Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish Rev. Mahew J. Alcombright, Sister Patricia A. Hon, Religious Educaon CoordinatorReligious Educaon SecretaryWelcome New Parishioners—Please Register at the Rectory Religious Educaon Office:www.shomaswestspringfield.org[email protected]Religious Educaon: [email protected][email protected]registraon is required at the parish office one month before the Bapsm. Parents must be registered and parcipang members of the All items must be presented in wring to the parish office by
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ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE, WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3—FIRST SATURDAY
4:00 PM 5th Anniversary for Michael Ritchie requested
by his Wife and Son
5:30 PM Stephen J. Zakrzewski requested by the
Goodenow-Rochford Family
SUNDAY, JANUARY 4—THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
8:00 AM Angela Giorgi requested by the Lodi Family
9:30 AM Caroline Litty requested by Cathy and Bill
11:00 AM 3rd Anniversary for Maryann Gamelli
requested by her Family
12:15 PM 2nd Anniversary for Marlyn Groll requested by her Husband and Family
MONDAY, JANUARY 5
8:00 AM 2nd Anniversary for Jeannine Bellermare
requested by her Friend, Helene
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6
8:00 AM 4th Anniversary for Mary Tomaso requested by her Daughter, Paula
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7
8:00 AM Jack Leonard requested by the Strain Family
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8
8:00 AM James Barry requested by Kathy Howard
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9
8:00 PM Marie O’Neill requested by Ellen (Larkin) and
Bruce Woodruff
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
8:00 AM Birthday Blessings for Greg Guzik requested by
his Mother
4:00 PM Bill and Betty Winn requested by their Family
5:30 PM 9th Anniversary for Patricia Herd requested by
her Husband, Family, and Friends
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11—THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
8:00 AM Birthday Remembrance for Anthony Beggetta
requested by his Daughter, Jeanne Udas, and
Family
9:30 AM 21st Anniversary for Philip L. Turcotte
requested by his Wife and Family
11:00 AM Happy Birthday Poppa and Bryce requested by
Nonna
12:15 PM Peter Denis Lambe requested by his Family
BAPTISMS—Next baptisms will be on Sunday, January 25,
2015 at 1:30 p.m. Parents must be registered parishioners. Please
contact the parish office, 739-4779, for more information.
PLEASE NOTE—There will be NO CONFESSIONS this
Saturday, January 3, 2015. Confessions will resume on
Saturday, January 10, 2015.
ST. ANN SOCIETY will hold the first meeting of 2015 on
Sunday, January 11 at 2:00 p.m. in the Club Room at St. Thomas
School. Members…..please note the date ~ January 11th.
Parish Offertory Gift—Christmas $19,895
Parish Offertory Gift—December 27 and 28 $20,727
Renovation—December 2014 $ 1,930
Thank you for your support.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (often
abbreviated RCIA) is the process through which interested adults
and older children are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic
faith and way of life. The RCIA is a communal process and
involves a number of stages punctuated by liturgical rites to aid
and assist the potential convert toward the final rite, usually at the
Easter Vigil at which time they will become full members of the
Catholic Church. If you or someone you know is interested in
receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and/or
Eucharist, or if you have been away from the faith for a while and
would like to come back and learn more about it, please call Fr.
Matt at the rectory (739-4779) or speak with him after Mass.
PARISHIONERS, ST. THOMAS SCHOOL ALUMNI, AND
FRIENDS—PLEASE NOTE January is the renewal month for
the 500 Club. You should have received the information in the
mail. The last drawing for 2014 is January 25 and the first
drawing for 2015 is February 22. The profits realized, shared
equally by the school and parish, will be used to help pay for both
the heating costs and the cost of electricity for the school and the
parish.
PRAYERS FOR DECEASED—Marilyn Vallee and Robert
Stevenson. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful
departed rest in peace.
ANNUAL DIOCESAN APPEAL FOR THE COLLEGE OF
OUR LADY OF THE ELMS—A collection is being taken up
today for the College of Our Lady of the Elms—the Catholic college in the Springfield Diocese. The Sisters of St. Joseph
founded Elms College in 1928 to educate immigrant children in
the faith that was their heritage, and prepare them to fulfill the
promises of the American Dream. We continue to fulfill that
mission through scholarships and grants to students from
throughout the Springfield Diocese. For information about scholarships, or to apply, please visit the Elms College website,
www.elms.edu, or call 413-594-6123.
Congratulations and best wishes to Mr. and Mrs.
Robert A. Wise. Robert and Julie A. Raimondo were
married Sunday, December 21, 2014.
ST. ANN SOCIETY wishes to thank all the St. Thomas
parishioners who purchased the 2015 Taste of the Valley coupon
books from us. We truly appreciate your support! We will
continue to have books available. Just call Nancy (737-8641) or
Donna (732-6520) and we will get them to you.
GUIDELINES FOR REQUESTING A MASS FOR 2016
The Mass book for 2016 will open on Tuesday, January 13,
2015. Beginning on Tuesday, January 13, you may call the
parish office, 739-4779, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
and can book up to 3 Masses only. Beginning Wednesday,
January 21 after 10:00 a.m., the Mass book will be open to
anyone for as many Masses as you would like. Also, the Mass
intention will be limited to one individual’s name or two family
names (example: John Doe or Deceased Members of the Doe
and Smith Families). We ask for your patience and
understanding as we try to accommodate all of your requests.
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
MEALS FOR HOMEBOUND ELDERLY—Do you know someone who is homebound, can’t prepare nutritious meals, and has no one to help with cooking? They may be eligible to receive well-balanced lunchtime meals. Home meal services are provided by the West Springfield Council on Aging, which is funded in part by Greater Springfield Senior Services, Inc. A donation of $2.50 per meal is suggested. For more information, contact the West Springfield COA (413) 263-3264 or (413) 495-1802.
SACRED HEART CHURCH SPRINGFIELD 2015 PARISH
CALENDAR—365 DAYS OF PRIZES! For just $25 this is how your calendar works: When you return your stub to the rectory, your calendar number is entered for all the daily, weekly, and special grand prize drawings. Winners are notified by mail and listed in the bulletin each week. If you win, your stub is placed back into the drum making you eligible to win again throughout the year! Calendars may be purchased at the rectory Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. Calendars may also be ordered over the phone, and we will ship them for you (+ $3 postage) by calling 732-3721.
INFORMATION ON RESOURCES FOR OLDER ADULTS - Greater Springfield Senior Services Information and referral staff can assist anyone, young or old, seeking services or information and advice on a wide variety of aging, disability and caregiving issues. These information experts guide individuals and families through the sometimes-confusing maze of service options, eligibility requirements and payment sources. This free service is available Monday through Friday by calling 413-781-8800 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ALWAYS OUR CHILDREN WELCOMES YOU—Always Our
Children, a support group for parents, grandparents, family and friends of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, meets monthly on the first Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Parish Community Room located in the convent building at 395 Chestnut Street, Springfield, Mass. Using the quote from the National Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement to parents of gay children, “You are always my child; nothing can ever change that. You are a
child of God, gifted and called for a purpose in God’s design”, this group seeks to assist families and friends through education and support. Always Our Children welcomes family and friends of LGBT persons to its monthly meetings. Call Sacred Heart Rectory, 732-3721, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for more information or e-mail [email protected] and a contact person will reply.
ROSARY ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON—The rosary will be prayed every Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. in the Parish Center chapel. The three mysteries will be prayed – but come for one, two or all three. All are welcome! NOVENA TO ST. PEREGRINE, patron saint for those with cancer, takes place every Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Mary Mother of Hope Church, 840 Page Boulevard, Springfield. Cancer patients, cancer survivors, friends of cancer patients, and the general public are invited to attend.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL SPONSORSHIP—St. Thomas parishioners, who have students in our parish school and/or at one of our area Catholic high schools, can have St. Thomas sponsor the student. Sponsorship is determined by participating in weekly Mass along with an annual envelope contribution of $750, the prior calendar year.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FREE THROW
CHAMPIONSHIP—All boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition for the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship in West Springfield. This event will be held in the St. Thomas the Apostle gymnasium on Saturday, January 10, 2015 beginning with registration at 8:30 a.m. The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district, and state competitions. International champions are announced by the K of C headquarters based on scores from the state-level competitions. All boys and girls will compete in their respective age and gender divisions. Last year more than 120,000 sharpshooters participated in over 3,600 local competitions. All contestants on the local level are recognized for their participation. Participants are required to show proof of age and written parental consent at registration. Age eligibility is determined by the age of the contestant as of January 1. Participation forms can be printed in advance from the K of C website, www.kofc.org (http://www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/service/youth/freethrow/1598_Print.pdf). Please contact Tom Butler at 739-1373 if you need additional information. The Knights of Columbus is an international Catholic family fraternal service organization with over 1.8 million members in 15,000 local councils. Last year, Knights donated over 70 million volunteer hours and $167.5 million to charitable and benevolent causes, sponsoring projects to benefit their church, councils, communities, culture of life, families and youth.
CALLING ALL GRANDPARENTS—The Gathering Grandparents Prayer Group will meet on Tuesday, January 6 at 11 a.m. during Eucharistic Adoration at St. Peter & St. Casimir Church, 22 State Street in Westfield to pray in community for the protection of our grandchildren in the face of present dangers. A Novena of prayer is said to two very powerful prayer intercessors, Sts. Anne and Joachim, the grandparents of Jesus. All are invited to come and join us in praying for our loved ones. Also, on Saturday, January 10 at 10:00 a.m. there will be a 2nd Anniversary Celebration of our Catholic Grandparents Group with Fr. William Wallis as guest speaker. Come and bring a dish for our meeting and potluck brunch at the St. Peter and St. Casimir Social Center. For more information, please call Alicia at 568-0123.
OFFICE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION— CCD
classes will be held on Sunday, January 4, 9;30-10:30 a.m. for grades K-6 and Monday, January 5,
3:30-4:30 p.m. for grades 1-6 in the Parish Center and 6:30-7:30 p.m. for grades 7-10 in the church.
500 CLUB – WINNERS – DECEMBER 29, 2014
$500 Joe & Laurie Bednarczyk $200 Claire & Steve Benoit $100 Jenna Snider $ 50 Ms. Jeanne Udas $ 50 Tom & Lori Melvin $ 50 Christine McCaslin $ 50 Dave & Anna Kollisch $ 25 Gift Cert. John J. & M. B. Lonergan
Next Drawing: Monday, January 26, 2015
JANUARY 4, 2015
INFORMATION ON RESOURCES FOR OLDER ADULTS—Greater Springfield Senior Services Information and referral staff can assist anyone, young or old, seeking services or information and advice on a wide variety of aging, disability and caregiving issues. These information experts guide individuals and families through the sometimes-confusing maze of service options, eligibility requirements and payment sources. This free service is available Monday through Friday by calling 413-781-8800 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY ELVIS—Featuring Jeff Krick, Elvis Tribute Artist & Vocalist on Sunday, January 11, 2015 (snow date 1/12/15). St. John’s Travelers are pleased to bring you this exclusive matinee show at the Hu Ke Lau, 705 Memorial Drive in Chicopee. Cost is $48 per person and package includes a lovely plated luncheon and reserved seating for the “Blue Hawaiian Show”. Luncheon menu: fresh garden salad, rolls and butter, prime rib of beef or baked scrod, potato, vegetable, dessert, coffee or tea. Event begins at 11:45 a.m. Please call Emile Cote at 413-335-9440 for more information. CAREGIVER “THANK YOU” DAY—Jericho, The Bureau For Exceptional Children and Adults, would like to say “thank you” to the caregivers of people with chronic illness/disabilities. We realize that your work is hard and sometimes thankless. Yet, you take care of people with compassion and love every moment of every day. Come join us for a few hours of “all about you” - enjoy some special pampering, food, spirits on Tuesday, January 20, 2015. Please choose a time: 12-2 p.m. or 6-8 p.m. RSVP to [email protected] by January 13, 2015. Jericho is located at 537 Northampton Street in Holyoke, 538-7450, www.jerichobeca.org. OUR BULLETIN IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE—Find the bulletin anytime, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, always in the same place. Parishioners can go to SeekAndFind.com anytime to find an updated copy of the bulletin.
DONATE YOUR CAR – HELP THE NEEDY – RECEIVE TAX DEDUCTION OF $500+ —It’s fast, it’s easy, and it requires only one short phone call or website visit. Cars For Help, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, is using vehicle donations to support Christian churches and parishes across the USA in an effort to help people who are suffering through difficult times. If you would like to donate a vehicle in any condition, receive a tax deduction, and help your church do its great mission work, please visit www.CarsForHelp.com or call directly to (630) 595-9272. Together we can make a difference! With mention of this
bulletin, 50% of your vehicle donation proceeds will go directly
to St. Thomas. Don’t delay….donate today!!!
WORLD YOUTH DAY—KRAKOW, POLAND 2016—Join Bishop
Mitchell Rozanski and Fr. Piotr Calik on a pilgrimage to World
Youth Day 2016 in Krakow, Poland July 22—August 3, 2016. This
tour will include visits to Czestochowa, Auschwitz and Zakopane—
several sites that were important in the life of Pope Saint John Paul
II. An information session will be held on Wednesday, February 11,
2015 at the Bishop Marshall Center at St. Michael’s Cathedral
beginning at 6:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Stacy
CATHOLIC CRUISE TO BERMUDA—Come and sail away on a 7-night Catholic Bermuda Cruise with Father Richard Curran June 6—June 13, 2015 on Holland America Veendam out of Boston, Mass. Ports of Call: Hamilton, Bermuda; Boston,
Massachusetts. Prices begin at $2,434 for two passengers, which includes all port fees and taxes. Daily Mass offered. Deposits of only $200 per person will reserve your cabin. Space is limited. For further information or to register, contact Doug or Eileen at 860-399-1785/[email protected].
VINE & BRANCHES GIFT SHOP hours of operation are: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come in and check out our Baptismal, Communion, Confirmation, and Wedding items. If you are looking to give a gift and are not sure what to buy, we have gift cards available in whatever amount you choose. Come in and browse, our staff is eager to serve you. The Vine and Branches Gift Shop is located in the Sacred Heart Church Parish Center, 1061 Springfield St., Feeding Hills, MA. If you would like more information please call 413-786-8200. OUR PARISH IS NOW ON TWITTER—If you want to keep up on the latest information for St. Thomas Parish, School, and CCD, please follow us @StThomasWS1. If you do have Twitter, you can follow our feed at www.stthomaswestspringfield.org.
The Massachusetts Citizens For Life invites you to spend some time in prayer with them in front of the Planned Parenthood Clinic located at 3550 Main Street in Springfield on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. May we all continue to pray for a deeper respect for life, God’s most personal gift to us all.
Dear Parishioners and Friends, Recently you received a letter regarding the St. Thomas the Apostle School Annual Fund. As a school and parish community here at St. Thomas the Apostle, we feel we are blessed to be surrounded by very dedicated, caring, and passionate individuals. We have worked as a community to ensure the current stability as well as the long term viability of St. Thomas the Apostle School. A major component of our long-term success is the St. Thomas the Apostle Annual Fund. The St. Thomas the Apostle Annual Fund was created to help bridge the gap between the revenues of the school and the costs associated with its operation. We are fortunate to have a strong parish here at St. Thomas that provides support of our school. We are thankful to the parishioners, who through a portion of their giving, support Catholic education. After a successful
inaugural year, our goal for this year’s Annual Fund is
$65,000!!! If you have not made your commitment, we ask that you prayerfully consider joining with so many others in our school and church community to ensure we are able to provide the blessing of Catholic education for generations to come. If you have already made a contribution, I extend a heartfelt thank you. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Fr. Ken
Beverly Rochford, SSJ, will be escorting a Canada and New England Cruise July 10-18, 2015. We will host an information session at the West Springfield Senior Center on Tuesday, January 6 at 2:00 p.m. Please call to register: 413-495-4876.
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413-733-247746 Daggett Drive, Suite 1B, W. Springfield, MA 01089
1146 Memorial Drive, Chicopee, MA 010201325 Springfield Street, Feeding Hills, MA 01030
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