There are references to trees in Sunday’s First Reading, Psalm, and Gospel. Trees, gardens, and flowers also frequently appear in Christian symbols adorning our church, such as the cedar of Lebanon on this corbel on the curved wall of the left side entrance.
Photo credit: Gary Kelley
March 3 – March 10, 2019
Weekly Activities
Sunday, March 3 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Sodality Raffle & Mardi Gras Coffee Hour in St. Charles Hall
Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall
Wednesday, March 6 from 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall – NEW HOURS
Thursday, March 7 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*
Friday, March 8 at 6:00 p.m. ~ Stations of the Cross in church
Saturday, March 9 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall*
Sunday, March 10 following 10:00 a. m. Mass – Liturgy Committee Meeting in Sacristy
*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, March 3 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Birthday Remembrance for Alexis Farrar (Bud and Mickey Dick) and James Brown (Requested by Judy Casassa)
Monday, March 4 ~ St. Casimir ~ No Service
Tuesday, March 5 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anniversary Remembrance for Allen Andrew Sr. (Wife and Daughter)
Wednesday, March 6 ~ Ash Wednesday ~ Mass at 7:00 p.m. – Rev. Msgr. David Slubecky (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Thursday, March 7 ~ Ss. Perpetua and Felicity ~ Mass at 11:00 a. m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Friday, March 8 ~ St. John of God ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Saturday, March 9 ~ St. Frances of Rome ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Sunday, March 10 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Judy Kettleman (Judy Casassa) and Barbara Draper (Nancy DeBoy)
Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, March 9/10, 2019:
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Reader: Gary Kelley; Eucharistic Minister: John Curtin
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Readers: Bob Heicklen, Miles James; Eucharistic Ministers: Fran Cahill, Maggie Gatson, Bernice Bradley; Choir – Kathleen Marien
Mardi Gras Basket of Cheer Raffle
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Come for the Coffee; Stay for the Cheer
News from our Parish Community
The Sodality’s Mardi Gras Raffle is this Sunday, March 3, at a special coffee hour in St. Charles Hall immediately following Mass. Please support our fundraiser and have a chance to win one of 3 prizes: a “Basket of Cheer” valued at $225, a $50 gift card for Wegmans Food Markets, and a $25 gift card for Dash’s Market. Extra tickets will be available at coffee hour for a donation of only $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. You do not have to be present to win but it will be much more fun if you are, so come for the coffee and stay for the cheer. We are grateful to Wegmans Food Markets, Dash’s Market, and Bill and Gwen Warren for their generosity.
Ash Wednesday is this week. Mass will be celebrated at 7pm rather than 11am. The service will include distribution of ashes.
Save these dates! Our 2019 Wednesday evening Lenten series will include a scripture study with a decidedly local reflection (March 13), a PG-13 movie with names you’ll recognize (March 24 & 27), and a guest speaker (April 3). The Parish Council is busy with the logistics. Please save the dates and watch your mail, web posts, and future bulletins for details.
Litany for the Earth ~ Our Catholic musical heritage is rich, but did you know that new hymns are constantly being added to our liturgy? Today’s offertory hymn was composed in 2016 by Barbara Bridge with a text based on “A Prayer for our Earth” by Pope Francis.*
All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace.
* Pope Francis published this prayer in his Laudato Si’ encyclical, and it is meant for sharing with all who believe in a God who is the all-powerful Creator. Choir Practice resumes Tuesday, March 5, at 7pm in St. Charles Hall. Remember: singing is praying twice. All are welcome! … Elizabeth
Black and Native Missions ~ The second collection on March 9/10 is for the Black and Native American Missions in our own country. Please be generous.
Know Your Faith: Why do we have images or artistic pictures in the churches? Does God not say thou shall not make images to yourself? It’s true that God said we should not make images or worship them (Exodus 20:4), but intention is important in answering the questions. Why did I make this image? Is it for the sole purpose of praising God or not? If the intention is to help us connect to God in prayers, then it’s not against God’s commandments. Remember that God commanded the fashioning of a serpent when the Israelites where in the desert and were bitten by serpents. God said anyone who is bitten by a serpent and looks up to the image of a serpent shall not die but shall live (Numbers 21:5-7). Although images of serpents are no longer a recognized cure for snake bites, there was a time it was a means or symbol used to save God’s people (the Israelites). Today that symbolic serpent is replaced by Jesus the son of God, who you will always find in our churches and places of worship (the crucifix). The images we find in our churches are representative of the human faith story that occurred as an event that has become a story and is now part of our history as Christians. The images or pictures help us to connect with the divine and aid us in praising God. As we begin Lenten seasons with Ash Wednesday this week, the ashes we receive on our forehead are a symbol of repentance, a symbol reminding us that we are made of dust and unto dust we shall returned. May our sincere worship of God bring us closer to him as we make use of all he has created for our good.
A Gentle Reminder that membership in the Ladies Sodality runs with the calendar year. If you have not yet paid your $5 dues for 2019 and submitted your preferred method of contact (phone or email), please do so as soon as possible. Membership Vice Pres. Mickey Dick will be revising the organization’s telephone tree based on your updated information. She can be reached at 716-832-2540. If you are not a member but would like to know more about the Sodality, please contact Mickey or President Vera Andrew (716-704-2944).
Attention Parents ~ Blessed Trinity is pleased to announce the renewal of our Religious Education Program for your children. Please sign up on the pink sheets located on the tables by the church entrances.
Confirmed Catholics interested in becoming a Eucharistic Minister? There will be a training session on Saturday March 16, 9am – 2:30pm at Catholic Academy of West Buffalo. Please see Fr. Victor for an application if you wish to attend.
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.
Symbols for an enclosed garden and the Rose of Sharon, both of which are associated with the Blessed Virgin, appear on corbels (2d & 3d from left) on the curved wall of the left side entrance.
Photo credit: Gary Kelley
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
“Fry-Day” Fish Fry (except Good Friday) at St. Gregory the Great School (250 St. Gregory Court in Williamsville) on March 15, 22, 29 and April 5 & 12 from 4-7 pm. Fried fish, breaded shrimp or fresh baked fish provided by Krolick’s; pizza by LaPorta. All entrees come with sides, drink, and dessert. Eat-in or take-out. For more information, call 716-688-5678. Tickets pre-sale or at the door.
Lenten Homemade Pierogi & Placek Sale at St. John Kanty (101 Swinburne Street in Buffalo) on weekends during Lent, March 9 to April 14; Saturdays from 3-5 pm and Sundays from 9:30 am-12 pm. We feature farmers cheese pierogi and sauerkraut pierogi. Serving lunch on Palm Sunday, and also our basket raffle. For further information, call 716-893-0412 weekdays between 9 am-12 pm or visit saintjohnkanty.com.
Buffalo Urban League Scholarship deadline is March 15. You could receive up to $4000 toward a college education. Please pick up information and application at tables by the church entrances.
Celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph with “La Feast Di San Giuseppe,” Sunday March 17 at 11am. St. Anthony of Padua Church (160 Court Street, behind Buffalo City Hall), followed by a traditional St. Joseph Day Table in the Parish Center Hall. Free parking. Seating is limited. Call the rectory at 716-854-2563 between 9am-1pm for tickets and information.
Polka Lessons, Wednesday March 20, 7-8pm and continuing on April 3 & 10 at St. Gabriel Parish Hall, (5271 Clinton Street in Elma) for anyone who wishes to learn how to dance for Dyngus Day. Sign up with your partner or single. This event is sponsored by the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association. Proceeds will support the youth group at the parish. Classes taught by Michelle Kisluk of the Polish Heritage Dancers and Lynn Zakowicz of the FCSLA. Space is limited. Call 716-983-5084 or 716-480-4370 by March 14 to reserve your spot.
Friday March 22, 4-7pm ~ Lenten Fish Fry at St. Margaret Rectory (1395 Hertel Avenue in Buffalo). Ticket includes haddock, two side dishes, roll, butter, dessert, and a beverage. Dine-in or carry-out available. Two seatings: first is 4-5:30 pm, second is 6-7:30 pm. Also, 50-50 and theme basket raffles. For tickets, contact Diane at 716-876-5318.
Saturday March 23, 9am-3:30pm ~ Renewing Our Energy: Fostering Faith and Hope, a Lenten Day of Prayer offered by the Grey Nuns and Friends at Madonna Hall on the D’Youville College campus (320 Porter Avenue in Buffalo). Free parking. Bring your own lunch (cold drinks provided). Free will offering. Call Arlene to register at 716-440-9260 or email arlpez [at] yahoo [dot] com.