Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
March 27, 2021
Dear Faithful Parishioners and Guests of St. Thomas of Canterbury,
As we enter Holy Week with Palm Sunday, let us journey with the Lord with these important liturgies. Please especially join Jesus in the Holy Triduum (one Mass in three days). We start the Mass on Thursday, not ending, but continuing with the service on Friday and then ending at the Easter Vigil on Saturday.
Palm Sunday:
·Vigil Mass - 3pm (3/27)
·Sunday Mass - 10am (3/28)
Confirmation Class performance of "PASSION PLAY: Ten Stories”
·ZOOM on Sunday 03/28/2021 @ 3:00PM
·Meeting ID: 860 1807 5263
·Password: 1522
Reflection:
·Seven Last Words of Jesus - Noon, Friday (4/2)
·sign-up: Meditation
HOLY TRIDUUM:
·Mass of the Lord's Supper “Holy Thursday” - 5:15pm Thursday (4/1)
·Good Friday of the Lord's Passion – 5:15pm Friday (4/2)
·Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord “Easter Vigil” – 5:15pm Saturday (4/3)
·Baptism of Craig Talbot
Easter Sunday:
·Easter Sunday Mass – 10am
·Easter Sunday Mass – 11:30am (Inside the Church)
Starting in April, our regular Masses schedule will be updated:
·Vigil Mass on Saturday will be moved from 3pm to 5:15pm (still outdoors).
·Sunday 10am Mass remains the same (still outdoors)
·*Sunday 11:30am Mass will be added and will be celebrated inside the church.
*Will evaluate if there is enough attendance.
Wishing you a Blessed Holy Week and Happy Easter!
Fr. Andrew
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Friendly Reminders:
Regular Mass Schedule (Outdoors with Capacity of 400):
·Saturday (Sunday’s Vigil) Mass: 5:15pm (Outdoors)
·Sunday Mass: 10:00am (Outdoors)
11:30am (Indoors, capacity of 140)
·Daily Masses: Wednesdays – Thursdays – Fridays @8:30am
·Confessions: Saturdays 4:15pm-4:45pm
*All Outdoor Masses will be streamed online through YouTube and Facebook.
*All Weekend Outdoor Masses will still be transmitted through Radio FM 87.9 and have Communion service to the cars.
*Those in-car do not have to sign-up
Visits from Fr. Andrew:
If you, or someone you know of, is in dire need of receiving the sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation or Anointing of the Sick, Fr. Andrew is available to visit you. Please call the parish office, and leave a message or contact Fr. Andrew: FrAndrew@StThomasSJ.org OR (408) 766-3318 (emergency number)
All are invited to the Confirmation Class performance of
"PASSION PLAY: Ten Stories".
This play will be over ZOOM on Sunday 03/28/2021 @ 3:00PM.
Please join us!
Craig Talbot is excited to be on a path to be fully initiated into the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil on April 3rd.
Let us pray as a community for Craig and his family as he prepares for this very special day.
We joyfully commend to Your protection and care Craig Talbot who will be received into the Church this Easter. Bestow courage upon him to answer Your call with all his heart.
Weekly Offering 03/21/2021 $3,881
MTD OFFERINGS AS OF 03/21/2021
MTD budget: $ 13,500
MTD offerings: $ 14,951
MTD surplus: $ 1,451
You are welcome to drop off or mail your donations to the parish office.
On-line giving available at our website: www.StThomasSJ.org
Click: Give & Fundraising
or scan the QR Code to the left.
Thank you for your support and generosity!
Lucy Chai is in charge of Scrip at St. Thomas. See button below to click on to buy scrip and she can deliver it to you.
Please remember these checks should be made out to: St Thomas Scrip
Thank you for your purchases - they help raise funds for our parish!
FAMILY FAITH FORMATION:
Faith Formation Sessions have begun! All sessions will be remote via Zoom.
Tuesday Sessions: 4pm - 4:45pm
First Grade: April 6
Second Grade: April 13
Third/Fourth Grade: April 20
Fifth/Sixth Grade: April 27
Registration for Family Faith Formation and Religious Ed has begun. All previously registered families have been mailed a registration packet. If you are new to our parish, all registration materials are available on our parish website.
Faith Formations sessions will be on-line/virtually.
Registration: https://www.stthomassj.org/faith-formation-registration
First Communion: Session #11, Mar 28th, Session #12, Apr 11th. Via Zoom
Sacramental Preparation Sessions for First Reconciliation/First Eucharist will take place the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month from 1 to 2 pm, unless otherwise noted. See our website for schedule and details: https://www.stthomassj.org/sacramental-preparation
Confirmation: Next Sunday Session is April 18th
Preparation for Confirmation Year One will take place on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month from 11am to noon, unless otherwise noted.
See our website for details.
Visit our website for schedules and more specific information or contact Vicki Schwoob, Director of Family Faith Formation.
GIVING AT ST. THOMAS: Time, Talent and Treasure
Your continued support greatly helps us to live out the mission of the parish and of the Church, especially during these difficult times.
- TREASURE: Thank you for your on-going financial support! There are many ways to give: Offering envelopes, On-line recurring giving, and also through Benevity! If you work at Apple, you can give through the Benevity platform and Apple matches your donation to the parish. Let us know if your company has a giving/matching benefit. To access all our giving platforms, visit our parish website or click below.
- TIME and TALENT: Volunteers are needed to help with our outdoor Mass celebrations. There are many tasks; set up before Mass (Altar, equipment, chairs, camera, sound system), check-in of mass attendees, check-in of "in-car" attendees, seating and sanitizing. Would you like to serve as a Lector, Eucharistic minister or Sacristan (prepare the Altar) or Usher? Prayerfully discern how you can serve. Training will be provided in all areas.
The Holy Father's Universal Prayer Intention for March:
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.
Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.
Please continue to remember our adopted seminarian, PJ Jimenez, and all seminarians in your prayers.
As we celebrate Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we are reminded that Lent is coming to close and the Resurrection is nearing. In one week, we will celebrate Easter Sunday. Pray that the Lord allow you to accompany him serenely during these Easter mysteries and you may emerge from them renewed in faith, hope and charity.
Meet Me in the Desert
Lord of Lent, Lord of Easter, As you went into the desert So do I follow Putting aside that which distracts me Grabs at me Falsely claims me. To search inside To confront myself My best, my worst My good works and my sins.
And each time, I find you there To call to me again With words of challenge and words of mercy.
And as I fall to my knees, in prayer, in fasting In sacrifice and penitence Somehow, you have it in yourself to reach out and gently lift me To renew me To claim me as nothing of this world can claim me.
Meet me in the desert, Lord. Claim me anew.
Amen.
“Meet Me in the Desert” is a Lenten prayer published by Catholic Relief Services in 2014.
Copyright © 2021, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved.
Monday through Friday at 7pm via Zoom. Click on the link below to get the Zoom information.
Guadalupe Hope Society will have their Monthly Rosary & Faith Talk on
Thursday April 8 with Fr.Matthew Spencer via zoom.
It would be wonderful if you would put this in your paper/e-bulletin for
March 28th and April 4th.
Guadalupe Hope Society is inviting you to our monthly Rosary & Faith
Talk on April 8th at 11:30AM via Zoom.
Rev. Matthew Spencer O.S.J., Provincial Superior: Holy Spouses Province
of the Oblates of St. Joseph, will lead us in a rosary for the unborn
and share a faith talk with us.
Please register to attend: (408)447-5433, or
email: admin@ghswomenscenter.com
This event can be found on our website also.
https://www.guadalupehopesociety.org/events and on eventbrite.
Thursday April 8 with Fr.Matthew Spencer via zoom.
It would be wonderful if you would put this in your paper/e-bulletin for
March 28th and April 4th.
Guadalupe Hope Society is inviting you to our monthly Rosary & Faith
Talk on April 8th at 11:30AM via Zoom.
Rev. Matthew Spencer O.S.J., Provincial Superior: Holy Spouses Province
of the Oblates of St. Joseph, will lead us in a rosary for the unborn
and share a faith talk with us.
Please register to attend: (408)447-5433, or
email: admin@ghswomenscenter.com
This event can be found on our website also.
https://www.guadalupehopesociety.org/events and on eventbrite.
Marriage Preparation Retreats: The Diocese of San Jose offers English and Spanish Virtual Marriage Preparation retreats throughout the year. The retreats are one day. Visit the Marriage Prep webpage. English Date: May 22, 2021
Child Abuse Prevention Month Rosary for Healing & Protection: Please join Bishop Oscar Cantú as he leads the Diocese in praying the Rosary with special intentions for the healing and protection of those affected by childhood abuse on April 13th at 6pm via Diocesan livestream: Facebook or YouTube.
Third Annual Child Abuse Prevention Month Kids’ Art Contest: In support of Child Abuse Prevention Month this coming April, we are inviting kids to participate in the Third Annual Child Abuse Prevention Month Kids’ Art Contest sponsored by the California Office of Child Abuse Prevention. The contest is open to children and youth in the following categories: K-2nd, 3rd-6th, 7th-8th and 9th-12th. This year’s theme for the art contest is “My Safe Place”. Children and youth are encouraged to express their special space that makes them feel happy and safe. Now is the time to plan ahead! Artwork is due by April 23rd. Winners will be notified by April 28th and will be awarded in each of the four categories. Each winner will have their artwork framed, displayed at the Capitol on April 30th and will be hung as a permanent honor at the California Child Abuse Prevention Center and the Office of Child Abuse Prevention. They will also receive a framed copy of their winning artwork. For more information and submission form click here!
Last summer, Bishop Cantú shared a wonderful story about planting seeds at his childhood home. He tied it into a beautiful message about how we can all build a better future starting today by planting seeds of hope, faith and love in our lives and our community.
As we've learned from everything that happened in 2020, we can't predict the future, however that shouldn't stop us from making plans. In fact, planning certain things, like what will happen to our money and other assets after our lifetimes, can bring peace of mind during a time full of change and uncertainty.
If you'd like to discuss ideas, please contact us at info@catholiccf.org or 408.995.5219.