Events

Eucharistic Convocation on Friday, November 22, 2024 from 6-9 pm at Fourteen Holy Helpers, 1345 Indian Church Rd, West Seneca.

Join us for an evening dedicated to the Eucharist.

John Paul II said the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life.” The night will begin with a welcome from Fr. Greg Faulhaber, Fr David Baker will speak next about the Mass, and Fr. Sean DiMaria will talk about the Eucharist. The evening will end with a Holy Hour and Benediction. The night will include music by John Paul Von Arx, the Coordinator of Worship & Music Director at Franciscan University.

A light reception will follow in the parish hall.

This event is free and open to all thanks to the generosity of the Fourteen Holy Helpers Holy Name Society.

In order to plan for the reception, call the church’s rectory at 716-674-2374 if you plan to attend.

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Based on the bulletin of November 17, 2024

Thanksgiving: The Sardinia Methodist Church will host an Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at the Sardinia United Methodist Church on Tuesday, November 26th at 6:30 pm (2024).

Christmas: Mark your calendars early for the Christmas Cantata on December 15th at 10:00 am (2024).

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Based on the bulletin of November 3, 2024.

Father Jim Bastian and Dustin Bliss will present information and guidance on how to grow you faith through a deeper prayer life.

Topics discussed will include praying for ourselves, praying for others, ritualistic prayer, contemplative prayer, praying over others, and intercessory prayer.

This retreat will be held Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 10:00 am — 3:00 pm at St. Joseph’s Church, 46 North Main Street, Holland NY.

Lunch and snacks will be provided.

RSVP is appreciated, but walk-ins are welcome.

There is no cost to attend, but donations are welcome.

Please contact Dustin Bliss, or St. Joseph’s in Holland. For specific contact info, please see the bulletin of November 10, 2024.

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Based on the bulletin of November 10, 2024.

All the ladies of the CCCC Parish Family are invited to a Christmas Dinner Party held at the St. Aloysius Parish Hall.

This is on Monday, December 9, 2024 starting at 4:00 pm with dinner at 5:00 pm.

Please join us for an evening of food, fellowship and fun.

A free will offering for the event will be accepted.

Please make your reservations by Wednesday, December 4, 2024 by calling one of the names listed below:

• Jean Kessler
• Kim Miller
• Ann Ploetz
• Diane Woloszyn

For specific contact info, please see the bulletin of November 10, 2024.

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Based on the bulletin of November 10, 2024.

The planning meeting for the St. Aloysius Chicken BBQ is scheduled for Monday, November 18 at 6:00 pm (2024) in the St. Aloysius Parish Hall.

Altar Society: The St. Aloysius Altar Society Meeting is immediately following the chicken BBQ meeting at 6:30 pm.

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Based on the bulletin of October 27, 2024.

November 1st each year is the celebration of the Solemnity of All Saints, a Holy Day of Obligation.

Our Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community schedule is:

Thursday, October 31, 2024 — Vigil Masses:

• 4:00 pm — St. Aloysius, Springville
• 4:00 pm — St. Mary, East Arcade (EAWS)

Friday, November 1, 2024 — Masses:

• 7:30 am — St Aloysius, Springville
• 12:00 noon — St. Mary, Arcade (AWS)
• 6:30 pm — St. John the Baptist, West Valley

We hope that you will be able to attend one of these Masses as we celebrate the Holy Day for 2024.

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Based on the bulletin of October 20, 2024.

There will be a Welcoming Pot Luck lunch after 11:00 Mass at St. Mary’s East Arcade worship site on Sunday, November 3, 2024.

This is to welcome our brothers and sisters from St. Jude in Sardinia, and recognize the closing of their beloved church.

All the parishes in our Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community are welcome! Please bring a dish to share.

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Based on the bulletin of October 13, 2024.

St. Jude in Sardinia will be celebrating their last Mass on:

Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 5:00 pm.

Please consider coming to this Mass that weekend and support the families with your presence and prayers that have had St. Jude as their home parish for so many years.

Thank you for your continued patience and support of our Family of Parishes.

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Based on the bulletin of October 13, 2024.

Fulton Sheen once wrote that the purpose of the Holy Hour — a sustained, uninterrupted hour of prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament — is to encourage a deep personal encounter with Christ.

“Looking at the Eucharistic Lord for an hour,” he wrote, “transforms the heart in a mysterious way.”

Pope St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis all joined Sheen in recommending Eucharistic Adoration as a foundational spiritual practice.

St. Mary’s on Main Street in Arcade hosts Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday and Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

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Based on the bulletin of October 6, 2024.

Annual Commemoration of All Souls (2024)

Each November, the Catholic Church remembers and prays for the souls of all the faithful departed in a special way.

Following the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1st, the following day is the Commemoration of All Souls.

For several years, St. Aloysius Parish has celebrated this day beginning with Mass at 7:30 am, followed by an extended period of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, concluding with Evening Prayer at 7:00 pm, during which we remember the members of our parish and family members who have passed away over the past year.

This year, our Commemoration of All Souls will be on Thursday, November 7th, 2024.

Each person’s name is recited and family members who are present are invited to light a memorial candle in remembrance of their loved one.

As Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community Family, we are inviting parishioners of all our family of parishes to remember their loved ones during this service.

Invitations have been sent to the next of kin of those who have had a Mass of Christian Burial at our parishes.

If you have lost a family member in the past year who did not have a Mass of Christian Burial in one of our parishes, we would like to include them as well.

Please call St. Aloysius Church rectory at (716) 592-2701 and let us know the name of your family member, whether you or another family member will be present to light the candle in their memory (the name will be included and a candle lighted even if you are not able to be present), and whether you and your family will be joining us for a reception following the Evening Prayer service in St. Aloysius Parish Hall.

We would also appreciate an approximate number of people attending the reception so that we can prepare appropriately.

If your family member had a service through one of our parishes, and you did not receive an invitation from us, we apologize for the oversight and hope that you will contact us with the information so that they may be remembered as part of our commemoration.

Parish Book of Life (2024)

As part of our special remembrance of all of the faithful departed during the month of November, St. Aloysius Parish invites parishioners to submit the names of their loved ones who have passed away in our parish Book of Life.

This book is intended to honor, remember, and pray for those “who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.”

There are blue sheets in the vestibule of St. Aloysius Church for parishioners to write the names of deceased loved ones to be included in the Book of Life.

Please fill out the sheet and return it by October 13th, 2024.

The Book of Life will be in the sanctuary throughout the month of November and then in front of the Blessed Mother altar throughout the year.

St. John the Baptist parish has a Book of Life in front of the Holy Family altar throughout the month of November which parishioners are invited to add to the names inscribed throughout the month.

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Based on the bulletin of October 6, 2024. Emphasis, line breaks and year indications added.