Call for Easter Ham and Chicken Donations

The Beyond Cornerstone Ministry will be collecting chickens and hams for needy families’ Easter dinners as requested by St. Theresa of Calcutta’s Missionary Sisters of Charity at St. Augustine’s Soup Kitchen in Newark.

Joanne Hand will collect hams and chickens on Saturday, April 12th between 7:30am and 8:30am in the parish parking lot by the handicapped entrance and will bring them directly to the St. Augustine’s soup kitchen. The Sisters will be distributing food bags to families on Palm Sunday.

Additionally, the Bloomfield branch of UNICO, an Italian-American nonprofit organization, will hold their semi-annual food drive on Saturday, April 5th from 9 AM to 1PM at the Brookdale ShopRite. They will be collecting non-perishable foods, cases of water and personal supplies. St. Augustine’s is one of the soup kitchens that will benefit from this collection.  

Thank you to all who participate in our efforts to bring food to the needy and homeless. Click the button below for more information about Beyond Cornerstone, or to get in touch.

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

2025 Archbishop's Annual Appeal

Last weekend Cardinal Tobin made his request, via the annual AA video, for our support for the Annual Appeal. If you did not see the video or wish t see it again go to the Archdiocesan website rcan.org.

Our parish goal for 2025 is $90,988 with a stretch goal of $109,186. If we reach our goal in paid pledges before June 30th we will receive a 2% Assessment rate reduction. If we reach our goal in paid pledges before December 31st we will also qualify for a rebate of 50% of all funds received over our goal.

All donations to the AA are used solely to support our Parish and the Ministries noted in the AA materials. Your gift to the AA is also seen as a sign of your support for and love of the Church, her Clergy, her Ministries, and our Parish. Please consider participating in this year’s Appeal to help make a significant difference in many lives within our Archdiocese.

Please make a gift online today by visiting rcan.org/sharing.

Welcome: Mental Health Ministry

From the Mental Health Ministry.

The newly created Mental Health Ministry at St. Thomas the Apostle Church was formed to help meet the needs of families and loved ones of individuals who struggle with mental health.

Our ministry is run by parishioners who have been trained by the Sanctuary program through the Archdiocese of Newark. The team offers compassionate support and accompaniment to those interested. We do not provide therapy or medication management. All are welcome to attend.

Our team will meet the first Sunday of each month at 11:00 a.m. in the St. Peter Room of the parish center at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish beginning April 6th, with a hiatus during July and August. No registration is required.

To reach the Mental Health Ministry for general questions, please visit their ministry webpage by clicking the button below.

Saint Dymphna, pray for us!

An Important Message from the Social Concerns Ministry

From the Social Concerns Ministry.

“Love thy neighbor as thyself”

Lent is a time of Prayer, Fasting, and Giving. During this tumultuous, rapidly changing time, the Social Concerns Ministry invites you to reflect on our Catholic Christian obligation to support, defend and care for our neighbors whether they are local, national or international.

Can. 222 §1. The Christian faithful are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for the works of the apostolate and of charity, and for the decent support of ministers.

§2. They are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor from their own resources.

Please consider donating to one of the following organizations who carry out important charitable work worldwide:

• Catholic Relief Services Donation Page

• Bread for the World Donation Page

In light of our Catholic social teaching, we also invite you to address the shut down of USAID, which supports critically needed charitable services throughout the world by contacting your Congressional Representatives and visiting the following links:

• CRS.org Action Page

• Bread.org Advocacy Page

To learn more or to contact the Social Concerns Ministry, please click here to be taken to their ministry page.

The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults at STA in 2025

This year we are blessed with having 10 adult candidates for Confirmation, 5 of whom will receive their First Holy Communion at the 10AM mass June 8, 2025, Pentecost Sunday.

Please pray for Sean Gang, Keisha Peters, Cassandra Bodendorf, Christine Castillo, Jordan Clark, Mia Clark, Pedro Gavilano, Frank Tamburino, and Alexander Zeno, who will complete their initiation into the Church at Pentecost.

Please pray also for Charles Peters who will initiated into the Catholic Church in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist at the Easer Vigil mass Saturday evening April 19, 2025.

These candidates and catechumen will have spent 8 months preparing for the sacramental life in the Church participating in the OCIA. They have committed themselves to learning the faith and to enter in the life of the Church.

Each year St. Thomas the Apostle welcomes candidates and catechumens seeking full initiation into the sacramental life of the Church by the ministry of the OCIA. If you or someone you know is seeking a closer relationship by full initiation into the Church founded by Jesus Christ, please contact us at Ocia@stachurchbloomfield.org or contact Frank Miller at 201-207-0020.

Lent and Easter Mass and Liturgical Schedule 2025

ASH WEDNESDAY 03/05

• Masses at 8:00am, 11:30am, and 7:00pm; Service at 4:00pm

CONFESSION

• Every Saturday at 1:00pm (Except April 19th)

• Plus Monday, March 31st at 7:00pm

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

• Every Friday 3/07-4/11 at 7:00pm [with music]

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

• Monday, March 24th after 11:30am Mass and at 7:00pm

• Monday, April 18th after 11:30am Mass and at 7:00pm

HOLY WEEK

• Passion Palm Sunday, April 13th

  • Palms blessed at 5:00pm mass on Saturday April 12th

  • Palms distributed at all masses

• Holy Thursday, April 17th

  • (No morning Mass)

  • Mass of the Lord's Supper, 7:30pm

  • Night Prayer 11:00pm

• Good Friday, April 18th

  • Morning Prayer, 9:00am

  • (No morning Mass)

  • Passion of the Lord, 3:00pm

  • Living Stations of the Cross, 7:00pm [a live performance featuring our Youth Group]

• Holy Saturday, April 19th

  • Morning Prayer, 9:00am

  • No scheduled confessions and no 5:00pm mass

  • Easter Vigil Mass [Adult Choir] 8:00pm

    The Easter Vigil Mass Satisfies Easter Sunday obligation

• Easter Sunday, April 20th

  • Masses at 8:00am, 10:00am [Children’s Choir], 12:00pm

RESOURCES FROM THE USCCB

What is Lent? Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. Click here to read more.

2025 Daily Lent Calendar. Available in English and Spanish.

10 Things to Remember During Lent.

Beyond Cornerstone Soup Kitchen Ministry: Upcoming Meeting 3/10

The next Beyond Cornerstone Soup Kitchen Ministry Meeting will be held Monday, March 10th at 7PM at the Parish Center. Everyone is welcome, so please consider attending.

The Beyond Cornerstone Service Ministry supports the needs of the Missionary Sisters of St. Theresa at the St. Augustine's soup kitchen in their efforts to provide meals to those in need.

Each month we provide a hearty meal for about 150 people, including adults and children. For many clients, this is the only meal they will have all day. Volunteers are needed to plan, shop, and deliver these meals. We also provide specific supplies when asked by the nuns.

We need the financial support from our parishioners to meet our mission. Please consider placing a check, made out to St. Thomas Parish, for any amount in the collection basket or in the lock box at the parish center. In the memo line designate the donation is for the soup kitchen.

If you are unable to attend the meeting but wish to participate in this ministry, please contact Alicia at Aliciiavons@gmail.com or (973) 715-5770.