Certainly, we are in Easter Time. Let us remember that Easter is not one day (Easter Sunday), but an entire season in which the Church highlights the triumphant Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. During these days, the Church will celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord to Heaven. It is very important that we do not confuse the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord with the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Heaven which is celebrated on August 15th. In the Ascension, Jesus ascends to Heaven by His own will and power because Jesus is divine (let us remember that Jesus is 100% God and 100% human being). On the other hand, Mary, who is only a human being, goes to Heaven by the power of God. God took her to Heaven.

The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is one of the most important solemnities in the Roman Catholic Church, and it is described in Mark 16:19, Luke 24:50–51, and Acts 1:2–11. This special moment in the life of the Lord and the Church happened 40 days after the Resurrection of the Lord.

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There are five holy days of obligation in the Roman Catholic Church in 2026:

Mary, Mother of God – January 1st

Ascension – May 14th

All Saints Day – November 1st

Immaculate Conception – December 8th

Christmas – December 25th

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The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord was celebrated this past Thursday, May 14th, but some Dioceses move it to today, Sunday. So, do not be surprised if you watch the Mass on TV and find that they are celebrating the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord this weekend.

Let us participate with faith, love, and devotion in each one of the celebrations of the Roman Catholic Church. In each liturgy, we have a special encounter with the Lord Jesus, who is the Eucharist. Let us remember that we find the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Communion.

Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build!

God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez

Holy Trinity Church… 165 years evangelizing!

Let us pray,

“Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

Remember, The Parish that we dream is the Parish that I help to build!

God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez.

Holy Trinity Church… 165 years evangelizing!

Dear family of Holy Trinity Church,

I am pleased to share the good news that several children and youth of our wonderful family will receive the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation. These sacraments are milestones in the spiritual journey of our young parishioners as they continue to grow in faith, understanding, and commitment to God and the Church. On April 25th and May 2nd, 32 children from our family of Holy Trinity are going to receive Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion. After months of preparation, study, reflection, and prayers with parents, catechists, and under the guidance of Mr. D’Alessandro, our children are ready to fully participate in the Eucharist, strengthening their relationship with Jesus and the Church.

Likewise, Confirmation represents a profound moment in the lives of 44 of our young people, who will receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation on April 29 at Sacred Heart Cathedral by the Most Reverend Bishop John S. Bonnici. Through Confirmation, they will be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, empowering them to live their faith with courage, wisdom, and love. Our Confirmation candidates have spent 2 years preparing for this blessed sacrament. They have attended classes, youth masses, retreats, guest lectures and participated in many hours of community service to be prepared for this moment. They have researched and selected a Patron Saint that they can relate to and have written about that saint. They have participated in a Confirmation interview and written a letter of intent to Bishop Bonnici requesting the sacrament of Confirmation. The Confirmation candidates have worked hard and are prepared! Confirmation will make our children truly be eyewitnesses of the love of Christ in the world.

The entire parish family of Holy Trinity Church rejoices for our children and youth, who will receive these wonderful sacraments. It is very important that all of us pray for them so that they will be close to the Lord. Let us congratulate them on their First Communion and Confirmation. I am so proud of them. They are growing into graceful, and Godly young people. Thank you to Mr. D’Alessandro, Mr. Luqueno-Tlayeca and the catechists who prepare and give so much to these young candidates. Just as you are blessed with God’s love today, I know that our Holy Trinity family is blessed by all of you every day.

Let us always pray for our children who are receiving Jesus for the first time and for our youth who are going to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray…

Remember, The Parish that we dream is the Parish that I help to build!

God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez

Holy Trinity Church… 165 years evangelizing!

Gratitude is a powerful thing, especially when it is directed toward those who give so generously of themselves. Today, we pause to recognize and thank the incredible volunteers who serve our wonderful family of Holy Trinity Church. Your dedication, kindness, and unwavering commitment are the foundation upon which so much of this church’s life is built.

Volunteering is not always easy. It requires time, energy, patience, and often sacrifice. Yet, week after week, you show up with willing hearts and open hands, ready to serve wherever you are needed. Whether you are greeting at the door, helping organize parish activities, supporting ministries, or working quietly behind the scenes, your contributions never go unnoticed. Each act of service (no matter how big or small they are) creates a ripple effect that touches countless lives.

What makes your service so meaningful is not just what you do, but how you do it. You serve with compassion, humility, and a genuine spirit of care. Through your actions, you reflect the very heart of what Holy Trinity Church stands for: love, faith, and community. You help create an environment where people feel welcomed, supported, and inspired.

Because of you, the Church is more than just a building; it is a vibrant and thriving family. Your efforts make it possible for others to connect, grow spiritually, and find a sense of belonging. You are the quiet strength behind every gathering, every service, and every moment of fellowship.

I am also grateful for the example you set. Your willingness to give without expecting anything in return is a powerful reminder of what it means to serve with purpose. You inspire others to step forward, to get involved, and to become part of something greater than themselves.

To each volunteer at Holy Trinity Church, THANK YOU! Thank you for your time, your energy, and your heart. Thank you for the countless ways you uplift this family and make it a place of hope and encouragement. Your service is a gift that continues to make a lasting difference. And for that, we are deeply and sincerely grateful.

I do not have enough words to express all my gratitude for everything you do at Holy Trinity Church. I am very proud to be your pastor. ¡Gracias! ¡Muchas gracias! Thank you very much for helping me to build the parish that we dream. 165 years are not possible without you.

Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build!
God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez

Holy Trinity Church… 165 years evangelizing!

Dear family of the Most Holy Trinity Church,

In our celebration for our 165th anniversary, let us continue to read what our previous pastors have said to us. Now it is Father Tim Horan’s turn, whom we miss very much.

Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build!

Holy Trinity Church… 165 years evangelizing!

God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramírez

During these days, we have been in a spiritual desert through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These forty days of Lent were an opportunity for us to reconcile with God in the wonderful sacrament of Reconciliation. During Lent, we were in silence, but now we can say, Alleluia! Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. With His resurrection, He has opened the gates of Heaven to each one of us. Easter is a joyful celebration where we rejoice for this wonderful moment in the history of human beings.

The Resurrection of Jesus is not just a miraculous event, such as the resurrection of Lazarus was. The Resurrection is the victory of Jesus over death and is essential to our Christian Faith. St. Paul states in his first letter to the Corinthians, “If Christ has not been raised, then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith” (1 Cor. 15:14). Pope Francis in his Easter blessing “urbi et orbi” on April 20, 2025 said, “Together with the risen Jesus we become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love and of the disarmed power of life.” All of us are pilgrims in this world. We are walking together hand in hand to the house of our Heavenly Father. Therefore, the Resurrection of the Lord should lead us to have this wonderful experience of God who is loving us unconditionally.

For all of this, we can say Easter is a celebration of hope, renewal, and salvation. We have hope that death is not the end of our existence, but the beginning of something beautiful. We renew our faith in the Lord who died for us on the Cross and rose from the dead to give us eternal life. We celebrate that we received salvation through Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Easter is a season of joy. Let us rejoice because Jesus Christ has risen today! Alleluia! No more silence! All of us have the mission to proclaim the Good News of the Resurrection of the Lord, like the women did when they saw the empty tomb the first day of the week (Cf. Mark 16:1-11). Let us announce that the Lord is risen and lives in the Eucharist. Let us always proclaim the death of the Lord, and profess His resurrection until He comes again.

Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build!
God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez

Holy Trinity Church… 165 years evangelizing!

Holy Week is the most important moment in the liturgical year of the Roman Catholic Church. During these days, we commemorate the central moments of our faith: The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a week of profound spirituality in which all of us walk with Christ to Golgotha and rejoice for His victory over death.

Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday. This day reminds us of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Like people in Jerusalem, all faithful have palms and acclaim Jesus as our King. This day has two important moments: first, the joy for receiving Jesus as a King, and second, the narration of the Passion of the Lord. Because of this, the liturgical color is red.

We celebrate, on Holy Thursday, three important elements. First, we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist. Jesus, in the Last Supper, decided to stay with us in a piece of bread and wine. Jesus says, “Take it; this is my body… This is my blood of the covenant” (Cf. Mark 14:22-24). Second, Jesus instituted the priesthood. His apostles (and priests) have the mission to continue to celebrate the Eucharist, “do this in memory of me” (Luke 25:19). Third, we celebrate the institution of the new commandment: Love. Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (John 13:34).

Good Friday is a day of fasting and prayer. We commemorate the Passion and Death of Jesus on Calvary. This is the only day of the year that the Church does not celebrate the Eucharist, but the liturgy of the Passion, which is also called The Adoration of the Cross. All Christians are invited to adore the crucified Lord, and to say to Him “thank you” for His sacrifice for all of us. “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world”.

Holy Saturday is very quiet. People meet to pray in the morning. In the evening, we have the Mass of Masses. The most important Mass of the year: Easter Vigil. This is a beautiful ceremony in which we celebrate Christ’s victory over death. This Eucharist is rich in symbols and elements that lead us to experience the wonders of the Lord.

Easter Sunday is the last day of Holy Week, but it is the beginning of the Easter season. We cannot forget that Easter is a full season: 50 days of celebration that goes from Easter Sunday to the Solemnity of Pentecost.

We cannot forget that beyond all these celebrations, the real purpose of Holy Week is a call to convert our hearts to the Lord, reconcile, renew our faith, and have hope in new life. For the Roman Catholic Church, these days represent the center of the Christian mystery: the great love of Jesus, who was able to give Himself to death on the Cross and to rise from death. Holy Week is not just a historical moment, but an invitation to live today the paschal mystery in our own life.

Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build!
God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez

During Lent, all Catholics are preparing themselves to celebrate the most important celebration for all Christians: The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. For this, the Roman Catholic Church presents to us the Lenten Observances (Fasting, Prayer, and Almsgiving), in addition to Penance, as tools that help us to live this wonderful mystery of our faith. Prayers, such as the Sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary and the Stations of the Cross, help us to meditate on the last moments of the life of Jesus Christ before His crucifixion.

The most important mystery for our faith is the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ; however, there is another person who is also important for the lives of all who believe in the Resurrected Lord: The Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Mother suffered as well to see her Son crucified on the Cross. The Church wants to remember in a special way our Mother and her sorrows; therefore, the Church has the Friday before Palm Sunday to venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary as preparation for Holy Week.

This Friday, March 27th, is known in the Church as Friday of Sorrows. In some countries, such as Mexico, Guatemala, Italy, Peru, Brazil, Spain, Malta, Nicaragua, and the Philippines, Friday of Sorrows is the beginning of the Holy Week celebrations.

Historically, Pope Benedict XIII, in 1727, extended a feast commemorating the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, assigning to its celebration the Friday in Passion Week, one week before Good Friday. Later, in 1954, Pope Saint John XXIII reduced this feast to the level of a commemoration. In 1969 the celebration was removed for the General Roman Calendar as a duplicate of the feast on September 15th. However, in 2015 the Catholic Church restored the observance on the Friday in the Passion Week or the Friday of Sorrows.

Let us adore Our Lord Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself for us on the Cross because through this beautiful act of love, He restored our dignity as God’s children. Also, let us venerate Our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was always present in the more important moments of the life of her Son: His incarnation, nativity, first miracle, His Passion and Death. She suffered as well to see her Son hung up on the Cross. Let us venerate and express our love for Our Mother. Allow us to unite ourselves with the sorrows of Mary on Friday of Sorrows as the beginning of Holy Week.

God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Fr. Jorge Ramirez

This weekend, the Church is celebrating the fourth Sunday of Lent, which is also known as Laetare Sunday. This is a special celebration for the Roman Catholic Church during the Lent season because it marks joy in a penitential time. The word Laetare comes from Latin and means rejoice. This name came from the first word of the antiphon of the Mass of that day which says Laetare, Ierusalem (rejoice Jerusalem). This expression is taken from the prophet Isaiah (Is. 66:10), and it is an invitation to rejoice and hope.

This Sunday is like Gaudete Sunday which is celebrated on the third Sunday of Advent. Hence, in both Sundays, Laetare and Gaudete, the Church uses the rose color.

The rose color indicates a glimpse of joy that awaits us on Easter before we go to celebrate the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, Laetare Sunday reminds us that we are close to the sacred mysteries of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord. Therefore, the Church wants to express hope and joy in the middle of penance, fasting, and the rest of the Lenten observances.

“Laetare Sunday is the Church’s way of giving us a ‘shot in the arm’ as we approach the darkness and horror of the days through Good Friday and Holy Saturday. It’s an opportunity to savor and keep in the back of our minds what awaits us on Easter Sunday — the reality that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and that our hearts will always be filled with joy!” (simplycatholic).

Let us celebrate and rejoice in this time of Lent as an anticipation of joy at the Easter festivities.

Remember, The Parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.

God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez

Dear family of the Most Holy Trinity Church,

Like in February, I would like to continue to share with you some notes from our previous pastors in celebration of our 165th anniversary. Our second note is from Father Bill Michatek. You know him very well.

Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build!
Holy Trinity Church… 165 years evangelizing!

God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramírez