All Saints' Parish is a community of diverse people rooted in a heritage of faith united by the Eucharist and the Word of God. Following Christ's example, we seek through a variety of ministries, to know love and serve God and one another and to extend our prayer and stewardship to the missions in the spirit of all  the saints.

My Dear Parish Family,

I want to thank Mr. Lou Stich for his wonderful presentation last week. I also would like to thank those who have been generous to our parish over the years. One of the reasons it was necessary to combine parishes within the Diocese was the inability to properly maintain their upkeep because of declining members, lack of financial support, or a combination of both. Our Finance Committee during the past year has furnished you with information in the bulletin describing what is necessary to financially sustain a parish. Obviously you can see the difficulty if only one third of those registered are supporting the parish. As I said last week, over the past two years we have implemented many new activities and services for the benefit of the parish. We think it is only fair that the other two thirds of the par-ish begin to do their part.

Peace and Love
Father Joe

 

Gospel Reflection—A Family Perspective

Gospel Reflection—A Family Perspective
The folks in Nazareth were proud of Jesus, their home-grown celebrity. When he told them his mis-sion was to those outside his family and friends, they felt cheated and angry. Jesus did not back down: It is important to care for those entrusted to us in our family but we must go beyond family and care for strangers also.

Intercessory Prayer: For families trapped in the midst of violence, abuse, war and crime. That the structures that oppress them to-day will change to structures that liberate and nurture, enabling them to become communities of life and love.

 

News

Please pray for the recently deceased: Antoinette “Nina” Batt

The Holy Name Society meeting will be on Thursday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the parish hall.

The Children’s Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 14.

The Parish Council will meet in the parish hall on Wednesday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Souper Bowl of Caring - This is a national program to raise funds for food pantries & soup kitchens on Super Bowl weekend. On the weekend of February 6th & 7th, teens in our 10th grade classes will be taking monetary donations for Sr. Helen's Food Pantry. They will be col-lecting after every Mass at All Saints and St. John's.

Catholic Charities Bowl-A-Thon will be held Tues-day, February 16th from 7-10pm at Medina Lanes, Route 31 in Medina. Cost is $8.50 for three games of Moonlight Bowling & shoe rental. All money you raise will be donated to Catholic Charities. Forget to sign up, but would still like to participate, call the parish office by Monday, February 15th.

Bible Study, will now be every Monday, starting February 8 at 9:30 a.m. in the parish hall. Please note the day and time change. Join Barb Cammarata every Monday at 9:30 a.m. for “Coffee and Scripture.” Barb is a graduate of the Catholic Biblical School. If you have any questions, please call the parish office.

Look better for Valentines Day - by preparing NOW to walk or run in the upcoming ALL SAINTS God Speed 5 - 5K Walk and Run scheduled for Friday, June 11, 2010 - beginning at St. Joseph's ORATORY on Market Street. Call #434-9199 for elaboration.

Marriage Moment—Valentines Day. Repeat to each other today, “I ___, take you ____, to be my wife/husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life”. Get out your wedding pictures. Reminisce about what you‟ve been through together. Af-firm each other‟s goodness, sacrifice and love. For more tips and resources to strengthen your marriage, visit www.foryourmarriage.org. Contact you Office of Family Life Ministries at 716-847-2210 or email family-life@buffalodiocese.org for your free Marriage Spirituality Tune Up Packet for additional practical materials.

As Catholics we think of Penance for Lent as abstaining from food and giving up chocolate. Please consider a Car-bon Fast; making daily choices that take into consideration how our actions affect God‟s gift of creation. Pope Benedict XVI in his Peace message, If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation, says “Today, the great gift of God‟s Crea-tion is exposed to serious dangers and lifestyles which can degrade it.…..” Some suggestions for a Carbon Fast; Have “An Embrace the Silence Evening”. Turn of TV, iPod, etc. Silence is good for the soul. Turn off you computer at the end of the day. Then switch off the power strip your com-puter is plugged into. Unplugging computers or turning off the power strip can save up to $100 annually.

Check out the new audio CD’s in the main vesti-bule. Lighthouse Catholic Media has just released a new CD from Matthew Kelly on Family Issues. Suggested donation is $3.00 per CD

Diocesan Youth Convention, February 12-14 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. High School students who are interested in attending this year’s Youth Convention please contact the parish office.

Please mark your Calendars - GOD SPEED 5 - sched-uled for Friday, June 11, 2010 at the St. Joseph's Oratory. This 5K Walk Run will do a great deal to help YOU and your FRIENDS with: Sarcopenia (pronounced sarko-peen-ya) is the 'age-related' loss of muscle - plus assist in our growing church community. Thank you.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held every Wednesday from 12 noon to 7:15 p.m. at the Divine Mercy Chapel at St. Joseph's Oratory, 391 Market St. At 3:00 p.m. the Divine Mercy Chaplet is recited and at 4 p.m. the Rosary is prayed for peace in the Middle East.

St. Paul Miki

In the 16th century, Missionaries took the Catholic faith to Japan. Paul Miki was one who accepted Catholic teach-ings. He joined the Jesuits and be-come a great preacher, persuading many to become Christians. In 1597, Japan’s ruler turned against the Chris-tian mission and executed 26 Chris-tians, including Paul Miki. Like Jesus, Paul forgave and prayed for his perse-cutors while hanging on the cross.

St. Giuseppina (Josephine)Bakhita

In 1869, Giusseppina Bakhita was born in the Sudan. At the age of 12, she was kidnapped and made a slave. She became a Catholic nun and a true witness to God’s love. She took care of children, comforted the poor and encouraged all who came to her house. Her greatest desire was for everyone to know God. She is the first canonized saint of the Sudan.

~Presented by the Parish Education Committee~

Series on Social Justice

From Deacon Don:

In order to begin to explain better the first theme of Social Justice, which is Life and Dignity of the Human Person, it is necessary to put the human condition into context, which leads us to the account of creation of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis chapter one. “When God saw what He had made, it was very good.”(Gen 1:31) Our first parents were made in the image and likeness of God. Before their fall from grace they possessed preternatural gifts, which means that they were immortal, impassible, with freedom from ignorance, sin and any inclination to sin. They lived in a state of Original Justice, which means they had harmony with God, harmony within themselves, harmony with every-body else, and harmony with the Earth. Peace was every-where. They had lordship over the Earth. They had the supernatural gift of sanctifying grace. They lived in com-munion with God, each other, and nature. The loss of Original Justice after the fall of mankind brought on dishar-mony with God, disharmony within ourselves, disharmony with others, and disharmony with creation. We have truly fallen a long way since the Garden of Eden. Next week‟s installment will delve into the modern day issues affecting the dignity of human life.

Can You Help? The Sisters of St. Mary have a mission in the Dominican Republic and we have a Sister community in Haiti. In fact Sr. Rose Ann Cappola from Lockport is now missioned to the Dominican Republic. Haitian refugees are flocking into the Dominican Republic trying to receive medical care. We are send-ing all donations directly to the Dominican Republic and it will be shared with Haiti in order to help the Sisters address the urgent needs of the Haitian People. Donations may be sent to St. Mary Center- Mission Fund for Haiti, 241 Lafayette Ave Buffalo, NY 14213. Thank You!

Here is another project that might also appeal to you. Friends of the Sisters in Charleston, SC are organizing to buy a water purification unit and will permanently leave it in Haiti. It will provide 3,500 people a day with the water they need. Check out their web-site www.portlight.org. Donations may be sent directly to them. Any questions, ask Sr. Mary 433-3966. Thank you for your prayers and for your help.

Catholic Charities

With every donation to the 2010 Appeal for Catholic Charities, tens of thousands of people throughout WNY will receive the help they need at a time when they need it the most. From basic needs like food, housing and heating assistance to counseling for a number of problems facing individuals, children and families, Catholic Charities offers more than 70 programs and services at 61 locations throughout Western New York. For whoever is in need, wherever they are and whenever they need help, Catholic Charities is always there. Please be there to. Give selflessly to the 2010 Appeal. Find our more at www.ccwny.org or call (716) 218-1400.

Save the Date for the Eighth Annual Catholic Men's Conference. The Eighth Annual Catholic Men's Confer-ence will take place on Saturday, March 20. The Confer-ence site will again be at Cardinal O'Hara High School in Tonawanda right off the I-290. Space will be limited, so register early by using our online registration system which can be found at http://www.spiritiscalling.org. Men who reg-ister by February15 will also receive a discount on their reg-istration fee. Don't miss this inspiring annual event!

Annulment Writing Workshop: Here’s a chance for any-one having trouble writing annulment papers to get it done in one weekend. The session will be held Friday, February 26 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 27 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. In the UB Newman Center, 495 Skinnersville Road (the traffic light just past Sweet Home High School) in Amherst. The $20 registration fee includes snacks, lunch and supplies. To register call the rectory.

During the month of February please remem-ber the souls of family and friends of All Saints Parish who are now enjoying eternal life in heaven: 1st—Jim Spellicy 2007, Nicholas A. Denk 1992; 2nd—Gordon Schuster 1981; Rev. Thomas Byers 1984; 3rd—Michael C. Bucolo 2005, Tom Fraser 1987; 5th—John L. Mack 1981, Robert Richards; 6th—Victoria Kozlowski 1969, Msgr. Emil Zupa 2008; 7th—Rose Kwolka 1967, Edward Landrigan 1982, Angelo A. Ruberto 1972; 10th—Sara Nochelski 2000; 12th—Edward Landrigan Jr. 1994; 13th—Rita Lewis 1987, Harry W. Whalen 1987, Rev. Francis J. Hall 1997; 14th—Melvin Coates 1995, W. Duane Tuohey 1977, Msgr. Patrick J. Woods 1997; 15th—Alonzo Belliveau 2001, Rev. Norman Lux 1988; 17th—Walter Lawida 1958, Marie McKnight 1996; 18th—Donald E. Ruberto 2007; 21st—Msgr. Ray-mond Paa 2008; 22nd—John William Villella; 23rd—Kathleen L. White 1971; 24th—Rev. Joseph Bissonette 1987, Rev. Donald Hughes 2003; 25th—Frances E. Moose 2001, Msgr. William Setlock 1997; 26th—Melcher G. Mack 1966, Genevieve (Casey) Whalen 1992; 28th—Margaret Mary Kearns 1998

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time—February 7, 2010

A Vocation View
Do not be afraid. If the Lord is calling you to the ordained or consecrated life, do not be afraid. Jesus calls and will give you the grace to respond whole-heartedly.
If God is calling you, call Rev. Walter Szczesny, at 716-847-5535.

Priest of the Month: Rev. Msgr. Dino Lorenzetti. Learn about the vocational journey of Msgr. Dino. His story is on www.buffalovocations.org. Click onto “My Story” and then “Local Parish Priest Stories.