Beyond Cornerstone Soup Kitchen Ministry - Updates

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  • There will be a meeting on Thursday, May 11th at 7PM in the Parish Center to discuss our many commitments to the St. Augustine Soup Kitchen run by the Missionary Sisters of Charity in Newark. Anyone who wishes to participate in any of our activities are welcome.

  • Thanks to everyone who participated in the donation and delivery of the Easter hams and chickens. Over thirty families will receive them for Easter dinner.

  • Thank you to the September club for their recent generous donation to our Ministry. It is this support that enables us to keep our commitment to supply a hearty meal one Sunday of each month to about one hundred twenty homeless people.

  • The Bloomfield chapter of UNICO, an Italian-American service organization collected at ShopRite over 70 bags of food, toiletries and cleaning products for Saint Augustine soup kitchen in Newark. Saint Augustine serves up to 150 people daily in addition to providing a women’s shelter where these items will be greatly appreciated. A special thank you to Tina Buontempo for organizing this Unico project.

  • Joan and Bob Urbanovich will supply and serve the March 26th meal.

  • Joanne Walch Romeo and Pat McDonald will be doing the meal for April 23rd.  

  • Joanne Recinello and Dene will do May 21st.  Please contact them if you wish to help cook or serve.

  • We will participate in the St. Augustine Summer Day camp on July 14th. The Sisters run a day camp in July for the benefit of the children of the people they serve. Each summer we supply food and activities for one day at the camp. Tiffany Engram and a team of volunteers supply an attractive meal, treats and activities to make this day very special. A highlight of the day will include an ice cream truck. This year we hope to involve our parish teenagers. We depend on donations to support this day. Tiffany Ingram has again volunteered to organize the day.

Individual parishioners’ consistent and prayerful donations of time and money are the foundation of our ministry and allow us to continue our mission. Please consider placing a donation in an envelope marked SOUP KITCHEN in the collection basket or in the lock box at the parish center.  In the memo line, please indicate that the donation is for the soup kitchen.

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults – Come Join Us!

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We are blessed by our RCIA Candidates for Confirmation this Pentecost.  Jennifer, Maureen, Alissa, and Brianna have faithfully participated in deepening their knowledge and commitment to the faith in Jesus Christ and His Church since October 2022.

Are you baptized, confirmed, and receive Holy Communion? If no, what is holding you back?

Jesus calls each of us to come follow him. Come learn and participate in the sacramental life of His Church.  Contact us at rcia@stachurchbloomfield.org and join us for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults this year, beginning October 2023.

Deacon Tom's Homily for Sunday, March 19th

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WE’RE ALL BORN BLIND. . . IN a spiritual sense. It’s through our Baptism that we begin to see who Jesus is.

IN TODAY’S GOSPEL, JESUS, THE One Sent by the Father, sends the man-born-blind to wash his eyes in the Pool of Siloam, which means “the one sent.” The young man does as he’s instructed and returns able to see

SOMETHING wonderful happens to the blind man’s physical eyes. Something even more beautiful happens to his inner, spiritual eyes. He begins to see Jesus as God’s light sent to him.

AS HE LOOKS into Jesus’ eyes, he sees the deep calm and peace there. He sees the holiness, closeness to God, His tenderness and, I suspect, a touch of humor.

WHILE THE LEARNED LEADERS OF the Synagogue are sliding deeper and deeper into blindness, the insight of the man-born-blind concerning Jesus keeps getting clearer and clearer: from his referring to Him as “the man called Jesus”, to calling Him a prophet from God, and finally to seeing Him as the heavenly Son of Man.

IN THE SAME WAY, WE TOO NEED TO grow in our awareness of who Jesus is. Every week when we come to Mass, our eyes are opened more and more.

THE WORD OF GOD WE HEAR proclaimed enables us to see Jesus’ deep-seated goodness, His compassion and warmth. We are freed a little more from our blindness. And we are transformed!

TODAY, GOD MAKES US MORE THAN we were when we walked into this Church!

THEN IT’S OUR TURN: WE ARE SENT out to tell our broken world what we’ve seen.

EACH WEEK OUR COMMITMENT becomes stronger and stronger as we bow before Jesus, God’s light sent to us, and we say to Him, “I do believe, Lord, I do believe.”

Free Tax Preparation for Seniors

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The St. Thomas the Apostle Church Holy Name Society is again sponsoring free tax preparation by an experienced retired CPA.

  • You must be a parishioner of St. Thomas, a senior, and only require a regular Federal 1040 and N.J. State tax return with related schedules.

  • We cannot accept businesses, partnerships, or returns involving rental investment properties.

  • The tax preparer will be available in the parish center on Saturday mornings through April 1th from 10am to 12pm to take your information, assist you, or answer any tax questions you may have. Please bring all related tax information and a copy of last year’s Federal 1040 return with you at that time. Tax returns will be completed in the following week and returned to you for mailing. All info provided or discussed is held in strictest confidence and not shared with anyone.

  • If the time in the parish center is not convenient, you can just drop off the info in an envelope addressed to “TAX HOLY NAME” at the Parish Center in the Holy Name mail slot. If you need more assistance, you can always call the number below and we can try to make some other arrangements.

  • For inquiries or questions, please contact Dennis at (973) 338-8604.

Archdiocese of Newark 2023 Lenten Regulations

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1. The days of both Fast and Abstinence during Lent are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the "paschal fast" to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. The other Fridays of Lent are days of Abstinence.

On a day of Fast, only one (1) full meal is permitted, and two (2) smaller meals, which, if added together, would not exceed the main meal in quantity. Those between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast.

On a day of Abstinence, no meat may be eaten. Those who have reached the age of 14 are obliged by the law of abstinence.

2. The obligation to observe the laws of Fast and Abstinence "substantially", or as a whole, is a serious obligation.

3. The Fridays of the year, outside of Lent, are designated as days of penance, but each individual may substitute for the traditional abstinence from meat some other practice of voluntary self-denial as penance.

4. The time for fulfilling the Paschal Precept (Easter Duty*) extends from the First Sunday of Lent, February 26th to The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, June 4th.

*Canon 920, §1. All the faithful, after they have been initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, are bound by the obligation of receiving Communion at least once a year.

September Club 2023 Trip Schedule

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The STA September Club ministry has published their 2023 trip schedule!

Note: Because the COVID Virus is still with us, we ask that all travelers, both members and non-members, have proof of vaccination to travel with us this season. Masks are highly recommended on the bus and inside theater venues.

The St. Thomas the Apostle September Club announces all the planned trips for this year. We welcome non-members to join us. Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to have a fun time.

  • “Murder On The Orient Express” April 19 (Wednesday) 7:30 pm at the Paper Mill Playhouse preceded by prix fixe dinner at Joey’s Tap & Tavern, Millburn. $135 Per Person includes dinner, show, bus transportation & all gratuities. (Bar purchases at restaurant not included).

  • Lunch at the Breakers, Spring Lake, NJ May 17 (Wednesday) Enjoy a day at Spring Lake, enjoy some shopping, a prix fixe lunch at The Breakers followed by some time to stroll along the beach and perhaps dip a toe in the ocean. $85 per person includes lunch, bus transportation & all gratuities. (Bar purchases at restaurant not included).

  • Lunch at the Windlass Restaurant and Boat Ride on Lake Hopatcong July 11 (Tuesday) Enjoy a boat ride on Lake Hopatcong, NJ’s largest lake, followed by a buffet lunch at the Windlass Restaurant. $115 per person includes boat ride, buffet lunch, bus transportation & all gratuities. (Bar purchases at restaurant not included).

  • Gaming at Wind Creek Casino, Bethlehem, PA August 2 (Wednesday) $35 per person includes bus transportation, driver tip, & $25 Slot Play. Will spend 5 hours at the casino.

  • Carmine’s & the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine August 30 (Wednesday) $105 per person includes a 60-90 minute tour of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine followed by a family-style lunch at Carmine’s Uptown, bus transportation, & all gratuities.

  • Lake George & Saratoga Springs 4 Days/3 Nights, Sept 26 thru Sept 29 (Tues-Fri) Enjoy guided tours of Lake George, Saratoga Springs and Lake Placid, including the Olympic Village and “Miracle on Ice” rink; cruise Lake George, visit Saratoga Casino, the Saratoga National Historic Park, and more; $670 per person based on double occupancy includes fees for all activities, 3 nights lodging, 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners including gratuities, bus transportation & driver tip.

  • Brunch at The Brookdale, 1099 Broad St., Bloomfield, NJ November 5 (Sunday) $55 per person includes family-style brunch & gratuity. No bus, travel on your own. Join us to wrap up our travel year.

Please note, some trips have limited capacity. If you’re interested please contact us at Septemberclub4@gmail.com or call Renee Miscione at 347-675-3581 for individual trip information sheets. These have a short form at the bottom that must be returned with your deposit to reserve your spot.