Our Lady of Charity-Parish Council Meeting Minutes
Date: February 24, 2014 (Met at Holy Family Site)
Eva Byrne called meeting to order and opened the meeting with a prayer.
Roll call attendance was taken by incoming secretary Mary Ellen Mulvaney. Present was: Msgr. Lee, Eva
Byrne, Cathy Geary, Paul Hammond, Mark Kulik, Audrey Kunz, Amy Jo Lauber, Anita McManus, Mary
Ellen Mulvaney, Salvatore Sanfillippo, Judith Schmelzinger, Gene Snusz, Sue Ward, Robert Zuercher.
Absent: James Burns (E), Pearl Guerin
Trustees Present: Mary Blake, Teresa Evaldi, Ann Flaherty
Approval of Minutes: Amy(1) Gene(2)
Liturgy Committee:(Mary Ellen) At our meeting on February 3, 2014 we discussed events of Christmas
and whether anything needed to be changed. There were 600 ornaments taken from the Giving Tree from
both parishes. On April 2nd. There will be another Evening of Reflection. We also discussed thought of
Lent, Stations of the Cross, and other parish activities. Father Lee spoke on the connection between
Christmas and Candlemas Season. Our next meeting is March 3, 2014.
Spiritual Life:(Cathy) Mass for the Feast of St. Agatha was on February 5, 2014. There were about 25
people present. The weather was bad , so we felt everything went well. There were refreshments
afterwards.
RCIA:(Anita) March 9, 2014 is the Election ceremony at St. Amelia’s. Father Lee will conduct Rite of
Sending from the Parish at the 11:00 Mass from Holy Family. Father Duke will conduct the Rite of
Sending from the Parish at the 10:00 Mass at St. Ambrose.
Religious Education:(Pearl) The Sacrament of Reconciliation was celebrated on February 8, 2014 at St.
Ambrose and February 9th at Holy Family. Registration for First Communion for St. Ambrose children will
be held on March 10th at 6:30 PM in the Church. There is some confusion with the students from Notre
Dame and OLV. Diocesan Policy states: Children should make their sacraments in the parish where they
are registered. Parents/Guardians seeking exemption should contact Fr. Lee. Confirmation class will meet
on March 2nd. Confirmation will be on April 30,2014 with Msgr. Slubecky.
Societies;
 Rosary & Altar Society:(Audrey) Rosary & Altar Society was scheduled to meet on February 11 th.
The members met in Holy Family Chapel to pray the rosary. Next meeting is scheduled for March
11, 2014. Long time member Patricia Heitzhaus recently passed away after a short illness.
 Cenacles of Life: (Sue) Meet every Wednesday in Chapel for rosary. Ash Wednesday Mass will
be at 5:30 PM. Cenacles will be changed to the main church and rosary will be said right after
Mass.
 Holy Name Society: (Gene) Meat raffle is scheduled for March 22, 2014. Night at the Races will
be rescheduled. No date has been set.
 Publicity: (Eva) Father Duke’s picture was in the paper showing him tending bar. It was a
fundraiser for Sister’s Hospital that was held at the Buffalo Brew Pub.
 St. Vincent DePaul: (Audrey) The annual collection to support our St. Vincent DePaul Conference
was held February 15th & 16th, and $2,628.40 was collected. Friday, February 21st, there was a
general meeting with 8 people in attendance. On March 11th, at the 7:00 Mass, as part of the
Novena of Grace, there will be a Commissioning Service for St Vincent DePaul members.
Applications for Summer Camp are available.
 Senior Citizens:
 St. Agatha’s: Meeting will take place on Ash Wednesday, March 5 th and they will say the Stations
of the Cross.
 St. Ambrose: (Bob) Meetings will be held March 7th and 21st. The 21st. meeting will be the annual
St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon for members only.
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Holy Family Evergreens: (Audrey) The Evergreens will meet on February 26 th at 2:00PM in Holy
Family Church Hall. The music group “Kindred” will be presenting a program.
Social Action Committee: (Audrey) Bottles for Babies to benefit Harvest House Baby Ministry
began the weekend of January 18th & 19th at both locations. Parishioners are asked to return full
bottles by the weekend of March 8th & 9th.
Social Action Committee is sponsoring its annual Lenten Food Drive to benefit Bishop Kmiec
Food Pantry and the South Buffalo Community Table the weekend of March 15 th & 16th.
Pro-Life: (Bob) Rosary Novena for Life begins Saturday March 29 th at 8:00AM at St. Rose of
Lima Church in Buffalo. Mass will be followed by a silent and prayerful procession to a local
abortion clinic. Novena will continue throughout the year on the following days: April 26 th, May
31st, June 28th, July 26th, Aug. 23rd, Sept. 27th, Oct. 25th, and Nov. 22nd.
Youth Ministry:
Life Line for Kids: (Anita) Their first meeting was February 19th. They are working on family
dynamics trying to give them alternative ways to calm themselves and move past the anger. There
was a good discussion after they played a game with an anger management ball. Next week
they will be doing meditation.
Youth Activities: (Laura) Our Parish was represented by 4 high school girls and 2 adults at the Diocesan
Youth Convention. Msgr. Lee joined our group for dinner and was part of a group of 30 priests who heard
confessions. Friday Gym Nights continue every Friday with the Middle School group and the High School
group. Gym is open from 7:00 until 9:30. The game room is coming along. In addition to the air hockey
game, Kevin and Anne Marie Kelley donated a fuzz ball table. A mural designed by Madelyn McCarthy is
being worked on with the help of Renee Preston.
 Girl Scouts: (Audrey) The distribution of Girl Scout cookies is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28 th
beginning at 6:30 PM and on Saturday, March 1 st beginning at 9:00 AM in the St. Agatha ChurchSchool building.
 Boy Scouts: (Anita) On February 1st there was a First Aid Rally at West Seneca West Middle
School. Scout Sunday was February 2nd at the 10:00AM Mass at St. Ambrose with a light
breakfast in the gym afterwards. There was a bottle drive February 8 th. The next drive will be May
31st. The scouts are having a fish fry on Friday, March 21 st as a fundraiser for the troop.
 Cub Scouts: (Anita) There was not much activity for the month of February. At the meeting on
Feb. 13th, some of the parents took a course in Youth Protection. They are planning on going
bowling or swimming in March. It is not yet decided. (Audrey) The Cub Scout Pack #120 “Blue
and Gold” Dinner is scheduled for this Friday, Feb. 28 th at 6:00 PM in the Holy Family lower
Church Hall.
 Development: (Fr. Lee) Sale of tickets have been slow but its about the same as last year at this
time. (Eva) Summerfest meetings began on January 29 th. The picnic will be on July 25th & 26th.
They spoke about having the car on a separate night which would be Thursday, July 24th from
6:00 to 9:00 PM. Next meeting is on February 26 th.
 Buildings & Grounds: (Paul) Committee met on Feb. 12, 2014 with representatives of Neth &
Sons. Re: Status of roof replacement at Holy Family. They estimate that there are two weeks left
of work on the main job. There are two flat roofs to finish but the temperature has to be
consistently 40 degrees. There are also missing and damaged tiles on the South Tower. They
believe they can replace those tiles with repair of underlying damage for an additional $7500.00.
Committee voted to recommend that work be done by Neth & Sons. At the St. Ambrose Site, an
estimate was obtained for glass block windows be installed at the Church Rectory. Buffalo Glass
Block will do all windows for $1268.00. Committee voted to approve that work. The committee
rejected the proposal from Kolt Access for the installation of ramp. At the St. Agatha Site it was
noted that the roof on the former school will need to be replaced within the next 5-7 years.
Committee recommends that the roof be examined to begin getting an idea of cost of replacement.
There is another leak at Holy Family.Scafolding needs to be put up in order for them to fix the
leak. It should be done this week.
Pastor’s Report:(Msgr. Lee) A retreat group moved in and brought a lot of stuff with them. They come in
on Thursday night to Saturday afternoon. There will be a reunion Mass on March 14th . On Thursday,
March 5th, Social Action will be doing the Lenten mailings to the shut-ins after the Novena of Grace. Sue
Jackson from Noah’s Ark is planning on moving on with her life. We hope to find someone to take her
place and keep the business open. The bells at Holy Family will be fixed this week.
Old Business: Amy Jo passed out brochure about committees at Our Lady of Charity.
New Business: Bob questioned FCU accounts.
Closing Prayer: Eva closed the meeting with a prayer.
Next Parish Council Meeting date: Monday March 26, 2014 at Holy Family Site.
Respectfully submitted by Mary Ellen Mulvaney