St. Thérèse of Lisieux, France (St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus) is honored by the Church on October 1. She was canonized in 1925 – while our church was being built – and remains “one of the most popular saints of modern times because of her ‘Little Way’ of seeking holiness through the everyday things in the ordinary circumstances of life. The beautiful ceramic decorations around the shrine niche [in the right transept] are some of the most beautiful in the church.” (Rev. Walter Kern’s Guidebook to Blessed Trinity R.C. Church, page 27.)
Photo credit: Margaret Dick.
September 29 – October 6, 2019
Weekly Activities
Wednesday, October 2 from 12:00 noon to completion ~ Packing remnants of white elephant sale for donation
Wednesday, October 2 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 2 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Choir rehearsal in St. Charles Hall — New rehearsal night
Thursday, October 3 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.*
Saturday, October 5 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 , September 29 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Eternal rest for Edward Schroeder (Requested by Madonna Hartzell)
Monday, September 30 ~ St. Jerome – No Service
Tuesday, October 1 ~ St. Therese of the Child Jesus ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds and Pfeiffer Families (Estate of Mary Reilly)
Wednesday, October 2 ~ The Holy Guardian Angels ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Eternal Rest for Mary Anne Andrade (Family & Friends)
Thursday, October 3 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Blessings for Joanne Lucas (John E. Curtin)
Friday, October 4 ~ First Friday Adoration, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction from 8:00 – 11:00 a.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel
Friday, October 4 ~ St. Francis of Assisi ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – For the intentions of our parishioners, both living and deceased (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Saturday, October 5 ~ Bl. Francis Xavier Seelas ~ Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Eternal Rest for Mary Anne Andrade (Family & Friends)
Sunday, October 6 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Eternal rest for Deceased Alumni of Blessed Trinity School (Blessed Trinity School Alumni) and Doris A. Knapp on the 50th Anniversary of her death (Her Daughters)
Ministry Schedule for Saturday and Sunday, October 5/6, 2019:
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Reader: Lorna Cameron; Eucharistic Minister: John Curtin
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Readers: Mary Kresse, Grace Iheke; Eucharistic Ministers: Fran Cahill, Toni Maus, Pat Hartinger; Choir – Maggie Gatson
The church bell which hung in the former church and school
building from 1909 until 2018 is now permanently
displayed on Leroy Avenue. It will be blessed, rededicated, and rung at the end of Mass on Sunday, October 6. Photo credit: Margaret Dick
News from our Parish Community
October 4 is First Friday. Join in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Daily Mass Chapel from 8:00 – 10:45 a.m., followed by Benediction and daily Mass.
School Alumni Sunday ~ On Sunday, October 6, we welcome Blessed Trinity School Alumni for their annual Alumni Memorial Mass. Parishioners who are also alumni will serve as greeters at the Mass, and representatives of the anniversary classes of 1959 and 1969 will present the offertory gifts. Immediately after Mass the congregation is invited to process outside where Father Victor will bless the church bell from the original church/school building. During the ceremony, the 110-year old bell will also be rung. An alumni all-class reception will follow in St. Charles Hall.
Prayerful Thanks for Bob Heicklen and everyone who worked so hard for the success of the September 27 White Elephant Sale. We are hoping that the many volunteers will return on Wednesday, October 2 beginning at Noon to pack up the remaining donated items to facilitate delivery to the St. Vincent dePaul Society.
Christ the King Seminary: Equipping God’s people for ministry ~ Thank you, Jennifer Kreutzner, for visiting our parish on September 28/29 and familiarizing us with all the programs offered at Christ the King Seminary, including a master’s degree in pastoral ministry for women and men. If you would still like to contribute to the Seminary collection you may do so on line at www.cks.edu.
The Wine Tasting committee is counting on you. Our October 25 Wine Tasting benefiting the church’s “Under This Roof Fund” is now less than four weeks away. Parishioners have traditionally provided the hors d’oeuvres and desserts which make our wine tasting a cut above the rest. We are hoping you’ll be able to 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 after weekend Masses for a donation of $30/person ($35 at the door); see Bud Dick or call him at 716-832-2540 to purchase yours.
Parish Council President Palma (“Pam”) Zanghi
The Parish Council has elected the following officers for 2019-2020 from among their members: President Palma Zanghi, Vice President Colleen Schroeder, and Secretary Nik Brodfuehrer. We thank them for their willingess to assume these leadership roles and ask that you support their efforts on behalf of the parish. The Council’s October meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 16 at 7pm in St. Charles Hall.
SAVE THE DATE! Sunday evening, November 17, bring the whole family to an Italian Dinner in St. Charles Hall. With pasta and specialty sauces prepared by Cugino’s Restaurant (Main St., Williamsville), this will be no ordinary spaghetti dinner. We will fill you in on the details as they become available, but mark your calendar now!
The Functions of a Church Choir, Part 1: 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 choranet.org. Over the next few weeks, this space will be dedicated to sharing the elements of this article for your consideration. Hehn discusses four separate functions (but I think there are actually five).
The first function of a church choir is to lead and enliven the congregation’s song. Hehn writes of the congregation being “the Big Choir,” with many members joining together to pray and praise God. What we think of as the choir is actually “the Little Choir,” members of the congregation who dedicate themselves to enhancing the liturgy through song. All choir members, Big or Little, “become what we sing.” Think about that for a moment. Have you ever been moved by the lyrics of a hymn as you sing them? Have the words you have sung touched your heart as you praise God? When we allow ourselves to become what we sing, we experience the Liturgy in a whole new way. The music at Blessed Trinity is chosen with great care for each Liturgy, and the texts we sing are so critical in portraying the themes of the week. When you feel them in your heart, you are becoming what you sing.
I have a friend who had a critically ill child with a fatal disorder that resulted in his death at age eight. While he was alive, his home was filled with beautiful Christian music and everyone was uplifted every day, in spite of the gravity of the reality they lived. Do you surround yourself with beautiful music all week? In this digital age it is so easy to find good music and listen throughout the day. If you are uplifted by music when you are at church, chances are good you will be able to replicate the experience throughout the week.
The second function of a church choir is to sing music that the congregation cannot. This is not meant as a criticism of the quality of congregational singing — remember, the motto of the Blessed Trinity Choir is “Wrong and Strong — it’s all for the glory of God.” Instead, this means that there are times when the congregation may want to sing, but cannot. Think of the grieving family at a funeral. They may find comfort in the beautiful music they selected for the service, but they are not emotionally prepared to sing it themselves.The church choir opens up the amount of music literature the congregation needs to hear but not always sing. Gregorian chant is an important part of our liturgical heritage, but it’s not something everyone can hum. An elderly grandfather may not feel comfortable singing contemporary Christian praise music, but he may appreciate participating in a Liturgy that engages his grandchildren. Music is as diverse as the people praising God, and our Liturgy should reflect that. More on this topic in the weeks to come!
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 2, at 7:00 p.m. in St. Charles Hall. All are welcome to attend.
Know Your Faith: We begin the Know Your Faith series this fall with a prayer from St. John Chrysostom, a “Prayer of self emptying, for God’s mercy, and repentance.”
O Lord, my God, I am not worthy that you should come into my soul, but I am glad that you have come to me because in your loving kindness you desire to dwell in me. You ask me to open the door of my soul, which you alone have created, so that you may enter into it with your loving kindness and dispel the darkness of my mind. I believe that you will do this, for you did not turn away Mary Magdalene when she approached you in tears. Neither did you hold forgiveness from the tax collector who repented of his sins, or from the good thief who ask to be received into your kingdom. Indeed, you numbered as your friends all who came to you with repentant hearts. O God, you alone are blessed always, now, and forever. Amen.
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.
Parish Council Vice President, Colleen Schroeder
Parish Council Secretary, Nik Brodfuehrer
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Oktoberfest at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Church, 157 Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga, today, Sunday, September 29, beginning at 4pm. Stop by for a wonderful German dinner, music and dancing and support the ministries of our Sisters of St. Joseph.
“The Ordinary IS Extraordinary: Our God-Given Gifts” ~ Women’s Enrichment, a ministry of St. Gregory the Great Church, presents this day of spiritual renewal at the Great Ministry Center (220 St. Gregory Court in Williamsville). Saturday October 5, 10am – 2:30pm. Guest speaker: Kimberly Cook, M.A.T.S. writer, podcaster, and Catholic Apologist; music by Nancy Erdman. Registration cost includes catered buffet lunch, desserts, morning and afternoon refreshments. Prior registration required as seating is limited. Register no later than September 30. For more information, contact Joycelyn (Joy) Bila at 716-834-0128 or jbila [at] hotmail [dot] com.
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.
“$’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.