The Good News
Faith Formation Newsletter - May 2023
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Our Gathering Space Stairway
Congratulations to our Confirmands!!
Congratulations Sacrament Preparation Students
The Sacrament of First Holy Communion enables our children to become one with God by receiving the Body and Blood – the soul and divinity – of Jesus Christ through the Eucharistic meal. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is a special moment in our children’s Catholic lives where the grace given at Baptism is sealed and perfected by the Holy Spirit who strengthens them as disciples to share in the mission of Jesus Christ.
Together with Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation complete the three Sacraments of Initiation. Over these past two weeks, our parish has witnessed 3 children (and 4 adults) and youth be received into full communion with the Catholic Church through our RCIC program; 29 children received their very First Eucharist; and 37 youth received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please keep these young ones and their families in your prayers as they continue their walk with Christ!
Lord God, You are the source of all wisdom, truth and knowledge. You call us to deepen our relationship with you through the death and resurrection of your Son, and the guidance of your Holy Spirit. Be generous, Lord in sending Your Spirit upon these children, families, and catechists. Give them a hunger for wisdom and a thirst for knowledge for You. For them, and for us all, we pray, open our minds and hearts so that we may deepen our faith in you, our hope for eternal life, and our love for you and our neighbor. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Faith Fact: Easter is a season of 50 Days...not just 1
Many see the 40 days of Lent culminated by one single Sunday of celebrating the Resurrection of Christ. Yet the liturgical season of Easter is, in fact, a 50-day journey. During the Easter season we hear of the excitement of the first Christians, the power of the Holy Spirit as the new Church developed, and the conversion of many to this new faith.
The Easter season stories get to the heart of what it means to live an active, engaged Catholic Christian life. The BEST place to listen and learn about our rich history is by participating in Mass every weekend. Yes, we are busy. But Jesus invites us to set aside ONE HOUR every week to be WITH HIM. Make time as a family this season to come and hear the stories of the first Apostles and the early days of the Church from the pews.
We will hear not only from the Gospel stories, but also from the Acts of the Apostles and the Letters of St. Peter and St. Paul to the early Christians as well as from St. John as we read from the Book of Revelations. Have you heard about Peter’s miraculous healings, how difficult it was for the disciples to publicly proclaim the Resurrection (Really? A dead man came back to life?), Stephen’s stoning, or the selection of Matthias to replace Judas? Do you know about the early division among Church leaders over the issue of Gentile converts, or the division of labor among leaders and the need for what we now consider the early diaconate?
Come to listen, grow, and be nourished. It is a reminder that God’s Spirit is just as active today as it was 2,000 years ago. As we celebrate the new life appearing all around us, may we also experience new life in the Spirit in ordinary and extraordinary ways. God Bless!!
THANK YOU for your GENEROSITY!
During the season of Lent, in addition to saving our spare change for the CRS Rice Bowl Collection, our Faith Formation Families collected SCHOOL SUPPLIES to support Saint’s Place in Rochester.
Along with our parish-wide Penny Sunday collection for Saint's Place which raised $2,587, our Faith Formation students and families collected a huge variety of notebooks, index cards, loose leaf paper, markers, pens, #2 pencils, erasers, markers, rulers, scissors, folders, and many other school items. These will all go to support newly arriving refugees in Rochester. Founded in 1998, Saint’s Place has served over 16,000 refugees.
THANK YOU TO OUR HOLY TRINITY COMMUNITY!!
May 14...May Crowning of Mary at the 10:30am Mass
May 14...Family Mass for Children and Youth
May 21...Baccalaureate Mass for all Graduates at the 10:30am Mass
May 21...Last Day of Faith Formation Classes for Sunday and Family Programs
June 11...Last Children's Liturgy of the Word at 10:30am Mass, will resume in October
June 24/25...Last Masses with Fr. Tim as Pastor of Holy Trinity
July 2/3...First Masses with Fr. George as our new Pastor!!
July 9...VBS Mass at 10:30am
July 10-14...VBS at Holy Trinity
May Crowning of Mary
Happy Mother's Day on Sunday, May 14...a special day to honor our Blessed Mother Mary
What is a May Crowning?
We crown Mary in the month of May as a way to say "Thank you for saying Yes to God!" At all Masses on Mothers' Day weekend, we will have a small Marian shrine on display near the altar with vases surrounding Mary. All are welcome to bring flowers to present to her.
At the 10:30am Mass on Sunday, May 14th, all children and youth are invited to be in the procession for the crowning of our Blessed Mother. Bring some beautiful flowers from your garden to place at Mary’s altar (or we will have them available for children at the entrances). Before Mass begins, our young people will all walk into the church together with Fr. Tim for a special blessing and the Crowning of Mary with a wreath of flowers placed atop her head.
VBS 2023...Shine Jesus' Light
Holy Trinity Vacation Bible School (VBS)
Holy Trinity Vacation Bible School (VBS) July 10-14, 2023 (Monday – Friday) 9:00am – 12 Noon. Registration Fee of $40.00 per child includes a custom T-Shirt, daily snacks, and all supplies.
Children who have reached the age of 4 by July 10 through those that are entering Grade 5 in Sept. 2023 are invited to LAUNCH on a cosmic quest where they’ll have a BLAST shining JESUS' LIGHT to the world. Our VBS Adventure will be STELLAR as we rocket on an out-of-this-world adventure that’s light years of faith-building fun. Click HERE to register your camper! NEW THIS YEAR, our Grade 5 campers have the opportunity to participate in our Youth Leaders-In-Training program, see the VBS Registration link for your application!
YOUTH LEADERS in Middle and High School (Grades 6 and over) are called to join us...we can not do this without you! We also need ADULT Volunteers to help make this week a STELLAR success!! Click HERE for Youth and Adult Volunteer Registration.
NCYC Pilgrims Volunteer at Foodlink
Foodlink is a Rochester-based nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and building healthier communities by addressing both the symptoms and root causes of food insecurity. Serving as the hub of the emergency food system across a 10-county service area, Foodlink administers many programs and initiatives that aim to build the health and wealth of communities.
Our NCYC Pilgrims rolled up their sleeves during Holy Week to volunteer for a day in the Rochester facility helping with food sorting and boxing up of donations for distribution.
We are looking forward to more service opportunities as well as an upcoming Bonfire and Faith Walk together as we continue to bond and grow together preparing for our journey to NCYC in November.
Our NCYC Pilgrims need your Bottles & Cans...and your Dirty Cars!!
NCYC Car Wash August 6
Splish-Splash
Let's Raise Some CASH!!
Our NCYC Youth have done an amazing job, with the YOUR generous help, raising scholarship funds for our Holy Trinity delegation to attend the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis this November. They still need to raise almost $3,000 more! Please help them out by bringing your car in for a scrub on Sunday, August 6 in the rear parking lot after Mass!
And they are collecting your BOTTLES & CANS for redemption as well. 100% of all money raised goes directly to support their NCYC trip!! Drop them off at any parish entrance!
THANK YOU!!
Chris Stefanick (one of our Confirmation Program Presenters) is coming to Buffalo!
Calling for Catechists
Do you love God?
Do you enjoy working with children and youth?
Would you like to learn more about your faith?
God may be calling you to become a Catechist…and so are we! We are looking for Catechists, Assistant Catechists, and Substitute Catechists for a variety of age levels and programs.
As we begin to plan for our 2023/2024 Faith Formation year, we cannot continue to offer the many programs that we do without individuals willing to SHARE their faith with our children and youth...like YOU!
Please consider this opportunity and reach out to Tricia Kull for more information at tricia.kull@dor.org.
Volunteers: Creating a Safe Environment
- For more information on how to become a CASE Certified Volunteer click HERE.
- Youth Volunteers (ages 13-17) click HERE to register for our next class.
Holy Trinity Faith Formation
For more information about our programs you may contact:
- Tricia Kull, Faith Formation Coordinator at (585) 265-4750 or tricia.kull@dor.org
- Silvia Parravano, Faith Formation Admin Assistant at (585) 265-1616 x328 or Silvia.Parravano@dor.org
Programs include: Children's Liturgy, Faith Formation (Religious Education), Sacrament Preparation (Baptism, First Penance, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation), RCIC Program, Middle and High School Youth Ministry, Youth Christian Service Opportunities, Vacation Bible School (VBS) and more!
Email: wholytri@dor.org
Website: holytrinityweb.com
Location: 1460 Ridge Road, Webster, NY, USA
Phone: (585) 265-4750
Facebook: www.facebook.com/holytrinitywebster/