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Editorial: Our New Look

We, the Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo have chosen a logo to represent us.  Our thought was that the Church is Jesus, light of Christ with us, all of us, the green represents our hope for the future, the empty cross represents the Risen Christ.  Look for our Logo all over the Central City.  Please let us know how you like it!  And look for us in the Juneteenth Parade and at St. Katharine Drexel on August 12 for Summer in the City, at Ss. Columba-Brigid's pig roast or the St. Lawrence Feast Day (August 10.)

Other good things have been happening.  We've added a slide show of happenings throughout the CCCB.  Check back often to see your family, friends, and neighbors photos. Don't forget to send pictures to editor@CatholicChurchesOfCentralBuffalo.com.

Patricia Dyer, MSN, MAPM


CCCB: Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo

CCCB: Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo Bullying 101  (Or is it 911?)

 May, 2012

I was talking to my friend and neighbor, a woman about my age, married with school-age children, when she said "It takes a village to raise a child."  Not being fond of either Hillary Clinton or her book, I quickly pointed out that the book was a rapid-fire summary of programs throughout the country.  Little thought was put into analysis.  "Oh no," she said,  "not the book.  That's an old African saying."  And she is right.    When we were children - growing up in opposite sides of the state: She in an African-American Buffalo neighborhood with a Baptist single working mother and me in a white "North Country" 
 semi-rural   neighborhood with Catholic  parents and siblings.  My parents were married and my mother was a stay-at-home mom.  What we had in common was a neighborhood that knew everyone - adults and children alike.  If we were not where we belonged, skipped school, damaged property, were disrespectful etc. we knew that our parents would be told.  Heaven help us if we were disrespectful to our neighbors.

I am home most of the time when my children are and I know some of their friends and acquaintances, but not all of them.  Today children (from four to eighteen) roam from block to block without their parents' knowledge, with no one checking on them, and with no rules.  I could not pick out the parents of many of these children in a police line-up, because I have never met them.  They just wonder around.    My friend and I both keep our kids at home unless we bring them to a specific place.  We ask who the children are who stop by and where they live.  We regularly send children home when there is a problem.  But this all begs the question, "How do we get back the respect and control that our parents had?"


Dealing with bullying requires a two-pronged approach: Prevention and Response.  Generally prevention refers to efforts at modeling appropriate behaviors to children - sensitivity and respect for others. Response teaches children how to behave when confronted with bullying behaviors.  Here are some excellent web-sites to get you started:

Excellent for Response and Recognition and has short web-based videos using animated characters.  This is a National Institute of Health site.

Excellent for teaching Respect and has a series of lesson plans for younger elementary and older primary/middle school children.  Program was created Peter Yarow and features Peter, Paul and Mary videos/songs.  Operation Respect.

This program also is geared at Prevention by teaching Respect:  Peacebuilders. 

“I leave peace prints.” “Nonviolence begins with me.”
- Sister Karen Klimczak, SSJ                                                                                                                                                                              Patricia Dyer, MSN, MAPM

St. Lawrence Parish  (4/8/2012), Pathways Grant Study Day added and Easter pictures, Blessed Trinity (5/21/2012), and St. Martin de Porres' Parish (4/8/2012)  pages have been updated with recent photographs and news.   


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Links to the Catholic Churches of Central Buffalo and organizations Websites

 SS Columba-Brigid     Blessed Trinity                            St. Lawrence                                         St. Martin de Porres           Children's clinic at St. Lawrence 
TRY Program                NativityMiguel Schools           St. Martin de Porres (WEB)             St. Katharine Drexel           St. Ann
Gerard Place                  Reaching Out 2 Africa              Pax Christi                                                                                                  PeacePrints Prison Ministries

Mary the Mother of God, Crowned Virgin, 
Black Madonna 


The month of May is dedicated to the mother of Jesus.  There are many titles attributed to Mary and many devotions.  Most of us are familiar with the Rosary.  If you are unfamiliar with how to pray the Rosary,  you might want to check out this website.  The Rosary can be a meaningful way to recall the significant mysteries of our Church.  It has comforting and familiar prayers.  On July 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared at Fatima, requesting prayer for peace using the Rosary.  You can read more about the Rosary at this website and more about the appearances at Fatima here: " The Message of Fatima consists of a number of precise predictions, requests, warnings and promises concerning the Faith and the world which were conveyed by the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children--Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco--in a series of apparitions at Fatima, Portugal from May to October 1917."  Many people questioned the peasant children and a miracle was predicted by one of the children: "It was confirmed by an 
unprecedented public miracle, the Miracle of the Sun, which occurred at precisely the moment Lucia said it would. More than 70,000 people, including Masons, communists and atheists, saw the sun, contrary to all cosmic laws, twirl in the sky, throw off colors and descend to earth. The event was reported in newspapers around the world, including the New York Times."  Another devotion is popular in one of our cluster parishes.  " St. Lawrence Church is the only national site of the Congrega di Maria Santissima Dell’Incoronata which is known locally as the Congrega Society. During the years the devotion to Our Lady has continued to be celebrated in Buffalo, New York and in Pescasseroli, Italy. The main function of this society is to honor the Mother of God under the title of “Crowned Virgin” through prayers and sacrifices. Presently, we have members from all parts of Western New York including people from our own parish. All persons interested in the devotion are welcome. ... Historical facts, folklore, spiritual, cultural and pastoral stories of the miraculous surround the devotion to Our Blessed Mother. The love for the Blessed Mother has been passed down for centuries and this is part of our Catholic faith, our Catholic heritage and documented in world history.The devotion to the Crowned Virgin also known as the Black Madonna is prevalent in Italy in Pescasseroli in the province of Abruzzo and in Foggia the region of Apulia. Much devotion is given to the Crowned Virgin in Pescasseroli."  You can read more about the origins of the local devotion on the St. Lawrence website.  

Weekend Mass Times

Sat 4PM SS Columba-Brigid & St. katharine Drexel
Sat 4:30PM Blessed Trinity & St. Lawrence & St. Martin de Porres
Sat 10PM St. Lawrence
Sun 8AM St. Martin de Porres
Sun 8:30AM St. Katharine Drexel
Sun 9AM SS Columba-Brigid (Spanish)
Sun 9:30AM Gospel Choir St. Martin de Porres
Sun 10AM Blessed Trinity, St. Ann & St. Lawrence
Sun 10:30AM St. Katharine Drexel
Sun 11AM SS Columba-Brigid

Masses for weekdays, Holy Days, Sacraments, Adoration, Electronic Prayer
Here is a Prayer Site that will help you to focus.  Give God 10 minutes and get refreshment for your whole day.

Weekday masses:
Blessed Trinity Tues-Fri 11:00AM
St. Katharine Drexel 8:30AM
St. Martin de Porres Tues-Fri Noon
St. Lawrence 8:30AM

Adoration: First Fridays at St. Katharine Drexel

Miraculous Medal Novena St. Lawrence Mondays following 8:30AM Mass
Picture
Click on the image to watch Mass online. Follow the St. Lawrence Schedule
Novena: Our Lady of Perpetual Help St. Katharine Drexel Wednesdays following 8:30AM Mass 

Annointing By appointment or
St. Lawrence after all Masses, First Weekend of the month
Blessed Trinity after 10:00AM Mass Third Sunday of the month

Reconciliation by appointment or as scheduled below:
Sat 3:00PM St. Katharine Drexel
Sat 3:45PM St. Lawrence
Sat 4:00PM Blessed Trinity & St. Martin de Porres

Can't get to church?  Watch Masses online!   

Cluster parishes and programs that wish to submit photographs and articles should use the contact us tab.  Your event photographs and stories are welcome!

Witnessing Jesus Christ with Worship and Service