“St. Helena,” the bell which hung in the former church and school
building from 1909 until 2018 is now permanently displayed in front of church. It will be rededicated in a ceremony following the 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 6.
Photo credit: Bud Dick
October 6 – October 13, 2019
Weekly Activities
Sunday, October 6, 2019at 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. ~ “Sneak Peek” docent-led tour of church
Sunday, October 6, 2019 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Procession. blessing and rededication of original church/school bell
Sunday, October 6, 2019 following bell ceremony ~ All-class School Alumni Reception in St. Charles Hall
Wednesday, October 9 from 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall (Food Pantry operates every Wednesday from Noon-4pm)
Wednesday, October 9 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir rehearsal in St. Charles Hall — New rehearsal night
Thursday, October 10 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.*
Saturday, October 12 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 , October 6 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Eternal rest for Deceased Alumni of Blessed Trinity School (Requested by Blessed Trinity School Alumni) and Doris A. Knapp on the 50th Anniversary of her death (Requested by her Daughters)
Monday,October 7 ~ Our Lady of the Rosary – No Service
Tuesday, October 8 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Wednesday, October 9 ~ St. Denis & companions; St. John Leonardi ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Eternal Rest for Mary Anne Andrade (Family & Friends)
Thursday, October 10 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. -For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Friday, October 11 ~ St. John XXIII ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Saturday, October 12 ~ Bl. Francis Xavier Seelas ~ Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Eternal Rest for Mary Anne Andrade (Family & Friends)
Sunday, October 13 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – For the repose of William Koch (Mickey Dick and Judy Casassa)
Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, October 12/13, 2019:
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Reader: Gary Kelley; Eucharistic Minister: John Curtin
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Readers: Joseph Nwogu, Bernice Bradley; Eucharistic Ministers: Dan Korchowsky, Fidelia Ejimadu, Maggie Gatson; Choir – Sharon Dunnigan
The month of October is dedicated to the Rosary. This statue of the Blessed Virgin, a gift to the parish on its founding in 1906 and restored in 2011, serves as a reminder of Mary’s request of us to pray the Rosary for world peace.
News from our Parish Community
School Alumni Sunday ~ This Sunday, October 6, we welcome alumni of the parish grammar school and friends for their annual Alumni Sunday. A 9:30am guided mini-tour of the church will precede our 10am Mass at which deceased alumni of the school will be remembered. Immediately after Mass the congregation is invited to process outside where Father Victor will bless the church bell from the original church/school building. The 110-year old bell will also be rung during the ceremony. Blessed Trinity School operated from 1909-1975, educating more than 2,300 students.
Our Sunday Liturgy on October 13 will include a blessing of the 2019-20 Parish Council and the introduction of its members. Please support their stewardship with your presence on Sunday and your cooperation during the coming year. The Council’s October meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 16 at 7pm in St. Charles Hall.
Wine Tasting ~ Our October 25 Wine Tasting benefitting the church’s “Under This Roof Fund” is now less than three weeks away. If you’ve attended previous wine tastings, no sales pitch is necessary; if this is your first time, you are in for a real treat. The committee is working hard and counting on parishioners to do what they do best: provide favorite hors d’oeuvres and desserts for our guests. Please help us out by donating a favorite of yours. The event runs from 7 – 9 p.m., and in addition to wine and food includes beer and non-alcoholic beverages. Tickets are available to those 21 and over after weekend Masses for a donation of $30/person ($35 at the door); see Bud Dick or call him at 716-832-2540 to obtain yours.
Our Second Fall Fundraiser is Sunday evening, November 17: an in-house Italian dinner with homemade pasta and specialty sauces prepared by Cugino’s Restaurant in Williamsville. Please save the date!
Volunteers Needed for Parish Family Promise Team ~ Our Family Promise team will be preparing dinners for guest families Dinner at Ss.Columba-Brigid on Monday, October 21 and Monday, December 2. Family Promise of Western NY (formerly the Interfaith Hospitality Network) provides emergency shelter, meals and case management to local families who are temporarily homeless. While Ss.Columba-Brigid is a host site, Blessed Trinity is a support parish helping with meals. Additional volunteers willing to help prepare and serve meals will be much appreciated. If interested, please contact Amy Johnson at 716-836-4694 or acjohnson4 [at] verizon [dot] net. Facts: 1 in 9 kindergarten students have already experienced homelessness. Forty per cent of Americans are just one unexpected $400 expense from financial distress. Family Promise offers many volunteer opportunities at fpwny.org.
The Functions of a Church Choir, Part 2: Brian Hehn is the Director of Music Ministry at Arapaho United Methodist Church in Richardson, Texas, and he recently published an article about the functions of a church choir on choralnet.org. Last week, this space presented the first two functions of the church choir: to lead and enliven the congregation’s song and to sing music the congregation cannot. This week, we continue the additional elements of this article for your consideration. Hehn discusses four separate functions (but I think there are actually five).
The third function of a church choir is to serve as a small group within the church for faith formation. I think this is a critical role of the church choir. Every week at rehearsal, not only do we learn the notes, rhythms and words to the liturgical music, we also delve into what it all means – to our selves, our church, our community, and our world. This is an awesome undertaking, but one your choir takes very seriously. We believe that taking care of each other is our responsibility. We pray for each other, we uplift each other, we make sure everyone is able to participate whenever possible, even if it means going a little out of our way to share rides to church or rehearsal.
Recently, my brother was critically ill and I had to spend quite a bit of time away from the choir and the church to help him onto the path of recovery. The blanket of protection I carried with me from the choir was real and tangible – I felt more connected to my God because I knew my wonderful friends were lifting me – and my brother – up in prayer every day. In the darkest time of my life, I saw the light of the people of Blessed Trinity even though I was hundreds of miles away. My faith is so much stronger because of my association with the choir!
The fourth function of a church choir is to sing beautiful and challenging music to praise God and edify the congregation. Another awesome task, especially for the choir whose motto is “Wrong and Strong.”
Every time a church choir sings, we have an opportunity to touch someone’s soul and help them have a moment with God. Friends, Strangers, Old, Young – a church choir can help an individual feel the presence of God just through song. How wonderful!
The fifth function of a church choir (not according to Brian Hehn, but according to the BT Choir) is to have fun! We are so blessed to live in a country where we can worship our God in an amazing space like Blessed Trinity! We have an incredible 1927 Tellers-Kent pipe organ and a grand piano in our sanctuary – and we somehow manage to have fun while we worship God. I think that is the best gift of a church choir – to unite with other believers and praise God joyfully, with trumpet blast and cymbals, with harp – and organ!
Do you enjoy the music at Blessed Trinity? Have suggestions for hymns? Don’t hesitate to let a member of the choir know, or, better yet, join us up in the loft and help enhance our Liturgies. Choir practice continues on Wednesday, October 9, at 7:00 p.m. in St. Charles Hall. All are welcome to attend.
Blessed Trinity Needs Your Help! We’re not asking for money, but for something 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 most recent financial report 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.
Presentation of Offertory Gifts ~ For those who have requested a Mass and would like to present the Offertory gifts, please see Head Usher, Ed Marien, prior to Mass. This also applies to those whose family members are being remembered during the Liturgy.
Is it time to update your contact information? We know that not everyone can attend church every weekend, so when there is important information to be shared, we often mail it. If you have not received some of our recent mailings, please make sure that we have your correct contact information by completing this form. This is also a chance to let us know if you: wish to be included in our online email list, register as a parishioner, or request envelopes. You can also submit the requested information by phoning our secretary at 716-833-0301 any Tuesday-Thursday between 10:30am and 2:30pm; sending an email to blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com; or Clicking HERE to use the contact feature of our web site to submit the information. If you choose either of the last two, please use “Contact Update” 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.
Alumni Sunday concludes with all-class reception in St. Charles Hall.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Open House at Canisus High School, Sunday October 6, 9:30am-12:30pm, and Monday October 7, 5:30-7:30pm. (1180 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo). For more information, call 716-883-1870 or visit canisiushigh.org.
Healing Mass in honor St. Peregrine, the patron saint of cancer patients, will take place Monday October 7 at 7pm at St. Aloysius Gonzaga (157 Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga). For more information, call 716-283-0011.
Saturday October 12 at noon ~ Annual Public Square Outdoor Rosary at St. Rose of Lima Parish (Parkside & Parker Avenues in Buffalo). Join us at the outside statue of Our Blessed Lady for the annual public square outdoor rosary sponsored by America Needs Fatima. Our Lady’s healing graces, once again, shower down upon everyone present just as when she appeared 100 years ago in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. Don’t miss this opportunity to be touched deep in your soul as you receive her love and show your devotion to the mother of our Church.
Revive-Refresh-Renew Revival at St. Martin dePorres (555 Northampton Street in Buffalo). Mon. Oct. 14, Tues. Oct. 15 (Youth Night), Wed. Oct. 16 with Rev, Roy Lee, PhD. Call 716-847-2217 for information.
A Musical Portrayal of the Rosary, Thursday October 17 at 7pm, by renowned 30-member troupe “Quiet Waters” at St. Philip the Apostle Church (950 Losson Road in Cheektowaga). A free-will collection will be taken. For more information, call Marilyn Fronczak at 716-668-8472.
Meat & Basket Raffle, Friday October 18 at 7pm (doors open at 6pm). Sponsored by the Home School Association at Cardinal O’Hara High School (39 O’Hara Road in Tonawanda). Admission includes beer, wine, and soda. No outside alcohol permitted. Those attending may bring table snacks and a cooler for winnings. A basket raffle will also take place, along with 50/50 split and grand prize raffles. Proceeds will benefit the students and programs. For tickets, call Renee Orr at 716-695-2600 or email rorr [at] cardinalohara [dot] com.
“$’BRUCE-ing Up the Windows” with Springsteen! Friday October 18 at 7pm ~ Concert fundraiser at St. Martin of Tours (1619 Abbott Road), featuring Badlands, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band. Funds raised will go to help pay for new windows at Notre Dame Academy. Tickets are $20 at the door or in advance at st.martinbuffalo.com.
Griefsharing Support Group at Our Lady of Pompeii (9129 Laverack Avenue in Lancaster). Wednesday October 23 at 6:30pm. A second session will follow initial session. For more information, visit olpparish.com or call Sister Joyce to register at 716-683-6522, ext. 103.
Women’s Retreat, Saturday, October 26, 8:30am – 3pm, at Ss. Columba-Brigid, 75 Hickory St., Buffalo 14202. Why do we pray? To praise, to thank, to complain, to listen, to give God suggestions, to ask for help, to question, to connect with God? All of the above! Presented by Betty Reiter, graduate of Catholic Biblical Studies and Christ the King Seminary. $10 donation includes a light breakfast and lunch. Register by calling 716-575-4030 or emailing: leobettyreiter [at] gmail [dot] com.