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ST. TERESA OF AVILA PARISHST. TERESA OF AVILA PARISH Akron, New York
TERESIAN TIMESTERESIAN TIMES Volume 9, No. 1 (Deluxe Edition) Lent 2016
Pastor
Rev. David Baker
Rectory
5771 Buell Street
P.O. Box 168, Akron, NY
14001
Phone: 716-542-9103
Fax: 716-542-2444
stteresasofakron@verizon.net
Mass Schedule
Sunday
8:00, 10:15 AM
Saturday Vigil
4:30 PM
Weekday Liturgies
Daily
8:00 AM
Except Wednesday 5:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM
Vigil of Holy Days
4:30 PM
Holy Days
8:00 AM and 7:30 PM
Religious Education
Director
Sr. M. Ruth Warejko, CSSF
Convent: 716-542-9717
Classtime Office: 716-542-5777
Business Manager
Melissa Sanford
Baptisms
Arrangements must be made
3 weeks prior
Marriages
Please contact the Parish
Rectory for more information
“All my longing is that, since the Lord has so many enemies
and so few friends, that these friends be good ones.”
HAPPY 500th BIRTHDAY, ST. TERESA!
Throughout all of 2015, the Discalced Carmelite order worldwide
celebrated the 500th birthday of their foundress, St. Teresa of Avila.
It seems no coincidence that in the same year,
Bishop Malone announced that this parish, under St. Teresa’s patronage,
would remain open and receive a new pastor.
Thanking God for this gift, we begin a new volume of the Teresian Times...
2
NOVENA PRAYER WITH SNOVENA PRAYER WITH ST. TERESAT. TERESA
Father in Heaven,
by Your Spirit
You raised up St. Teresa of Avila
to show Your Church
the way to perfection.
May her teaching awaken in us
a longing for true holiness.
May we share her love for You
and remain blameless
through the new life we receive.
Grant these graces through Christ our Lord.
Glory Be (3 times)
St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us.
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
FROM OUR NEW PASTOR...FROM OUR NEW PASTOR...
Blessed be God forever!
I have felt the grace of many prayers
surrounding me this first month as your pastor.
In the hope that God will continue to bless
our parish (particularly with success in our
March Mission), I invite you to join me in
offering a Novena for St. Teresa’s prayerful
intercession, using the prayer in the next column.
We will pray this prayer at daily Mass beginning February 26,
nine days before March Mission begins. For those who cannot
attend daily liturgy, I invite you to pray the novena from home,
united with us through spiritual bonds. Ministry of Praise
members, I am thinking especially of you as I write this request.
One of my immediate goals is to reach out to the young
church, some of which is underway with our teens (see page 6). I
also want to connect with our young adults. I recall being 25 and
feeling like no one in my generation valued their faith. I'd like to
highlight the other side - those who stayed strong in the Spirit. In
each issue, I'll profile a young adult from our parish and let them
tell how they kept their faith intact. First up is a young woman
from our developing youth ministry team, Amanda Buczek. See
page 7 for Amanda’s soul story.
I’ve had the chance to introduce myself from the pulpit and in
the Akron Bugle, but the real question is, “what do other people
think about you?” On page 5 is a biography written by a teenager
from my previous parish. She convinced me to tell a few secrets
which I usually don’t reveal. Read on, dear parishioners, and I
hope to see you at Mass and at the many parish events advertised
herein.
Fr. Dave
Did you know…
Fr. Dave is the Friday co-host of
Calling All Catholics
on WLOF 101.7 FM
the Station of the Cross.
Tune in Fridays from 5—6 p.m.
Better yet, call in with a question and
stump your new pastor live on the air!
3
Forget about March Madness
and come to
March Mission at St. Teresa of Avila Parish Hall
Three Sunday Afternoons
March 6th — Does faith make any sense in a world of telescopes and microscopes?
March 13th — ’Put out into deep water’ - becoming a more spiritual person.
April 10th — Living the abundant life - what the resurrection means for your life.
Schedule:
12:30 p.m. Social mingling time
1:00 p.m. — Old fashioned family pasta dinner… “mangia!”
- prepared by Cipollina’s own Chef Jerry
2:00 p.m. — Witness talk (learn more of Fr. Dave’s secrets!)
2:30 p.m. — Meditation from St. Teresa of Avila
3:00 p.m. — Main Speaker
Main Speaker March 6th:
Jeffrey Skurka
Combining his faith and
engineering background
from the nuclear Industry,
Jeffrey explains how the 1988
radio-carbon dating results
of the Shroud of Turin
prove it’s authenticity!
MARCH MISSIONMARCH MISSION
Child C
are
will be
availab
le!
Shroud Of Turin. 1898. Sententias.org. Sententias: Dialogues Concerning Philosophy, Theology, and Science. Web. Photograph
4
A JEDI KNIGHT & ST. TERESAA JEDI KNIGHT & ST. TERESA
Who could forget the great British actor Sir Alec
Guinness? Sir Alec had a lifelong history of
Shakespearean drama on stage
and screen, but many American
fans knew him only as Obi-Wan
Kenobi from the Star Wars films
(a fact that pained him deeply).
With the current excitement over
Star Wars Episode VII, what
better time to mention another
side of this great actor: his Catholic faith.
Alec Guinness was raised Anglican and always had
an attraction to the idea of God. He read many
spiritual books, including the writings of St. Teresa of
Avila, as well as her associate, St. John of the Cross.
In his own words, from his memoir My Name
Escapes Me, Sir Alec speaks about his fascination with
both these Carmelite saints:
“It was at the beginning of the war, many years
before I became a Catholic, that I became interested,
in a totally uncomprehending way, in the Spanish
mystics. St Teresa of Avila's autobiography -- which
must be the greatest given to the world -- set me off,
reading it nightly by the kitchen fire in a tiny cottage
we rented for a few shillings a week.
As Teresa was a penfriend with St J of X, I wanted
to delve into him as well. But he is a tougher going
and hasn't the endearing jokes that make St T of A
almost fun. Among the qualities they have in common
is a breathtaking honesty.”
It was years later, on location
in France filming the movie Father
B r o w n ( b a s e d o n G .K .
Chesterton’s priest-detective
novels) that Guinness decided to
become a Catholic.
While on break from filming,
Guinness wandered into town,
still wearing his priest costume. A
young child ran up, grabbed his
hand, and began talking excitedly.
Guinness decided that any faith
which could inspire such trust in
a child must be the true one.
He was received into the Catholic faith on March
24, 1956. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And
may the Force (of God’s Spirit) be with us all.
NEW STATUENEW STATUE
GRACES ST. TERESA’S CEMETERYGRACES ST. TERESA’S CEMETERY
Did you know: St. Teresa of Avila Parish has its
very own Cemetery, located on Bloomingdale Road
just past the school, heading out of the village?
Over the past couple of years there have been
several improvements made to this sacred land. A
new road has been put in through both the old and
new sections, new water lines have been added, and
an additional .82 acres has been purchased for
future use. Most recently, a beautiful statue of Jesus
has been erected in the new section.
Future plans include the addition of benches and
a memorial garden. Opportunities for memorial
paving stones will be offered when this happens.
Also, the newly purchased land will allow new graves
to be plotted for sale. If you are interested in
acquiring a burial plot for yourself or your loved
ones, please call Melissa at the Rectory any weekday,
and she will visit the cemetery with you to pick out
the perfect spot for your final resting place.
We are also planning a special event at the
Cemetery this Spring to bless the new statue.
Attendees will have a chance to stroll and enjoy the
cemetery, and see whom they might know among its
occupants. Please watch future issues of the bulletin
for more details.
By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair
use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/
index.php?curid=38864312
Image: By Source, Fair use, https://
en .wikipedia .org/w/index .php?
curid=32739796
5
“It was quite the big shock story,” Laufer said. He
admitted he thought Baker was going to say he was getting
married. “At the time he was dating this young girl and they
seemed like the perfect couple,” Laufer said.
Baker's decision to become a priest required much spiritual
discernment. Although the priesthood was not the livelihood
he initially chose, he now can see the roots of it throughout
his life, including his natural talent for preaching.
“I'm the introverted, nerdy kid who keeps his head down
in the hall, but when it was time to do the public-speaking
part of English class, I could totally run the room,” he said.
Laufer said he thinks if anyone could be a priest, it's
Baker. “How smart he is, how compassionate he is… how he
cares for people. I just think it's perfect,” he said.
Baker spent seven years preparing for the priesthood,
mainly at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora.
Throughout most of this time, he sported a head of long
hair, which Baker said was partially inspired by The Lord of
the Rings.
On May 16, 2007, he was ordained a priest at St. Joseph's
Cathedral in Buffalo by Bishop Edward Kmiec.
At St. Amelia's, Baker is well-known for his engaging
sermons, into which he often incorporates references to Star
Wars and other such movies. “Because nerd culture has
become so popular right now, I can use those (references) as
ways to explain theological concepts,” he said.
“He has a sense of humor that's not immediately
evident...as well as a serious side,” said Monsignor Thomas
Maloney, St. Amelia's pastor. “The serious side I especially
like,” Maloney continued. “When he prepares a homily, it's
well done – it's not off the cuff.”
In his ministry, Baker is especially committed to working
with young people, and he jumps at every opportunity to do
so. He has even organized a group of young adults that hikes
through Goat Island in Niagara Falls.
“If you are natural with teenagers, they realize that, and
they'll listen to you,” Baker said.
“He’s very devoted to and committed to what he's doing,”
Maloney said, and described Baker's dedication to his
vocation as a priest is one of his best qualities.
Baker said he believes he is doing what he was meant to
do. “It's the reason God gave me life,” he said.
* Zoe Uhrich is a homeschooled senior and correspondent for the Buffalo News’ NEXT section. While taking an advanced journalism course, her instructor told the class to interview someone in authority and make them relatable. Zoe chose to interview Fr. Dave, and this article is the result.
FR. DAVE’S PATH TO TFR. DAVE’S PATH TO THE PRIESTHOODHE PRIESTHOOD by Zoe Uhrich*
The board game sprawls across the table and forms a land
of castles, roads, farmland, and rivers. Fr. David Baker, 43,
reaches for a tile from the draw pile, his tall, thin frame
leaning forward in his chair. After some deliberation, he
plays the tile – a monastery, one of the most treasured pieces
in the game Carcassonne – and looks on with interest as
Lenore Uhrich, a friend and parishioner, takes her turn.
Some may think it's odd
for a Roman Catholic priest
to play board games on a
Saturday night with his
parishioners, but for Baker,
it's just another day in the life
of a “spiritual nerd,” as he
calls himself.
Characterized by a height of 6 feet 4 inches, an easygoing
persona and a quirky laugh, he [was] the parochial vicar at St.
Amelia Catholic Church in Tonawanda, N.Y., and is used to
embracing a very unconventional lifestyle.
Born on December 4, 1971, Baker is a Buffalo native, a
cradle Catholic and a long-time lover of all things atypical,
including science fiction and strategic board games.
For his 42nd birthday, he threw a party themed around
“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams,
and Baker and his guests read aloud their favorite excerpts
from the novel.
“I was, and am to this day, a nerd,” he said.
Baker described himself growing up as an “introverted
homebody,” and from an early age he used his faith to get
through the tough times. “I went through some bullying in
school when I was younger, and God was the one thing I
could rely on,” he said.
Later in college, his religious morals and unusual interests
made it difficult to fit in. Baker said it continued the pattern
of his life. “Folks were just kind of taking their new-found
freedom to the absolute extreme,” he said. “They weren't
worshiping and they weren't holding the biblical morality…
and I tried to do that. I wanted to do it.”
After four years of engineering school, Baker graduated in
1993 and became a designer at Cooper Turbocompressor in
Cheektowaga. There he met Marty Laufer, who trained him
for the job and specifically remembered Baker giving him a
Proclaimers CD as thank-you gift for helping him out.
“I thought that was just fantastic,” Laufer said. Laufer
recalled the moment Baker announced his decision to enter
the seminary to his group of friends at a local restaurant.
By Klo (talk) (Uploads) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1080731
6
High School
St. Teresa teens will represent our parish for the first time at the Diocesan Youth Convention
on February 27th. Here’s what they’re looking forward to:
Middle School
We’ve got plans for you too! Save the weekend of May 20-21 for an XLT Retreat.
What’s XLT? Exult! Amped up praise
& worship with Eucharistic Adoration,
plus an overnight retreat with other
kids your age. And lots of junk food.
Fr. Dave will be there, and he hopes you
will too. Give him a call to sign up.
And… we’re just getting started. It’s gonna be a great year for young people at St. Teresa’s!
YOUTH NEWSYOUTH NEWS
7
To give a little background, I have been a parishioner for about
21 years and counting. I’m 26 years old, graduated from Gannon
University in 2012 with a BS in Biology, and am currently a
Laboratory Technologist at a local dairy plant. I test for bacteria
and antibiotics on products we make and milk we take in.
I’m so excited to be able to share my story with you! It was 10
years ago that my world was turned upside down and my faith
journey truly began. Some of you may have known my
Grandfather, Michael Kelly. He was such a prominent member
of our parish and always helping out. Whether it was teaching
Sunday School, Children’s Liturgy, Eucharistic Minister, or even
offering rides for those who couldn’t make it to church, he was
so in love with God and serving him to the fullest. My point is,
he was my faith role model, the holiest man that I knew.
As a young kid, I didn’t care about church that much. I just
knew I had to go. I didn’t really want to be there at all. But my
Grandpa started doing things that caught my eye and saying
things that made me want to learn more about God. I started to
try to follow in his footsteps. Until one day Grandpa became
really ill and next thing I know, March 6th 2006, I was sitting in
English Class and received a phone call that I was dismissed from
school. I knew instantly what happened. He passed away, and
from then until 2011 my world was never the same. I rebelled. I
didn’t lose faith completely but I was a Negative Nelly and
Doubting Thomas. I stopped paying any attention during church.
As a Freshman in college, I slowly started to get back into the
Mass, but at the same time, I was
struggling. My roommates all came
from Catholic Schools and knew so
much about our faith and what
little I did know I couldn’t
remember. I felt so dumb around
them, they were so into their faith
and happy. Truly happy. I thought
to myself, “how could they be so in
love with their faith, aren’t they
bored at church?” I just didn’t
understand it. I watched people
make fun of them for it and it
didn’t even phase them.
They kept bugging me to go on this retreat. I kept telling them
no, I thought it was weird, and why the heck would I want to go
on some weekend with a bunch of kids I’ve never met before? To
make it even better, the retreat is a huge secret, full of surprises
so they couldn’t tell me anything about it. They just kept assuring
me to trust them, trust God, and that it would change my life.
The word “No” kept flying out of my mouth every time another
retreat came up. I’m 90% introverted, there was no way anyone
was going to get me to go on this retreat.
It wasn’t until the start of senior year of college, my roommate
called and said “Hey I’ve been praying for the past 3yrs for you to
make this retreat, will you do it before we graduate?” At that
point I was so exhausted from saying “no” that I just said “heck
why not, if it will get you to leave me alone about it.” She says
“Ok, great because I already signed you up.” She had such strong
faith that she already paid for me! I thought she was crazy, little
did I know I was about to find out how amazing our God truly is!
I was extremely nervous, the weekend was getting closer and I
was ready to back out. The thought of all these people I didn’t
know terrified me, and the fact that I would be sharing sleeping
quarters with them and stuck for 3 days with no cell phone had
me set to cancel. I called my friend and said “look, I’m scared
and I don’t want to go.” She explained she would understand but
they would pray for me. After hearing that, a voice inside said
“Do not be afraid, I am with you always.” I started to tear up and
told myself I could get through this.
I showed up, and the first few hours were really hard, talking
with strangers, doing group activities with people I didn’t know.
Then all of a sudden it just clicked for me. I was comfortable, I
got along with my group members so well, it felt like we’d known
each other for years. By the second day we were all good friends,
excited to see what was next.
I’m going to let a secret slip: there is a part of the retreat where
Adoration takes place. This is the final turning point in my story.
I went to Adoration and opened my heart, mind, and soul to
Jesus and prayed for him to come into my life and fill me with
his Love. I prayed so hard I was sobbing and I just felt this
overwhelming sense of happiness, love, joy, and comfort. I’ve
never felt anything like it, words can’t describe.
I knew right then God had a whole other plan for my life. I
prayed and apologized over and over for abandoning Him
because of my sadness and anger over my Grandpa. It wasn’t
until we walked out of Adoration that the exact same song was
playing as the one while walking out of my Grandpa’s funeral. I
just knew that was a sign. I looked up and saw white beams from
the stained-glass window and felt
nothing but love and closure. I
knew everything was going to be
OK from that moment on.
And it was. Since 2011, I have
been helping work that very same
retreat. I got involved with the
Catholic youth group on campus,
and my faith increased beyond
any capacity I thought possible. I
have been blessed, a great job in
my field of study, amazing friends and family, and I am able to
pray without fear of what others think. I used to have a
hardened heart and now the slightest mention of God’s love, I’m
pinching myself to hold back tears. I can’t fully describe to you
what I felt that weekend. It’s something you have to experience
yourself. God’s knocking on the door to our hearts and I learned
the hard way it’s up to us to let him in. He makes all things new!
Even when I don’t understand his ways, He uses us as His
disciples to have His light and love shine through to others. Sure
there are days where I can get angry with Him or I am struggling,
it’s not always happiness, but I know without those days I
wouldn’t be where I am today.
I am so excited that Fr. Dave is involved with youth ministry.
After leaving college, I didn’t think I would ever feel that same
joy and excitement about sharing Christ with young people.
Behold, my prayers have been answered. I truly believe everything
that happens in our lives is just another stepping stone to His
kingdom if we allow it to be. May God Bless you always!
YOUNG ADULT SPOTLIGHYOUNG ADULT SPOTLIGHT: AMANDA BUCZEKT: AMANDA BUCZEK
Young Adults ages 18-30
Fr. Dave invites you to Final Fridays
A different event on the last Friday of each month.
Meet us Friday, February 27th, 7:30 p.m. in church.
We’ll pray Stations of the Cross then go for coffee.
St. Teresa of Avila Parish Post Office Box 168 Akron, NY 14001
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID AKRON, NY
PERMIT NO. 5
Stations of the Cross, every Friday in Lent
at 7:30 p.m., followed by Adoration.
February 26th
Fish Fry in Parish Hall, 4—7 p.m.
February 26th
Final Fridays—young adult gathering, 7:30
February 27th
Youth Convention for high school teens
February 28th - Knights Spaghetti Dinner
at Our Lady of Peace from noon-5 pm
March 6th
March Mission—session 1, 12:30 p.m.
March 11th
“Fully Alive” Eucharistic Adoration, 8 p.m.
March 12th
First Penance, 1 p.m.
March 13th
March Mission—session 2, 12:30 p.m.
March 14th
Tri-parish Penance Service
@Our Lady of Peace, Clarence, 7 p.m.
April 3rd
Anointing Mass, 10:15 a.m.
April 8th
“Fully Alive” Eucharistic Adoration, 7 p.m.
April 10th
“March” Mission—session 3, 12:30 p.m.
April 30th
Women’s Guild A—Z Sale, 9 a.m.—>2 p.m.
May 20th
XLT Teen Adoration @ Seminary, 7 p.m.
(overnight retreat for middle-schoolers)
May 21st
First Communion, 10 a.m.
June 4th
Priestly Ordinations @ Cathedral, 10 a.m.
COMING EVENTSCOMING EVENTS
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