My dear family of Holy Trinity Church.

As I said to you in my last weekend bulletin, October is the month of the Rosary. Our mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary is very special for all of us because Jesus gave her to us when he was on the Cross, “When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple there whom He loved, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27). We pray the rosary because we believe that Mary, our mother, always is showing us Jesus and, at the same time, she is leading us to Jesus.

Our Lady of Rosary is not the only advocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are more than 30,000 Marian advocations of Mary. Some of them are: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Our Lady of Rosary, Our Lady of las Lajas, Our Lady of Coromoto, Our Lady of Chinquiquirá, Our Lady of the Snow, Our Lady of the Milk, Our Lady Queen of Peace, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and so on. Depending on the place of the apparition of our mother, she receives a different name. One of these places is Medjugorje. Probably, some of you have heard this place before, and even some of you have been there.

On September 19, 2024, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued “The Queen of Peace,” a note about the spiritual experience connected with Medjugorje. According to Bishop Matano, “The Dicastery, with the approval of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, grants approval for devotion linked to Medjugorje, but at the same time withheld making any declaration on the supernatural character of the Marian apparitions.” That means that having a pilgrimage, a spiritual experience in Medjugorje is an act of devotion which will help us in our relationship with the Lord by the hand of our mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am always available to explain what the Church says about Medjugorje in case that you have questions.

Some of you know that I will go to Medjugorje this coming May 2025. I am very excited for this wonderful opportunity to travel and have a closer relationship with the Lord in this place. Some of you will go with me! I hope we have a delightful pilgrimage. If you are also interested to join me in this fantastic adventure, you can contact me to know more about it. Moreover, in the parish boards you can find information about this pilgrimage.

The Blessed Virgin Mary helps us always to be closer to the Lord. Regardless of what is your favorite advocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, through her intercession, let us always worship the Lord. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His mother to be with us, so let us love and honor her always.

Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.

God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez

Pilgrimage to Medjugorje

May 22-31, 2025

with spiritual leaders:
Fr. Jorge Ramirez & Dcn. Leo Flynn

Learn More

My dear family of Holy Trinity Church,

During years, the Roman Catholic Church, and of course our parish, has been evangelizing and making disciples for the Lord. For this reason, Holy Trinity Church has had the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, which commonly was called RCIA. Probably some of you participated with love and enthusiasm to become Catholics or to receive the fullness of the Sacraments through RCIA during Easter Vigil.

RCIA has been a wonderful experience for all of us, including for our parish who with love and dedication has been preparing and teaching all candidates and catechumens of our parish family. However, we do not have RCIA anymore. Why is the reason for this? Well… the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), after several meetings and guided by the action of the Holy Spirit, concluded that the Sacraments of Christian Initiation cannot only be limited by the rites, but they should be a continued and intimate relationship with the Lord. Hence, the USCCB changed the name from RCIA to OCIA, which means the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults. So, what is OCIA? It is a process leading conversion of the heart and a closer relationship with Jesus who invites us to follow Him.

OCIA brings the opportunity that any adult joins us in our faith through the sacrament of Baptism or through the reception in our faith if the person was already baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit in another Christian faith. In addition, OCIA brings the opportunity to those adult people who are already baptized Catholic to receive the other sacraments such as Confirmation, Communion, and Reconciliation.

If you know someone, or even yourself, who has questions about our Catholic faith and how they (or you) can receive these sacraments, please invite them to an informative meeting on September 8 at noon in the Marian Room in our parish, which is the office level below the church. You can also call Mary Kramer, our OCIA coordinator, at (585) 265 1616. She will be happy to answer your questions. I am also here to help you in this discernment in this journey to our Catholic faith.

Finally, I encourage all of you to pray for all people who are discerning to join us.

Remember, “The Parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.” God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez

St. Paul writes in the Letter to the Romans that the love of God poured forth on us by Christ brings a Hope that “Does not disappoint.” God’s promises made to humankind will not fail. It’s a sure thing.

Paul contrasts this one hope with all the other things that have disappointed us in life. He was familiar with constant disappointment and hardship. You and I have also seen our hopes come to nothing. Careers, relationships, health and finances can all go sour. There can develop a cynicism or even despair. “Don’t start hoping it hurts too much”, we tell ourselves.

Look at our children and the young generation called “Millennials”. Their eyes are bright, their hopes and dreams burn in their hearts. Parents smile . . . perhaps a sad smile, as they imagine the disappointments that inevitably come. We want to protect them or warn them of the hurt that awaits. Why? Because it happened to us.

Think of what you’ve hoped for:

• True and lasting spousal love – Good friends for life
• Healthy, happy children – Success and recognition of one’s efforts
• Rewarding work – Some financial security
• Good health – Peace of heart about the life you chose

I’m sure these are on your list in some fashion. What else?

We’re old enough by now to have made our peace with many of life’s disappointments. In fact with age, there’s a certain sweet sadness for what might have been. (Watch the movie “Babette’s Feast” for that beautiful message).

But do we stop hoping? What is this hope that will not disappoint? What can I bet my life on? Christians believe It lies in the words and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth. He tells us he is the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Resurrection and the Life. “I am going to prepare a place for you . . . I will come back and take you with me.”

But how do we know for sure he is all these things? We don’t want to hope in vain. St. Paul goes on to say, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us . . . while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son.” Romans 5:10.

There is no love like this anywhere else in the world   only in God through Christ. It gets better. “I have told you these things that might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

So what should we hope for? Again Jesus gives us the key . . . “If God so clothes the grass of the field, will he not much more provide for you. Seek first His Kingdom and these other things (life sustaining things) will be given you as well.” Luke 12:31

In other words, our hope lies in the promises of Christ. He promises to dwell in us here on earth and then in the fullness of the Kingdom forever. It will not disappoint.

But we must do our part. Do what Goodness tells you to do. And you will see His plan.

Gaudete!

Fr. Tim

Do you remember some of the things you used to do over and over as a kid? Little, personal and sometimes quirky activities that you’d do when things got boring or you started getting nervous?

Some children would suck their thumb. Some might bite their finger nails. Maybe you had a special blanket you would take everywhere. (Later in life my father and I battled cigarettes (I still struggle!). We call repeated actions habits; we do them without thinking. They relieve tension or anxiety and bring a mild pleasure or calming effect.

Some habits are healthy and benefit people whenever they do them. “That’s a good habit to get into,” we say. (Brush your teeth/eat your vegetables.) Other repeated actions can hurt us or others. These are bad habits. Some are bad (e.g. Lying) because the act itself is bad. We call these “sinful habits”. Others are bad because they go too far (“Too much” of anything is a bad habit) or not far enough (sloth, or carelessness) in doing the right thing.

So . . . what’s the point? It’s simple. Get in the habit of doing good things. How? All habits begin with Repetition. Doing something again and again will bring a certain ease of performance. A good thing, once rather hard to perform (choosing not to gossip) can, with repetition, become easier. Parents, I can’t stress this enough for your children. “Repetition” of good actions is essential to finding a path to true happiness in life.

Our bodies themselves bear witness to this. Sit-ups/push-ups (yuk!) become easier with repetition. It’s really no different for our spiritual lives. Repetition makes for habit. Habit makes for virtue (an abiding strength). Virtue leads to happiness. Want to be happy? Keep on doing good. Simple eh?!

Let’s take matters of sexuality. I don’t think anyone of us is immune to the “sinful habit” that can develop in our thoughts or actions as we confront lustful images or impulses that exist within us and around us.

There is a “good habit” that can defeat this lustful impulse. It’s called “custody of the eyes”. It refers to a mental readiness to turn away from seeing things that we know go beyond “just seeing” to become “lusting”. It’s kind of like being nosy . . . with our eyes.

Here’s how it goes. Our eyes want to see everything. Some things are not ours to see (or show). We need to have a mental readiness to turn away from things we “ought not see”. (Be ready to change the channel, look away, find something else to focus on.) We do this because it carries a respect for that person. Repeated ways of acting in this way we call “modesty” and become a habit leading to the virtue of “purity”.

(Purity has gotten a bad wrap in our culture. It’s seen as prudishness or a “holier-than-thou” attitude, or even a certain fearfulness of sex. Not so! Purity is a veneration of the person as a vessel of the Holy Spirit. God dwells in each of us and therefore we are each worthy of love . . . not lust.)

The point here is to make clear these virtuous states don’t “just happen”. In fact, when left to nature, the opposite happens. Lust grows, not purity. Rumor, not truth. Selfishness, not generosity. It’s part of our fallen human nature that this tendency exists.

Let’s develop “habits of love”, actions of reverence for others and ourselves motivated by the knowledge of who we are . . . God’s beloved children. This friends is the way to JOY.

Everyone of us, God’s Children – no exceptions.

Bless your heart.

Fr. Tim

PS. A great habit? Morning prayer.

Welcome Home

Pope Francis has invited Catholic people around the world to participate in the 2021-2023 Synod with the theme of “Journeying Together”. Here at Holy Trinity, we will explore the themes of Listening and Dialogue in Church and Society.

II. Listening

Listening is the first step, but it requires having an open mind and heart, without prejudices.

To whom does our Church “need to listen to”? How are the Laity, especially young peo- ple and women, listened to? How do we integrate the contribution of Consecrated Men and Women? What space is there for the voice of minorities, the discarded, and the excluded? Do we identify prejudices and stereotypes that hinder our listening? How do we listen to the social and cultural context in which we live?

VI. Dialogue in Church and Society

Dialogue requires perseverance that includes silence and sometimes discomfort.

In the end it proves capable of gathering and understanding the experience of peoples.

Where do you find dialogue happening in the local and in the worldwide Catholic Church? How are differences of vision and their resulting conflicts addressed? Do we collaborate with neighboring dioceses or the religious orders in the area? Are there experiences of dialogue and shared commitment with believers in other religions? With nonbelievers? How can the Catholic Church dialogue with and learn from: the world of politics, economics, culture, civil society, the poor? How does the Church respond to social trends that challenge and conflict with the Faith of Jesus Christ?

All are welcome to join us on Tuesday, March 1, 7:00-8:00 PM or Saturday, March 5, 10:00-11:00 AM. Both sessions will be held in the Gathering Space.

Source: Welcome Back to Mass at HT

I Found this article by Seth Adam Smith and wanted to share his words on marriage.

Having been married only a year and a half, I’ve recently come to the conclusion that marriage isn’t for me.

Now before you start making assumptions, keep reading.

I met my wife in high school when we were 15 years old. We were friends for ten years until…until we decided we no longer wanted to be just friends. I strongly recommend that best friends fall in love. Good times will be had by all.

Nevertheless, falling in love with my best friend did not prevent me from having certain fears and anxieties about getting married. The nearer Kim and I approached the decision to marry, the more I was filled with a paralyzing fear. Was I ready? Was I making the right choice? Was Kim the right person to marry? Would she make me happy?

Then, one fateful night, I shared these thoughts and concerns with my dad.

Perhaps each of us have moments in our lives when it feels like time slows down or the air becomes still and everything around us seems to draw in marking that moment as one we will never forget.

My dad giving his response to my concerns was such a moment for me. With a knowing smile he said, “Seth, you’re being totally selfish. So I’m going to make this really simple: marriage isn’t for you. You don’t marry to make yourself happy; you marry to make someone else happy.

More than that, your marriage isn’t for yourself; you’re marrying for a family. Not just for the in-laws and all of that nonsense, but for your future children. Who do you want to help you raise them? Who do you want to influence them? Marriage isn’t for you. It’s not about you.

It was in that very moment that I knew that Kim was the right person to marry. I realized that I wanted to make her happy – to see her smile every day, to make her laugh every day. I wanted to be a part of her family, and my family wanted her to be a part of ours. And thinking back on all the times I had seen her play with my nieces, I knew that she was the one with whom I wanted to build our own family.

My father’s advice was both shocking and revelatory. It went against the grain of today’s “Walmart philosophy”, which is if it doesn’t make you happy, you can take it back and get a new one.

No, a true marriage (and true love) is never about you. It’s about the person you love-their wants, their needs, their hopes and their dreams. Selfishness demands, “What’s in it for me?” While Love asks, “What can I give?”

Some time ago my wife showed me what it means to love selflessly. For many months my heart had been hardening with a mixture of fear and resentment. Then, after the pressure had built up to where neither of us could stand it, emotions erupted. I was callous, I was selfish.

But, instead of matching my selfishness, Kim did some-thing beyond wonderful–she showed an outpouring of love. Laying aside all of the pain and anguish I had caused her, she lovingly took me in her arms and soothed my soul. I realized that I had forgotten my Dad’s advice. While Kim’s side of the marriage had been to love me, my side of the marriage had become all about me. This awful realization brought me to tears, and I promised my wife that I would try to be better.

To all who are reading this article-married, almost married, single or even the sworn bachelor or bachelorette-I want you to know that marriage isn’t for you. No true relationship of love is for you. Love is about the person you love.

And, paradoxically, the more you truly love that person, the more love you receive. And not just from your significant other, but from their friends and their family and thousands of others you never would have met had your love remained self-centered.

Truly, love and marriage isn’t for you. It’s for others.

Blessings, Fr. Tim