo Family)
Thursday, October 25 ~ Mass at 11:00 a. m. – God’s Blessings for Yvonne Andrew (Family)
Friday, October 26 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Saturday, October 27 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Sunday, October 28 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – for the Repose of Papa Ndombasi Edouard (Pedro and Family)
Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, October 27 & 28:
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Reader: Lorna Cameron; Eucharistic Minister: John Curtin
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Readers: Chris Porter, Simon Kresse; Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Pat Hartinger, Mary Kresse; CHOIR – Fran Cahill
Despite his “bad back,” even Father Victor couldn’t resist dancing to the rhythms of
The Francis Neville Band at Friday’s “Fall Fest.”
News from our Parish Community
The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday, October 24, at 7pm in St. Charles Hall. It’s been a very busy month, so there will be a lot on our agenda. Please make every effort to attend.
October Birthday Blessing ~ Join us after Mass on Sunday, October 28, for our monthly Birthday Blessing, followed by coffee hour in St. Charles Hall.
The Ladies Sodality’s Service of Remembrance for deceased members Pauline Rollek and Grace Diamond will take place following Mass on Sunday, November 4. All women of the parish are invited to join us in honoring and praying for these dynamic women and faithful Sodalists.
Is it Easter? Our closing hymn, Gustav Holst’s Three Days (text by M.D. Ridge) may have seemed like a curious choice, given that we are about as far away from Easter Sunday as possible when you look at the calendar. However, this reminder of Christ’s suffering and resurrection is appropriate when you consider the Gospel readings these past weeks. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus predicts his own suffering and death on three occasions. We heard about the first on the 24th Sunday, after he asked, “Who do you say I am?” (Mark 8:32). The second prediction was included on the 25th Sunday when the disciples were squabbling about which one of them was the greatest. Jesus told them he would be handed over and killed (Mark 9:30-32). The third prediction is found in the verses that directly preceded today’s Gospel reading: Mark 10:32-34:
32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve aside once more, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise.”
When we look at these three weekends in Ordinary Time as a unit, we can see why it is appropriate to remember Christ’s sacrifice in a special way. May you carry this reminder in your heart for the weeks to come. Music Ministry continues on Tuesday, October 23 at 7pm in St. Charles Hall. All are welcome…. Elizabeth
Our Bell Restoration Project Has Begun ~ In 1909, a bell donated by parishioner Helena Eckert was installed in the bell tower of Blessed Trinity’s combination church/school building, which most of you know as the FLARE Building. The last time the bell tolled was on May 27 of this year when we celebrated Trinity Sunday and the ninetieth anniversary of the dedication of our “new” church.
The recent sale of the FLARE Building necessitated removal of the bell, so plans were made to have it repaired, restored and relocated on the church grounds in the hope of using it on special occasions and as a way of preserving an important parish artifact. Obviously this project comes with a cost.
The parish is fortunate to have already covered the removal and restoration portion of the expense. This came about thanks to John Cozzarelli, the building’s new owner, a generous contribution from a couple who happened to attend a Sunday Mass and wanted to help with the project, and more than $7,000.00 in donations from members of the Blessed Trinity School Alumni.
On October 4, the bell was removed and has been transported to the Verdin Bell Company in Cincinnati, Ohio where restoration work will take place. While that work is being done, we will continue to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and suitability of different types of structures that can be used to display the bell.
We are especially grateful to the Mr. Cozzarelli and his employees for their assistance in removing the bell and very appreciative of everyone who has contributed to the project thus far.
Watch for a display of additional bell photos in church later this month.
Family Promise of WNY ~ Due to a change in scheduling by Family Promise, Blessed Trinity will not be providing dinner this month for the homeless families sheltered at SS. Columba-Brigid. However, parishioners who are interested or just curious about Family Promise of WNY can find volunteer opportunities, a wish list of needs, and their newsletter on the website at fpwny.org.
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.
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.
Some of the more than ninety “Fall Fest” guests enjoy dinner in the historic
Twentieth Century Club’s elegant dining room on Oct. 19, 2018.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
“Nuns on the Bus” comes to Buffalo on Monday, October 22, for a Town Hall for Justice at 6pm at St. Joseph University Parish, 3269 Main Street, Buffalo. This national “Tax Justice Truth Tour” focuses on reasonable revenue for responsible programs (i.e., to change tax policies that hurt our communities while giving handouts to the wealthiest in our nation). Nuns on the Bus is a project of NETWORK, an organization founded in 1971 by Catholic sisters to educate, organize and work for economic and social transformation to benefit all citizens.
Neighborhood Church Hosts Community Meeting ~ A Public Meeting with VOICE BUFFALO and the Buffalo Immigrant Leadership Team (BILT) is scheduled for Thursday, October 25, 6:30-8pm, at Elim Christian Fellowship (70 Chalmers Avenue at Holden in Buffalo). The meeting is an opportunity for the community to hold public officials accountable to the needs of the people. VOICE has invited Gov. Cuomo and the other gubernatorial candidates to publicly commit to moving the Developmental Disabilities State Offices from West Seneca to the City of Buffalo. BILT is inviting Buffalo Public Schools officials, including Dr. Kriner Cash and Dr. Barbara Nevergold, to publicly commit to expanding services for English Language Learner students to raise the ELL graduation rate (currently 26%). VOICE and BILT are asking our congregation to join them in Raising Our Voices with people with disabilities for access to jobs and services and with refugee and immigrant students for access to an excellent education. Doors open at 6pm. For more information, go to: voicebuffalo.org.
Fr. Roy Herberger’s collection of nearly 600 nativity sets (formerly displayed at Ss. Columba-Brigid) will be exhibited at a new location this year. He is in need of coat racks, “winter” mats for the doorways, glass display cases, and rectangular tables. If you have some to donate, please call him at 716-852-2076.
All Souls Day Masses will be celebrated at the Catholic Diocese Cemeteries on Saturday, October 27, at 10 am.Please join us as we remember our faithful departed at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Kenmore, Holy Cross Cemetery in Lackawanna, or Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheektowaga. For information, call 716-873-6500.
Healing Mass on Friday, November 2, at 7 pm at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (4375 Harris Hill Road in Williamsville). Celebrant: Fr. Daniel Ogbeifun. Come together and pray for our family, for our community, for one another, especially the sick, those in hospitals, those with cancer, the homebound, those going for surgery, those with special intentions, the travelers – anyone seeking “physical, spiritual healing.” For additional information, call their rectory office at 716-632-8838.
Annual Fall Festival fundraiser hosted by Our Lady of Hope Parish, is Saturday, November 3, at 5pm in O’Brien Hall (corner of Grant and Lafayette in Buffalo). $5 admission includes sheet of tickets for basket auction, dessert and coffee. Big Money Raffle with grand prize of $1500. Call 716-885-2469 for more information.
Ten Commandments Hike, Saturday November 3, open to all interested Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts & American Heritage Girls. Registration begins at 8:30 am at First United Methodist Church, 65 Main St., North Tonawanda. Register by October 31 at wnyscouting.org or contact Gerald Hodgson at 716-694-8364 or gmhodgson [at] roadrunner [dot] com.
Sunday, November 4, is Cemetery Sunday as designated by the Catholic Cemetery Conference. Please note that Grief Support Programs for those experiencing the pain of grief are offered as part of their community outreach services. Call 716-873-6500 to find out more.
David Haas Concert, Wednesday, November 7 at 7 pm at St. John the Baptist Parish (1085 Englewood Avenue in Kenmore). Haas will take us on a musical journey of songs and reflections born from over 40 years of liturgical composition. For tickets, call 716-873-1122 or email cheryldhtickets [at] gmail [dot] com.
Annual Women’s Retreat, Saturday, November 10 from 8:30am to 1:30pm at St. John Paul II Parish (2052 Lakeview Road in Lake View). The theme is “Living Water…Come and Be Refreshed!” The retreat begins with Mass at 8:30 am, followed by a light breakfast, retreat program and lunch at 12:30 pm. Free of charge and open to all (free-will offering will be accepted), but seating is limited. Call 716-627-2910 or email parish [at] jp2parish [dot] org to reserve your seat. Women are invited to bring a new or gently used winter clothing item or blanket as a donation to the St. Vincent de Paul Society Winter Clothing Drive.