HOLY  SPIRIT  CHURCH

85  Dakota St    Buffalo, N.Y.  14216

875-8102

2021

Welcome to Holy Spirit Church

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We would like to welcome all who have recently joined Holy Spirit Parish.

If you would like to register please call the rectory (716)875-8102

to have the registration form mailed to you.

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Now with our NEW LIVE STREAMING CAPABILITY,

we are able to live stream every mass down into the church hall.

This will allow social distancing so that more people can attend the masses. 

Fr. Joe and the Eucharistic ministers will bring communion down stairs after communion is received in the church.

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Even though things are starting to open up, keeping everyone safe is still at the top of our priority list.  WE will still be sanitizing the church after each mass.

Thank you to all the Volunteers that help us after each mass.

And those who volunteer to help out after a funeral or wedding!

Your help is Greatly Appreciated!!!

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                                                                                                         September 15, 2021

Dear Friends in Christ,

     Yes, yet another edition of the “Covid-19 Letter to Parishioners”!  And I hope this letter finds you doing as well as any of us can be during these most unusual of times.  At this point I would presume that most of us who are eligible have been vaccinated.  There are others who have underlying health conditions which have prompted their physicians to advise against a vaccine at this time.  And, of course, at least of this writing, children under the age of 12 have not yet been able to receive a vaccine. 

     Our churches in the Diocese of Buffalo were permitted to re-open for the public celebration of Mass in mid-June of 2020.  So, at this point, we have been gathering for Mass again for the past 15 months.  I continue to follow the protocols that were mandated for the safety of all.  Some of these protocols may have been relaxed at other churches, but I have continued to keep them at Holy Spirit, because my top priority is to maintain an environment where we can worship together, receive Jesus in Communion, and support one another during these trying times, while at the same time promoting the health and peace of mind of us all.  Social distancing from non-household members continues to be our norm in church, as well as the wearing of masks when we are entering the church, going up for Communion, returning to the pew from Communion, and when we leave the church at the end of Mass.  While in the pew, mask use is optional, but not required.  Also, the church is thoroughly sanitized after each and every Mass.  Also, thanks to our new audio/visual connection, the Mass celebrated upstairs in the church is simultaneously broadcast downstairs in the Church Hall for additional space and social distancing.  Communion is then brought to all who are gathered downstairs.  I am grateful to all our parishioners who volunteer in countless ways to help Holy Spirit to be the caring and welcoming community that you and I treasure so profoundly.

     As of this writing, I would say that approximately half of our parishioners have returned to weekend Mass.  I am hoping that more will soon.  The truth is that I miss seeing you!  There are signs of some return to “normalcy;” or perhaps we will come to see it as a “new normal.”  For example, Religious Education classes resumed this past Sunday, September 12th.  Attendance was much better than it had been last year, understandably.  As is true in their weekday classroom settings, mask use is required at Religious Ed.  On the other end of the age spectrum, our parish’s seniors group, the Free Spirits, has been meeting monthly downstairs in the Church Hall, as well as for a few excursions. 

     This past Saturday, September 11th, we held our first Holy Spirit Parish Picnic in two years, since we were unable to do so last year.  We rented large tents which were set up in the Dakota parking lot and began the picnic with the Saturday 4:00pm Mass outdoors.  I was amazed at how well attended it was, perhaps the best ever.  Perhaps people just want to be able to safely gather again after so much isolation and fear.  And it was certainly a safe environment – outdoors, shaded from the sun, and with a strong wind to keep the air circulating!  Taking up the collection was a bit challenging, as an envelope or two became airborne, but only temporarily!  A couple of the younger members of the congregation quickly sprang into action, retrieved the envelopes, and returned them to the basket!  Obviously, they are in training to be future Ushers!  During the Mass, Adelmo and Dorothy Nati renewed their marriage vows, since that very day was their 60th Wedding Anniversary!  My own 34th Anniversary of Priesthood Ordination was the next day, September 12th.  The Mass itself was beautiful; but then again, every opportunity to celebrate our faith in Jesus is beautiful.

     After Mass, a freshly-grilled picnic supper of hot dogs, hamburgers and cheeseburgers, baked beans, pasta salad, potatoes and green beans was served, followed by homemade cookies and a very large cake from Romano’s Bakery.  We had hired magicians to perform a magic show for us after dinner.  I must say that I have absolutely no idea how they did what they did:  a table floating in thin air, people chained and in locked treasure chests suddenly appearing outside of the chest…it was entertaining and intriguing for both young and old alike!  And, of course, after the magic show there were some games of Bingo.  So many helped to set up, serve, and clean-up afterwards that it was truly an amazing experience of life here at Holy Spirit.  We are in the process of scheduling more special events to welcome back any who have not yet returned to our parish since the pandemic began.  If you do not have any underlying health conditions and yet are among those who have not yet come back, please call me if there’s anything I can do to reassure you that it is safe for you to do so.  Or, just simply come back!

     At the same time, as you may have read in the newspaper or seen on the television news, the Diocese of Buffalo is planning to change the structure of parishes throughout the Diocese, so your presence here may be more important than you realize. 

     But most of all, I just wanted to bring you up-to-date on some of our recent events here at Holy Spirit.  To those who have already returned to Mass here, I thank you for all you are doing to help the parish and one another.  To those whose health permits you to return, but whom I have not seen for these 18 months since the pandemic began in March 2020, I miss you, think of you often, and pray for you always! 

     And, a few pictures, and a cartoon…

                                                                                            Sincerely in Christ,

                                                                                            Father Joe

Weekend Mass Schedule

for Holy Spirit and St. Margaret's

DOING

SMALL

THINGS

 Faith

 Hope

 LOve

WITH

GREAT

LOVE