We're excited that we can celebrate public Masses with all of you!
We're being reminded to "stay smart" and to continue to socially distance during this time. It is imperative that all who are returning to public Masses observe the guidelines that public health officials have issued, along with the measures that we have defined for our parish, in order to protect the health and safety of all of us.
Please read the information below as it contains important details for the joyful reunion in our church as we return to the public celebration of Holy Mass.
The 10am weekday Masses and weekend Masses have resumed. The weekend Mass schedule is Saturday 4:30pm and Sunday 7:30am, 10:00am, 12:00pm & 7:00pm.
We are excited to welcome you back to St. Timothy's to be together again in worship and praise of our loving and merciful God. From this experience, I believe all of us are ever more aware of, and grateful for, the great gift of the Eucharist.
May God bless!
- Fr. Dennis
As we have reopened our Church, I am grateful to you for your willingness to be of help to implement the various guidelines issued by New York State and the Diocese of Buffalo. There are many new and different procedures that are being used as we celebrate public Masses once again. Masks and social distancing are a "must" in our Church building. Sanitizing is an important part of the upkeep of our Church. We're currently able to accommodate 100 attendees for each Mass (25% of our Church capacity).
There is a particular need for after-Mass sanitizer volunteers; please help if you're able to. There is a cart of supplies in the Chapel to use for sanitizing.
Thank you!
-Fr. Dennis
Returning to Church is bringing about some new ways to worship as prescribed by the CDC and the Diocese of Buffalo.
- Please bring a mask and personal hand sanitizer.
- Anyone entering St. Timothy church must wear a mask in order to protect others and oneself. This mask should be worn throughout Mass and only removed to receive Holy Communion.
- Remember if you are ill or have a chronic illness, please do not attend in-person. The obligation to attend Mass has been lifted, meaning that one will not commit a mortal sin if they do not attend Sunday Mass.
- Holy water fonts will be empty and there will be no hymnals or missalettes available to protect us from the spread of COVID-19.
- Since we are allowed only 25% of our capacity in Church, we will be limited to 100 persons per scheduled Mass to allow for proper social distancing.
- Church guides (ushers) will direct you to your seat. The Church proper will be able to accommodate families and couples in the designated pews. The chapel will be for those who come to Church alone. This is to maintain social distancing.
- There will be no handshaking or touching during the sign of peace, only a nod or a wave or a peace sign should be given.
- For the distribution of Holy Communion in the Church, there will be 2 ministers in the middle aisle. Please come from the back down the middle, maintaining 6 feet of distance, and return to your seats via the side aisle. In the Chapel, ministers will bring Communion to you, so please remain in your chair.
- As per our Bishop’s directive, Holy Communion will only be given in the hand at this time to prevent any fluids on the hands of those giving Holy Communion.
- After the final blessing, please follow the church Guide’s instructions for an orderly departure. No gathering or socializing in the Church or Chapel.
- We're not accustomed to all the new directives but we must follow them to keep ourselves, and others, healthy at this time.
- Our Mass Schedule is:
Monday thru Friday: 10:00 am
Saturday: 4:30 pm
Sunday: 7:30 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 noon, 7:00 pm
A Reflection by Fr. James Martin, S.J.
The coronavirus pandemic is confusing and frightening for hundreds of millions of people. That is not surprising. Many around the world are sick and many others have died. Unless the situation changes dramatically, many more will fall ill and die around the globe. This crisis raises serious medical, ethical and logistical questions. But it raises additional questions for people of faith. So I would like to offer some advice from the Christian tradition, Ignatian spirituality and my own experience.
Resist panic. This is not to say there is no reason to be concerned, or that we should ignore the sound advice of medical professionals and public health experts. But panic and fear are not from God. Calm and hope are. And it is possible to respond to a crisis seriously and deliberately while maintaining an inner sense of calm and hope.
St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, often talked about two forces in our interior lives: one that draws us toward God and the other away from God. The one that draws us away from God, which he labeled the evil spirit, “causes gnawing anxiety, saddens and sets up obstacles. In this way it unsettles people by false reasons aimed at preventing their progress.” Sound familiar? Don’t lend credence to lies or rumors, or give in to panic. Trust what medical experts tell you, not those who fear monger. There is a reason they call Satan the “Prince of Lies.”
Panic, by confusing and frightening you, pulls you away from the help God wants to give you. It is not coming from God. What is coming from God? St. Ignatius tells us: God’s spirit “stirs up courage and strength, consolations, inspirations and tranquility.” So trust in the calm and hope you feel. That is the voice to listen to.
“Do not be afraid!,” as Jesus said many times.
Do not demonize. The other day, a friend told me that when an elderly Chinese man got onto a subway car in New York City, the car emptied out as people started shouting slurs at him, blaming his country for spreading the virus. Resist the temptation to demonize or scapegoat, which increases in time of stress and shortages. Covid-19 is not a Chinese disease; it is not a “foreign” disease. It is no one’s “fault.” Likewise, the people who become infected are not to blame. Remember that Jesus was asked about a blind man: “Who sinned, that this man was born blind?” Jesus’ response: “No one” (Jn 9:2). Illness is not a punishment. So don’t demonize and don’t hate.
Many things have been cancelled because of the coronavirus. Love is not one of them.
Care for the sick. This pandemic may be a long haul; some of our friends and family may get sick and perhaps die. Do what you can to help others, especially the elderly, disabled, poor and isolated. Take the necessary precautions; don’t be reckless and don’t risk spreading the disease, but also don’t forget the fundamental Christian duty to help others. “I was sick, and you came to visit me,” said Jesus (Mt 25). And remember that Jesus lived during a time when people had no access to even the most rudimentary medical care, and so visiting the sick was just as dangerous, if not more, than it is today. Part of the Christian tradition is caring for the sick, even at some personal cost.
And do not close your hearts to the poor and those who have no or limited healthcare. Refugees, the homeless and migrants, for example, will suffer even more than the general population. Keep your heart open to all those in need. Don’t let your conscience become infected, too.
Pray. Catholic churches around the world are closing, with Masses and other parish services cancelled by many bishops. These are prudent and necessary measures designed to keep people healthy. But they come at some cost: For many people, this removes one of the most consoling parts of their lives—the Mass and the Eucharist—and isolates them even more from the community at a time when they most need support.
What can one do instead? Well, there are many televised and livestreamed Masses available, as well as ones broadcast on the radio. But even if you can’t find one, you can pray on your own. When you do, remember that you’re still part of a community. There is also the longstanding tradition in our church of receiving a “spiritual communion,” when, if you cannot participate in the Mass in person, you unite yourself with God in prayer.
And be creative. You can meditate on the Sunday Gospel on your own, consult a Bible commentary about the readings, gather your family to talk about the Gospel or call friends and share your experiences of how God is present to you, even in the midst of a crisis. The persecuted Christians in the early church prayed and shared their faith in the catacombs, and we can do the same. Remember that Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Mt. 18:20). Remember too that the church is not a building. It is the community.
Trust that God is with you. Many people, especially those who are sick, may feel a sense of isolation that compounds their fear. And many of us, even if we’re not infected, will know people who are sick and even die. So most will naturally ask: Why is this happening?
There is no satisfactory answer to that question, which at its core is the question of why suffering exists, something that saints and theologians have pondered over the centuries. In the end, it is the greatest of mysteries. And the question is: Can you believe in a God that you don’t understand?
At the same time, we know that Jesus understands our suffering and accompanies us in the most intimate of ways. Remember that during his public ministry Jesus spent a great deal of time with those who were sick. And before modern medicine, almost any infection could kill you. Thus, lifespans were short: only 30 or 40 years. In other words, Jesus knew the world of illness.
Jesus, then, understands all the fears and worries that you have. Jesus understands you, not only because he is divine and understands all things but because he is human and experienced all things. Go to him in prayer. And trust that he hears you and is with you.
Trust in my prayers, too. We will move through this together, with God’s help.
Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has issued the following regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19):
With the worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus, we are confronted once more with the fragility of our lives, and again we are reminded of our common humanity — that the peoples of this world are our brothers and sisters, that we are all one family under God.
God does not abandon us, he goes with us even now in this time of trial and testing. In this moment, it is important for us to anchor our hearts in the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Now is the time to intensify our prayers and sacrifices for the love of God and the love of our neighbor. Let us draw closer to one another in our love for him, and rediscover the things that truly matter in our lives.
United with our Holy Father Pope Francis, let us pray in solidarity for our brothers and sisters here and around the world who are sick. Let us pray for those who have lost loved ones to this virus. May God console them and grant them peace.
We pray also for doctors, nurses, and caregivers, for public health officials and all civic leaders. May God grant them courage and prudence as they seek to respond to this emergency with compassion and in service to the common good.
In this time of need, I invite all the faithful to seek together the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and I share this prayer with you:
On the beautiful, clear morning of October 13th, an enthusiastic group from St. Timothy's led by Father Dennis traveled along roads lined with the colorful shades of autumn interspersed with the last greens of summer to experience Parish Family Faith Day 2019!
After the celebration of Holy Mass at Abbey of the Genesee in the church which was filled to capacity, our group visited the newly renovated Monks' bread & book store, and walked the picturesque grounds.
An enjoyable lunch awaited at Mae's in Geneseo. The day was capped off with a fun stop at Northwoods Alpacas farm to meet those very fluffy & friendly animals, & browse the boutique featuring alpaca fibers & fashions. We hope the day inspired & renewed each of you, the St. Timothy Parish family!
Faith Formation families joined by parishioners, each praying a bead, made the rosary come alive on October 6th! The Living Rosary reminds us we're not alone in our prayers; that our offering can become something much bigger when joined with the offerings of others. O Holy Mary, pray for us!