Week of October 25, 2020 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 25 – November 1, 2020

Weekly Activities

All in-person meetings and activities remain cancelled until further notice, with the exception of the Food Pantry.

Tuesday, October 27 at 7:00 p..m. ~ ZOOM Bible Discussion

Wednesday, October 28, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ~ EXTENDED HOURS ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall
Now operating every other Wednesday (Oct 28, Nov 11, Nov 25, etc.) but with extended hours. Volunteers will distribute pre-prepared bags of groceries.

Mass Intentions

The regular schedule for weekend Masses is in effect, but there is a temporary change in the daily Mass schedule. A communion service will take place at 11 AM on Tuesday-Friday, Oct 27-30. Daily Mass will resume on Monday, November 2, with a special 7 PM Mass for All Souls Day. Going forward, the NEW schedule for daily Mass will be Monday-Wednesday & Friday at 11 AM. There will be no Mass on Thursdays.

Sunday, October 25 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Eternal Joy for Catherine Harzynski (Req. by Bud and Mickey Dick) and Blessings for Lois Knapp Gillen (Req. by Sisters, Mary Lou Knapp King and Joanne Knapp McGuirk)

Monday, October 26 ~ No scheduled service

Tuesday, October 27 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, October 28 ~ Mass of Christian Burial for Sr. Flavia Dampf at 10:00 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church

Wednesday, October 28 ~ Ss. Simon and Jude, Apostles ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.

Thursday, October 29 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.

Friday, October 30 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.

Saturday, October 31 ~ Mass at 4:30 p.m. –  Intentions of our Blessed Trinity Parishioners (Blessed Trinity Parish)

Sunday, November 1 ~ All Saints Day ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Eternal Joy for Lucy Jackson (Ladies Sodality of Blessed Trinity) and In Memory of Carl and Evelyn Schmelzer (Mary Karlis)

Monday, November 2 ~ All Souls Day ~ Mass at 7:00 p.m. – Deceased Parishioners (Blessed Trinity Parish)

Lector Schedule ~ Oct 31: Lorna Cameron; Nov 1: Sr. Liz Savage

News from our Parish Community

A Message from Father Gebhard ~ Greetings Blessed Trinity Parish! 

I’m sure that this is an especially unsettling time for the parish. Know that I am eager to be with you and help the parish, in whatever way I can, during this time of transition. I am grateful for the priests from St. Mark/St. Rose of Lima Parishes – Fr. Joe Rogliano (a high school classmate!), Fr. Bob Contarin, and Fr. Butch Mazur – for filling in until I am able to be with you on a regular basis. 

Though last weekend’s bulletin indicated that I would begin celebrating masses this weekend, please be patient as I will unfortunately not be able to celebrate masses until next weekend, October 31 – November 1, the Feast of All Saints. As I mentioned in the letters that I sent to each parish family, the possibility of Covid virus restrictions made a start date questionable. I was away for a family wedding in Virginia, a state that had been removed from the NYS quarantine list. However, no sooner did I arrive there than Virginia was returned to that list. I now have to quarantine.

In the meantime, I will be praying for all of you and moving a few things into the rectory as I am able while maintaining health safety measures as required. I do look forward to finally worshiping and ministering with you!

I understand that Luke & Catherine Humphrey will end their interim music ministry commitment with the parish this weekend but have agreed to continue with us from time to time as needed. As I’m sure I join all of you, I offer deepest thanks to them for their willingness to fill in for the last months and share, what I have heard, has been their true gift of music.

Next weekend, I look forward to joining Elizabeth Clay as she returns from a leave as parish Music Director and I return to the area where I lived for many years as pastor of St. James. Until we meet in person, I ask you to keep me and the parish in your daily prayers!

 — Fr. Bob

Sister Flavia Dampf, our former pastoral associate, was called home to God’s loving embrace on Saturday, October 24, 2020, at the age of 96 following years of dedicated service to the Lord. She passed away at the Clarence Residence of the Sisters of St. Joseph, where she has resided since October 24, 2011.

In June 2019 Sister Flavia celebrated her Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Jubilee as a Sister of Social Service. Having worked in various capacities in our parish for more than 30 years, Sr. Flavia is remembered with affection by many parishioners and former parishioners. She is probably best known for her food pantry ministry and close association with the Western New York indigenous community, and her attention to the children of the parish. Sister Flavia also introduced the Advent “Giving Tree,” which has become a parish tradition.

A Mass of Christian Burial and celebration of her life will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, at Blessed Sacrament Church, 1029 Delaware Avenue near Utica in Buffalo. Friends are also invited to join members of her congregation in praying the Rosary in the church beginning at 9:30 a.m. Memorials may be made to the Cattauraugus Early Childhood Learning Center, c/o the Seneca Nation President’s Office, 90 Ohlyoh Way, P.O. Box 23, Salamanca, NY 14799.

All Souls Day ~ There will be a special evening Mass at 7pm on All Souls Day, Monday, November 2, including a remembrance ceremony for parishioners who have died during the past year. If you are skilled in calligraphy or graphic arts, we could use your help in inscribing several glass vigil candles for the service. Please call Pat Pendleton at the rectory on Tuesday after 10:30 a.m. if you think you can help.

Join Our Family Promise Ministry  ~ As a shelter for homeless families and recently certified by NYS, Family Promise of WNY is following new health and safety guidelines and cannot accept donations of home prepared meals. Instead, volunteers have become grocery donors in a food category assigned to the day of the week. Blessed Trinity volunteers did this on 9/15 and found it much easier than coordinating and cooking a full dinner. We signed up for a date on the meal schedule and delivered the requested foods during the day at our convenience. We hope more parishioners will be able to participate. Family Promise also needs volunteers in areas like tutoring and transportation. If you think you might want to help and need more information go to their web site at fpwny.org and click on “Get Involved” to find the grocery sign up schedule. Also, you may contact our parish coordinator, Amy Johnson, at 716-836-4694

A New Night and Time for Zoom Bible Study ~ Our ZOOM Bible Study now meets every other TUESDAY at 7pm. The next session will be October 27. It’s not too late to join the conversation as we continue our study of The Acts of the Apostles and explore the beginnings of our Church and the Church of today. The same link will work for each meeting; click HERE to enter the discussion. If you encounter a problem with the link, use Meeting ID:762 8722 8149 (Pass Code: jLD8Gg). The next session is scheduled to last approximately one hour. Those without computers might consider social distancing with a friend (wearing masks). Call Pat Dyer at 716-256-2586 for additional information.

Prisoner Gift Project 2020 ~ Project Coordinator Janice Burns has regretfully canceled the Prisoner Christmas Package Project for 2020 due to Covid-19 cautions and rules. A drop-off of post card greetings to the prisoners was considered, but approval by the administrations of Wende and Albion has not been received in time to organize the event. We can get a jump on the 2021 project by starting to decorate gift bags which will be available here at Blessed Trinity. Watch for future announcements. 

Know Your Faith: Rule of Law

We have heard an awful lot about the Rule of Law in this election season. So I thought that we might look at Law in the Church. In the 1983 Code of Canon Law there are 1,752 entries. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (my copy) has 904 pages. The Jewish mitzvot has 613 rules. There are 10 commandments. Jesus narrowed this down quite a bit: “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.This is the greatest and the first commandment.The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Mt 22:36-40). There are other proclamations on the law, too.  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” (Mt 5:17). Oh no! Just when I thought that Jesus was going to make this simpler he ADDS to the law, “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ “But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” (Mt 5:17-22).  “(B)ecause while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (Jn 1:17). There are literally hundreds – maybe millions – of documents from bishops, popes and councils over the last two millennia. But all of this, the millions of pages written, boils down to a few lines in Genesis, “God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female* he created them.” (Gen 1:27).

When in 1969, Episcopal priest Fred Rogers, in his guise as Mr. Rogers, sat down with Officer Clemmons to cool their feet in a children’s pool, he was not breaking a social constraint nor was he breaking any ground. He was sitting face to face with the image and likeness of God.

Patricia Dyer, MAPM

Diocese Embarks on “Road to Renewal” ~ The Catholic Faithful, priests, deacons, religious, parish administrators and school leaders of the Diocese of Buffalo have embarked on a journey to reinvigorate Catholic faith, more fully optimize parish and diocesan resources, and increase the impact of our varied ministries throughout Western New York. READ Bishop Scharfenberger’s September 19, 202 Letter to the Faithful about the Road to Renewal.

The Road to Renewal process is aimed at delivering recommendations to Bishop Scharfenberger regarding how parishes can better partner together to share resources, pull together capabilities and ensure greater impact.To that end, Bishop Scharfenberger has assembled a Diocesan Renewal Task Force (DRTF) to manage the process.Their scope is to review our current realities (mass attendance, parish financials, school attendance and financials, etc.) and collect input from people throughout the Diocese.

If you wish to contribute to the discussion, start by Clicking HERE and take an anonymous survey now available online.

We thank our parishioners who participated in the October 1, 2020 Vicariate ZOOM Session with other parishes* in our Northwest Central Buffalo Vicariate.

As indicated on the diocesan web site: “There are no pre-determined conclusions to this process and we seek broad input and candid discussion in order to define options that  will ensure a stronger, more sustainable model of Catholic life and ministry in Western New York.” The site also states that “[t]he task force is not a decision-making group, “ and that “[a]ll decisions are reserved to the Bishop is his canonical role.”

November 30, 2020 is the date for the delivery of recommendations from the Task Force to the Bishop, and no actions will be taken before that date. Bishop Scharfenberger will receive the recommendations and reserves the right to further consult with additional groups.

You can learn much more about The Road to Renewal at https://roadtorenewal.org/

Religious education materials are available now. If you were not contacted please call Pat Dyer at 716-256-2598.

Do you miss being at church? Of course long-time parishioners can probably close their eyes and picture the view from a favorite pew. But if you are not yet able to be physically present, it is possible to make a virtual visit. Buffalo Rising and Explore Buffalo teamed up to give their online followers a “tour” of Blessed Trinity. You can join them, by Clicking HERE. You will be treated to both exterior and interior photos and more than a little history. Take the “tour” and test your knowledge about your house of worship

Is it time to update your contact information? During the past 4 months when the COVID-19 Protocols prevented us from attending church services, the ability to keep in touch by telephone or email took on increased importance. Even though we are now able to resume Mass attendance, this may be a good time to ask yourself: Does the church office have my correct mailing address and phone number? Have I shared my email address? Make sure that we have been notified of any changes in your 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, Wednesday, or Thursday between 10:30am and 2:30pm; sending an email to blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com; or using the contact feature below to submit the information. If you choose either of the last two, please use “Contact Update” as the subject of the email or message.

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

National Elections ~ Early Voting in NYS has begun and will continue through Sunday, November 1 at 37 different locations and the offices of the Board of Elections at 134 West Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY. There will be at least one site in each ward in the City of Buffalo. Click HERE to find an early voting site near you.

Canisius High School ~ Entrance and Scholarship Examination will be given Saturday, November 21 at 8:30am ($20). If interested, call Office of Admission at 716-200-0208.

HOPE IN THE DARKNESS, a program about Depression & Suicide in a Pandemic. Wednesday, October 28, 6:30 – 8 pm. Are you or someone you know suffering from anxiety or depression in these Covid days? Don’t know where to turn for emotional or spiritual help? Help parishioners cope and manage their mental health with their Catholic faith. Join Catholic psychotherapist Dan Lawson Live and Livestreaming at St. Martin of Tours (1140 Abbott Road in Buffalo). Q & A will be offered. This event is FREE. Call 716-823-7077 or register and find Livestreaming on St. Martin of Tours Buffalo Facebook. For more info visit stmartinbuffalo.com or contact diacono [at] stmartinbuffalo [dot] com.

Help for Victims of Domestic Violence ~ Because of COVID-19, the Family Justice Center (“FJC”) is not accepting walk-in appointments or in-person meetings. In case of emergency, call 911. For help with safety planning or other services you may need during this time, call or text the FJC Safeline, 716-558-SAFE (7233).

Food Assistance for Seniors ~ The County of Erie advises anyone over the age of 60 who is in need of food assistance to call 716-858-8526.