Weekend of October 28-29, 2023

Dear Friends,

            Last Saturday evening, our Blessed Trinity School families and faculty came together for our annual Trunk and Treat. The Trunk and Treat event is always a lot of fun, and it basically consists of owners of various cars backing into parking spots in our school yard, and opening their decorated trunks so that our young people, in their Halloween costumes, can go from car-to-car trick or treating. The cars/trunks are always so very creatively decorated, and the costumes of the car owners and their families are fantastic. There are also games for the children both in the school yard and in the gym, dance music, as well as food and drink that can be purchased in the foyer of the gym.

            While this annual event is always a great success, this year seemed to be extra-special. More cars than ever were decorated, and more families attended, in my opinion, than ever before. I was also happy to see a significant number of high school students, graduates of Blessed Trinity, who came out to support this event at their alma mater, with many of them in costume.

            This event was organized and carried out by our Blessed Trinity Home and School Association. This hard-working group is made up of parents (mostly mothers, actually) of our BTCS students who put their heart and soul into every event they plan, for the benefit of our students and the entire Blessed Trinity community. Not only do these events support us financially, but they also build strong community among our students, their parents and families, our teachers and staff members, as well as our parish community. The Trunk and Treat was one of many events the Home and School Association organizes each school year, and I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of Mrs. Pfeiffer, our Principal, and myself, and all of us, to thank them for their hard work and effort. Everything you do is appreciated, and nothing goes unnoticed!

As we celebrate Halloween (which literally means, of course, “All Hallows [or All Saints] Eve,” and begin the month of November this week, we are reminded of that “great company of witnesses” we have in heaven, the saints, who guide us and intercede for us and show us the way to go where they have gone before. This month annually reminds us of all our beloved dead, those who, as the liturgy reminds us, “have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.” As we ask the saints, particularly during this autumn time, to continue to intercede for us before the throne of God, let us remember especially our loved ones and friends who have died, that our prayers may help them gain the reward promised to all those who are faithful.

I’d once more like to call your attention to a few important points, as we move into November:
 

1. ALL SAINTS DAY – Wednesday, November 1^st – This is a holyday of obligation. Masses will be celebrated at Saint Timothy at 6:30 and 8:30 A.M., and 12:05 and 7:00 P.M. Mass will be celebrated at Saint Bartholomew at 10:00 A.M.

 

2. ALL SOULS DAY (The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed) – Thursday, November 2^nd – As you know, on All Souls Day we commemorate all of our beloved dead. Our Masses on this day will be celebrated at Saint Timothy at 8:30 A.M. in the lower church and at 7:00 P.M. in the upper church.

 

3. SOLEMN MASS TO COMMEMORATE ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED – Thursday, November 2^nd  -  This Mass, which will be celebrated on this day at 7:00 P.M. in Saint Timothy’s upper church, will, in a special way, commemorate all of our faithful departed. We will remember by name all those who were buried from both Saint Bartholomew Church and Saint Timothy Church this past year.

 

4. BOOK OF THE NAMES OF THE DEAD – Our Book of the Names of the Dead is now open. A book is placed by the baptismal font in Saint Timothy’s upper church and by the baptismal font in Saint Bartholomew’s Church. You are invited to write the names of your beloved dead in this book so that all of us may pray for all the faithful departed. These books will be enshrined in our churches throughout the month of November.

 

5. ALL SOULS REMEMBRANCES – The All Souls envelopes, upon which you are able to write the names of your beloved deceased, will be placed next to the tabernacles in Saint Timothy and Saint Bartholomew Churches throughout the month of November, as a reminder that we remember all the faithful departed, especially in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. There are extra envelopes available at all the doors of the church.

            Know that you and those you love are daily remembered in my Mass and my prayers.

                                                                                    Love and prayers,
                                                                                    Father Olivere