Please pray for the women of our parish who are attending the Welcome retreat this weekend.
40 HOURS ADORATION - SUNDAY, MARCH 19TH 7PM THROUGH TUESDAY, MARCH 21ST 6PM.
Please join us for 40 Hours Adoration. Starting Sunday, March 19th at 7pm, St. Thomas Church will host perpetual adoration in the church as well as periods of communal prayer, liturgy of the hours, and speakers. See the attached graphic for a schedule of speakers. At the conclusion of the event (Tuesday after 5:30pm Mass), all are invited for a reception in Elliott Hall.
March is coming in like a lion, but we are not afraid of its roar!!! Many thanks to the five people who participated in the March First Saturday Life Chain!
During the February Life Chain, a man pulled into the pharmacy parking lot to talk to us and ended up telling us about the abortion he was involved in. I eventually gently asked him if he regretted his abortion and he said no. I was able to ask him a few directed questions about the value and humanity of his child and he ended up not only contrite for his abortion but he also allowed us to pray for him. He was motivated about talking to the woman involved and also to his wife who had also chosen abortion in her past. This month, a lady was walking down the sidewalk and stopped to talk. She had placed her first child for adoption with a loving family and eventually had seven children. She asked if she could have one of our signs because she wanted to carry it for the rest of her walk: Adoption, The Loving Option. I prayed for her and she walked away carrying the sign for all to see. Sidewalk Evangelization! Sidewalk Friendship!
Stations of the Cross Each Friday in Lent at 7:00pm in the Church. Living Stations will be held on March 24th at 1pm and 7pm.
Ash Wednesday is February 22nd. Mass times are 8:15am and 5:00pm.
The Eucharistic Adoration Chapel will be closed today (Wednesday, January 25th) due to weather.
BOOKS - Please help yourselves to the books in the Gathering Space. The books were previously given out at Christmas gifts, and the books on the table are extras. Feel free to take as many as you'd like for family or friends. We'd love to see them go to good homes soon.
POINSETTIAS - Christmas decorations have come down, and we have many poinsettias available to any parishioner who would like one. They still look amazing. Please help yourselves - you will find some in the Gathering Space as well as some up by the rectory/sacristy entrance.
Please join us for First Thursday Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction in the church tonight from 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Reminder: NO Thursday before First Friday Confessions tomorrow (Thursday, January 5th).
Please join us for Christmas Mass! Christmas Eve at 4:00pm, 6:30pm, and 11:00pm and Christmas Day at 8:00am & 10:30am
If you are looking for an opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Advent, please join us tomorrow (Thursday, December 15th) from 1pm to 3pm in the church for a penance service. There will be multiple priests hearing confessions during that time.
There are still some tags left on the Giving Trees. If you are able, please consider helping out a family this holiday season. All items MUST BE RETURNED BY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18TH. Thank you for always being so generous through our Giving Tree program!
A Call for More Volunteers:
Please pray about joining us to stand up for the many innocent unborn in danger of being aborted and for the upholding of Indiana's abortion ban.
First Saturdays, 11:00 - noon
January's Life Chain will take place on Saturday, January 21, not on First Saturday.
Holy Day Mass Schedule: Wednesday at 6:30pm and Thursday at 7:00am, 8:15am, and 12:05pm.
The Shepherds of Bethlehem will be here this coming weekend selling their handmade olive wood products in support of Christians in the Holy Land. We hope you will consider stopping by their table n the Gathering Space to learn more about what they do.
https://www.shepherds-bethlehem.com/
CONFESSIONS: Tomorrow, Thursday, December 1st from 4:00pm to 5:00pm
GIVING TREE - The St. Thomas Giving Tree is up. There are tags on the tree for St. Thomas families and for Women's Care Center and St. Vincent de Paul Society. You can also make a cash/check donation directly to the church, and we will distribute it to families in need. If you have any questions, just post below or contact the church office. Deadline to have all items turned in is December 18th. Cash/check/gift card donations can be placed in the collection basket or turned into the office, and other gifts can be placed by Mary's altar. You can wrap gifts marked as being for families, other items such as supplies for Women's Care Center do not need to be wrapped.
Bulletin Deadline Reminder - Because of the Thanksgiving Holiday, the church office needs all bulletin submissions for the Sunday, November 27th bulletin by Thursday morning, November 17th at 9am. Thank you!
ADVENT WREATH MAKING, Sunday, Nov. 27th, after 10:30am Mass
Would you like to attend the Parish Advent Wreath Workshop?
Join other St. Thomas parishioners and make a fresh Advent Wreath for your family, Sunday, November 27th after 10:30 mass. Cost is $30 per family and includes all supplies and lunch.
You can register online through a 2 step process OR turn in your form next weekend in the Collection baskets! Paper registration forms are available in the Gathering Space.
Step 1: https://forms.gle/c44WCrPKzvLsE9gv9
Step 2: https://stsspartanstore.square.site/