Holy Trinity Church

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last week I had the pleasure to introduce you to two wonderful new members of our parish staff: Julia McMahon (our new Administrative Assistant) and Iván Luqueño-Tlayeca (our new Confirmation & Youth Ministry Coordinator). Today, I have the joy of introducing our new Faith Formation Coordinator. His name is Neil D’Alessandro. He will work with our children and families to prepare them, together with our catechists, in our different programs, such as Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Sunday program, family program, OCIC (Order of Christian Initiation for Children), and so on.

Like Julia & Iván, Neil will introduce himself to our Holy Trinity family.

Let us pray for Neil, Julia & Iván, for their lives and ministries at Holy Trinity Church.

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

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My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I hope each of you are enjoying these seen days before summer; I also hope that you are doing very well. As you know, our parish has been looking for five members for our parish staff. We have now two members of our Holy Trinity Family: They are Julia McMahon (Administrative Assistant) and Iván Luqueño–Tlayeca (Confirmation & Youth Ministry Coordinator). You may have already seen them in the parish office, but I want to introduce them officially to you. Please, if you see them around, say hello and introduce yourselves to them. They are wonderful people who want to serve all of us in the best possible way.

I want to introduce first our new Administrative Assistant.

Now, it is the turn of Iván, our new Confirmation / Youth Ministry Coordinator.

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

The election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope is a source of great joy not only for the United States and Peru—two nations he deeply loves—but also for the entire Church and the non-Catholic world, who were all awaiting the announcement of Peter’s new successor.

Pope Leo XIV is a man who, as an Augustinian missionary, living for many years in Peru, serving as the Bishop of Chiclayo, and traveling across Latin America, knows the necessity of this continent whose people are in physical and spiritual need. His pontificate will face many challenges, but with our prayers, he will be able to face each one of them. Pope Leo XIII (1878 – 1903) was a leader who built a bridge between the traditions of the Church and a world that is rapidly changing.

Cardinal Prevost, using Leo XIV as his name of Pontificate, is suggesting that he will work for a social justice that our society needs. The church in Latin America works for social justice based on the teachings of Pope Leo XIII and of course the other documents of the Social Teachings of the Church such as Rio de Janeiro, Medellin, Puebla, Santo Domingo, and Aparecida (Documents of CELAM [Catholic Conference of Bishops of Latin American and the Caribbean]).

Our new Pope, Leo XIV, will work for this social justice considering problems such as immigration, a problem that is not only present in the United States, but also in other nations. I, as a Latin American priest who is working in the Diocese of Rochester, am very happy seeing how the Holy Spirit is present in the Church. The first American and, at the same time, the second Latin American Pope will work for the necessity of everyone because he knows very well our reality. All of us have the mission to pray for his holiness and his great mission as the vicar of Christ on Earth.

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

Dear Holy Trinity family. We are celebrating two wonderful events this Sunday.

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Let us pray for our mothers:

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

Habemus Papam? Not yet; however, very soon we will hear this expression when we see white smoke at the Vatican, and a Cardinal informs us who the new Pope is. Before the Cardinal says this, the Cardinals meet in a special meeting called Conclave to decide who should be the new Pope for the Roman Catholic Church. What is a conclave? The word “conclave” comes from the Latin “Com,” which means together, and “Clavis,” which means Key. In other words, a conclave is a meeting where all the cardinals are locked-in, praying and asking God to send the Holy Spirit to come upon them and through His help, they can choose the best man to take the Seat of Peter and guide our Church according to God’s will. This meeting is private, so no phones, social media, or any other way to communicate with the rest of the world is allowed in the conclave. We will not have the possibility to know what is going on inside the conclave, and the cardinals will not know either what is happening in the rest of the world. The only way that we know if the cardinals elected already a new Pope for the Church is to look for the color of the smoke that comes out from a chimney: black smoke means no new Pope, white smoke means we have a new Pope.

There are 252 cardinals in the world, but only 135 of them are eligible to participate in the conclave because they are under 80 years old. According to the norms of the Church, the conclave starts 15 days after the Chair of Peter is empty. The conclave will start this coming May 7th, the USCCB says, “In the past, 15 to 20 days after a papal vacancy, the cardinals gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica for a Mass invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in electing a new pope. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in a conclave. They are known as the cardinal electors… The cardinals vote by secret ballot, processing one by one up to Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment, saying a prayer and dropping the twice-folded ballot in a large chalice. Four rounds of balloting are taken every day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. The result of each ballot is counted aloud and recorded by three cardinals designated as recorders. If no one receives the necessary two-thirds of the vote, the ballots are burned in a stove near the chapel with a mixture of chemicals to produce black smoke.

When a cardinal receives the necessary two-thirds vote, the dean of the College of Cardinals asks him if he accepts his election. If he accepts, he chooses a papal name and is dressed in papal vestments before processing out to the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. The ballots of the final round are burned with chemicals producing white smoke to signal to the world the election of a new pope. The senior cardinal deacon, currently French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, announces from the balcony of St. Peter’s “Habemus Papam” (“We have a pope”) before the new pope processes out and imparts his blessing on the city of Rome and the entire world” (USCCB – How Is a New Pope Chosen).

Let us pray for the Church, especially for the cardinals, so guided by the Holy Spirit, they can elect the new Pope who will guide the Church according to Christ’s heart.

Let us pray,

O God, eternal shepherd, who govern your flock with unfailing care, grant in your boundless fatherly love a pastor for your Church who will please you by his holiness and to us show watchful care.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. (USCCB – Prayer for the Election of a New Pope)

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!

Father Jorge Ramirez

Let us pray for this wonderful man who served God and the Church

During these days, we have received sad news about Pope Francis, who was always serving God through his service and love for our Roman Catholic Church. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, also known as Pope Francis, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 17th, 1936, and died on April 21st, 2025. Pope Francis was elected as the head of the Church on March 13th, 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013. He was the first Jesuit and Latin American man who became Pope.

Pope Francis always worked for the poor and marginalized taking as an example and model the Gospel and the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi. His style was different than other Popes because he always lived in simplicity and humility. During his pastoral ministry as the Holy Father, he preached the mercy of God. He demonstrated with his life that God is our merciful Father, the same Father who was preached about by Jesus constantly, especially in the Gospel of Luke, in the parable of the Prodigal Son (cf. Lk. 11:11-32).

This merciful Father is also reflected on Jesus Christ who died and rose from the dead because He loves us very much. This mercy is celebrated in the Church this second Sunday of Easter, which is also called Divine Mercy Sunday. St. Faustina, in 1935, received a vision of an angel by God to chastise a certain city. She began to pray for mercy, but her prayers were powerless. Suddenly she saw the Holy Trinity and felt the power of Jesus’ grace within her. At the same time, she found herself pleading with God for mercy with words she heard interiorly:

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us (Diary, 475).

Pope St. John Paul II, on April 30, 2000, during the canonization of sister Faustina Kowalska, designated the second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. It is very important to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet not only on this second Sunday of Easter, but as often as we can (hopefully every day).

In God’s mercy, let us pray for the church, because now, the chair of Peter is empty, that means the office of the Pope is vacant. Let us pray for the eternal rest for Pope Francis, and ask the Holy Spirit to come and elect our next Pope who will lead us according to the heart of Christ.

Let us pray for the soul of Pope Francis.

O God, immortal shepherd of souls, look on your people’s prayer and grant that your servant Pope Francis, who presided over your Church in charity, may, with the flock entrusted to his care, receive from your mercy the reward of a faithful steward. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
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 Ramírez

We, Catholic Christians, just lived through Holy Week where we celebrated the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only true hero because with His death on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead, He has saved all of us; in other words, He has saved the whole world. And although we have certainly seen many movies about the life of Jesus of Nazareth, we know and strongly believe that Jesus is not a character invented by a writer and acted in a Hollywood movie, but He is a real person who loves us immensely. He protects us from our enemies as a shepherd protects His sheep from the wolf that wants to devour them, just as the Lord Jesus tells us: “I give my life for my sheep” (Jn. 10,14).

The Lord Jesus takes cares of us always, and we should always follow Him. In the same way, Christ Jesus, by the immense love that He has for us, sends the Holy Spirit, so all of us can obey the Lord through our love for Him and for our brothers and sisters. Jesus says: “As the Father loves me, so I love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you this so that joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (Jn. 15:9-11). Hence, Christ is the true hero among heroes because He is not a selfish being who wants power only for himself, but He gives us His power, His strength so that we may follow His steps and make of this world a better one.

When a mother worries about her children, when teachers prepare their lessons with care so that their students may learn, when a policeman ensures the safety of the citizens, or when a priest celebrates the Eucharist with love, all of them are heroes because they all have the same Spirit of Christ. You and I have the Holy Spirit. And when we manifest the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are true witnesses of the Resurrection of the Lord. We did not just live a week where something that seems fictional was narrated, but we commemorated the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord. That is why St. Luke reminds us in his Gospel that we are witnesses of these things (Cf. Lk. 24,48). Let us live the Resurrection of the Lord with immense joy, and let Him be the true and only hero among heroes.

¡Felices Pascuas! Happy Easter!

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

“Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: your King is coming to you, a just Savior is He, Humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). This text from the Bible was written by the prophet Zechariah approximately 500 years before the triumphant entrance of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. But, what is the real meaning of this? Why did the prophet announce this solemn entrance of a king, not riding a big horse or steed, but instead this king rode a donkey? What kind of king is this who preferred to demonstrate all His splendor and majesty through a simple act of humility, such as riding a simple donkey? Some people could think that there was a mistake in the vision of the prophet or that Jesus did not have another option than to ride this animal; however, I see a coherent way to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God is always present in simplicity.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was a simple man who was always surrounded by the Anawim, the poor of Yahweh. “Who were the ‘Anawim’? They were the poor of every sort: the vulnerable, the marginalized, the socio-economic oppressed, those of lowly status without earthly power. In fact, they depended totally on God for whatever they owned. The Hebrew word Anawim (inwetan) means those who are bowed down” (catholicnewsagency.com).

Jesus came to serve the Anawim. He wanted to serve them. This was one of the big lessons that Jesus taught to His disciples in the Last Supper. When our Lord washed the feet of the apostles, He taught them to serve one another in a humble way. Service is a fundamental part of the Kingdom of God which was proclaimed by our Lord. Jesus served always with happiness because He was serving the creation that God, the Father, made with so much love. Because Jesus loves all creation, He wanted to stay with us in the form of bread and wine. In the Last Supper, Jesus Christ offered Himself as the living bread that came down from heaven (John 6:51). The Eucharist is the most sublime act of love of Jesus because it has connection with the ultimate sacrifice that He gave for us on the Cross. In the Last Supper, Jesus Christ gave us His body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins. For that reason, when we eat this bread and drink this cup, we are announcing the Lord’s death until He comes again (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:26-32).

We are proclaiming the death of Jesus. And Jesus died on the cross for us because He loves us very much. No question about this. The death of our Lord on the cross is the highest proof of His love. He, the King of the Universe, sacrificed His life for us, His sheep, His flock. A king does not need to sacrifice for anybody, but Jesus Christ did it because He came to serve, not to be served (cf. Matthew 20:28). His Kingdom is a kingdom of love, sacrifice, sorrow… a kingdom of the Cross. However, this kingdom is as well a kingdom of happiness, joy, hope… a kingdom of Resurrection. The death of Jesus on the Cross is the way that He redeemed humankind, and His resurrection is the hope that we find in our lives.

My brothers and sisters, Holy Week is not just another week where we have extra activities in Church, or a way to stage the last moments of our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Week is a commemoration of salvation that we received through the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Let us experience with love and happiness each one of the celebrations during this week and let us thank God for the opportunity to celebrate these sacred mysteries in the company of our family… the family of the Roman Catholic Church.

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

My dear brothers and sisters.

Our Lord Jesus Christ always tells us about the importance of loving God, our neighbors, and our- selves. The good works that we do in our lives reflect this wonderful love that we have. The Church also reminds us of the importance of giving alms, especially during Lent time. Last year, on February 10 & 11, Holy Trinity Church had a Penny Sunday, which was destined to the missions in Kenya. Fr. Tulio Ramirez, on behalf of my classmate, Fr. Jimmy Gil, who works in Kenya, spoke about this mission. Now, Fr. Jimmy is writing a letter in gratitude for our generosity for his mission.

This weekend, the Church is celebrating the fourth Sunday of Lent, which is called Laetare Sunday or Sunday of Rejoicing. 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.

Mr. Michael Heinlein, editor of Simply Catholic, says, “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!” (Simply Catholic).

Laetare Sunday reminds us that Jesus Christ came to save each one of us. He did not come to condemn us, but to guide us to the house of our heavenly Father. He came to restore our friendship with God, and the way that Jesus did this was through His Passion and Death on the cross, and of course, His resurrection. Therefore, this Sunday invites us to rejoice not for the death of Jesus but rejoice because through Jesus’ death on the Cross and His Resurrection, we have been saved. In addition, the Resurrection of the Lord is giving us hope that we will find something better and wonderful in the Kingdom of God.

Let us remember that God does not want to condemn us, to send us to Hell. Hell is a reality in which if we are not careful with our spiritual life, we can go. But Jesus’ love is bigger than our sins, and He wants all of us go to the Kingdom of Heaven. Hence, we are celebrating this Laetare Sunday.

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