The Presentation of the Lord
February 2
The Presentation, depicted in terra cotta oval relief in the church narthex.
Photo credit: Margaret Dick
January 27 – February 3, 2019
Weekly Activities
Sunday, January 27 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Anointing of the sick and well-aging in church
Sunday, January 27 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Coffee Hour in St. Charles Hall hosted by Parish Council
Tuesday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall
Wednesday, January 30 from 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall – NEW HOURS
Thursday, January 31 at 8:00 p.m. ~ BINGO HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Saturday, February 2 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*
Sunday, February 3 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Ladies Sodality Meeting 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, January 27 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Birthday Remembrance for Pauline Rollek (Bud and Mickey Dick)
Monday, January 28~ St. Thomas Aquinas ~ No Service
Tuesday, January 29 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Wednesday, January 30 ~ St. Vincent; St. Marianne Cope ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Thursday, January 31 ~ St. John Bosco ~ Mass at 11:00 a. m. – Tenth Anniversary Blessings for Allen Michael Andrew (Mother, Sister and Family)
Friday, February 1 from 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – First Friday Adoration and Benediction
Friday, February 1 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Saturday, February 2 ~ The Presentation of the Lord ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Sunday, February 3 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Sylvester Chapman (Angela Jost)
Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, February 2/3, 2019:
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Reader: John Curtin; Eucharistic Minister: Michael Ogoh
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Readers: Chris Porter, Bernice Bradley; Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Mary Kresse, Pat Hartinger; Choir – Sharon Dunnigan
Arsema Tedros (center) receives the 2019 MLK Scholarship at Jan. 20 Mass honoring Rev. Martin Luther King.
News from our Parish Community
Thursday Night Bingo has been cancelled on January 31 due to weather advisories. We are still planning to play Bingo on Saturday, February 2, when the Progressive number will be 53 with a carryover of $606.25. Because of the Bonus Ball giveaway last Saturday, there will be no Bonus Ball carryover. We’re looking forward to a thaw from January’s “big chill.” Please join us in St. Charles Hall, 350 Dewey Ave. Doors open at 6:30pm and games begin at 8pm.
Catholic Relief Services ~ A special collection for Catholic Relief Services will take place on the weekend of January 26/27. Your generosity will answer the knock of Jesus in Disguise. Your financial support is greatly appreciated.
Monthly Anointing and Birthday Blessing ~ Because of the special Mass honoring Rev. Martin Luther King on January 20, our monthly anointing of the sick and well-aging has been rescheduled for the fourth Sunday, January 27, following the 10 o’clock Mass. Mass on that day will end with a birthday blessing for all those born in the month of January.
January Coffee Hour is Sunday, January 27, following the 10am Mass. The Parish Council is our hosting organization.
First Friday Adoration and Benediction ~ Please join us in the Daily Mass Chapel on Friday, February 1, for First Friday Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. Adoration begins at 8:00 a.m. The daily 11:00 a.m. Mass will follow immediately after Benediction.
Sodality Members: Please mark your calendar for Sunday, February 3, and pray for a warm, sunny weekend. We will be meeting in St. Charles Hall immediately after Mass to prepare our mass mailing of raffle tickets for the March 3 Basket of Cheer Raffle. If you are willing to help stuff and seal envelopes, I am sure we can finish in less than an hour. See you next Sunday!
Religious Education Volunteers ~ We thank parishioners Palma Zanghi, Daniel Korchowsky, Cathy Cummings, and Patty Gallisdorfer for volunteering to help us begin a Religious Education Program. Fr. Victor will meet with this group after Mass on Sunday, February 3, in the Sacristy.
The Lord is Our Rock ~ I believe we will all agree that we live in troubling times – all one needs to do is listen to the daily news to hear of seemingly insurmountable problems locally, nationally, and world-wide. We have about six weeks of Ordinary Time before we begin our Lenten journey, and this is a good time to hear the Gospel of Luke and reflect on how Christ prepared for his Ministry, the Journey to Jerusalem, his Suffering and Victory. As we spend these “ordinary” Sundays together, the BT Music Ministers pray you will carry a song in your heart as you navigate through difficult times, trusting that our Lord will see us all through.
In the land there is a hunger.
In the land there is a need.
Not for the taste of water.
Not for the taste of bread.
In the land there is a hunger.
In the land there is a need
for the sound of the Word of God
upon every word we feed.
Hear, O Lord, my cry.
Day and night I call.
My soul is thirsting for you my God.
Your Word O Lord is spirit and life.
You have the words, Lord, of everlasting life.
Only in God is my soul at rest.
He is my rock and my salvation.
– Michael B. Lynch
Choir practice resumes January 29 at 7:00 in St. Charles Hall. All are welcome … Elizabeth
We can’t thank you enough! We are all so very appreciative of our Building and Grounds Man, Dennis Pawlikowski, and the gentlemen from the parish who showed up early for last Sunday’s Mass honoring Rev. Martin Luther King to plow and shovel us out of the heaviest one-day snowfall of the winter. We are so sorry we can’t “name names,” but it was hard to identify each and every one beneath your blizzard headgear and the swirling snow. The Parish Council greatly appreciates the great job you did clearing sidewalks, stairs and entrances. Although turnout was understandably low because of the weather, we are sure that everyone who made the effort to attend was delighted by the easy access to church. There are many facets of hospitality. Once again, you showed that Blessed Trinity has the “right stuff.
Vital Employment Opportunity ~ Blessed Trinity Church is looking to employ a person to work on an as needed basis to assist in shoveling the walkways and stairs to the church on Saturday and/or Sunday before Mass, only when needed due to snow. In addition, we are looking for a person to clean the church hall after the food pantry closes on Wednesday. This can be done on Wednesday afternoon or during the morning on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. This task takes 2-3 hours. If you are interested in one or both of these jobs, please contact Bud Dick at 716-998-7855 or Bob Heicklen at 716-881-3793. Please don’t hesitate to call; snow is in the forecast.
Blessed Trinity Needs Your Help! We’re not asking for money, but for some-thing maybe even more valuable: a little bit of your TIME. Just a bit. ONE or TWO nights a month that will really help your parish. Our last financial report (included in a recent bulletin) shows the importance of BINGO. Clearly, this fundraiser is essential for our parish’s financial health. Just as clearly, it needs broad parish support in the way of MORE workers. We have Bingo every Thursday and Saturday night. Can you PLEASE commit to one or two nights a month? You can start simply by helping to sell things and — as you learn the routine — cross-train for other essential tasks. Our friendly team of workers stands ready to help you. Please contact Kathy Press at 716-445-8160 for more information. Your Parish Bingo Team thanks you!
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.
Photo Credit: Sean T. Brodfuehrer
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Polish Platter Dinner, Sunday January 27, 11:30am-2pm at St. John Kanty Parish (Broadway & Swinburne Street in Buffalo). Pre-sale tickets available. Call 716-893-0412 weekdays 9 am-12 pm. Off-street parking. For further information, visit saintjohnkanty.com.
“The Eucharistic Miracles: The Suffering Heart of Jesus,” Monday January 28 at 7pm, presented by Jeffery Skurka at Our Lady of Pompeii Church (129 Laverack Avenue in Lancaster). Medical professionals determined that samples of scientifically examined consecrated communion hosts have proven to be inflamed human myocardial tissue, leaving the medical community astonished. Come learn why Jesus keeps showing us his suffering heart.
BBC BAND, Friday February 8 at 8pm, presented by the Cardinal O’Hara High School Alumni Association at Cardinal O’Hara (39 O’Hara Road in Tonawanda). Cash bar will be available. Tickets may be purchased online at cardinalohara.com or call 695-2600, ext. 312. Proceeds benefit the continuing restoration of the Arts Center and the Alumni Scholarship Fund.
2019 White Mass and Dinner for Healthcare Workers, Saturday February 9, sponsored by the Catholic Medical Association of Buffalo. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Richard Malone at 4:30 pm at St. Joseph Cathedral (50 Franklin Street in Buffalo). Dinner following Mass at the Adam’s Mark Hotel (120 Church Street in Buffalo). Guest speaker, Cynthia B. Hunt, MD, will present “Role of a Medical Professional in Exorcism and Deliverance.” Make reservations and payments in advance (free for medical students and clergy) at cmsbuffalo.org or call 716-688-4283 by February 1.
Retrouvaille Lifeline for Marriage Program presents Help for Troubled Marriages 3-day weekend workshop in Buffalo beginning on Friday, February 15. Pre-registration required. Visit helpourmarriage.org or call 716-474-9371.