The Good News

We continue to keep Father Tim in our prayers

that he may feel the comfort of God by his side now and always.

We love you Fr. Tim!

Fr. Jorge Iván Ramírez Velásquez (who welcomes you to call him Fr. George) arrives at Holy Trinity on Tuesday, June 27. See his full article introducing himself in our July 2 parish bulletin.

Fr. George is from Medellín, Colombia and came to the United States in 2009 to study for the priesthood in the Diocese of Rochester. He studied at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester as well as St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, MD. He was ordained by Bishop Matano on June 4, 2016. Fr. George has served as Parochial Vicar in Holy Cross Church in Charlotte, NY as well as Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community, in Penn Yan, NY. Most recently, he served as the Parochial Administrator of three communities: All Saints, Holy Cross, and St. Anthony at N.E.T. Catholic (North East Tompkins Roman Catholic Parishes).

As a part of Fr. George's formation to become a priest, he served as a seminarian in different parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Diocese of Rochester. One of these parishes was Holy Trinity Church in Webster, NY in 2011 and 2012 and he has many wonderful memories of his time here helping Fr. Tim and our parish staff. One of these memories is that he learned to drive during his stay at Holy Trinity!

He returns to us, no longer a seminarian, but as our pastor! Be sure to stop in and say "hello", introduce yourself, and welcome Fr. George into our parish family!!

Summer is here and that presents new challenges and opportunities for kids. Here are a few ideas, from Jared Dees The Religion Teacher, to help kids grow while school is out.

🎇 SPARK Summer Boredom

When your kids say they are bored this summer, share this acronym: SPARK.

• S - Sports and Games
• P - Play, Paint, or Create
• A - Adventures Outside
• R - Read
• K - Kitchen Experiments

Give kids options and spark ideas to go out and find something to do!

👋 Introduce & Invite

Are your kids meeting new people in summer camps? If they need a little help making new friends, give them this two-part process for making new friends.

Introduce & Invite:

1. Introduce: "Hi, I'm _______. What's your name? . . . Is this your first time here?"
2. Invite: "Want to play ________?"

It is simple and it works. Share it with your kids and check up on them to see if they made new friends. Challenge them to learn at least one new person's name using the Introduce & Invite technique at summer camps this year.

God bless and Enjoy your summer!!

Holy Trinity Vacation Bible School (VBS) July 10-14, 2023 (Monday – Friday) 9:00am – 12 Noon. Children 4 and over are invited to LAUNCH on a cosmic quest where they’ll have a BLAST shining JESUS' LIGHT to the world. Youth in Grades 6 and over are called to serve as Youth Leaders and we also need ADULT Volunteers to help make this week a STELLAR success!! Email Mrs. K at Tricia.Kull@dor.org to learn more!

If you have previously been enrolled in Faith Formation at Holy Trinity, or if you are brand new to our programs, we would love your thoughts, suggestions, and feedback as we plan for this coming year.

Click the link HERE to share your thoughts with us, thank you!

We offer two Faith Formation (Religious Education) options for your family. Both programs are designed to invite you and your child to find God every day in relevant and relatable ways. In addition, parish-wide “Family Events” are offered throughout the year to encourage participation in our parish community, foster service to others, help us learn about the liturgy, and engage deeper in our relationship with Christ as we grow in our faith.

FAMILY FAITH PROGRAM (Grades K-7)...An intergenerational program that gives parents all the tools and support needed to explore and live out your faith at home.

• All families come together once per month in-person to dive deeper into the weekly work completed at home and participate in an interactive hands-on lesson.
• During the rest of the month, weekly family lesson options will be emailed to you, from which you choose one to do together.
• This option is best for families who value flexibility, want to involve a grandparent or other loved one, and/or who enjoy or want to try learning, praying, and living the faith together.

SUNDAY CLASSROOM PROGRAM (Grades 1-7)...A traditional teacher-led classroom program.

• Children will attend weekly grade-level Faith Formation sessions with their peers exploring and experiencing their faith with the guidance of a catechist.
• Classes meet on Sundays between our two Masses from 9:30am until 10:20am, allowing your family to attend Mass either before or after class.
• This option is best for children who learn well in a group setting.

It is a Diocesan requirement that all children must be enrolled and participating in a Parish or Catholic School Faith Formation program for an entire year before enrolling in Sacrament Preparation. The Faith Formation classes, or Catholic School curriculum, provides the necessary foundation of our faith and core beliefs that will help them to better understand what we will share with them in First Sacrament Preparation, which focuses specifically on the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion.

Students in Grade 2 and above may register to begin their First Sacrament Preparation if they have completed at least one full year of Faith Formation either in a parish or in a Catholic School (Grade 1 or above) and are currently enrolled in their second year of Faith Formation.

• Children attending Public School must enroll in BOTH Faith Formation classes as well as Sacramental Preparation.
• Children attending Catholic School should enroll ONLY in Sacramental Preparation.
  
• Beginning in October, we prepare for First Reconciliation to be received in the fall and then for First Holy Communion to be received after Easter.
  
• For each Sacrament, we alternate between in-person sessions for parents and children together and home-based sessions for families to complete on their own time.

Confirmation Preparation throughout the Diocese takes place over the course of two years and begins no earlier than 8th grade. At Holy Trinity, our preparation program begins anew each September and includes weekly catechetical sessions, retreat opportunities, service projects, and regular Mass attendance.

Confirmation Year 1 must be completed before enrolling in Year 2. Students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in the spring of Confirmation Year 2.

Catholic School students are excused from attending the weekly classroom sessions as the school curriculum meets this requirement. However, in both years of preparation, they are expected to register and participate in confirmation retreats (one each year), service projects, all scheduled speaker engagements and liturgical special events, as well as regular Mass attendance.

This special opportunity is offered Sunday mornings during our 10:30am Mass, September through June, for our parish children. This program was developed to give younger children a chance to listen and pray at their level of understanding. Children are dismissed from the church and go with leaders to have the scriptures read and explained to them in an enjoyable and interactive environment. Parents are always welcome to attend with their children. Registration is not required for this program.

Are YOU willing to share your faith with our children and youth at Holy Trinity? We have a variety of opportunities at all age levels across our various programs that you may be interested in.

Catechist, Assistant Catechist, Classroom Helper, Hallway and Safety Monitor...and More!

As we begin to plan for our 2023/2024 Faith Formation year, we are hopeful that we can MAINTAIN the program offerings we currently enjoy, as well as EXPAND into new opportunities for our parish children and families. We cannot do this without individuals willing to SHARE their faith with our children and youth...like YOU!

Please consider this opportunity and click the flyer below for more information, or reach out to Tricia.Kull@dor.org

TEENS...you can help our younger children GROW in their faith (while you grow too!!)

Are you a HIGH SCHOOL Student who enjoys working with children and youth? Do you love God? Would you like to learn more about your faith? Are you interested in finding a rewarding opportunity to serve others in your faith community?

God may be calling you...and so are we! We are looking for Youth Assistant Catechists and Classroom Helpers for a variety of age levels and programs. As a Youth Assistant Catechist, you are paired with an experienced adult Catechist to serve as your mentor and guide.

If you would like to learn more about this special opportunity have your parents reach out to Tricia Kull (Mrs. K) for more information at tricia.kull@dor.org.

Diocese of Rochester asks all parishes to have volunteers serving in public and liturgical ministries complete Creating a Safe Environment (CASE) certification when entering or returning to ministry service, and again every three years while active. Certification includes a background check and the completion of an online course.

• For more information on how to become a CASE Certified Volunteer click HERE.
• Youth Volunteers (ages 13-17) click HERE to register for our next class.

See our Weekly Parish Bulletin or Website for more details and a full list of events.

• June 27...WELCOME Father George!
• July 9...VBS Mass at 10:30am
• July 10-14...VBS at Holy Trinity
• August 6...NCYC Car Wash after 8:30 and 10:30 Masses

For more information about our programs you may contact:

• Tricia Kull, Faith Formation Coordinator at (585) 265-4750 or tricia.kull@dor.org
• Silvia Parravano, Faith Formation Admin Assistant at (585) 265-1616 x328 or Silvia.Parravano@dor.org

Programs include: Children's Liturgy, Faith Formation (Religious Education), Sacrament Preparation (Baptism, First Penance, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation), RCIC Program, Middle and High School Youth Ministry, Youth Christian Service Opportunities, Vacation Bible School (VBS) and more!

Email: wholytri@dor.org
Website: holytrinityweb.com
Location: 1460 Ridge Road, Webster, NY, USA
Phone: (585) 265-4750
Facebook: www.facebook.com/holytrinitywebster/