Press Release:
The joint Ascension and Resurrection Parish Faith Formation celebrated the 3rd Sunday of Advent (December 15) by bringing joy to our homebound parishioners by signing Christmas cards. Families also decorated ornaments and brought hats and mittens for the “Tree of Warmth” giving tree.
Submitted photos.
Press Release:
On October 20, Resurrection RC Parish and Ascension Parish Faith Formation students and families heard a presentation from Janice Spiotta, who percent went on pilgrimage to Italy.
In anticipation of All Saints Day on November 1, Janice enthusiastically inspired the group with powerful messages about the faith of St. Frances of Assisi and soon to be a saint Carlo Acutis, to be known as the first millennial saint.
Press Release:
Our Faith Formation programs at Ascension Roman Catholic Community and Resurrection RC Parish kicked off on Sunday, September 8 with Mass, a family lunch, meetings, and fun games!
Submitted photos.
Batavia proudly once had four independent Catholic Churches. Over the years, St. Mary's merged with St. Joseph's Church and became Resurrection Parish, and Sacred Heart and St. Anthony's became Ascension Parish. It was a very sad day when St. Anthony's closed on Jan. 12, 2013.
Every church has its history, the year it opened and, in many cases, the year it closed.
St. Mary's early history began with a temporary chapel set up by Father Walsh in a private home on Ellicott Street located to the west of the site of the present St. Mary's Church. On Feb. 19, 1906, the parishioners voted to build a new church on Ellicott Street.
John Coxhead of Buffalo prepared plans for the new church. The contract to build the new church was awarded to John Pickert of Batavia. The building of the new church began on July 31, 1906. The church is made of Medina Sandstone, Italianate style, with a square tower in front. The cornerstone of the church ceremony was held on Oct. 21, 1906. St. Mary's Church opened to its parishioners on December 1, 1907.
In 1939, Rev. Edward J. Ferger proposed that the parish start a Catholic High School. During his pastorate, he helped raise money for a new wing at St. Jerome's Hospital and helped establish Our Lady of Fatima Church in Elba, NY. His most significant accomplishments were establishing St. Mary's Elementary School and Notre Dame High School.
Over the years, many priests have held the pastor position at St. Mary's Church. In 1968, Father Dailey introduced folk music to some of the masses.
On Aug. 17, St. Mary's doors closed. There will be no more masses, baptisms, or weddings at that site.
There are many reasons why a parishioner is attached to a specific church. My children were baptized in a particular church, where they made their Holy Communion and Confirmation.
When "your" church closes, that parishioner loses a piece of their heart. You have your favorite pew and your memories of ownership of that church. It was your church, and those memories will have a different meaning now that the doors are closed. My latest memories are the funeral masses for my parents. You remember where you sat every time you went into that church. A song from the organ brings you back to when you said goodbye to your mom and dad. In our case, it was two funerals six months apart.
We just renewed our wedding vows at Sacred Heart Church, not realizing that July 27 would be one of the last 4:00 masses said at that time. The church's closing is more than a building closing its doors. People lose a part of their Catholic history and special memories created inside their church.
Press Release:
Registration is now open for the 2024-25 Faith Formation Program at Resurrection and Ascension Roman Catholic Parishes in Batavia. The parish families are excited about this continued joint venture to share our Catholic faith with our families and children.
All sacramental preparation classes (Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation) will be offered as well as enriching faith programs for the entire family.
Classes will begin on Sunday, September 8 at 10:30 a.m. Mass at Ascension Parish in Batavia, followed by lunch and teacher/family meetings. Come and join us and grow your faith as a family!
Please contact Jason Smith from Resurrection Parish at resurrectionff14020@yahoo.com or Ann Pratt from Ascension Parish at mgp1731@gmail.com for information.
Press Release:
Congratulations to the Confirmation candidates of Resurrection, Ascension, and Our Lady of Mercy Parishes who were confirmed land sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit by Bishop Michael Fisher of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo on May 13 at Our Lady of Mercy in Le Roy.
The Code of Canon Law for the Catholic Church summarizes Confirmation as follows:
"The sacrament of confirmation strengthens the baptized and obliges them more firmly to be witnesses of Christ by word and deed and to spread and defend the faith."
Confirmation candidates engaged in a year long preparation program sponsored by, which included studying the teaching of the Catholic Church, reflecting on their baptismal promises, and the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Press Release:
Congratulations to our Resurrection Parish First Reconciliation students on receiving the sacrament of reconciliation for the first time on May 4.
Press Release:
It was the Confirmation Retreat for Ascension Roman Catholic Community Resurrection RC Parish and Notre Dame High School Confirmation candidates.
May God bless these candidates on their faith journey.
Submitted photos.
Press Release:
It was a faith-filled Second Sunday of Advent Sunday morning at Ascension Church at Resurrection and Ascension’s combined Faith Formation programs, with:
- Card making for nursing home residents
- Food and conversation
- Discussion about Church and family Advent & Christmas traditions
- Creating and blessing homemade Advent wreaths
As we all prepared for the birth of Jesus!
Submitted photo from Sunday's Faith Formation.
Press Release:
Congrats to our Confirmation candidates from Ascension and Resurrection Parishes, who made their commitment to this sacrament with their parents and sponsors, today St. Joseph’s Church on the first Sunday of Advent.
Father Ivan Trujillo, who served for 36 years as a priest in Batavia, passed away Friday morning at his home in Alexander.
Trujillo retired from the priesthood this year and performed his last service at Resurrection Parish in June.
Father Ivan arrived in Batavia in 1986 at St. Mary's and became parish priest when St. Mary's and St. Joe's merged in 2008.
Over his nearly four decades of service to the community, Father Ivan has led a migrant ministry, and a prison ministry and served at the VA Hospital.
Trujillo was ordained in Jamestown in 1990 and became an assistant at St. Mary's in 1986.
As a young man in Bolivia, Trujillo was inspired both to the ministry and to serve the poor. While studying philosophy in school, he was mentored by the rector, who was a Jesuit with a passion for caring for poor people. That example led Trujillo into the ministry, the priest told The Batavian in 2013.
As a result, a good deal of Father Ivan's work in Western New York was with the poor and less fortunate. He worked with the poor and sick in his own parish, ministered to inmates at Attica and Wyoming correctional facilities, and worked with migrant workers in Genesee, Orleans and Niagara counties.
Rev. Trujillo will lie in state on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Resurrection Parish/St. Mary's Church, 18 Ellicott Street in Batavia, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. Most Rev. Michael William Fisher, Bishop of Buffalo, will be the Principal Celebrant. The interment will be private in Grandview Cemetery in Batavia.
Arrangements are being handled by H.E. Turner. A full obituary will be posted on The Batavian's Obituary page later.
Press Release:
Registration is now open for the 2023-24 Faith Formation Program at Resurrection and Ascension Roman Catholic Parishes in Batavia. The parish families are excited about this joint venture to share our Catholic faith with our families and children.
All sacramental preparation classes (Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation) will be offered as well as enriching programs for the entire family.
Classes will begin on Sunday, September 10 at 10 a.m. Mass at Ascension Parish, followed by a pancake breakfast, meetings, and of course, Bingo! Come and join us!
Please contact Jason Smith from Resurrection Parish at resurrectionff14020@yahoo.com or Ann Pratt from Ascension Parish at mgp1731@gmail.com for information.
Submitted photos
Press Release:
Registration is now open for the 2023-24 Faith Formation Program at Resurrection and Ascension Roman Catholic Parishes in Batavia. The parish families are excited about this joint venture to share our Catholic faith with our families and children.
All sacramental preparation classes (Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation) will be offered as well as enriching programs for the entire family.
Classes will begin on Sunday, September 10 at 10 a.m. Mass at Ascension Parish, followed by a pancake breakfast, meetings, and of course, bingo! Come and join us!
Please contact Jason Smith from Resurrection Parish at resurrectionff14020@yahoo.com or Ann Pratt from Ascension Parish at mgp1731@gmail.com for information.
Press Release:
Registration is now open for the 2023-24 Faith Formation Program at Resurrection and Ascension Roman Catholic Parishes in Batavia. The parish families are excited about this joint venture to share our Catholic faith with our families and children.
All sacramental preparation classes (Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation) will be offered as well as enriching programs for the entire family.
Classes will begin on Sunday, September 10 at 10 a.m. Mass at Ascension Parish, followed by lunch, meetings, and a fun kick-off event! Come and join us!
Please contact Jason Smith from Resurrection Parish at resurrectionff14020@yahoo.com or Ann Pratt from Ascension Parish at mgp1731@gmail.com for information.
Photos and information submitted by Jason Smith.
Fourteen young people from Ascension and Resurrection parishes in Batavia were confirmed by Bishop Michael Fisher during Mass at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Buffalo.
Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments in the Catholic Church.
The newly confirmed were sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to the faith of the Church, signified when the Bishop makes the sign of the cross with chrism oil on their foreheads.
The sacrament of Confirmation represents full entry into the Catholic Church. Each candidate also chooses a sponsor to support them in their faith journey.
After 36 years as a priest in Batavia, Father Ivan Trujillo performed his last mass as an active priest at Resurrection Parish on Sunday.
Father Ivan arrived in Batavia in 1986 at St. Mary's and became parish priest when St. Mary's and St. Joe's merged in 2008.
Over his nearly four decades of service to the community, Father Ivan has led a migrant ministry, a prison ministry, and served at the VA Hospital.
Trujillo was ordained in Jamestown in 1990 and became an assistant at St. Mary's in 1986.
As a young man in Bolivia, Trujillo was inspired both to the ministry and to serve the poor. While studying philosophy in school, he was mentored by the rector, who was a Jesuit with a passion for caring for poor people. That example led Trujillo into the ministry, the priest told The Batavian in 2013.
As a result, a good deal of Father Ivan's work in Western New York has been with the poor and less fortunate. He worked with the poor and sick in his own parish, ministered to inmates at Attica and Wyoming correctional facilities, and worked with migrant workers in Genesee, Orleans and Niagara counties.
The church's music director, Mark Hoerbelt, led a brief moment of recognition for Father Ivan and his service to the community. They worked together for 24 years.
"I just can't say enough about the kindness of this man, the dedication to our parish, and I think the world of him," Hoerbelt said.
Father Ivan's assistant, Bob Waters, also retired as of Sunday. He has served at Resurrection Parish for more than 10 years as a parochial vicar. He was a priest for 54 years. He spent 14 years at Resurrection and also served at St. Anthony's and in Corfu.
Photos by Steve Ognibene.
Fifteen young Genesee County residents celebrated their first communion on Sunday at Resurrection Parish in Batavia.
"Communion, also known as the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, is the source and summit of the Catholic Faith," said Jason Smith, director of Faith Formation at the church. "Catholics believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and when students receive their First Eucharist, they have been thoroughly prepared through Faith Formation classes so that they understand and appreciate this concept. It is a significant event in the Catholic faith, and is one of our seven Sacraments. Sacraments are designed to draw us closer to God and experience God's love and grace."
Photo by Steve Ognibene.
Resurrection and Ascension parishes hosted their annual confirmation retreat on Sunday morning at St. Mary's in Batavia.
The class was led by Jason Smith and Ron Chrzanowski.
Smith said that Father Ivan offered a blessing after the 9:15 mass, and then candidates engaged in several activities, including making a coat of arms, and church collages symbolizing elements of the faith. They also studied the Corporal Works of Mercy, and presented their Saints in an interview style.
Candidates will be confirmed on May 28 at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Buffalo by Bishop Fisher.
Submitted photos and information.
Press release:
Resurrection and Ascension Roman Catholic Parishes had a joint Confirmation Commitment Mass today at 11:30 at St Joseph’s Church for our shared Confirmation candidates, to be confirmed this spring. Parents and sponsors attended and participated as well.
Prior to Mass, families and students gathered as part of our joint Faith Formation program.
Submitted photos.
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