A message from the Pastor
Last weekend I gave an oral summary of our three-year pastoral plan for St. Tom’s at all the Masses. We hoped to have printed copies of the plan available, but that won’t happen for a few more weeks. Regardless, I outlined the main points of the plan.
Essentially, St. Tom’s will create seven “teams” of parishioners to address the topics which YOU, our parishioners, brought to our attention through two parish-wide surveys, a “town hall” meeting, and feedback from a representative group of 10 student- and 10 resident-parishioners. The topics and initiatives are grouped under the three pillars of our Diocese’s “Uniting in Heart” 2030 Plan – Mission, Community, and Witness.
Mission
- The Formation Leadership Team will plan educational events and programs so that we might encounter Christ anew.
- The Liturgy Advisory Team will generate ideas to increase parishioners’ knowledge of the Eucharist so as to improve our quality of intentional participation. The team will also consider the role of music and art in our worship.
Community
- St. Tom’s Ambassadors will act upon ideas for welcoming new parishioners, so they feel both welcomed and that they belong at our parish.
- We will expand our Ignite Small Christian Groups to be inclusive of more student- and resident-parishioners by establishing a team that will train more leaders.
Witness
- There will be a Development Team to assist me in appointing an exceptional development director for St. Tom’s, and to support the new director with parish development activities. Also, a Development Council will help guide major gift activities for St. Tom’s.
- A Justice with Peace Team will support and extend St. Tom’s well-known social outreach. This includes activities such as the Haiti Committee, our cooperation with Lafayette Urban Ministries (LUM), Hunger Hike, Jubilee Christmas, and many other activities and groups, which are so important.
Prayer
- Lastly, there will be a seventh team—the largest of all: It is the Prayer Team to which all parishioners belong Unless we prayerfully support this whole process, it will fail. All of us are asked to pray for Uniting in Heart.
These teams will be created to meet the needs that YOU, our resident- and student-parishioners, made known to us in the last year. Just as these ideas originated with you, we as a parish are going to rely on your contribution of time and effort in meeting our goals. More information about the teams and how to join them will be made known soon.
Be reassured that our existing ministries will continue. All ministries and activities will be assessed in terms of the role they play in helping people to move from just being a parishioner who attends Mass but only has a vague idea of what the Faith entails, to someone who has had an initial encounter with Christ as his/her Lord, to someone who participates fully in the Christian life and witnesses to it in the world.
This is an exciting new chapter in the life of St. Tom’s. I hope and pray that this chapter will be soul-stirring in all of our lives here and throughout the entire Diocese of Lafayette and beyond.
Fr. Tom McDermott, OP
Missionary Pastor
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Seeking ESTEEM Mentors
Attention Resident Parishioners – would you like to mentor a graduating senior or graduate student on LAST (Life After St. Tom’s)?
Each year, we choose a group of graduating students who are likely to become actively engaged in their parish as lay leaders to participate in our ESTEEM program. ESTEEM is a national outreach of the National (Catholic) Leadership Roundtable on Church Management. The students are offered eight sessions between October and March to help them be more successful as active laity. Each student will need a mentor to discuss life as a lay Catholic between sessions. We are looking for married or single, working or stay-at-home, engaged and involved resident parishioners. Might this be you?
This year’s students are studying: Film/Video Studies (1); Health Sciences – Pre PA, OT/ Kinesiology (7); Agricultural Engineering/Food Science/Hospitality & Tourism (4); Construction, Mechanical, MET, Robotics (4); Neurobiology, BioChem (3); Pharmacy (2); AAE – Space (1); Actuarial Science (1)
Please email dee@boilercatholics.org to find out more, if you are interested!
Candidates sought for St. Tom’s director of Development
St. Tom’s is seeking candidates for the full-time position of Director of Development. The Director will design and direct development activities for generating the resources necessary to accomplish St. Thomas Aquinas’ mission, vision, and strategy. A more detailed description is available on the Diocese of Lafayette website. For questions, contact Dcn. Dan Finn, dcn.dfinn@dol-in.org, (240) 393-8180.
Second Collection for Hurricane Relief Fund
This weekend’s second collection will benefit the victims of Hurricane Ida, which hit the Gulf Coast and the Northeastern States very hard. Catholic Charities USA, along with their local agencies, are hard at work providing humanitarian relief and will be with communities over their extended recovery. Archbishop José H. Gomez, President of the USCCB, sent a letter to all bishops asking them to consider taking up a voluntary special collection as soon as possible to support the Church and humanitarian needs arising from this latest disaster in the USA and to assist in other disasters throughout hurricane season. Bishop Doherty has requested a voluntary special collection for this weekend, September 18-19. Thank you for helping us to quickly respond to this disaster, and God bless you all.
Pro-life Warrior 5K is slated for September 18
Matrix Lifecare of Lafayette is calling all Pro-life Warriors! Join us as we fight for life every step of the way at Central Catholic Jr./Sr. High School for the Pro-life Warrior 5k Walk/Run on Saturday, Sept. 18 The funds raised at this family-friendly event directly support women with unintended pregnancies, encouraging them to make life-affirming decisions. For more information or to sign up, visit: www.prolifewarriorrun.com. Questions? Email Traves Freeland: tfreeland@matrixcares.org
Fall Bible Studies for Adults begin this month
Gain a greater understanding of Scripture while growing closer to your faith community and our Lord. Online and in-person options are available.
WOMEN ON A JOURNEY'S STUDY OF JOHN PAUL II'S "LETTER TO WOMEN"
Thursdays, beginning September 23, 9:00 AM
Location: Siena Rooms
Women of all phases of life – both resident parishioners and student parishioners – are invited to join us as we grow in fellowship and discover God’s plan for our unique femininity. The group will be led by Molly Long & Colleen Duffy."ACTS: THE SPREAD OF THE KINGDOM" BIBLE STUDY
Starts the week of September 27
Select a Session: Mondays at 7:00 p.m. (in-person - Siena Rooms) and Wednesdays at 7:00 a.m. (Zoom)
Acts is the story of how a few Christians, empowered by the Holy Spirit, were chosen to bring Christ and the Good News to the ends of the earth. They faced secular forces, internal strife, and hostile crowds, and despite all of this, they brought the kingdom of God to a broken world and the love of God to the hearts of men. This 20-week study (10 weeks in the Fall and 10 weeks in the Spring) is open to resident and student parishioners.
To register and for questions, email John Strong, director of adult faith formation, John@boilercatholics.org.
Adult Confirmation begins September 23
Are you an adult Baptized Catholic that has received the Holy Eucharist, but you are still not Confirmed? If you desire the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Tom’s is offering a four-week preparation course for the Sacrament of Confirmation starting on September 23. To register, please email john@boilercatholics.org
New members invited to join Youth Choir
St. Tom’s Youth Choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.in the Thomas More Room downstairs. Children in second-to-eighth-grade are encouraged to participate. Special singers’ masks will be provided. For more information, please contact Dr. Brad Bodine, coordinator of music ministry, brad@boilercatholics.org.
Volunteer for Liturgical Ministries
St. Tom's is in need of people to fill our liturgical ministries (Sacristans, EMHCs, Readers, and Altar Servers) for all our masses and especially the Sunday evening masses. If you have served as a liturgical minister before (At St. Tom's), please log in to your Ministry Scheduler profile and update your preferences so you can be added to the schedule. Please also plan on attending one of the training sessions (see the times below). If you have never served as a liturgical minister before OR have done so at another Church, we would love to see you at our next liturgical minister training session.
TOMORROW - Saturday, September 18
7 PM - Readers
7:10 PM - Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
7:25 PM - Altar Servers
7:45 PM - Sacristans
Visit the liturgical ministries page for more information. If you have any questions, please email liturgy@boilercatholics.org
Volunteer Office Receptionists
Volunteers are still needed to staff the office reception desk on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon and noon to 2:00 p.m. and Fridays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Volunteer substitutes also are appreciated. If you would like to help, please email Mary Riehle at mary@boilercatholics.org.
September Schoenstatt Events (All are welcome)
21: Adoration and Prayer Hour at 7:00 p.m., St. Lawrence Church, Lafayette, with Fr. Jeff Martin.
For more information, visit the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement webpage.
Fr. Tom McDermott, OP
Mass Resources:
Livestream Mass @ 9AM (Note: Livestream Mass is NOT recorded for later viewing.)
Sunday Bulletin (PDF)
Readings: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Faith Direct e-giving
Second Collection for Hurricane Relief Fund
This weekend’s second collection will benefit the victims of Hurricane Ida, which hit the Gulf Coast and the Northeastern States very hard. Catholic Charities USA, along with their local agencies, are hard at work providing humanitarian relief and will be with communities over their extended recovery Bishop Doherty has requested a voluntary special collection for this weekend, September 18-19. Thank you for helping us to quickly respond to this disaster, and God bless you all.
St. Tom's welcomes all Boiler Catholics to participate in our Homecoming 2021 event. Join us for morning brunch at St. Tom's, in the stadium cheering on the Boilermaker football team (Purdue vs. Minnesota at noon), and at the Saturday Vigil "Alumni" Mass at 5:30 p.m.
PANCAKE BREAKFAST @ 9:30 A.M.
TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE: Purchase tickets online to sit with St. Tom's alumni at the game.
VIGIL MASS: Attend and/or participate in the Vigil Mass. If you would like to participate in music ministry during the Mass, email Brad Bodine, music coordinator. If you are an alum who would like to participate in liturgical ministries for the Mass, email liturgy@boilercatholics.org
Be a Part of Hunger Hike 2021
Join Hunger Hike as a participant on or donor to the St. Tom’s team while helping to raise awareness of hunger in our community. The 3K event takes place on Sunday, Sept. 19 at Riehle Plaza downtown Lafayette. Proceeds benefit Lafayette Urban Ministry, Food Finders Food Bank, and St. Tom’s Haiti Ministry. So far, the team has raised $26,829.01 towards its $35,000 goal. Join the St. Tom's team or donate!
The Mass intention for Vigil Mass on Saturday, Sept. 25 will be for the repose of souls from COVID-19. You are invited to submit names and a memorial image. A Holy Hour with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will take place after Mass.
A recently arrived international student is in need of a bicycle. If you have one you’d be willing to donate, please email Fr. Tom,
Also, the Missionary Sisters of the Divine Spirit from Columbia are opening a convent in Reynolds, IN, and are in need of two cars in good condition. If you’d like to make a tax-deductible gift, please contact Dr. Dora Tobar, Office of Hispanic Ministry, Diocese of Lafayette, at Dtobar@dol-in.org or 765-269-4678.
To provide a one-time or recurring gift to St. Tom's, visit our FaithDirect giving page. We are grateful for your generosity to our mission and ministries.
