Dec 14, 2014 | This Week
December 7 – December 14, 2014
Weekly Activities
Sunday, December 14 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Retrieval of Christmas decorations (in church), followed by Pastor’s Reception for parish volunteers (in rectory).
Monday, December 15 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Church ~ “Deck the Halls” Phase I: decorating the church for Christmas.
Tuesday, December 16 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall.
Wednesday, December 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Church ~ “Deck the Halls” Phase II: decorating the church for Christmas continues.
Thursday, December 18 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, December 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, December 20 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
We now have a Bingo camera with TV monitors and electronic verification! 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, December 14 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Bridget Dick Blesnuk (Requested by Family) and Irene Hodur (Requested by Family)
Monday, December 15 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 16 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)
Wednesday, December 17 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Winifred Enright (Estate)
Thursday, December 18 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members and Families of Blessed Trinity Parish (Blessed Trinity Parish)
Friday, December 19 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anthony and Teresa Hafner (Estate)
Saturday, December 20 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel – Leo Townsell (Horan Family)
Sunday, December 21 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Joan West (West Children) and Carl and Evelyn Schmelzer (Mary Schmelzer Karlis)
News from our Parish Community
Delivery Reminder ~ If you have agreed to deliver a gift to one of our parishioners who is confined to home or a senior care facility, they are available for pick-up in church this weekend, December 13 and 14.
It’s Time to “Deck the Halls” ~ We commence Phase I of our Christmas decorating efforts on Monday evening, December 15, at 6:30 p.m. Thanks to everyone who stayed after Mass on Sunday and carried the various decorations from storage into the Sanctuary. Now please come back and help put them in place. There are all kinds of tasks to do, and willing hearts and hands and Christmas spirit will make the work load light for all. The fun will continue with Phase II at the same time and place on Wednesday, December 17.
Come! We’ll Leave the Light on for You ~ An opportunity for Confession, Penance Reconciliation and Healing every day this week, sponsored by the Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo: Sunday, December 14 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at St. Katharine Drexel; Monday, December 15 from 3 – 5 p.m. at St. Joseph Hospital; Tuesday, December 16 from 6 – 9 p.m. at St. Martin de Porres; Wednesday, December 17 from 6 – 9 p.m. at Ss. Columba/Brigid; Thursday, December 18 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at St. Lawrence; Friday, December 19 from 3 – 5 p.m. at Sisters Hospital; and Saturday, December 20, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Blessed Trinity.
Our Trinity Concert Series continues on Sunday, January 11, 2015. Did you ever enjoy a Christmas present so much that you wanted to pass it on, even after the holiday season? That’s just what Music Director Nick DelBello and our concert committee had in mind when they concocted Christmas Re-Gifted. The combined choirs of Blessed Trinity and Our Lady of Pompeii, conducted and accompanied by Nick and his colleague, Peter Gonciarz, invite you to share a post-holiday concert featuring some of the choral favorites they all worked so hard to perfect for Christmas. And you and your friends will have two chances to enjoy this musical finale: Sunday, January 11, at 3 p.m. here at Blessed Trinity Church, and again on Friday, January 16, at 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Pompeii Church, 158 Lavarack Ave., Lancaster. To see photos from the last weekend’s Christmas Pie concert and reception featuring the Freudig Singers of WNY and their signature pies, Click HERE.
Support Religious Communities ~ “Your generous contribution helps us to care for our retired sisters and enables our younger sisters to continue in active ministry,” writes a religious sister. Your gift to the collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious provides vital support for the retirement needs of senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests. It also helps ensure that younger members can continue the good works of their elders!
The Christmas Prison Package Project ~ Thanks to everyone who donated cocoa, decorated gift bags, and showed up on Friday, December 12, to assemble more than 2,000 presents for for men and women in the Wende and Albion correctional facilities. Sister Karen is surely smiling. Click HERE to view photos from the community volunteer effort.
A Request from Our Ushers ~ Following services and other events held in church, we find all kinds of items left in the pews: hats, gloves, scarves, eye/sun glasses, jewelry, books, toys, etc. Items are kept in the Ushers Room in the back of church near the front entrance. If you are missing something, please look at “the collection” by January 1, 2015. All unclaimed items will then be given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Thanks for your cooperation.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Christmas Nativity Sets on Display ~ The annual display of nativity sets is now taking place at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church located at 75 Hickory Street at Eagle (one block south of Clinton Street in downtown Buffalo). There are 507 creches from 57 countries with a special section for the children. Sets are made from such diverse materials as banana leaves, corn husks, newspapers, automobile parts, rice, cork, and coal. The display runs each weekend through January 4 on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. It is free and handicap accessible.
Cathedral Lessons and Carols ~ The St. Joseph Cathedral Choir will present a concert of Christmas Lessons and Carols on Saturday, December 20, at 7:30 p.m. under the direction of Organist-Choir director Tim Socha. They will be joined by The Royalton Ringers and Diane Dick, Solo Handbells. All are welcome. There will be a free-will offering. St. Joseph Cathedral is located at 50 Franklin Street, downtown Buffalo, between Church and Swan Streets. Call 716-854-5855 for more information.
Dec 14, 2014 | News & Photos
Assembly of gift bags. Photo by Derek Gee, The Buffalo News.
On Friday, December 12, 2014, Sister Karen Klimczak’s legacy Christmas Prison Package Project continued at Blessed Trinity as dozens of volunteers gathered in the church for the seventh straight year and assembled more than 2000 gift bags for men and women in the Wende and Albion correctional facilities. Sister Karen originated the project years ago so that incarcerated men would know they were not forgotten. The project has since been expanded to include women inmates. Thousands of pre-packaged food items as well as paperback books were collected from area congregations, community members and businesses, packed into hand-decorated bags and readied for delivery. Blessed Trinity’s parishioners contributed boxes of hot cocoa packets totaling approximately 4500 individual servings. To see photos from this year’s endeavor, Click HERE.
Dec 10, 2014 | Upcoming Events
Peaceprints Christmas Prison Package Project
Friday, December 12, 2014
Photo by Derek Gee, The Buffalo News
On Friday, December 12, Sister Karen Klimczak’s legacy Christmas Prison Package Project will continue at Blessed Trinity when dozens of volunteers gather in the church to assemble more than 2000 gift bags for men and women in the Wende and Albion correctional facilities. Anyone interested in assisting can join one of two shifts: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. until completion (usually about 9 p.m.). Just bring your willing hands and hearts to our church at 317 Leroy Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214. Sister Karen originated the project years ago so that incarcerated men would know they were not forgotten. The project has since been expanded to include women inmates. Thousands of pre-packaged food items as well as paperback books have been collected from area congregations, community members and businesses, but they need to be packed into hand-decorated bags and readied for delivery. Blessed Trinity’s parishioners are contributing boxes of hot cocoa packets, with a goal of 4000+ individual servings.
Dec 7, 2014 | News & Photos
The Second Concert in the 2014-15 Trinity Series
featured the Freudig Singers of Western New York
The Freudig Singers of WNY with another serving of “Christmas Pie.”
Under the direction of Roland Martin, the Freudig Singers presented A Christmas Pie. The choral menu included traditional and contemporary seasonal favorites, followed by an auction of fresh-baked-pies prepared by the singers and a pie reception for audience members.
Dec 6, 2014 | This Week
December 7 – December 14, 2014
Weekly Activities
Sunday, December 7 at 3:00 p.m. in church ~ Freudig Singers in Concert – A Christmas Pie.
Monday, December 8 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall.
Thursday, December 11 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
Friday, December 12 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in church ~Assembly of gift bags for Prison Project.
Friday, December 12 from 6:00 p.m. until completion ~Assembly of gift bags for Prison Project in church.
Saturday, December 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, December 13 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
Sunday, December 14 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Retrieval of Christmas decorations (in church), followed by Pastor’s Reception for parish volunteers (in rectory).
We now have a Bingo camera with TV monitors and electronic verification! 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, December 7 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Norine Hackney (Requested by The Dunnigan Family) and Joan West (Requested by West Children)
Monday, December 8 ~ Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception ~ Mass at 6:00 p.m. – Members of Blessed Trinity Parish
Tuesday, December 9 ~ St. Juan Diego ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members and Families of Blessed Trinity Parish (Parishioners)
Wednesday, December 10 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anthony and Teresa Hafner (Estate)
Thursday, December 11 ~ St. Damasus I ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)
Friday, December 12 ~ Our Lady of Guadalups ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anna Snyder (Estate)
Saturday, December 13 ~ St. Lucy ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel – Bud and Anne Horan O’Connor (Family)
Sunday, December 14 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Bridget Dick Blesnuk (Family) and Irene Hodur (Family)
The Freudig Singers of WNY with another serving of “Christmas Pie.”
News from our Parish Community
The Trinity Concert Series continues on Sunday, December 7, at 3:00 p.m. when The Freudig Singers of Western New York present “A Christmas Pie,” a delectable concert of traditional and contemporary seasonal favorites. Under the direction of award-winning organist/choral composer and arranger Roland E. Martin, the Freudig Singers are celebrating their 30th anniversary. The choral menu includes such standards as G.R. Woodward’s arrangement of “Ding-dong-ding,” Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” and Jay Livingston/Ray Evans’ “Silver Bells.” Also included on the program are more recent works: Sidney King’s “Gabriel’s Message,” Martin Wimmer’s “All is Quiet, All are Sleeping,” and the stunning “Night of Dreams” by Valerie Showers Crescenz. The singers will also perform a piece composed especially for the occasion by King. The Louisville-based musician has dedicated his newest composition, “Gifts for a King,” to the Freudig Singers. Following tradition, the concert concludes with a fresh-baked-pie reception for audience members, as well as a pie auction featuring signature pies prepared by each of the singers. A delicious treat for the ears, the soul and the taste buds! Tickets are $10.00 each in advance and at the door. To see photos from the concert and reception, Click HERE.
Assembly of gift bags. Photo by Derek Gee, The Buffalo News.
The Cocoa Challenge Ends Sunday December 7 ~ Your donations of Instant Hot Chocolate should be here this Sunday. Forgot? You may place cash donations or checks payable to Peaceprints Prison Ministries in an envelope marked “Prisoners Gifts” and drop in the collection no later than Monday, December 8. Decorated gift bags are also due back at that time. Package assembly will take place in church on Friday, December 12. Anyone interested in assisting can join one of two shifts: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. until completion (usually about 9 p.m.). No reservation is required; just show up with willing hands and heart. To learn more about Sr. Karen’s vision and the history of this project, Click HERE.
Holy Day Mass ~ Monday, December 8 is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patronal Feastday of our nation. We will observe this Holy Day of Obligation with Mass on Monday evening at 6:00 p.m.
The Ladies Sodality Christmas dinner is Wednesday, December 10, at 6:00 pm. at The Family Tree Restaurant, 4346 Bailey Ave, Amherst, NY. The menu includes Stuffed Pork Lion, Baked Fish or Pot Roast dinner, all served with a salad, baked potato and pita bread and rice pudding for dessert. Please make your payment of $27.00 per person to Patty Gallisdorfer. Checks should be made payable to the Ladies Sodality of Blessed Trinity.
Gifts for our Shut-ins will be ready for pickup and delivery at weekend Masses on December 13 and 14. If you are willing to deliver a gift bag and visit with one of the fourteen recipients, please Click HERE and leave a message for Mickey Dick.
A Request from Our Ushers ~ Following services and other events held in church, we find all kinds of items left in the pews: hats, gloves, scarves, eye/sun glasses, jewelry, books, toys, etc. Items are kept in the Ushers Room in the back of church near the front entrance. If you are missing something, please look at “the collection” by January 1, 2015. All unclaimed items will then be given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Thanks for your cooperation.
Attention Readers ~ Please stop in the Priests’ Sacristy after Mass and pick up your copies of the 2015 Workbook for Readers.
Musical Mentors ~ Thanks to Dan Korchowsky who donated his tools and talent and installed the recently dedicated photo of Bridget Blesnuk on our musical wall of fame. The photograph, along with those of her musical predecessors Msgr. Henry S. Kawalec and Ms. Ethel M. Grabenstatter, can be viewed on the west (rectory) side staircase to the choirloft.
Assistance Available ~ Catholic Charities stands ready to assist individuals and families in the aftermath of Snowvember 2014. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance with basic needs as a result of the storm, you can call any Catholic Charities community-based office for help. Call weekdays between 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. at 716-218-1650 for information or an appointment. Those seeking assistance should bring proof of identification for everyone in the household, along with applicant’s proof of address and proof of income. This follows Catholic Charities’ emergency assistance procedures and determines eligibility for the kinds of assistance they can provide.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Blessed Sacrament Church Celebrates Advent with two special programs. “Do Your Hear What I Hear?” is a program of Christmas carols in song and story which explains the origins of the lyrics and the music. It will be presented on from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, December 7. A Taize Prayer Service, a devotion in song, scripture, and silence, will be offered on Sunday, December 14, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Come join us for this opportunity to nurture our faith as we prepare for the birth of Christ on December 25. Both programs will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church 1029 Delaware Avenue. Parking is available behind the Catholic Academy of West Buffalo.
Christmas Nativity Sets on Display ~ The annual display of nativity sets is now taking place at Ss. Columba-Brigid Church located at 75 Hickory Street at Eagle (one block south of Clinton Street in downtown Buffalo). There are 507 creches from 57 countries with a special section for the children. Sets are made from such diverse materials as banana leaves, corn husks, newspapers, automobile parts, rice, cork, and coal. The display runs each weekend through January 4 on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. It is free and handicap accessible.
Nov 30, 2014 | This Week
November 30 – December 7, 2014
Weekly Activities
Tuesday, December 2 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall.
Thursday, November 4 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played.
Saturday, December 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, December 6 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
Sunday, December 7 at 3:00 p.m. in church ~ Freudig Singers in Concert – A Christmas Pie.
We now have a Bingo camera with TV monitors and electronic verification! 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, November 30 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Edward J. Hodur (Requested by Family) and Living and Deceased Members of the Caputi, Gentile and Krustapentus Families (Requested by Charlotte Oczek)
Monday, December 1 ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 2 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Catherine M. Maher (Estate)
Wednesday, December 3 ~ St. Francis Xavier ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anthony and Teresa Hafner (Estate)
Thursday, December 4 ~ St. John Damascene ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anna Snyder (Estate)
Friday, December 5 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Winifred Enright (Estate)
Saturday, December 6 ~ St. Nicholas ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel – Philomena M. Vaillancourt (Jim and Gayle Eagan) and Bernadette Dorsheimer (Family)
Sunday, December 7 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Norine Hackney (The Dunnigan Family) and Joan West (West Children)
Monday, December 8 ~ Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception ~ Mass at 6:00 p.m. – Members of Blessed Trinity Parish
News from our Parish Community
The Cocoa Challenge is Entering the Home Stretch ~ We want to cross the finish line next Sunday, December 7, with 4,200 packets of Instant Hot Cocoa. Keep in mind last Sunday’s Gospel, “I was … in prison and you visited me,” and support the Christmas Prison Package Project begun by Sr. Karen Klimczak as a message of forgiveness and non-violence. Package assembly will take place in church on Friday, December 12. Anyone interested in assisting can join one of two shifts: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. until completion (usually about 9 p.m.). To learn more about Sr. Karen’s vision and the history of this project, Click HERE.
The Ladies Sodality will hold its Christmas dinner Wednesday, December 10, at 6:00pm. at The Family Tree Restaurant, 4346 Bailey Ave, Amherst, NY. The menu includes Stuffed Pork Lion, Baked Fish or Pot Roast dinner, all served with a salad, baked potato and pita bread and rice pudding for dessert. The cost is 27.00 per person, and reservations are being accepted through Monday, December 1. Checks should be made payable to the Ladies Sodality of Blessed Trinity. Click HERE to make your reservation with Patty Gallisdorfer.
The Trinity Concert Series Continues on Sunday, December 7, at 3:00 p.m. when The Freudig Singers of Western New York will present “A Christmas Pie,” a delectable concert of traditional and contemporary seasonal favorites. Under the direction of award-winning organist/choral composer and arranger Roland E. Martin, the Freudig Singers are celebrating their 30th anniversary. The choral menu includes such standards as G.R. Woodward’s arrangement of “Ding-dong-ding,” Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” and Jay Livingston/Ray Evans’ “Silver Bells.” Also included on the program are more recent works: Sidney King’s “Gabriel’s Message,” Martin Wimmer’s “All is Quiet, All are Sleeping,” and the stunning “Night of Dreams” by Valerie Showers Crescenz. The singers will also perform a piece composed especially for the occasion by King. The Louisville-based musician has dedicated his newest composition, “Gifts for a King,” to the Freudig Singers. Following tradition, the concert concludes with a fresh-baked-pie reception for audience members, as well as a pie auction featuring signature pies prepared by each of the singers. A delicious treat for the ears, the soul and the taste buds! Tickets are $10.00 each in advance and at the door. For individual tickets, group sales and further information, please call Elizabeth Bailey Sands at 716-551-6870.
Looking Ahead to Holy Day ~ Monday, December 8, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patronal Feastday of our nation. Please join us for our celebration of Mass at 6:00 p.m. This is a Holy Day of Obligation.
Gifts for our Shut-ins will be ready for pickup and delivery at weekend Masses on December 13 and 14. If you are willing to deliver a gift bag and visit with one of the fourteen recipients, please Click HERE and leave a message for Mickey Dick.
Attention Readers ~ Please stop in the Priests’ Sacristy after Mass and pick up your copies of the 2015 Workbook for Readers.
Musical Mentors ~ Thanks to Dan Korchowsky who donated his tools and talent and installed the recently dedicated photo of Bridget Blesnuk on our musical wall of fame. The photograph, along with those of her musical predecessors Msgr. Henry S. Kawalec and Ms. Ethel M. Grabenstatter, can be viewed on the west (rectory) side staircase to the choirloft.
Assistance Available ~ Catholic Charities stands ready to assist individuals and families in the aftermath of Snowvember 2014. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance with basic needs as a result of the storm, you can call any Catholic Charities community-based office for help. Call weekdays between 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. at 716-218-1650 for information or an appointment. Those seeking assistance should bring proof of identification for everyone in the household, along with applicant’s proof of address and proof of income. This follows Catholic Charities’ emergency assistance procedures and determines eligibility for the kinds of assistance they can provide.
Special Collection on November 22/23 ~ Thank you for your contributions to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). Your generous gifts will help CCHD end the poverty in the United States through better education, improved housing, and economic development. Through CCHD and its beneficiaries, we help keep Catholic social teaching alive and carry out Jesus’ mission to “bring glad tidings to the poor … to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free” (Lk 4:18).
Catholics Come Home ~ This Christmas, the Diocese of Buffalo will be airing a media campaign called “Catholics Come Home.” This represents a great opportunity for each of us. We all know Loved Ones who no longer practice their faith. And we pray constantly for their return. What if a Loved One saw a “Catholics Come Home” message and returned this Christmas? Well this Christmas, many of our Loved Ones will return here, inspired in part by the Catholics Come Home campaign which has already helped nearly half a million people to return to Jesus and His Church, elsewhere in the United States. Starting this Christmas, we will send the message, loud and clear, that we want Catholics back home with us. And you can help! Support our campaign. Visit CatholicsComeHome.org and share this invitation with those you know. Discuss these messages when they air on TV or through social media. How appropriate that at Christmas we have a chance to share the greatest gift of all, our faith.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Blessed Sacrament Church Celebrates Advent with two special programs. “Do Your Hear What I Hear?” is a program of Christmas carols in song and story which explains the origins of the lyrics and the music. It will be presented on from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, December 7. A Taize Prayer Service, a devotion in song, scripture, and silence, will be offered on Sunday, December 14, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Come join us for this opportunity to nurture our faith as we prepare for the birth of Christ on December 25. Both programs will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church 1029 Delaware Avenue. Parking is available behind the Catholic Academy of West Buffalo.
Children Are Our Most Valuable Resource ~ For new mothers and moms-to-be in Erie and Niagara Counties, Catholic Charities Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program provides food, participant-centered nutrition education and referrals for eligible pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants and children under the age of 5. Visit http://www.ccwny.org for more information or call 716-218-1400.
Nov 23, 2014 | This Week
Detail of church’s stained glass skylight, the theme of which is Christ the King. “The central panel shows Christ reigning as Lord of the kingdom that we pray will come.” Surrounding panels contain figures of angels and symbols both of Christ’s suffering and His glorification.
Photo credit: Jeannette Pikturna.
November 23 – November 30, 2014
Weekly Activities
Sunday, November 23 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Ladies Sodality Meeting in St. Charles Hall.
Tuesday, November 25 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. ~ Choir Rehearsal in St. Charles Hall.
Thursday, November 27 ~ THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY – NO Bingo will be played.
Saturday, November 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, November 29 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
We now have a Bingo camera with TV monitors and electronic verification! 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, November 23 ~ Christ the King ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Bridget Dick Blesnuk (Requested by Husband and Parents) and Joan West (Requested by West Children)
Monday, November 24 ~ Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. – Margaret E. O’Donnell
Monday, November 24 ~ Mass of Christian Burial at 2:00 p.m. – Frederick M. Reger
Tuesday, November 25 ~ St. Catherine of Alexandria ~ Deceased Members and Families of Blessed Trinity Parish (Parishioners)
Wednesday, November 26 ~ NO SERVICE
Thursday, November 27 ~ Thanksgiving Day ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – For All Who Are Needy and Lonely
Friday, November 28 ~ NO SERVICE
Saturday, November 29 ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel – Gertrude Geiger Eagan (Jim and Gayle Eagan) and Bernadette Dorsheimer (Family)
Sunday, November 30 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Edward J. Hodur (Family) and Living and Deceased Members of the Caputi, Gentile and Krustapentus Families (Charlotte Oczek)
News from our Parish Community
Thanksgiving at Blessed Trinity ~ Mass will be celebrated Thursday, November 27, at 10:00 a.m. Please join us to begin the celebration around the table of the Lord. “In grateful thanksgiving, we raise our hands in prayer for all we have, that God might also bless others through us, and that with each memory of God’s goodness our hearts might overflow with joy!” As a response to the mission of the Gospel to feed the hungry and care for the poor, we invite you to bring non-perishable food items for Blessed Trinity’s Helping Hands Food Pantry.
The Ladies Sodality will hold its Christmas dinner Wednesday, December 10, at 6:00pm. at The Family Tree Restaurant, 4346 Bailey Ave, Amherst, NY. The menu includes Stuffed Pork Lion, Baked Fish or Pot Roast dinner, all served with a salad, baked potato and pita bread and rice pudding for dessert. The cost is 27.00 per person; checks should be made payable to the Ladies Sodality of Blessed Trinity. Click HERE and make your reservation with Patty Gallisdorfer no later than Monday, December 1.
Gifts for our Shut-ins ~ Please remember that Sunday, November 30, is the Sodality’s target date for collecting all donated items and cash contributions for Christmas gift bags for home bound parishioners (9 women) and those in senior care facilities (3 women and 2 men). Members need time to shop and prepare gift bags before turning their attention to the Christmas Prison Project, so please help by shopping early and placing your new, unwrapped items in the designated basket near the statue of St. Joseph. Some suggestions: fleece throws, sweatpants, shawls or shrugs, socks, eye glass wipes, clips or combs to hold long hair, large print puzzle books, or cash for a hair cut or shampoo & set. Ready-to-eat food items such as jam, jelly, toaster pastries; gelatin, fruit or pudding cups; or “add water” mixes; e.g., soup cups, single-serving oatmeal packets, tea, cocoa or coffee are also acceptable for the home bound. If you are willing to deliver a gift bag and visit with its recipient, please Click HERE and leave a message for Mickey Dick.
Join the Cocoa Challenge ~ The Cocoa Challenge is underway, and we need YOU! Blessed Trinity’s goal is 4,200 individual packets of instant hot cocoa mix to help fill 2,100 gift bags for inmates of Wende and Albion correctional facilities. With a December 7 deadline, we have only three more weekends to make our goal. Put it on your “to do” list today. Cash donations or checks payable to Peaceprints Prison Ministries may be placed in an envelope marked “Prisoner Gifts” and dropped into the weekend collection. These monetary donations will be used to purchase items not donated. At last Sunday’s coffee hour, 130 gift bags were distributed for decoration and more are available. Leave a message for Amy Johnson by clicking HERE if you want to help decorate gift bags.Watch for future posts with details about the actual packaging, which will take place at our church on Friday, December 12.
The Trinity Concert Series Continues on Sunday, December 7, at 3:00 p.m. when The Freudig Singers of Western New York will present “A Christmas Pie,” a delectable concert of traditional and contemporary seasonal favorites. Under the direction of award-winning organist/choral composer and arranger Roland E. Martin, the Freudig Singers are celebrating their 30th anniversary. The choral menu includes such standards as G.R. Woodward’s arrangement of “Ding-dong-ding,” Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” and Jay Livingston/Ray Evans’ “Silver Bells.” Also included on the program are more recent works: Sidney King’s “Gabriel’s Message,” Martin Wimmer’s “All is Quiet, All are Sleeping,” and the stunning “Night of Dreams” by Valerie Showers Crescenz. The singers will also perform a piece composed especially for the occasion by King. The Louisville-based musician has dedicated his newest composition, “Gifts for a King,” to the Freudig Singers. Following tradition, the concert concludes with a fresh-baked-pie reception for audience members, as well as a pie auction featuring signature pies prepared by each of the singers. A delicious treat for the ears, the soul and the taste buds! Tickets are $10.00 each in advance and at the door. For individual tickets, group sales and further information, please call Elizabeth Bailey Sands at 716-551-6870.
Special Collection on November 22/23 ~ The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) needs your help. CCHD was founded to end the cycle of poverty in the United States by funding organizations that help people help themselves. With the tradition of improving education, housing situations, and economic development, CCHD continues to make a positive impact in communities nationwide. Your contribution will defend human dignity and help those living on the margins of our society. Please give generously to the CCHD Collection.
Congratulations to the following Canisius High School students wh0 have achieved academic honors: Marquis Draper – 12th grade (Second Honors), Jonathan Sands – 10th grade (Second Honors), Robert Sands – 12th grade (First Honors).
Decorative stenciling surrounds the windows in our Daily Mass Chapel.
Saturday Mass Change – As of October 4 and continuing through the winter heating season, we are celebrating Mass at 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays in the Daily Mass Chapel (priest’s sacristy). We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with this change. The two side entrances of the church will be unlocked for easy access through the church to the Chapel.
Catholics Come Home ~ This Christmas, the Diocese of Buffalo will be airing a media campaign called “Catholics Come Home.” This represents a great opportunity for each of us. We all know Loved Ones who no longer practice their faith. And we pray constantly for their return. What if a Loved One saw a “Catholics Come Home” message and returned this Christmas? Well this Christmas, many of our Loved Ones will return here, inspired in part by the Catholics Come Home campaign which has already helped nearly half a million people to return to Jesus and His Church, elsewhere in the United States. Starting this Christmas, we will send the message, loud and clear, that we want Catholics back home with us. And you can help! Support our campaign. Visit CatholicsComeHome.org and share this invitation with those you know. Discuss these messages when they air on TV or through social media. How appropriate that at Christmas we have a chance to share the greatest gift of all, our faith.
Important Scholarship Information ~ The Albert Lenhard Family Scholarship Fund was established in 1985 through a bequest of the estate of Albert M. Lenhard to assist applicants who want to continue their formal education beyond high school at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Applications are due by December 29. Information including criteria and eligibility requirements has been posted at the two side church entrances. If you are interested, we have available copies of the application forms. Please contact/see Sister Barbara. Thank you.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Blessed Sacrament Church Celebrates Advent with two special programs. “Do Your Hear What I Hear?” is a program of Christmas carols in song and story which explains the origins of the lyrics and the music. It will be presented on from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, December 7. A Taize Prayer Service, a devotion in song, scripture, and silence, will be offered on Sunday, December 14, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Come join us for this opportunity to nurture our faith as we prepare for the birth of Christ on December 25. Both programs will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church 1029 Delaware Avenue. Parking is available behind the Catholic Academy of West Buffalo.
Children Are Our Most Valuable Resource ~ For new mothers and moms-to-be in Erie and Niagara Counties, Catholic Charities Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program provides food, participant-centered nutrition education and referrals for eligible pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants and children under the age of 5. Visit http://www.ccwny.org for more information or call 716-218-1400.
Nov 20, 2014 | Upcoming Events
The Freudig Singers of Western New York present “A Christmas Pie”
Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 3:00 p.m.
A delicious treat for the ears, the soul and the taste buds.
The Freudig Singers of Western New York present “A Christmas Pie,” a delectable concert of traditional and contemporary seasonal favorites. Under the direction of award-winning organist/choral composer and arranger Roland E. Martin, the Freudig Singers are celebrating their 30th anniversary. Their “Christmas Pie” concerts are a highly-anticipated holiday tradition, and this year’s offering is no exception. The choral menu includes such standards as G.R.Woodward’s arrangement of “Ding-dong-ding,” Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” and Jay Livingston/Ray Evans’ “Silver Bells.” Also included on the program are more recent works: Sidney King’s “Gabriel’s Message,” Martin Wimmer’s “All is Quiet, All are Sleeping,” and the stunning “Night of Dreams” by Valerie Showers Crescenz. The singers will also perform a piece composed especially for the occasion by Louisville-based musician King, who has dedicated his newest composition, “Gifts for a King,” to the Freudig Singers.
The concert concludes with a fresh-baked-pie reception for audience members, including an auction of signature pies prepared by each of the singers. Tickets are $10.00 each in advance and at the door. For individual tickets, group sales and further information, please call Elizabeth Bailey Sands at (716) 551-6870.
Nov 20, 2014 | Upcoming Events
Peaceprints Christmas Prison Package Project
Friday, December 12, 2014
Photo by Derek Gee, The Buffalo News
On Friday, December 12, Sister Karen Klimczak’s legacy Christmas Prison Package Project will continue at Blessed Trinity when dozens of volunteers gather in the church to assemble more than 2000 gift bags for men and women in the Wende and Albion correctional facilities. Anyone interested in assisting can join one of two shifts: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. until completion (usually about 9 p.m.). Just bring your willing hands and hearts to our church at 317 Leroy Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214. Sister Karen originated the project years ago so that incarcerated men would know they were not forgotten. The project has since been expanded to include women inmates. Thousands of pre-packaged food items as well as paperback books will be collected from area congregations, community members and businesses, but they need to be packed into hand-decorated bags and readied for delivery. Blessed Trinity’s parishioners are contributing boxes of hot cocoa packets, with a goal of 4000+ individual servings. Click HERE to see ways in which you can help, and read about The Cocoa Challenge.
Nov 16, 2014 | This Week
This week includes the feast days of two holy women who are depicted in Joseph Mazur’s procession of saints in the church dome. St. Elizabeth (November 17) who was the daughter of the King of Hungary wears a crown and appears as the second standing figure from the right. St. Cecilia (November 22), patron saint of musicians, is the kneeling figure at the far right. Photo credit: Gary Kelley.
November 16 – November 24, 2014
Weekly Activities
Sunday, November 16, following the 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Coffee Hour in St. Charles Hall, hosted by The Choir.
There will be NO Choir Rehearsal this week.
Wednesday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. ~ Parish Council Meeting in St. Charles Hall.
Thursday, November 20 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, November 22 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 Noon ~ Helping Hands Food Pantry in St. Charles Hall.
Saturday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m. ~ Bingo will be played in St. Charles Hall.
Sunday, November 23 following 10:00 a.m. Mass ~ Ladies Sodality Meeting in St. Charles Hall.
We now have a Bingo camera with TV monitors and electronic verification! 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, November 16 ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Norine Hackney (Requested by Ed Marien) and Margaret Schimpf – Birthday Remembrance (Requested by Family)
Monday, November 17 ~ St. Elizabeth of Hungary ~ Communion Service at 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, November 18 ~ Dedication of the Basilicas of Ss. Peter & Paul; St. Rose Philippine Duchesne ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Winifred Enright (Estate)
Wednesday, November 19 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – NO Service
Thursday, November 20 ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Deceased Members of Blessed Trinity Parish (Parishioners)
Friday, November 21 ~ The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary ~ Mass at 11:00 a.m. – Anthony and Teresa Hafner (Estate)
Saturday, November 22 ~ St. Cecilia ~ Vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel – Mary Horan Roach (Family)
Sunday, November 23 ~ Christ the King ~ Mass at 10:00 a.m. – Bridget Dick Blesnuk (Husband and Parents) and Joan West (West Children)
Monday, November 24 ~ Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. – Margaret E. O’Donnell
Monday, November 24 ~ Mass of Christian Burial at 2:00 p.m. – Frederick M. Reger
News from our Parish Community
Bridget Dick Blesnuk
July 11, 1970 – June 20, 2014
Former Music Director
1991 – 2010
Musical Memories ~ On Sunday, November 16, we celebrate our musical legacy and dedicate a photo of our late music director, Bridget Blesnuk, which will be displayed with those of preceding choir directors on the west (rectory) side staircase to the choir loft. Following Mass, the Choir invites you to join them at coffee hour in St. Charles Hall.
Parish Council will meet on Wednesday, November 19, at 7 p.m. in St. Charles Hall.
Save the Date ~Women of the parish are invited to join members of our Ladies Sodality on Wednesday, December 10, at their annual Christmas Dinner. This year’s dinner will be held at the Family Tree Restaurant on Bailey Avenue in Amherst from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Join the Cocoa Challenge ~ As announced previously, your donation of Instant Hot Cocoa to the Prison Gift Project is needed. Our goal is 4,200 individual packets by December 7. Join in as we continue Sister Karen Klimczak’s message of forgiveness and non-violence to the inmates of Wende and Albion correctional facilities. No time to shop? Checks payable to Peaceprints Prison Ministries or cash donations can be placed in an envelope marked “Prisoner Gifts” and dropped into the weekend collection. We also invite you to decorate a gift bag. The requisite size bags will be available at coffee hour on November 16, and we hope you will take some home and get creative. Watch for future posts with details about the actual packaging, which will take place at our church on Friday, December 12.
Gifts for our Shut-ins ~ Please remember that Sunday, November 30, is the Sodality’s target date for collecting all donated items and cash contributions for Christmas gift bags for home bound parishioners (9 women) and those in senior care facilities (3 women and 2 men). Members need time to shop and prepare gift bags before turning their attention to the Christmas Prison Project, so please help by shopping early and placing your new, unwrapped items in the designated basket near the statue of St. Joseph. Some suggestions: fleece throws, sweatpants, shawls or shrugs, socks, eye glass wipes, clips or combs to hold long hair, large print puzzle books, or cash for a hair cut or shampoo & set. Ready-to-eat food items such as jam, jelly, toaster pastries; gelatin, fruit or pudding cups; or “add water” mixes; e.g., soup cups, single-serving oatmeal packets, tea, cocoa or coffee are also acceptable for the home bound. If you are willing to deliver a gift bag and visit with its recipient, please Click HERE and leave a message for Mickey Dick.
Special Collection on November 22/23 ~ The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) needs your help. CCHD was founded to end the cycle of poverty in the United States by funding organizations that help people help themselves. With the tradition of improving education, housing situations, and economic development, CCHD continues to make a positive impact in communities nationwide. Your contribution will defend human dignity and help those living on the margins of our society. Please give generously to the CCHD Collection.
Congratulations to the following Canisius High School students wh0 have achieved academic honors: Marquis Draper – 12th grade (Second Honors), Jonathan Sands – 10th grade (Second Honors), Robert Sands – 12th grade (First Honors).
Thank You for your contributions to the November 8/9 collection for The Catholic University of America! Your gift will make great things possible by providing direct financial aid to more than 4,000 students from dioceses across the country.
Decorative stenciling surrounds the windows in our Daily Mass Chapel.
Saturday Mass Change – As of October 4 and continuing through the winter heating season, we are celebrating Mass at 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays in the Daily Mass Chapel (priest’s sacristy). We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with this change. The two side entrances of the church will be unlocked for easy access through the church to the Chapel.
Catholics Come Home ~ This Christmas, the Diocese of Buffalo will be airing a media campaign called “Catholics Come Home.” This represents a great opportunity for each of us. We all know Loved Ones who no longer practice their faith. And we pray constantly for their return. What if a Loved One saw a “Catholics Come Home” message and returned this Christmas? Well this Christmas, many of our Loved Ones will return here, inspired in part by the Catholics Come Home campaign which has already helped nearly half a million people to return to Jesus and His Church, elsewhere in the United States. Starting this Christmas, we will send the message, loud and clear, that we want Catholics back home with us. And you can help! Support our campaign. Visit CatholicsComeHome.org and share this invitation with those you know. Discuss these messages when they air on TV or through social media. How appropriate that at Christmas we have a chance to share the greatest gift of all, our faith.
March for Life Pilgrimage ~ The Diocesan Department of Pro-Life Activities is encouraging anyone interested in attending the January 21-22, 2015 March for Life Pilgrimage to Washington, DC to make their hotel and bus reservations by December 10, 2014. Join the Buffalo Diocese and hundreds of thousands of Catholics and people of good will who will gather to pray and publicly intercede on behalf of the unborn, in the hope that this prayerful presence may open hearts, minds and souls to the fullness of the Gospel of Life in our lives and laws. For more details and information, visit www.buffalodiocese.org/prolife or call 716-847-2205.
News from our Vicariate Cluster and the Wider Community
Ask Us Anything About Your Health: A Health Expo Event ~ Free Community Seminars. Thursday November 20, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. @ Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Ave., Cheektowaga. You deserve the best, especially when it comes to understanding your health. Join our board-certified, nationally recognized physicians for a FREE evening expo all about you and your well being. Meet with expert specialists for presentations on your most pressing health issues, and have your questions answered in an easily digestible, down-to-earth manner. Plus, get free health screenings and learn about wellness services available to you right here in WNY. Hear about these topics, and more: New Ways to Treat Knee and Hip Pain; Obstretrics; Weight Loss Surgery; Fixes for Chronic Back Pain; Women’s Heart Health; Pelvic Health & Incontinence; Stroke; Surviving an Unhealthy Heart; Gynecology; Blood Vessel Health. Please register by calling (716) 447-6205 or online at www. chsbuffalo.org/events.
Blessed Sacrament Church Celebrates Advent with two special programs. “Do Your Hear What I Hear?” is a program of Christmas carols in song and story which explains the origins of the lyrics and the music. It will be presented on from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, December 7. A Taize Prayer Service, a devotion in song, scripture, and silence, will be offered on Sunday, December 14, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Come join us for this opportunity to nurture our faith as we prepare for the birth of Christ on December 25. Both programs will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church 1029 Delaware Avenue. Parking is available behind the Catholic Academy of West Buffalo.
Children Are Our Most Valuable Resource ~ For new mothers and moms-to-be in Erie and Niagara Counties, Catholic Charities Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program provides food, participant-centered nutrition education and referrals for eligible pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants and children under the age of 5. Visit http://www.ccwny.org for more information or call 716-218-1400.
