Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 16th and 17th, 2021
Dear Faithful Parishioners and Guests of St. Thomas of Canterbury,
As we begin the Faith Formation Year for our children, I would like to sincerely thank our parents for collaborating with and entrusting St. Thomas of Canterbury in passing on the faith to our younger generation. I pray that through these in-person classes, the children will have a great time interacting and supporting each other in these changing times. Please join me in praying for them and for their health. We entrust them to Jesus, our Teacher of faith and of life.
I hope to see some of you at our 10am Mass hosted and served by our youths.
I also hope that you can continue to say with me one Hail Mary daily at noon to continue to ask God to bless our world and our home through Our Blessed Mother’s maternal intercession and protection during this month of the Rosary.
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)
Our Liturgy Committee meets on Zoom Tuesday, October 19th at 7:30 pm. If you are interested in attending our meeting, please call Linda for the zoom link.
The Liturgy Committee responsibilities include:
- To discern the parish’s worship/liturgical/prayer needs.
- To coordinate the planning and scheduling of the liturgical celebrations for seasonal and special celebrations.
- To coordinate, support and evaluate all liturgical ministries in the parish, i.e. readers, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, altar servers, lectors, cantors, musicians, ushers and more...
October - Respect for Life month!
Each October let us more deeply consider the value of every human life and together to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. Join the diocesan community at St. Francis Cabrini for this upcoming speaker:
For information visit bit.ly/ljpdsj21.
Sat, Oct. 30 – Bishop Oscar Cantú
TOPIC: Life – Conception to Natural Death | 3:30 – 4:30pm MASS | 5:00PM
Prayer to Mary, Mother of Hope
Mary, Mother of Hope,
Accompany us on our journey!
Teach us to proclaim the living God;
Help us to bear witness to Jesus, the one Savior.
Make us kindly toward our neighbors,
Welcoming to the needy,
Concerned for justice,
Impassioned builders of a more just world.
Intercede for us as we carry out our work,
certain that the Father’s plan will be fulfilled.
Dawn of a new world,
Show yourself the Mother of hope and watch over us!
The birth of your Son was the dawn of our salvation.
May we allow the Spirit to work in our lives in an effort to bring us closer to lasting peace.
-Pope John Paul II, 2003
Prayer to Mary, Mother of Hope
Mary, Mother of Hope,
Accompany us on our journey!
Teach us to proclaim the living God;
Help us to bear witness to Jesus, the one Savior.
Make us kindly toward our neighbors,
Welcoming to the needy,
Concerned for justice,
Impassioned builders of a more just world.
Intercede for us as we carry out our work,
certain that the Father’s plan will be fulfilled.
Dawn of a new world,
Show yourself the Mother of hope and watch over us!
The birth of your Son was the dawn of our salvation.
May we allow the Spirit to work in our lives in an effort to bring us closer to lasting peace.
-Pope John Paul II, 2003
The Holy Father's Universal Prayer Intention for October:
Missionary Disciples
We pray that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavor of the Gospel.
We pray that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavor of the Gospel.
Upcoming Dates:
Sun, Oct. 17: Confirmation Year One class - 11:15am to 12:30pm
Mon, Oct. 18: First/Second Grade class - 4pm to 5:15pm
Tues, Oct. 19: Third/Fourth Grade class - 4pm to 5:15pm
Fifth/Sixth Grade class - 7pm to 8:15pm
Sun, Oct 24: Confirmation Year Two class - 11:15am to 12:30pm
Sun, Oct 24: Sacrament Prep class - 1:30pm to 2:30pm
For more information please contact Vicki Schwoob, Director of Faith Formation; Vicki@StThomasSJ.org or (408) 766-3270.
Craig Talbot, our recent RCIA Candidate, will give a brief testimony talk at both Masses this weekend.
What's coming up in Mental Health Ministry:
What does it mean to be a Catholic Mental Health Minister? Not therapy, but ministry: To accompany, to listen, to pray with, to refer if needed. Barbara Zahner, Board Member of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, is providing eight hours of training via zoom. The first of four Tuesday classes meets on Tuesday, October 19, from 4-6pm. The skills required to accompany another on the journey toward fuller mental health are also useful for ourselves. In this course, we learn about this vital ministry, about resources available, what’s happening in other parishes, and where we each might fit in. No one person nor even one parish is expected to be all things to all people. To register or for more information, call Kathy Mattingly, kat@kajon.com, or (669) 222-9418. Come and see whether this ministry is for you.
Upstanders, the third in the series of Indie-Flix films, following Angst and Like, will be shown with a live panel discussion on-line. Taking on the tough subject of bullying, this film is recommended for Age 13 and up and is an excellent choice for teens and parents to watch together. Anyone with children or who ministers to children or teens can definitely benefit from this experience. Upstanders airs 5:30--7pm on Monday, October 25. Sign up: https://sites.google.com/view/upstandersoct25/home
Weekly Offering 10/10/2021 $7,248
Thank you!
MTD OFFERINGS AS OF 10/10/2021
MTD budget: $ 9,000
MTD offerings: $ 13,096
MTD surplus: $ 4,096
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.
This weekend is our Monthly Food Drive Weekend. Checks should be made out to St. Thomas of Cantebury with the notation: Food Drive in the memo line. Thank you for your continued support of those in need.
Next weekend is World Mission Sunday.
NEXT WEEKEND we will celebrate World Mission Sunday. Pope Francis invites the entire Church to support mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe, where priests, religious and lay leaders serve the world’s most vulnerable communities. Please keep the Pope’s missions in your prayers and be generous in next week’s collection for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.
This year’s theme for World Mission Sunday is “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Every parish in the world can participate, united in this special Eucharistic celebration. Every parishioner is a missionary, sharing our love for Christ’s Gospel with one another, supporting the Church most in need.
Lucy Chai runs our Scrip program 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.
The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary.
Pray with the St. Thomas community Monday through Friday at 7pm via Zoom.
If you are in need of a Rosary (no charge), come to the parish office during office hours or contact Linda or Vicki. We also have brochures to help with your prayer.
Our next monthly Eucharistic Adoration will be Saturday, November 13th.
Join us in the Church's Family Room.
"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering." Pope Benedict XVI
Come seek LORD JESUS as He awaits you in the Blessed Sacrament.
The family room inside the church will be open from 7am to 5pm that day. Access to this room will be from outside the church NOT inside the church. Adoration will end at 5pm with Benediction.
Here is an agenda for the day.
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
4:30pm - Benediction
We look forward to your joining us for any portion of our next day of Adoration on Saturday, November 13th.
Noon - Angelus/rosary
1 - 3pm - adoration in silence
3pm - Divine Chaplet
3:30 - 4:30pm - adoration in silence
4:30pm - Benediction
We look forward to your joining us for any portion of our next day of Adoration on Saturday, November 13th.
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 Date: Nov 20th
Last week we posted birthday and anniversaries - if yours was not included, please contact Linda in the office so we can update our records.
Women's Monthly Soccer Games: Join the Vocations Office for Monthly Soccer Games at St. Martin Parish, every second Friday 6-7:30 pm, starting September 10th. Snacks will be provided. Sign-up as a player today at www.dsj.org/vocations
The Diocese of San Jose is nearing the end of it's 40th Anniversary Celebration year. Check out the details of activities here:
40th Anniversary Information Portal: www.dsj.org/40th-anniversary/
Among the events:
November 20-21: Solemnity of Christ the King
Friday, December 3, 2021: Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration
Sunday, December 5, 2021: Jubilee Closing Mass in ST. Joseph Cathedral
40th Anniversary Prayer
Diocese of San Jose
Diocese of San Jose
Ever-living and faithful God,
we give you thanks for walking with us,
your people of this Diocese of San José.
we give you thanks for walking with us,
your people of this Diocese of San José.
Pour forth your Spirit on this local Church,
that our works of Faith and labors of Love
may lead others to Jesus, your Son,
and that our endurance in Joy and Hope
may lift up those weary from uncertainty.
that our works of Faith and labors of Love
may lead others to Jesus, your Son,
and that our endurance in Joy and Hope
may lift up those weary from uncertainty.
Accompanied by Saint Joseph and Saint Clare,
may we continue “Journeying Together in Hope,”
and day by day be drawn closer to your Son,
our Light, our Hope, and our Salvation,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever. Amen.
may we continue “Journeying Together in Hope,”
and day by day be drawn closer to your Son,
our Light, our Hope, and our Salvation,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever. Amen.