From The Pastor's Desk

Sunday, January 11 2026                                                                        Open This Week's Bulletin

When was your baptism? Who baptized you? Where did it take place? Who stood beside you as godparents and witnesses? Are there photos, videos, or special mementos tucked away somewhere? These memories are not merely sentimental—they are sacred reminders of who we are and whose we are.

Pope Francis once gave a bit of spiritual “homework” to tens of thousands gathered at a Wednesday audience. He urged them to go home and find the date of their baptism, explaining:

“To know the date of our Baptism is to know a blessed day. The danger of not knowing is that we can lose awareness of what the Lord has done in us, the memory of the gift we have received.”

Indeed, our mindfulness of our own baptism can be a powerful measure of how deeply we remember all that we owe to Christ.

The great Doctors of the early Church spoke beautifully of the meaning of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan: an awakening of creation, the sanctifying of the waters, a kind of re-creation of the world itself. An ancient homily links Christ’s baptism back to the waters of creation and forward to the font of our own rebirth:

“This is the water that is linked to the Spirit… the water by which a person receives new birth and life, the water in which even Christ was baptized, the water into which the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove.”

The Baptism of the Lord is a moment of profound grace in the story of salvation. The Son of God enters fully into our human condition; the Father’s voice is heard; the Spirit is revealed. Heaven is opened. And from this moment begins a journey—a journey that continues in each of us through our own baptism. It is a journey filled with purpose.

Every person needs a sense of direction and meaning in life. Saint Peter summed up the pattern of Christ’s life with these simple words: “He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed… for God was with him.” Through baptism, we are invited to make Christ’s purpose our own.

Our Blessed Trinity Catholic community can be rightly proud of our Baptismal Policy and our Order of Christian Initiation ministries for adults and children. We are deeply grateful for our Faith Formation Staff and team, sponsors, catechists, and assistants. Through their prayerful service, we witness not only the growth of faith, but the sanctifying renewal of families, communities, and society itself—for the salvation of souls and the glory of God’s Kingdom, present among us now.

We warmly invite more members of the Blessed Trinity Body of Christ to become active partners in this sacred ministry—as catechists, sponsors, prayer partners, and supporters of families preparing for baptism. Your “yes” can truly make an eternal difference.

As we honor the Baptism of the Lord, may we also rejoice in our own baptismal identity, renew our commitment to discipleship, and trust in the abundant grace God continues to pour into our lives.

In the words of Pope Francis:

“Baptism gives us the grace to live as children of God, following Jesus each day and making a real difference in the lives of others—and in our own.”

May the Lord who called us by name in the waters of baptism bless us, guide us, and strengthen us always.

In joy and gratitude,

Fr. Skip – Pastor

Wisdom is knowing what to do next. Skill is knowing how to do it. Virtue is doing it. (Thomas Jefferson)

“Blessed Trinity Looked Amazing This Christmas”

This comment—and many like it—was spoken and shared by countless parishioners, visitors, and friends of the Blessed Trinity community throughout this holy season of the Lord’s Nativity, the Sunday of the Holy Family, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the Feast of the Epiphany.

From the creatively designed manger scene at the front doors of the church, to the narthex adorned with a towering Christmas tree wrapped in red ribbon; from the new placement of Our Lady of La Salette and the twin lighted Christmas trees surrounded by pink poinsettias, to the gardens overflowing with vibrant red poinsettias; and from the nave and sanctuary richly enhanced with gold and blue banners and a beautiful display of red, white and variegated poinsettias—our church offered a powerful sense of beauty, welcome, and praise to God during this sacred season.

We are deeply grateful to the dedicated band of servant-ministers whose creativity, vision, and generous labor made this possible.

This coming Monday, January 12, at 10:00 a.m., we invite and welcome your assistance as we once again transform our church interior into the simple and humble beauty of the Ordinary Time of the liturgical year. Together, we will carefully preserve all our seasonal decorations and sacred appointments.  Members of the Arts, Design & Environment Committee are especially invited to join us and to receive a share of the poinsettias as a small expression of gratitude for your dedication and faithful service to our parish community.

Thank you for helping Blessed Trinity continue to reflect the beauty of God’s presence among us. Fr. Skip – Pastor

Gratitude and Always Welcome

We want to thank our annual Christmas visitor and confrere, the Most Rev. Luis Zarama, Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina for his visit to our parish and special time with family during the Christmas season. He is always so gracious to offer a portion of his precious vacation to celebrate the Eucharist with our community and to share his warmth

and fraternity with the Blessed Trinity family of faith. Be assured of our prayers and holiday gratitude. Fr. Skip - Pastor

Thank You for Your Generous Hearts and Sacrificial Stewardship

Once again, the parish family, visitors, and friends of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church have responded with servant-hearts and remarkable generosity to our 2025 End-of-the-Year Christmas Appeal. We are deeply grateful. A full and transparent accounting of this appeal will be shared in the bulletin in the coming weeks.

Your sacrificial stewardship will assist our parish in meeting several significant needs in the year ahead, especially:

· the annual property insurance obligation due June 1, 2026;

· necessary and emergency capital expenditures, including air-conditioning units and the ongoing maintenance, improvement, and renovation of our parish buildings;

· new security (for weekend liturgies) and video systems for both the interior of the church and the exterior parish property; and

· the development of a Memorial Garden (and patio foundation) in loving memory of Fr. Roland Nadeau, MS, to be located just outside the Parish Center.

We are also sincerely thankful for your continued generosity towards our two Christmas Giving Trees, and for your overwhelming charity in support of our Sister Diocese (the Mission San Juan de la Maguanaplease, in the Dominic Republic) through the Diocesan Mission Office; the children and families of Centro Guadalupano Mission (in Wahneta, Florida); and several local institutions that serve children and families in need. This year’s outpouring of gifts and donations exceeded all previous years—a true testament to the faith-filled compassion of this community.

On behalf of our parish leadership and staff, thank you for your faith, your sacrifice, and your steadfast love for Blessed Trinity.

Fr. Skip--Pastor

That Man Is You Men’s Prayer and Fraternal Support Ministry