I would like to express all my gratitude to each one of the parishioners of Holy Trinity Church. You welcomed me with love and joy, even though it is a difficult time for all of us because our beloved friend and pastor, Fr. Tim, is not with us anymore. Let me tell you that each one of the manifestations and expressions of affection are very important to me to start this journey as your Pastor.

As I expressed before, my intention as the Pastor of the Most Holy Trinity Church is that each one of the members of this wonderful community feel like they are at home. We are one family walking together to rejoice in the presence of the Lord in each one of the activities that we do as a parochial family. All of us are disciples of Christ; therefore, each member of this community is very important. Each one of us contributes something important and valuable in the construction and development of our parish mission:

“We are a Catholic faith community blessed with the joy of God’s love. Together we share this love with all who hunger for God’s presence in their lives. We follow Christ who taught us to find God by giving our lives in service to others and gathering to celebrate a Eucharist that welcomes everyone. Join us on this journey!”

Personally, I have a slogan or phrase that you will hear from me many times. My slogan is, “The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.” We work as a family, a big family who dreams to be truly disciples of Christ. Each one of us has the responsibility to contribute something so that our mission becomes a reality. No matter how big or little our contribution is to our community (as a lector, usher, altar server, volunteer, sacristan, CMA, collection, donation, and so on), our contribution is very important for the life and future of our Holy Trinity Family.

This is not only my community, but it is the community of each one of us. This is our home. And because it is our home, I work so that my home becomes a welcoming place, not only for each one of the members of this wonderful family, but also for those who are visiting us. Remember… this is our parish; let us work together for our parish; let us love our parish; let us feel all the blessings by God through our parish.

I would like each member of Holy Trinity Church to learn this by heart: “The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.” Let us believe that everything we do in the parish is our grain of sand to help build this wonderful parish that all of us dream of.

Let us work together as a big family who is always doing God’s will. Remember… “The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.”

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

Fr. George.

All of us received the sad news of the depart of our brother and pastor, Fr. Timothy Horan. Fr. Tim was an extraordinary man who always gave us wonderful teachings and example of his extraordinary love that he had for God and His holy Church. We had the opportunity to express our gratitude for everything that he did for us during his priestly ministry as our Pastor and friend. Moreover, we honored him with a wonderful funeral Mass presided by our Bishop Salvatore R. Matano and preached by Fr. Daniel McMullin. At the end of this funeral Mass, I expressed my gratitude to all present, and invited to remember him with a great smile. Let us remember all the wonderful teachings from Fr. Tim.

I would like to share one of the most important memories that I have of Fr. Tim.

I was assigned to Holy Trinity Church as a seminarian in 2011. It was my second year of the seminary, after having studied English at St. Bernard School of Theology & Ministry. I joined St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, MD, to continue my English studies and to begin studying theology.studying theology is not easy… studying theology in English (for me as a Spanish speaker) was hard. I had to study more and more. Double work for me, I believe.

I had some difficulties in my studies at the beginning of my seminary formation. I came to Holy Trinity during one of my breaks to celebrate Holy Week. I was thinking seriously of leaving the semi- nary and going back to Colombia. I thought that the priestly life was not for me. I talked to Fr. Tim about it. He said to me something that I will never forget. He said, “George, you are now in purgatory, but you will be soon in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Those words were meaningful for me because they helped me to think again about my situation at the seminary and my priestly formation. I can say, without a doubt, that I am a priest because of Fr. Tim. He was a very important person in my priestly formation.

I believe all of you have wonderful memories of Fr. Tim, and how he touched your hearts. Also, I know how difficult it is for all of us because Fr. Tim is not with us anymore. However, we also have the hope that Fr. Tim is with Jesus, enjoying His presence in the company of all the angels and saints. Fr. Tim is living what he told us about many times during his homilies and conversations. Fr. Tim is hap- py right now because he is alive with the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us continue to pray for the soul of Fr. Tim so that God takes him to His Holy place in heaven.

Fr. Tim, we love you. We will never forget you. Please, continue to pray for us from heaven.

God bless you and the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Fr. George

Jesus, before He went up to heaven gave a great mission to the Church: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:19-20).

Since that moment, the Roman Catholic Church has the mission to preach the Gospel to all; however, this has not been an easy task. During the Church’s history we can see how the Church has been facing heresies, persecutions, blasphemies, and so on. Nevertheless, it is because of the action of the Holy Spirit that the Church continues her task to announce the Gospel to all mankind. For instance, in the Acts of the Apostles, we find the story of when the apostles were in jail for announcing the Gospel, and Gamaliel, one of the teachers of the law, defended them: “So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God” (Cf. Acts 5: 34-42).

Even though we have difficulties announcing the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is upon us. This should be enough argument to spread the Gospel with happiness and joy. Pope Francis is making a great effort to remind us that there is joy announcing the Gospel. On November 24, 2013 (on the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe), Pope Francis wrote the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (EG) (The Joy of the Gospel). In this exhortation, the Pope is reminding us of the necessity to evangelize to all people through a missionary spirit that leads us to leave our churches and to spread the Word of God with joy. Joy is the central attitude of the gospel; therefore, we cannot be sad when we preach the gospel: “An evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral! Let us recover and deepen our enthusiasm, that ‘delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow… And may the world of our time, which is searching, sometimes with anguish, some- times with hope, be enabled to receive the good news not from evangelizers who are dejected, dis- couraged, impatient or anxious, but from ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervor, who have first received the joy of Christ’” (EG 10).

Let us help people to have a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, who is the source of our happi- ness and joy. Let us participate in the liturgy celebrating the life because Our Jesus Christ is not death, but He is alive. Let us announce the Gospel with love and joy.

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

Fr. George

My name is Fr. Jorge Iván Ramírez Velásquez, but all my family and friends have called me George since I was four years old. So, it is fine if you call me Fr. George.

I am from Medellín, Colombia. I grew up in a very Catholic country, and I always studied in Catholic schools. My home parish is Nuestra Señora del Carmen (Our Lady of the Mount Carmel), and since I was a boy, I have been very active in the Church. I joined El Seminario Conciliar de Medellín (The Council Seminary of Medellin), where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy. Later I received a Licentiate Degree in Philosophy with a specialization in Docencia Universitaria y Gerencia Educativa (University Teaching and Educational Management).

I came to the United States in 2009 to study to become a priest for the Diocese of Rochester. First, I studied English at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester, NY, and then Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, MD. I was ordained by Bishop Salvatore R. Matano on June 4, 2016, and served as a parochial vicar at Holy Cross Church in Charlotte. There I enjoyed serving the community, working on programs such as Bible study groups, altar servers, RCIA, celebration of different liturgies and teaching in Holy Cross School Spanish and religious education. In addition, I was working with the Hispanic Charismatic Renewal of the Diocese. This was a great experience for me because I share my ministry with my fellows Hispanics as well.

Later, in 2018, I started my pastoral ministry at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community in Penn Yan, NY as a Parochial Vicar. God called me to serve this beautiful community in which I continued to experience the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I served the Lord and the Church under the leadership of Fr. Leo Reinhardt. I learned wonderful things from him, such as always to show the face of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd to each person in my pastoral ministry.

In 2021, Bishop Matano sent me to serve as the Parochial Administrator of three wonderful communities: All Saints, Holy Cross, and St. Anthony at N.E.T. Catholic (North East Tompkins Roman Catholic Parishes).

As a part of my formation to become a priest, I 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. I am not sure if you remember me when I was around as a seminarian, but I have wonderful memories of Holy Trinity when I was here helping Fr. Horan and the staff. One of these memories is that I learned to drive during my stay at Holy Trinity. I am back not as a seminarian anymore, but as the Pastor. I hope to share with all of you my vocation, ministry, and love for God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Roman Catholic Church. I also hope to learn from all of you, and to share in your beautiful faith and love for God, our Blessed Mother, and the Church. I am praying for all of you, and I hope you are praying not only for me, but for all priests, deacons, bishops, the Pope, and all religious (men and women) vocations.

I want to say to God, thank you for entrusting to me this wonderful and big responsibility of being the Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish. I know that with your support, faith, and love we can work together for the Kingdom of God.

God bless all of you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always.

Fr. George

(please enjoy this previously published article by Father Tim)

Faith, of course, is the principle means through which we come to know God and enter into a relationship with Him. And this faith bases itself on the Word of God given to us in sacred scripture. This word is spoken by God “who can neither deceive nor be deceived.”

So Jesus (the Word made Flesh) says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”, or, “I am the Resurrection and the life”, or, “I am the Good Shepherd leading my sheep into eternal life.” And in response Peter said, “Oh Lord, you alone have the words of eternal life.” So Faith opens the door to heaven.

But there is something else that can happen. Sometimes before faith happens, one can have an experience that leads them to believe in God. OR, sometimes this experience can follow faith and help it to grow.

What is this experience? Wonder. Children have it all the time. Hopefully, you’ve had it too. It starts with a simple observation of life around us and leads to a “moment” where we experience the sheer beauty or power or mystery contained in what we are observing.

For example:

• The ocean, the waves, the horizon
• Seagulls riding a lake breeze
• The folds and color of a rose
• A baby’s smell
• The eyes of a child
• The full moon on new snow
• A lover’s first “I love you” and then hearing “I love you” back.
• A base hit in little league
• The day you could finally ride a bike
• Sitting on your dad’s lap, playing with his giant fingers
• Really hearing a great piece of music
• Tears upon finishing some effort that took everything you had in you
• Winning a game in triple overtime
• Losing a game in triple overtime
• Reading a book that moves you with its description of the human character
• Counting the stars at night
• (What would you add as your moments . . . . ?)

None of these moments happen in church, but each of them can open a window through which we catch a glimpse of a world filled with a beauty and mystery that far surpasses our ability to fully understand it. Yet it will not let us leave that place without touching our hearts with that experience we call “wonder.”

Read Psalm 139 for a beautiful moment of wonder. It all leads to a surrender to faith . . . “Oh Lord, How great you are. Thank you for letting me live and have my being. Thank you for letting me see/feel this moment”.

I hope you take time this summer to experience the beauty of this world and of our lives as human beings. Don’t try too hard though.

Just let the moment be what it wants to be in you. Remember, God loves you and made this world for us. Summer blessings.

Fr. Tim

(please enjoy this previously published article by Father Tim)

Like Mother’s Day this tribute to fathers ran last year at this time. Why again? Well. . . it’s like dad’s brown shoes  he wore them day after day.

It’s hard explaining Fathers. Each is different. Each father brings different skills with which they make their contribution. Some are handymen, fixing everything in the house. Some are sportsmen, sharing the love of outdoors, fishing, and hunting. Some make work their special skill.

But here’s some things that all fathers share, or at least, I think they should.

Today is your day. We’re not too keen on these things, are we. Somehow it goes against what we see as our role as the “watch over person”. We’ve all seen holy cards of the Holy Family. There they are, Mary and the baby, front and center. Joseph is usually off to the side watching or standing over his wife and the child as protector. We like the background role.

In fact, we can sometimes “hide” in the back when things get sticky or uncomfortable. When tears or disappointment come to the children, it’s time for mom! She’s the expert in handling emotions or significant events . . . birthdays, inlaws, holidays, vacation plans, etc.

So what DO you do, dad?

Can I tell you what I’ve seen you do? First off, you love your wife. She has the key to your heart. She is the one person who pulled you out of yourself when you were this whiney, selfish 20/30 something. She helped you discover that “to love” meant to “lay your life down”. You didn’t know that until you met her. Now your job is to make her life a joy.

The second thing is the children she gave you to hold. What profound stirrings you felt when each of your children looked up at you.

Somewhere came that particular “Father feeling” that said, “No one will ever hurt this child so long as I am here. You are safe with me dear one . . . do you hear that world?!!”

What else do you do, Dad?

You create a “place” that is warm, safe, and fun. Yes, it’s a place to live, but it’s more than that. Your strength and love and watchfulness brings about a place in which your wife and children can blossom and grow. They don’t have to worry, “are we okay here”?. They’re free from fear because you are there. You are like the house beams!  always there, quiet, holding things in place. The world is dependable . . . because you are dependable. You beat back the chaos.

Last on my list of things to thank you for is the fact that you didn’t give into me when you knew I was headed in the wrong direction. I could bully mom into going along with some silly scheme I thought was really cool. “Well honey, if it will make you happy.” You wouldn’t budge.

“Rethink that”, you would say. “That’s not what we taught you.” You had several other sayings that went right to the heart of the matter. Things like . . . don’t give up. . . you disappoint me (ouch!) . . . do it the right way, not the easy way . . . I’m proud of you . . . don’t worry, I’ll be there. . . and (yes, dad you actually said this) . . . “I’m not your friend, I’m your father.” Dad, you saved us from our worst impulses.

Lastly, you show us something of God the Father. Strong, present, watching, protecting, our rock. You gave us a “place” of safety to discover who we are; you were strong enough to listen when mom knew us better. You gave up your crazy ways to be our dad. We are really glad you did.

Happy Fathers Day, dad.

We love you.

Fr. Tim

In the quiet moments of his days, Fr. Tim wants us to know that he is thinking of us and would like to share some of his thoughts.

(Please enjoy this previous article by Fr. Tim, first published here May 23, 2015)

One of my favorite lines from sacred scripture comes to us in the Acts of the Apostles (17:28). “For in Him, we live and move and have our being.” St. Paul is quoting from one of the ancient Greek poets about the God from whom we come but cannot see. He uses the words, “grope for”, in describing man’s efforts to know the “Unknown God”.

What Paul is struggling to describe is the subtle way God reveals Himself to us. The image is almost like a fish in water. Like that water, God is all around us. He holds us up. Wherever we go, he is there. We breathe him in. We live in him and he lives in us.

But, how do we see God or feel him if he is all around us like water or air? This is where we need help. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes of faith. We need the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to the quickening of love (“Everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7)

St. John in his first letter tells us, “No one has ever seen God.” So, then how will we come to know him by the Holy Spirit? Lacking physical evidence we turn to “Signs of the presence of God”. Scripture again points us in the right direction by giving us signs to look for. They are called the Gifts and Fruits of the Spirit.

The Gifts are generally intellectual and spiritual abilities helping us apply the teachings of Christ to everyday life. The Fruits are generally observable states of goodness that have as their source the presence of God.

They are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faith, gentleness and chastity.

To each of these I’ll highlight some human moment that gives us a sign of the Holy Spirit.

Love. Any act that places the wellbeing of the loved one before oneself. “Love does not seek its own”. 1 Cor. 13.

Joy. That deep happiness that comes, when in spite of hardships, you’ve “done the right thing”.

Peace. When someone has devoted themselves to reconciling with someone who is estranged. Conversely, to be won over by the loving concern of a “Peacemaker”.

Patience. Your child/spouse/friend disappoints you for the hundredth time. You smile and assure them things will be right someday.

Kindness. So simple; pure goodness for its own sake. Speaks for itself.

Generosity. Giving more than is necessary . . . because you want their happiness.

Faith. Knowing God loves all of us, and as a result, “All will be well.”

Gentleness. A largeness of spirit that can afford a kind word in the face of harshness. Large like God is large.

Chastity. Honoring another person in their body. Requiring sexual desire to serve its Godly purpose (the gift of children and the bond of love) because that is what true love demands.

Here’s hoping you’ve caught a glimpse of the Holy Spirit in your life!! A blessed Pentecost!

Fr. Tim

(Please enjoy this previous article by Fr. Tim, first published here February 7, 2016)

I want to try to share with you a bit of unfailing advice that was given to me some years ago by a holy and beloved priest friend. Like any truly helpful bit of wisdom it’s very simple . . . God’s will is straight ahead.

Let me explain.

There’s something in the way we live our lives that makes us feel like we’re in charge. That’s one of the pleasures of a Saturday morning; free from our jobs, we can pick and choose what our day will be. “I’m in charge. This is my life.”

There’s nothing wrong with living like this. God gave us a “brain”, we are free to choose our actions. Unlike the animals driven by instinct, we humans “decide” how we will live our lives.

However . . . . There’s a problem. When our choices are formed by nothing other than “what I want” we can start to think that our choices have TOTAL freedom in directing our lives. And guess what happens? We get lost. There has to be a guiding point outside ourselves that organizes and focuses our actions.

Think of the ancient sailors out on the ocean. How does a wooden boat get from Spain to the New World when all you can see is water? They had to find a point outside the boat that would tell them where they were . . . the North Star.

So freedom is best exercised when it is done in “partnership” with the One who gave us the gift in the first place . . . God of course. What does this partnership look and feel like?

Surprisingly it’s called THE PRESENT MOMENT. God’s will is in the right here, right now of our life. God’s will is right in front of you, not where you’ll be 6 months from now. And oh, don’t we try to go under or skip over what is staring us right in the face?

We wait till “I’m ready” or “things are just right” or “it goes away.” I’ll do God’s will “when I get ‘over there’”. If something is good, and true, helpful, and prudent . . . why wait?

A good practice to get into is to look at what lies straight ahead. A few examples might help.

Common Sense gives God’s will:

 It’s late at night. You have a busy day tomorrow. God’s will? Go to bed.
 You’ve had two beers at the party. You’re driving. God’s will? No more beer.

 Feel a painful lump? God’s will? See a doctor.  Big test tomorrow. God’s will? Study!
 Mom’s birthday. God’s will? Call her!
 Feel like running away? God’s will? Face it.

Goodness shows God’s will:

Thinking of changing something important in your life? Unless it’s an instance of some kind of abuse, God’s will is more often to stay where you are. To persevere in one’s duty. To embrace the daily grind. Persevere in doing good.

 Sometimes God’s will is to change. But change to what? What school? Should I marry? Have a child? Change jobs? Here is where God has given us right rea- son. Is the choice good in most every way? What would you advise a friend to do with that same decision? What have trusted friends said to you? (God often uses other people to reveal His will.) Choosing Life is always God’s will.

And what are the signs that happen in us when we’ve done God’s will? St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Gala- tians. “But the Spirit (God’s will for us), produces, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, humility, and selfcontrol.” Gal. 5:22

Let’s be ready for God’s will here and now. How? Go straight ahead!

Dear friends in Christ,
Several of you have mentioned to me that I have been looking unwell lately: thin and weary. It turns out that you were right: late last month I was diagnosed with a serious liver cancer that has left me extremely tired and weak. It’s a rare cancer that is impervious to the familiar treatments of surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. Thank God there is an immunotherapy treatment to address my diagnosis, and I started those treatments earlier this month. I want you all to know how much you mean to me and that I hold you in my heart during this difficult period in my life. Please understand that I am not healthy enough for visits at this time, but if you wish… send me a card, and more importantly, remember me in your prayers. You know I remember you in mine!

Peace of Christ to you all!

Fr. Tim.