Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 10th and 11th, 2021
Dear Faithful Parishioners and Guests of St. Thomas of Canterbury,
As we start with our monthly 10-Hour Adoration to pray for the wellbeing, especially spiritual wellbeing, of our family, parish, nation and world during this pandemic, I invite you to stop by any time today between 7am and 5pm and spend a few minutes with Our Lord. This will take place at the Family “Crying” Room, which can be accessed through its side/exit door for your convenience. Benediction will be at 5pm, in which you are welcome to participate. May God continue to bless us.
Please say a prayer for our children, who are beginning on their 2-week bible camp, Camp THRIVE, for a safe, fun and enriched time. More information can be found here: stthomassj.org/camp-thrive
A friendly reminder to please come to the Jubilee Games for Vocations next Saturday, 7/17, at Mitty High School starting at 9am. Tickets and information on dsj.org/jubileegames. Thank you.
Have a blessed week!
Fr. Andrew
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Friendly Reminders:
Mass Schedule:
- Saturday (Sunday’s Vigil) Mass: 5:15pm (Indoors)
- Sunday Mass: 10:00am (Outdoors)
Daily Masses (Wed – Thu – Fri): 8:30AM (Indoors) - Confessions (Sat): 4:30pm-5pm (Outdoors)
*All Masses will be streamed online through YouTube and Facebook.
*All Weekend Masses will still be transmitted through Radio FM 87.9 and have Communion service to the cars.
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)
10 hours of Eucharistic Adoration is today ( and every 2nd Saturday of the month)
The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian faith.
An excerpt from the book, The Way of Divine Love, Jesus says to Sr Josefa, "...the long and lonely hours of the day and of the night in which I remain alone on the altars....and the multitudes who would not heed the appeals of My heart."
"And you, dear souls, why this coldness and indifference on your part? ... Do I not know that family cares,... household concerns... and the requirements of your position in life.. make continual calls upon you? ... But cannot you spare a few minutes in which to come and prove your affection and your gratitude?
...spare a few minutes to visit and receive this Prisoner of Love!Come then to the One who is able to give both strength and health to your soul and bestow the alms of love on this Divine Prisoner who watches for you, calls for you and longs to see you at His side"
We will have Eucharistic Adoration from 7am to 5pm in the cry room inside the church. Access to this cry room will be from outside the church NOT inside the church. Adoration will end at 5pm with Benediction.
Here is an agenda for the 10 hours.
7am - open for adoration
7am - open for adoration
7 to noon - adoration in silence
Noon - Angelus/rosary
1 - 3pm - adoration in silence
3pm - Divine Chaplet
3:30 - 4:30pm - adoration in silence
YOU are called to be a Prophet!
At the end of Matthew's gospel Jesus tells his disciples, "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.”
In this gospel passage, Jesus is commissioning his disciples, sending them forth, to preach the good news and to bring all people to God through baptism. Jesus also calls the baptized today to continue in this mission.
In baptism, each of us has been anointed as priest, prophet and king. In the readings from July 4, God uses the prophet Ezekiel to speak His words, to bring his message to the people of Israel. Bishop Robert Barron, says "we are all summoned to be prophets" and that "every baptized person is a prophet". What does this mean for you and me? By virtue of our baptism, we are called in some way to bring the "good news" of God's love, mercy and salvation to all those we encounter. We may need to bring this message to those in our own home, to our relatives, to our neighbors, to our co-workers, to those on the margins of life, and yes, even to our enemies.
Perhaps God is calling you to be a prophet in a very specific way, as a catechist. Help us bring the message of God's love, mercy and salvation to the next generation of faith. Help us fulfill our role as missionary disciples and serve the church in a specific way as a catechist. Prayerfully discern this call from God.For more information, please contact Fr. Andrew (Frandrew@StThomasSJ.org) or Vicki Schwoob, Director of Faith Formation (Vicki@StThomasSJ.org).
In this gospel passage, Jesus is commissioning his disciples, sending them forth, to preach the good news and to bring all people to God through baptism. Jesus also calls the baptized today to continue in this mission.
In baptism, each of us has been anointed as priest, prophet and king. In the readings from July 4, God uses the prophet Ezekiel to speak His words, to bring his message to the people of Israel. Bishop Robert Barron, says "we are all summoned to be prophets" and that "every baptized person is a prophet". What does this mean for you and me? By virtue of our baptism, we are called in some way to bring the "good news" of God's love, mercy and salvation to all those we encounter. We may need to bring this message to those in our own home, to our relatives, to our neighbors, to our co-workers, to those on the margins of life, and yes, even to our enemies.
Perhaps God is calling you to be a prophet in a very specific way, as a catechist. Help us bring the message of God's love, mercy and salvation to the next generation of faith. Help us fulfill our role as missionary disciples and serve the church in a specific way as a catechist. Prayerfully discern this call from God.For more information, please contact Fr. Andrew (Frandrew@StThomasSJ.org) or Vicki Schwoob, Director of Faith Formation (Vicki@StThomasSJ.org).
FAMILY FAITH FORMATION:
Faith Formation: Our weekly Tuesday catechism classes and Sunday sessions for Sacrament Prep have ended for this school year. Classes will begin again in Fall 2021.
Confirmation Year One will continue to meet throughout the summer months, the 2nd Sunday of the month from 11am to noon: July 11 and one more date tbd
ADULT FAITH FORMATION: Becoming Catholic
Are you interested (or do you know someone who is) in learning more about the Catholic way of life? Are you interested in becoming Catholic? Have you been away from the faith? Are you are a baptized Catholic but still need to receive First Eucharist and Confirmation? Are you a Catholic and have questions about your faith? Are you seeking something more?
The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Team welcomes all! We are here to provide information and spiritual guidance for all those interested in becoming Catholic, those interested in completing the sacraments and those who have a desire to know God.
The RCIA itself is a process developed by the Catholic Church for unbaptized adults and adapted for children (ages 7 and above) guiding them through education, formation and ritualization of entrance into the Catholic community. The process for the RCIA is always open and is year round since God’s time and plan is different for everyone.
Contact Barbara Louis for inquiries and sacraments or call (408) 378-1595.
Save the Dates:
Thanks to a generous grant from the Catholic Community Foundation of Santa Clara County, we are now offering the complete Just Faith series on racial justice: Faith and Racial Equity, Faith and Racial Healing, and Faith and Racial Justice. We will start with Faith and Racial Equity on August 14 and Faith and Racial Healing on September 18.
Please contact Kathy Mattingly, kat@kajon.com, 669-222-9418 to sign up and to answer all your questions about this essential, life-giving ministry.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Catholic Community Foundation of Santa Clara County, we are now offering the complete Just Faith series on racial justice: Faith and Racial Equity, Faith and Racial Healing, and Faith and Racial Justice. We will start with Faith and Racial Equity on August 14 and Faith and Racial Healing on September 18.
Please contact Kathy Mattingly, kat@kajon.com, 669-222-9418 to sign up and to answer all your questions about this essential, life-giving ministry.
Weekly Offering 07/03/2021 $8,535
Thank you!
MTD OFFERINGS AS OF 07/03/2021
MTD budget: $ 4,500
MTD offerings: $ 8,535
MTD surplus: $ 4,035
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!
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.
June is Internet Safety Month: Every June we celebrate Internet Safety Month. It's a great time to review our online behavior and identify ways we can use the internet in safer ways. These days, kids are online more than ever; for education, entertainment, and to socialize with friends. To support you and your family, we have chosen to highlight a few resources from our partners at VIRTUS and NetSmartz to help children of all ages stay safer online.
The Holy Father's Universal Prayer Intention for July:
Social Friendship
We pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship.
We pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship.
Please remember to keep all our seminarians in your prayers and to pray for vocations. Speaking of which, come join at the Jubilee Games for Vocations - next Saturday!
Jubilee Games for Vocations: The Diocese of San José is hosting the Jubilee Games for Vocations on July 17th at Archbishop Mitty High School in San José. Nuns and postulates will compete in a soccer game for the St. Clare Cup, with high school girls filling out both teams. Priests and Seminarians will compete in a second soccer game for the St. Joseph Cup, with high school boys filling both teams as well. This outstanding community event of family entertainment will follow all the Covid-19 regulations. Visit and share our webpage where information will be added as it becomes available: https://www.dsj.org/jubileegames
You are invited to pray the Rosary with us every evening, Monday through Friday from 7pm to 7:30pm via Zoom. Our group has been praying daily since the pandemic began. Let us continue to pray and offer our prayers to Mother Mary who intercedes for us.
INSTITUTE FOR LEADERSHIP MINISTRY (ILM) is accepting Nominations:
Do you have a call to the ministry of leadership within the Catholic Community? Do you currently participate in some form of pastoral ministry? Do you want to learn more and get skills to better serve your community? Explore the opportunities available at the ILM this year. ILM is accepting nominations for the academic year 2021-2022, classes begin September 2021. Please find the application forms on the ILM Admissions or bit.ly/ilm21-22.
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. Upcoming English Saturday Dates: Sept 18th and Nov 20th
Last week we announced July birthdays and anniversaries. One of them was not in our system, so the family informed us. Thank you!
Happy Anniversary to all those celebrating in the month of July:
On Friday July 9, Damien and Allison H celebrated their 10 year anniversary! Thank you for letting us know.
May God continue to bless you!
May God continue to bless you!
If your birthday or anniversary is not listed here, please call the office to let me know and I will add to my database. In fact, if your birthday is coming up in the next month or two, why not call and check if I have it so I can put it in next months bulletin.
Our Parish Council is meeting on Tuesday evening, July 13 at 7:30 pm in Becket Hall. Parishioners are invited to attend.
My apologies to those of you who received two copies of this email this week. Linda