Click here to see Masses on our facebook page
The following prayer for Spiritual Communion may be helpful when watching a televised Mass:
My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
May 11, 2021
Dear Friends in Christ:
If you linked to https://www.facebook.com/annunciationelma or annunciation.cc to watch Mass from home on the weekend, the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Mother’s Day, you could not find the Mass. There was an issue within our system connecting to Facebook: “Stream not found.” “Emergency v-mix instructions” have been installed to help us trouble shoot. I am very grateful for technical support of staff and volunteers to stream the Eucharist to those unable to celebrate in person. We have been streaming the Saturday 5:00 PM Mass to Facebook and then placing a link on our webpage. For the next three weekends more Masses will be streamed as children in our Family Faith Formation program receive their First Holy Communion. The presence of these new communicants at Eucharist will bring joy for all assembled in the church and at home. The faith community, the Body of Christ, becomes a circle of love and prayer for the boys and girls as they receive Jesus for the first time.
As you likely know Msgr. Richard Siepka has been appointed pastor of St. Philip the Apostle, Cheektowaga. Fr. Rich has been our weekend assistant for seven years. Before he assumes his new assignment, Rich will be offering Masses here – this weekend Sunday 11:00 AM and 8:00 AM on Sunday May 23rd. Please express your gratitude and best wishes to Msgr. Siepka. His sacramental ministry, thoughtful homilies and spiritual wisdom have enriched our parish. He will be missed. We wish him the very best and God’s grace as a Good Shepherd.
Sunday 5/23 is Pentecost. Church vestments and décor will be the color red symbolizing the tongues of fire over the apostles and Mary when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles. “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” (Acts 2:2-4) We have a tradition of bringing red geraniums or other red flowering plants and placing them in the sanctuary on Pentecost weekend May 22-23. Our Garden Club then plants the flowers outside. You can dress in the color red. We pray for the Holy Spirit:
“Spirit of wisdom and understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity. Spirit of right judgment and courage, guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus' way of love. Spirit of knowledge and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our everyday dealings with one another. May we respect life as we work to solve problems of family and nation, economy and ecology. Spirit of God, spark our faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and awe in your presence which penetrates all creation. Amen.”
Bishop Mike Fisher will be ordaining Deacon Charles Johnson to the priesthood on Saturday June 5th in St. Joseph Cathedral. “Fr. Charles” will be presiding and preaching here in our church at the 5:00 PM Mass on Saturday June 12th and at the 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM Masses on Sunday morning June 13th. We are blessed to have Charles with us as a deacon and to celebrate Eucharist as a newly ordained priest before he receives his first assignment as a Parochial Vicar.
Holy Name Society drive-in pickup Chicken BBQ is on Saturday June 12th. Time: Noon to sell out.
Fr. Gene Ulrich
If you wish to pray the Rosary with another voice the following links will provide you with that opportunity:
CLICK HERE to pray with a video of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary
CLICK HERE to pray with a video of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary
CLICK HERE to pray with a video of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
CLICK HERE to pray with a video of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
Click here for the Diocesan Code of Conduct for Employees and Volunteers
Click here for the Diocesan Catholic Directory
NOTICE FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE
ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF BUFFALO
Beginning in 2015, The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, N.Y., Inc. (“Foundation”) began soliciting donations to its “Upon this Rock” (“UTR”) capital and endowment campaign. The UTR campaign raised funds for many purposes, including soliciting funds for making essential upgrades to classroom facilities and technology of Christ the King Seminary (“CKS”), expanding CKS’s role as a center of retreat and religious celebration, and establishing an endowment fund for CKS. Unfortunately, in early 2020, CKS’s Board of Trustees determined that CKS would close at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year. CKS’s closure will make it impossible for the Foundation to use the UTR funds raised for CKS for their original intended purposes. However, under New York law, when the original purposes for which funds are donated become impossible to achieve, those purposes can be modified in a manner consistent with original intent by the New York State courts. For many years, CKS provided education and formation for ordained and lay ecclesial ministers in the Diocese of Buffalo and beyond. Accordingly, the Foundation has asked the New York State Supreme Court for the County of Erie to approve a modification of the purposes of UTR funds raised for CKS so that those funds can be used to support the education and formation for ordained and lay ecclesial ministry in the Diocese of Buffalo, as determined in the discretion of the Foundation’s Board.
If you have donated to UTR and would like to be heard regarding this requested modification, you may send a letter to: The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, N.Y., Inc., attention Executive Director, 795 Main Street, Buffalo, N.Y. 14203 or an email to donor.info@frcdb.org. Copies of letters or email received by the Foundation will be provided to the Court. You may also make a formal filing in the legal proceeding entitled Matter of the Modification of Endowment Funds of The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo N.Y., Inc., Erie County Index No. 814747/2020. In order for your submission to be available for the Court’s consideration, please be sure to send any letter or email, or make any filing, no later than Friday, April 9, 2021.
Mass Schedule
Weekend Masses:
Saturday 5:00 PM,
Sunday 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM
Sunday 5:00 PM
Check the bulletin each week for daily Mass schedules and Holy Day times.
Confessions
Confessions are heard each Saturday at 4:00 PM, or by appointment.
Donation in the Big Blue Barrel
for MAY:
FISH can always use paper or plastic garbage bags.
Please protect the barrel - it is not for disposal of garbage.
