Week of July 12, 2026 – 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

July 12 – 19, 2026

To Live-stream the 10AM Sunday Mass, “Follow” Blessed Trinity R. C. Church on Facebook. You will receive a “notification” (under bell symbol) when we go live.

This website also includes a “Bulletins” page where visitors may view an exact copy of the weekly bulletin and inserts in PDF format, as well as a calendar for our Family of Parishes.

News from our Parish

Happening this week at Blessed Trinity:

Sunday, 7/12 – Parish 120th Anniversary Celebration at 10:00am Mass
Wednesday, 7/15 – Helping Hands Food Pantry, 9:30am-1:30pm in St. Charles Hall – Use Dewey Ave entrance.
Thursday, 7/16 – Bingo in St. Charles Hall. Doors open at 6:30pm; games begin at 8:00pm
Saturday, 7/18 – Baptism Class for children and teens, ages 7-18, at 1:00pm

One Hundred Twentieth Anniversary Celebration. At today’s worship service we marked the 120th anniversary of our formation as a parish on July 8 in 1906. A statue of Mary that was gifted to our first congregation from another church was relocated within the church’s Mary Shrine to highlight its link to the earliest days of the parish. A photo taken in the first worship site, the “Upper Room Church,” shows the statue on the right side. Our knowledge of its origins is based on the 1981 Parish History written by former pastor Rev. Walter Kern. It was Father Kern who moved the statue from the rectory basement where it had been stored for decades, to a place of prominence in St. Charles Hall in 1976 and named it “Our Lady of the Home and Neighborhood.” Restoration efforts by a parishioner in the early 2000s were unsuccessful. In 2009, local artisan and woodworker Todd Treat took up the challenge and provided a much-need makeover for the statue which is carved from a wooden log. The statue was returned to the sanctuary in 2011. At the time, Mr. Treat estimated it to be approximately 250 years old.

Happening in the Heart of Buffalo. Our July 5 bulletin included a special message from Father Bob regarding a letter from Bishop Fisher cancelling the proposed merger of our parish Family 21 with Family 23, the west side parishes of Holy Cross and Our Lady of Hope. The name that had been chosen for this unique grouping was Heart of Buffalo Catholic Community. In this weekend’s Family 21 News bulletin column, Father Bob explains why that name has been tabled for the time being, and the existing parish family of Blessed Trinity, Ss. Columba-Brigid and St. Martin DePorres will revert to its prior designation as Family 21. Please take time to read both articles by clicking on “Bulletins” at the top of the home page.

The bulletin also contains a wealth of information about other important parish/family news including: follow-up on our introduction to Pope Leo’s encyclical, weekly Mass intentions, a stewardship report, Summer Faith Camp/Vacation Bible School registration, Christ’s use of the parable in scripture, and volunteer opportunities involving “church laundry,” garden maintenance, a “welcome team,” church sacristans and “Meet the Neighbors” on August 15. Please take the time to read it each week.

Weekly Offering Envelopes – Our envelope company is again experiencing “technical difficulties,” which have prevented the delivery of your envelopes by mail. In the interim, please use the generic “Offering Envelope” found on the information table near the ramp side door.

Our Summer Faith Camp/Vacation Bible School begins on Monday, July 13. See details in the bulletin.

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.” We’d all love to believe that, but summertime also comes with its own set of essential tasks, including care of our church gardens. Are you able to commit to watering for one week? There are yellow calendars for each month through September on the information table at the ramp (east) side entrance. Find a week that works for you and enter your name in the “Sunday” square at the beginning of that week. If you’ve never done this before, there are others who will be happy to familiarize you with the location of various hose/sprinkler hookups.

We thank Deacon Don Weigel for his excellent presentation on Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, which attracted participation by more than fifty people. See Father Bob’s “On the Watch!” message in the June 21st bulletin for the five paths Pope Leo offers that “can move us beyond our fears toward bold responsibility to the Truth.”

Buffalo House of Hope. The Buffalo House of Hope is a non-profit volunteer organization providing temporary shelter for documented individuals and families who have fled dangers in their homeland. Nancy Langer and Mickey Dick, BT’s representatives to our Family’s Stewardship Pillar, were part of a team who formed a convoy from Ss. Columba-Brigid on Monday, June 22, and delivered all the personal care products, bedding, towels and cleaning products collected from our family of parishes during March. They then enjoyed a tour of the Buffalo House of Hope facility in the former convent at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Hamburg.

Bible Study will resume in the fall.

Mass is the highest and greatest form of prayer. Contact the office (716-833-0301) to request a Mass intention for yourself, your loved ones, a special need, or in thanksgiving for prayers answered. The Mass stipend or offering is $15. If a specific date is desired, please call as far in advance as possible. Our secretary, Barb Sercu, is in the office Monday – Wednesday from 10:30am to 2:30pm.

Food Pantry in Need of Volunteers ~ The Catholic Central Helping Hands Food Pantry operates EVERY Wednesday from 9:30am – 1:30pm from our St. Charles Hall at 350 Dewey Avenue. Following the “Shopper’s Choice” model, residents of zip codes 14214 & 14215 are welcome to help themselves, according to household size, to portions of carbohydrates, grains, proteins and canned vegetables. Bread and sweets are generally available. The pantry also stocks infant care items. More volunteers are needed. To learn how you might be able to help, call 716-217-0816 or email ccfp14215 [at] gmail [dot] com for information.

We play Bingo every Thursday in St. Charles Hall, 350 Dewey Ave. Doors open at 6:30pm, concessions open at 7:30, and games begin at 8:00pm. Please plan to join us. You can check the latest carryover figures on our Facebook page.

FAMILY PROMISE OF WNY: Feed the Hungry, Shelter the Homeless. Family Promise offers us the opportunity to perform these acts of charity in a very direct and personal manner. As a support congregation, Blessed Trinity parishioners purchase and deliver groceries to the Family Promise shelter at Ss. Columba-Brigid Parish. With a few more volunteers we could continue this corporal work of mercy at least one day a month. Working in pairs, you could anticipate your turn to occur every third month. We hope you will join us. If you want more background information go to the web site, www.fpwny.org, or contact their Executive Director, Luanne Firestone at 716-771-3007.

• Family Promise is certified by NYS and can house up to six families.
• It is one of only two emergency shelters in Erie County that allow fathers and teenage sons to stay with their family.
• Families are referred by the Dept. of Social Services and receive case management in finding employment and permanent housing, security deposit assistance, day care, school transport, and follow up support upon leaving the shelter.
• In 2020, the Homeless Alliance of WNY rated Family Promise with the best success rate for moving families into permanent homes.

Is it time to update your contact information? During the pandemic when 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 you are now able to attend Mass in person, 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 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 Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday 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.

Enjoy a virtual tour of our Landmark house of worship, courtesy of Buffalo Rising and Explore Buffalo. By Clicking HERE, you will be treated to both exterior and interior photos and more than a little history.