Christmas Pageant 2022

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The youth of STA Parish have put on another wonderful Christmas pageant in anticipation of the birth of our Lord!

The children dressed as angels, shepherds, wise men, and Mary and Joseph and sang for the audience while acting out the story of Jesus’ birth.

Our Congratulations to the whole cast, and many thanks to Dr. Molina for organizing this event, another beloved tradition of our parish!

Deacon Tom's Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent

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I FIRST HEARD THE FOLLOWING story when Father Peter Funisti used it in one of his homilies. I think of it frequently; it really helps with the question: why did Jesus become one of us?

ONE WINTER EVENING, DURING A fierce blizzard, a farmer looked out his window at a flock of geese that had been grounded by the sleet and the strong, driving winds. The farmer quickly grabbed his coat, ran to the barn and threw the barn doors wide open. BUT THE HARDER THE FARMER tried to herd the geese into the shelter of the barn, the more the geese scattered. “If only I could become one of them myself,” the farmer thought, “I could lead them into the safety of the barn.”

IN OUR GOSPEL TODAY, THE Word of God, the Eternal Son of the Father, has come among us and is a fetus, growing within the womb of the Virgin Mary. The long-promised “God-with-us” has at last entered time and space, becoming one of us, to lead us all into the safety of heaven, to show us the way.

BUT WE MUST TRUST!

THE VIRGIN MARY SAID “Yes” to God’s Plan of Salvation; this young betrothed girl has agreed to become pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. IN THOSE DAYS, BETROTHEL was much closer to our marriage. The couple were actually called each other’s “wife” and “husband.” And, to break off their engagement, a formal decree of divorce would be required.

AT THIS POINT, MARY IS extremely vulnerable. If Joseph decides NOT to go through with their marriage, Mary was liable to being stoned to death as an adulteress. But Mary trusted that God would take care of her.

IN TODAY’S GOSPEL, WE SEE Joseph’s dilemma of whether to marry Mary or not. He finally does believe the angel’s words, and trusts that God will somehow work everything out.

WE NEED TO TRUST THAT God cares for and cherishes each one of us just as much as He does Jesus and Mary and Joseph!

NO MATTER WHAT POINT WE ARE at in our lives: whether we’re still in school, or a young married couple raising children, a single person, or as we approach middle age with the aches and forgetfulness that surely will come, we need to trust in God, and especially during our journey through death.

JESUS CAME TO LEAD US INTO heaven and He shows us that there is indeed resurrection at the end of each of our own journeys, too.

TODAY, WE PRAY: “Lord Jesus, may we each attain to our future destiny which is union with You and the Father and the Holy Spirit in an ecstasy of joy for all eternity. Amen.

Advent Craft Night Recap

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At our recent Advent Craft Night, children of the parish were invited to come and create Advent wreaths and sing songs.

A wonderful time was had by all! A huge thank you to Kathy Monacelli and family for leading this fantastic event.

If you are interested in signing your child up for future children’s activities and programming, be sure that you are subscribed to the parish email list by clicking here to stay updated on all events.

Advent Giving Tree Thank you

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St. Thomas the Apostle Parishioners have done an amazing job participating in this year’s Annual Advent Giving Tree Program. Your generosity and continued support have not only made this program successful, but have brightened the Christmas season for many.

This season we split the requests between the actual tags on the trees and a digital version. Every gift was labeled with the organization and all gift cards had a dollar value. This was so appreciated when sorting and distributing.

We collected over $4,000 in ShopRite, Target & Kohl’s gift cards for our parish. There were 84 very large bags of gifts along with $155 in gift cards for the organizations listed below:

1. Family Promise –renamed from Interfaith Hospitality for the Homeless of Essex County - Montclair, NJ

2. Dr. Lena Edwards Charter School - Jersey City, NJ

3. RWJ Barnabas Health Center for Hemophilia – Newark NJ

4. St Rose of Lima Parish – Newark NJ

5. Mercy House - Newark NJ

6. St. Joseph’s Social Service Center, Elizabeth NJ

Special thanks to everyone who participated and assisted in moving and sorting the gifts along with the Communications Committee.

The Organizations are very thankful to the St Thomas Community for their giving spirit and asked us to share their gratitude and prayers for all of us in the new year.

Parish Members honored by the Archdiocese for Youth Ministry Service

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We are thrilled to share that members of our parish have been honored at the Archdiocese of Newark Youth Ministry Recognition Ceremony on December 4 for their service to our Youth Group!

These awards are presented to youth who respond to the call to discipleship through service to their parish, and to adults who have demonstrated a commitment to young people and youth ministry in their parish.

From STAYG, we honored:

Archdiocesan Parish Youth Discipleship Award: Kaitlyn LeSuer, IHA 2024 & Teresa Nole, BHS 2025

Archdiocesan Parish Adult Light of the World Award: Debra Nole, parent volunteer

Thank you all for your commitment to Youth Ministry at St. Thomas!

Update on Father Larry

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Fr. Larry will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow, December 13th, following his heart catheterization and surgery for heart valve replacement last week.

He will be on home rest and rehabilitative recovery for six weeks.

He thanks everyone for their prayers - they are working! He is doing very well. He also thanks the professionals at Morristown Medical Center. He is also grateful for continued prayers for his parents.

If you would like to send him a message of encouragement, please email him at frlarry@stachurchbloomfield.org.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit:

Loving Father, we give you all praise and glory for your mercy and love. We thank you for granting Fr, Larry a safe passage through surgery, and we ask you to continue to protect him as he begins his journey of recovery.

Father, we ask this blessing through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the love of your Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Thank you Oak View School for your donation to our Food Pantry!

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Many thanks to Cammie Brian, Heather Smith-Bermudez, Patrice Maher, and all at Oak View School, for their generous donation of groceries to our St. Thomas Food Pantry! The donated food has been distributed to families inside and outside of our parish, and to local soup kitchens.

St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta says that acts of love can generate miracles that are truly unimaginable and extraordinary. Let us live charity in daily life with the people who surround us, to love especially those who are smallest and most poor, and to give everything to Jesus, who is thirsting for our love.

God bless you Oak View School!