Week of January 10, 2021 – The Baptism of the Lord

 

January 10 – January 17, 2021

COVID-19 Precautions: The Diocese of Buffalo has relaxed restrictions on capacity at worship services. See, Nov. 26 COVID-19 Update. It is no longer necessary to make a reservation to attend Mass at Blessed Trinity.

NEW: In addition to in-person worship, weekend Masses are now being livestreamed on our Facebook page: Blessed Trinity R. C. Church. Click HERE to view. (If you “Like” and “Follow Us” on Facebook, you should receive notification when future Masses are posted). Later in the day, a recording of the Mass is available on YOU TUBE.

Personal copies of the Breaking Bread missal are now available for each parishioner who would like one. You may claim yours at church and either take it home or place it in a zip-lock bag and reclaim it when you come again. Paper copies of the bulletin are also available. Look for them at the middle crossing of the church.

Keep in mind, the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and on other Holy Days of Obligation remains in effect in our diocese.

Please pray for the health and safety of all in our community.

Weekly Activities

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

Wednesday, January 6 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ~ EXTENDED HOURS ~ Catholic Central Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall
Now operating every other Wednesday (Jan 6, 20, Feb 3, etc.) but with extended hours. Volunteers will distribute pre-prepared bags of groceries.

Monday, January 11 at 6:30 p.m. ~ Christmas “de-decorating” in the church

Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m. ~ ZOOM Bible study: the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 15 & 16)

 

Mass Intentions

The regular schedule for weekend Masses is in effect, and the NEW schedule for daily Mass, as of Monday, November 9, 2020 is: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday at 11 AM. There will be no morning Mass on Thursdays.

DAILY MASSES THIS WEEK (January 11-16, 2021) HAVE BEEN CANCELLED. Mass intentions listed below will be rescheduled.

Sunday, January 10 ~  Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Eternal Joy for Robert Kresse (Req. by Bob Heicklen) and Blessing for Peter and Dorothy Emeafu (Req. by Fidelia Ejimadu)

Monday, January 11 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Praying for the deceased members of the Ryan, Reilly, Reynolds, and Pfeiffer Families (Req. by Estate of Mary Reilly)

Tuesday, January 12 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Special Intentions of Mary Ellen Roche (Req. by Your Parish Family)

Wednesday, January 13 ~ St. Hilary ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Praying for All Souls (Req. by St. Theresa Parish)

Thursday, January 14 ~ No Mass scheduled.

Friday, January 15 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Praying for All Souls (Req. by St. Theresa Parish)

Saturday, January 16 ~ Mass at 4:30 p.m. – Praying for All Souls (Req. by St. Theresa Parish)

Sunday, January 17 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Blessings for Robert Kresse (Req. by Madonna Hartzell)

Lector Schedule ~ Jan 10: Mary Kresse; Jan 16: Michael Ogoh; Jan 17: Bob Heicklen

News from our Parish Community

They came; they saw; they decorated ~ But it’s already time to “de-decorate.” Volunteers are needed on Monday, January 11, beginning at 6:30 p.m. to remove the Christmas decorations and store them away for another year. Please enter the church using the side door near the wheelchair ramp.

Zoom Bible Study resumes on Tuesday, January 12 at 7pm. We are now reading Chapters 15 and 16 of the Acts of the Apostles. 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). Each session lasts approximately 90 minutes.

If the weather or COVID or illness is preventing you from joining us in person, you can watch our Masses LIVE on Facebook at 4:30 PM on Saturdays and 10:00 AM on Sundays as well as all Holyday Masses.  If you miss us LIVE, you can check out the recording later on YouTube.

From the Loft ~ This week’s opening hymn, Rain Down, is a favorite at Blessed Trinity. Jaime Cortez, Director of Liturgy & Music at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Scottsdale, AZ, composed this hymn in 1991 with text based on psalm 33, inviting the just to praise God – and make some noise while doing so! As we mark the end of the Christmas season today, let’s remember that, through baptism, we are open to a new world of possibilities in the year to come. As we raise our voices, let’s pray for renewed faith and Christ’s grace to fortify us throughout the days to come.

Rain down, rain down, rain down your love on your people.
Rain down, rain down, rain down your love God of life.

Faithful and true is the word of our God.
All of God’s works are so worthy of trust.
God’s mercy falls on the just and the right;
full of God’s love is the earth.

We who revere and find hope in our God
live in the kindness and joy of God’s wing.
God will protect us from darkness and death;
God will not leave us to starve.

God of creation, we long for your truth;
you are the water of life that we thirst.
Grant that your love and your peace touch our hearts,
all of our hope lies in You.

Rain down, rain down, rain down your love on your people.
Rain down, rain down, rain down your love God of life.

… Elizabeth Clay

Epiphany on the Jordan ~ “The season of Epiphany is an invitation to reflect on the many little ‘epiphanies’, glimpses of how things really are, which are vouchsafed us in the Gospel. This … Sunday [Jan 10], the first Sunday of Epiphany is a time to reflect on the moment when ‘the heavens opened’ at Jesus’ Baptism and we were given a glimpse of Father Son and Holy Spirit at the heart of all things. This sonnet … is a reflection on that mystery.” Rev. Malcolm Guite

Beginning here we glimpse the Three-in-one;
The river runs, the clouds are torn apart,
The Father speaks, the Sprit and the Son
Reveal to us the single loving heart
That beats behind the being of all things
And calls and keeps and kindles us to light.
The dove descends, the spirit soars and sings
‘You are belovèd, you are my delight!’

In that quick light and life, as water spills
And streams around the Man like quickening rain,
The voice that made the universe reveals
The God in Man who makes it new again.
He calls us too, to step into that river
To die and rise and live and love forever.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance ~ The annual Mass honoring Dr. King is Sunday, January 17, at 11:30am. This tribute by the Buffalo Diocese will take place at St. Anthony Parish (306 Ingham Avenue in Lackawanna). The theme of this year’s celebration is “Called by God to Serve,” and the principal celebrant will be the Most Rev. Michael W. Fisher, Bishop of Buffalo. The guest speaker will be Sister Roberta Fulton, SSMN. The Mass will be livestreamed on several platforms such as YouTube and Facebook because of COVID-19 restrictions. E-tickets will be issued to those who would like to attend in person. Further details about how to view the Mass virtually and in person via e-tickets will be provided next week. For more details please contact Althea Porter at 716-316-8395.

Interior restoration of art work in the church has already begun, and scaffolding for more extensive repairs is going up on Monday, January 11. The work is expected to continue through February 2021, so please be patient if your pew of choice is temporarily available.

Job Opportunities at Blessed Trinity ~ We have several part-time positions now available. Are you or someone you know looking for work? 

Part-time Administrative Assistant ~ General secretarial-receptionist responsibilities. Weekly church bulletin. Computer competency needed (email, data entry, Microsoft Word, Excel, PDS). Organization skills necessary. Record keeping. Flexible weekday, daytime hours/days.

Part-time General Housekeeping ~ General parish rectory housekeeping; cleaning responsibilities. Occasional laundry. 10-16 hours/month.

Part-time Maintenance Position ~ Jack-of-all-trades; general maintenance/cleaning. Familiarity with light plumbing, electrical, heating. Lawn maintenance, weekday snow removal. 1-2 days/week. Flexible hours/days. 

Send applications to Blessed Trinity RC Church, 317 Leroy Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214 (716-833-0301) or email blessedtrinitychurch [at] gmail [dot] com.

Prisoner Gift Bags for 2021 ~ We are asking those who volunteered to decorate gift bags for the 2021 Prisoner Project to return them (decorated or not) by January 31. You may place them in the box in the back pew. Thank you for donating your time and talent to continue Sr. Karen’s work of mercy.

Members of the Ladies Sodality are reminded that membership runs with the calendar year, and 2021 dues are payable in January. They are still only $5 unless you are already a “Life” member (age 80 or above), in which case you are exempt. You may give them to our membership chair, Mickey Dick, or mail them to her at 2549 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14214. Membership is open to all women of the parish, and new members are always welcome.

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 twice during December, 2020 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 take advantage of this simplified protocol and become part of our Family Promise team. 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 and join forces with another member of the team.

Is it time to update your contact information? During the past 9 months when the COVID-19 Protocols prevented many from attending church services, the ability to keep in touch by telephone, mail or email took on increased importance. Because not everyone has computer access, really important information is sent in a letter. 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? (Important, too, for contact tracing). 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 receive the bulletin electronically via email, 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.

Lectors ~ If you have not yet done so, please pick up your workbooks for the new liturgical year. They are on the first bench on the Baptismal Font side of the church.

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

News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community

Live-Streamed Daily Mass from Christ the King Church ~ Until further notice, all Masses from Christ the King Church in Snyder will be Live-Streamed at ctksnyder.org/camera-live-stream. Mass times are as follows: Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:30 pm, Sunday at 8 & 10 am, Monday-Friday at 8 am, Monday & Wednesday at 5 pm.

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.