Fall Ministry Updates - Check out our awesome ministries at STA!
/
Rosary Society
The First Rosary Society meeting is on September 14, 2026, at 7 PM in the Parish Center. Subsequent meetings will be the first Monday of the month, through June of 2027.
Our Communion Breakfast is on October 4, in Herron Hall, immediately following the 8 AM mass. Reservation forms can be found in the bulletin and are due by September 21, 2026.
The Parish Picnic Ministry presents our annual picnic on September 20th!
So many people are helping keep this annual picnic going. We have so many workers and contributors that we are able to make it all free for our parishioners We ask every family to bring a dessert to share at our dessert table. There are bounce houses, axe throwing, volleyball, arts and crafts, 50/50 raffle and 2 gift card raffles plus the Disney raffle will be drawn, a DJ for any music requests, children’s gym and dance party activities, hot dogs, hamburgers, desserts and a special treat with a soft serve ice cream truck. It’s so much fun for everyone. Parishioners get to meet other parishioners in a great social environment.
The STA Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) will begin the Inquiry Period August 4, 2026 at 9:00 in the St. Peter's Room.
This is open to all interested adults in the parish. The Inquiry Period lasts through Sunday November 1, 2026.
On Sunday November 8, 2026, we will celebrate the Rite of Acceptance for Catechumens seeking baptism and the Rite of Welcoming for Candidates seeking Confirmation at the 10: AM Mass. We will have the first meeting of the Catechumenate after mass.
The Catechumenate is the formal instruction period of the OCIA and lasts through February 7, 2027 and the beginning of Lent. The Enlightenment Period is the preparation of the baptism of 3 adults at the Easter Vigil March 7, 2027.
On Saturday February 13, 2027, all Candidates will be welcomed by Cardinal Joseph Tobin in the Rite of Continuing Conversion at Sacred Heart Cathedral. On Sunday February 14, 2026 or Catechumens seeking baptism will celebrate the Rite of Election with Cardinal Tobin at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Mystogogy Period anticipates the confirmation of the Candidates on Pentecost Sunday May 15, 2027.
Spiritual Direction
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7
Spiritual Direction is a ministry that helps you to savor God’s loving presence and explore God’s seeming absence. To contemplate and recognize God’s Spirit truly with you in every day life.
Spiritual Direction is for anyone who is faced with transitions or challenges in their life.
Possibly your prayer has become dry and empty.
A Spiritual Director creates a safe confidential space helping you to listen for the voice of God in Scripture, n your prayer, your dreams and in the ordinary events of your life.
A spiritual director is one whose heart expands and welcomes another to deeply experience God’s tremendous love.
Spiritual Direction affirms God’s unconditional love and acceptance of all people .
To make an appointment, further information, or a list of more spiritual directors, contact:
Anna Graziano, cSD: 201-213-5095, annagraziano08@gmail.com
Certified Spiritual Director, Supervisor of Spiritual Directors, Director for The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius
Saint Thomas the Apostle Soup Kitchen Ministry
(Previously known as Beyond Cornerstone Service Ministry)
Meeting to be held Wednesday, September 16th at 7PM at the Parish Center.
The Saint Thomas the Apostle Soup Kitchen Ministry is a response to God’s call to serve those in need. Our ministry supports the work of the Missionary Sisters of Charity (founded by Mother Teresa) at St. Augustine’s Soup Kitchen in Newark, NJ.
We visit the soup kitchen one Sunday per month. Each visit is organized by two volunteer coordinators who plan the menu, purchase the food, and assemble a team of approximately eight volunteers who help prepare and serve the meal. When the menu includes home-cooked sides, additional volunteers prepare and donate trays of food. We serve 60–80 guests.
This Ministry is rewarding both personally and spiritually. Through this work, we recognize Christ present in one another—in those who prepare and serve meals and in those who receive them. It reminds us that, at different times in life, any of us may find ourselves in need or in a position to serve. By working together with the Missionary Sisters of Charity, we evangelize through action and witness compassion, dignity, and fellowship. This shared mission strengthens our faith, enriches our parish community, and affirms the presence of Christ in all people.
Members of the ministry meet several times throughout the year to plan upcoming activities. Please consider joining us on Wednesday, September 16, at 7PM in the Parish Center.
Mental Health Ministry
The Mental Health Ministry holds meetings from October to June. The Mental Health Ministry is a ministry of accompaniment. We are a ministry for individuals who struggle with mental health challenges and their loved ones and caregivers. Our goal is to provide a warm, friendly and stigma free environment where all are welcomed and accepted and we can discuss and educate on mental health topics as it relates to the Catholic Church.
QR codes with links to a brief survey will be in the bulletin and posted at the doors of the church shortly after Labor Day. These surveys will help guide the Mental Health Ministry in supporting the parish.
The next meeting will be on October 4th at 11 AM. If you have any questions or would like more information, please email us at mentalheealthministry@stachurchbloomfield.org
Holy Name Society
Seminar: NJ Real Estate Tax Relief & Taxation of Retirement Income
Date & Time: Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Parish Center (St. Peter Room)
Presenter: Brian Sherman, CFP®
Overview: Learn how New Jersey programs can help lower your income and property taxes, covering the PAS-1 Form, ANCHOR, Stay NJ, Senior Freeze, property tax deductions, and pension exclusions. Recommended for anyone near retirement or working/retired seniors 65 and older.
Registration: Call the Parish Center at (973) 338-9190 to register. Advance questions may be emailed to Guy Pilsbury at gvpilsbury@msn.com. (Note: St. Thomas Apostle Parish is not responsible for actions taken with the advice given.)
Eucharistic Adoration Program
Date & Time: Sunday, October 18, 2026 | Following the 12:00 Noon Mass
Location: Parish Center (St. Peter Room) & Church
Audience: All parishioners and families are warmly invited.
Schedule:
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Parish Center, St. Peter Room): Fellowship and light refreshments (coffee, soft drinks, food). Deacon Michael will present on the meaning, types, and spiritual graces of Adoration, followed by Debra and Anthony Nole sharing their family's experience as devotees and attendees at the Eucharistic Congress, looking forward to 2029.
2:00 PM (Church): Eucharistic Adoration.
