Welcome! MASS SCHEDULE SACRAMENT

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Saint Thomas More Parish OFFICE 15 Caledonia Road Dartmouth, NS, B2X 1K7 Tel: (902) 434-4190 Fax: (902) 435-7267 Email: officeinfo@ns.aliantzinc.ca Website: h p://stm-parish.

Weekday Masses Monday - No Mass; Tuesday 12:15pm Wednesday-Friday 9:00am Summer Hours Saturday: 4:00pm; Sunday: 10:00am Sacrament of Reconcilia on Tuesday By appointment, Saturday 3:00pm - 3:45pm

Sacrament of Bap sm Prepara on - First Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm at the church. The Sacrament of Bap sm will be celebrated on the last Sunday of the month at the 11:15am Mass.

1 Saint Thomas More Parish OFFICE 15 Caledonia Road Dartmouth, NS, B2X 1K7 Tel: (902) Fax: (902) Website: h p://stm-parish.com Office Hours Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday 9:00am - 5:00pm Tuesday & Friday 9:00am - 2:30pm Lunch Break 12:00pm - 1:00pm MASS SCHEDULE Lord s Day Masses Saturday 4:00pm; Sunday 8:30am; 11:15am Weekday Masses Monday - No Mass; Tuesday 12:15pm Wednesday-Friday 9:00am Summer Hours Saturday: 4:00pm; Sunday: 10:00am Sacrament of Reconcilia on Tuesday By appointment, Saturday 3:00pm - 3:45pm SACRAMENT Marriage Please contact the parish priest at least 8 months prior to planned wedding date. Marriage prepara on course is required. Sacrament of Bap sm Prepara on - First Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm at the church. The Sacrament of Bap sm will be celebrated on the last Sunday of the month at the 11:15am Mass. Prayer Mee ng Every Tuesday at 7:00pm in the Sacred Heart room. Weekly Adora on The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for Adora on a er the 9:00am Mass on Thursday. All are invited to spend some me with Jesus. Thank You for Coming to Our Church In St. Thomas More Parish, we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we try to give faithful witness to the power of the Holy Spirit in us, both in our worship together and in our service to the local community. We desire to be grateful for the gifts God has given us as a parish family and to readily share them in our ministries. Welcome!

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER APRIL 15, 2018 PARISH STAFF & MINISTRY CONTACTS Parish Priest: Father Toochukwu Okafor Deacon: Danny MacDonald Deacon: James McLevey Catechist, Primary-6: Shereen Daniels

High: Diane Gibbons Office Administrator: Catherine Gonsalves Junior Choir Director: Debbie Hartlen, 830-6970 Pastoral Council Chair: Brian MacIntyre Catholic Women s League: Marguerite Fougere

2 THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER APRIL 15, 2018 PARISH STAFF & MINISTRY CONTACTS Parish Priest: Father Toochukwu Okafor Deacon: Danny MacDonald Deacon: James McLevey Catechist, Primary-6: Shereen Daniels Catechist, Jr. High: Diane Gibbons Office Administrator: Catherine Gonsalves Junior Choir Director: Debbie Hartlen, Pastoral Council Chair: Brian MacIntyre Catholic Women s League: Marguerite Fougere Responsible Ministry: RoseAnn Hetherington Knights of Columbus: Mike Curry St. Vincent de Paul: Martin Delaney Property & Mass Coordinator: Wayne O Leary Liturgy: David Chiddenton toochukwuokafor@yahoo.com macd1950@hotmail.com mclevey@ns.sympatico.ca sdreligioused267@gmail.com diane.juniorhigh@gmail.com officeinfo@ns.aliantzinc.ca rbh@bellaliant.net macintbj@eastlink.ca hfougere@ns.sympatico.ca ra.hetherington@ns. sympatico.ca gk13987nskofc@gmail.com delaney1@ns.sympatico.ca linway@bellaliant.net david.chiddenton@gmail.com EVENTS Tuesday, April 17, POMBA 9:30 am-hall Tuesday, April 17 Children s Choir practice 6:30 pm Hall Tuesday, April 17, Prayer Meeting-7:00 pm SHR Wednesday, April 18 K of C General Meeting 7:00pm SHR Wednesday, April 18 Choir practice 7:00 pm hall Thurs, April 19 Mass (9 am) followed by Adoration until 5 pm Thurs. April 19-Pastoral Council Meeting-7:00pm-SHR Thurs April 19 Finance Committee Meeting 7:00 pm Fisher Fri, April 20 Youth Group 7:00pm Hall. Saturday, April 21 Choir Practice after 4:00 pm Mass MASS INTENTION SCHEDULE FINANCIAL NEWS Sat., April.14 4:00 pm Joseph Boudreau Sunday, April.15 8:30 a.m. 11:15 a.m. Gary Bartlett For Parishioners Monday, April 16 NO MASS Tuesday. Apr.17-12:15 Sarah MacLellan April 8, 2018: Sunday Offering $ 5, Thanks to the parishioners who have opted for direct deposit this year. If you wish to offer your Sunday Offering using Direct Deposit, please contact the parish office for information. Thank you. SCRIPTURE READINGS Wednesday, Apr 18 9 am Ralph Berrigan Thursday, Apr 19 9 am John Archie MacKenzie Friday, Apr 20 9 am Heather Kerrick For this weekend 1st Reading: Acts Rs. Psalm: Ps..4.1, 3,6 2nd Reading: 1 John Gospel: Luke

STM NEWS. Welcome to Becca Arend! Father Toochukwu is pleased to announce that Ms.

Becca will officially start on June 11, 2018 but will be in the parish for a week beginning on April 14 th to meet parishioners, staff and clergy and to begin to familiarize herself with St.

She was raised in a Catholic family, and came to know Jesus in a deeper way when she was a student at Franciscan University where she graduated with a Bachelor s Degree in Theology.

org, a Catholic faith formation website. Becca is looking forward to experiencing life in Nova Scotia, and becoming a member of the St. Thomas More faith community.

3 STM NEWS. Welcome to Becca Arend! Father Toochukwu is pleased to announce that Ms. Becca Arend will be joining our parish team as the Pastoral Associate of Pastoral Ministries, Engagement and Evangelization. Becca will officially start on June 11, 2018 but will be in the parish for a week beginning on April 14 th to meet parishioners, staff and clergy and to begin to familiarize herself with St. Thomas More Parish and Dartmouth. Becca is from Minnesota, but for the past few years has been living and working in Denver, Colorado. She was raised in a Catholic family, and came to know Jesus in a deeper way when she was a student at Franciscan University where she graduated with a Bachelor s Degree in Theology. From there she went to the Augustine Institute and earned her Master s Degree in Leadership for the New Evangelization. Most recently, Becca has been working full time for formed.org, a Catholic faith formation website. Becca is looking forward to experiencing life in Nova Scotia, and becoming a member of the St. Thomas More faith community. Father Toochukwu will be introducing Becca at the Masses this weekend. Welcome Becca! Mark your Calendar! Multicultural Event Once again, St. Thomas More will host a multicultural celebration at our parish. This will be a celebration of our ethnic diversity with wonderful heritage food and entertainment. The planning meeting was well attended and the date has been set for Sunday, June 10th at 5:00 p.m. Tickets will be available within the coming weeks. We are most fortunate to have Peggy Ludlow as Chair of this event. If you have any questions or would like to offer your help, Peggy can be reached at or at ludlowm@hotmail.com. We are on Twitter As of this printing we have over 225 twitter followers. Please join us on twitter for parish information and to view pictures from STM events by clicking on to stthomasmore7. Disciples of the Holy Spirit The Prayer Group gathers for fellowship every Tuesday at 7:00pm, with the meeting beginning at 7:30pm. Join us in praise and worship, scripture, reflection and teaching as we connect with one another so we are able to go out into the world and spread the love of Christ to his people. Come and be equipped to go out and evangelize the world (or at least your part of it.) B.Y.O.B. (bible). We at St. Thomas More Parish offer our condolences to Kayle & Ryan McKeough and family on the passing of their father,sean Brian McKeough. May God give them the strength to bear their loss, and may perpetual light shine upon our dearly departed. Thursday Adoration at St. Thomas More When days are busy and we are overwhelmed, let us make time to get away and just be with Jesus to receive His rest, His comfort and His Grace. Visit Him on Thursdays when we have Adoration at STM to receive His Peace and Blessings! Adoration starts after the 9 am Mass and continues until 5 pm. Word Among Us - Great Reading Material This is a booklet with daily scriptural reading and daily meditations/reflections for Catholics. Cost for parishioners is $2.50 per copy/month as the parish is absorbing the rest of the cost. The monthly issues are put out on the table in the church foyer on the last weekend of each month Tax Receipts Tax receipts are available for pick up from the church foyer. They are arranged alphabetically as per last name. Thank you for supporting your church. Urgent Sunday Offering Envelope # 213 The parishioner with envelope # 213 is requested to contact the parish office asap. Thanks. Please write your name on the envelope.

I can t help but think about the grief stricken speech by a pastor during the vigil for the Humboldt Broncos. In the speech, the pastor asks the question of where was God? Where was Jesus?

4 He is Here The reading this week immediately follows Jesus walking down the road to Emmaus and having had him open the scriptures to the two men. In this reading Jesus appears to the disciples and again says Peace be with you. There is much symbolism in this reading today, and I will try to speak about some of it. I can t help but think about the grief stricken speech by a pastor during the vigil for the Humboldt Broncos. In the speech, the pastor asks the question of where was God? Where was Jesus? You could see the grief in His face and voice, as He is experiencing the grief for the families, and maybe even feeling an absence of God in His own life, especially when He spoke about travelling through the valley of death for 15 hours or so. The pastor answered the question in two ways; he said that Jesus was still on His throne, at the right hand of the Father. However, Jesus is also as close as can be with the grieving, with the poor, and with the survivors that are left behind. I have also witnessed recently through a tragic event that has happened to a local family, that I feel relates to this reading as well. Through this tragedy, the outpouring of love and support has been astounding, with meals being prepared and taken to the family, donations made to help with expenses, and of course with the all-important prayers for the family. I think of both of these tragedies because I feel the gospel reading relates in a very real way. First we see the confusion of the disciples and then Jesus coming to be with them in their sorrow and confusion. To echo the pastor in Humboldt, Jesus is always present to us in our lives, when we begin a new journey, or he will be present to us as we complete a journey as well. Another image Jesus is speaking about is the Eucharist in the midst of community, as he asks for something to eat. Jesus is reminding us and emphasizing the importance of the Eucharist to share on a regular basis, as well as the importance of community, especially in the times of tragedy. When I mentioned the outpouring of support for the local family, I have to note that much of the support came from parishioners, and people with whom the family shared the Eucharist, and prayed with over the years. For me, this all leads to an important final theme of how important it is to come together every week for all of us to share our joys, our sorrows, and everything in between. It makes real the words and song of St. Teresa of Avila, that Christ has no body now but yours. We can truly make Jesus present and do His will by simply gathering and being there for each other. The support for the family I mentioned, and the support for the Community of Humboldt both are testaments to the glory of God that is revealed when we share His love, through gifts of the Holy Spirit. God bless you all, Deacon Danny Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. Teresa of Ávila SAINT OF THE WEEK : APRIL 16 St. Bernadette St. Bernadette was born in Lourdes, France on January 7, Her parents were very poor and she was the first of nine children. She was baptized at St. Pierre's, the local parish church, on January 9. As a toddler, Bernadette contracted cholera and suffered extreme asthma. Unfortunately, she lived the rest of her life in poor health. On Thursday, February 11, 1858, fourteen-year -old Bernadette was sent with her younger sister and a friend to gather firewood, when a very beautiful lady appeared to her above a rose bush in a grotto called Massabielle (Tuta de Massavielha). The woman wore blue and white and smiled at Bernadette before making the sign of the cross with a rosary of ivory and gold. Bernadette fell to her knees, took out her own rosary and began to pray. Bernadette later described the woman as "uo petito damizelo," meaning "a small young lady. Though her sister and friend claimed they were unable to see her, Bernadette knew what she saw was real. Three days later, Bernadette, her sister Marie, and other girls returned to the grotto, where Bernadette immediately knelt, saying she could see "aquero" again. She fell into a trance and one girl threw holy water at the niche and another threw a rock that shattered on the ground. It was then that the apparition disappeared. For more information on St. Bernadette, go to

GRADES PRIMARY TO SIX Offertory Gifts are being taken up by our 1st Reconciliation student Jessie Dykens and family during the 8:30 morning Mass April 15 Hard to believe that we only have 4 Catechism

Please continue to pray for them. First Holy Communion will be celebrated on Sunday morning, May 27 during the 11:15 Mass. Please remember our children in your prayers.

40 Thank you so much to all who so generously give to this worthy project. You will find an updated photo of Maksym and progress report up in the display cabinet in the church foyer.

5 GRADES PRIMARY TO SIX Offertory Gifts are being taken up by our 1st Reconciliation student Jessie Dykens and family during the 8:30 morning Mass April 15 Hard to believe that we only have 4 Catechism Classes remaining. May 13 will be our year-end celebration followed by a Mother's Day Tea. April 21 Eleven students will be celebratingtheir First Reconciliation at 10 am in the church. Please continue to pray for them. First Holy Communion will be celebrated on Sunday morning, May 27 during the 11:15 Mass. Please remember our children in your prayers. You will find 1st Reconciliation & 1st Holy Communion posters with pictures and names in the church foyer. Chalice Can Last week's donation $34.40 Thank you so much to all who so generously give to this worthy project. You will find an updated photo of Maksym and progress report up in the display cabinet in the church foyer. Please take a moment to read. JUNIOR HIGH NEWS As I sit in the glow of the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus, I finally have time to reflect on the many blessings of this past Lenten Season. My goal as a Youth Minister is to bring the young people into a close, personal relationship with Jesus and an appreciation of our rich Catholic Tradition. Through many events, I feel that was accomplished as they learned about service by providing lunch on two occasions during the Archbishop's Lenten Series. The Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of all the cast and crew of the Live Passion as they walked the steps of Christ to his death on the Cross and His Glorious Resurrection. Although they enjoyed the applause, generosity and kind words from all who attended, the stirring they felt inside was what made it worth all the work. Many attended Mass on Palm Sunday and then at class that night, they learned about the Seder Supper that Jesus and his disciples celebrated that we know as "The Last Supper". It was very meaningful for them to make the connection to Jesus' Jewish roots and the Old Testament account of the Passover tradition. Many of the youth attended Holy Thursday Mass and presented the Sacred Oils which helped them understand where the oil comes from and why we use them in sacraments such as Confirmation which many will experience on May 26. The youth were represented during the Washing of Feet, another example of service.they also experienced Adoration and I was delighted to hear that at least one young man was disappointed when his mom said they had to go since he was enjoying the quiet time in the presence of our Lord. I feel privileged to walk with all of them on their Faith Journey and I pray that God will bless each of them as they continue to love and serve the Lord. Thank you to all who came to support our chowder meal on Good Friday. MORE STM NEWS Requests We are asking parishioners to donate their pop can tabs, rosaries, and stationery for a charity we are supporting. If you could please bring any of these items into, that would be greatly appreciated. Religious Article Shop Please visit the shop for religious gifts for every occasion. The prices are very reasonable. The shop is located in the hall and is open on the weekend after all the Masses. See you there! The Knights of Columbus Meeting The General meeting is on Wednesday, April 18th at 7:00pm. All Knights are encouraged to attend. Intercessory Prayer Line St. Thomas More is now offering an intercessory prayer line. If you would like the parish to pray for your need or intercession, you can send it to prayerline.stm@gmail.com. If you would like to be part of the prayer team, please send a message to the address above. For more information, please contact Jean at

ARCHDIOCESE OF HALIFAX-YARMOUTH NEWS-COMMUNITY NEWS Men s Retreat The FM645 men s group is hosting a Men s Retreat at Saint John XXIII on May 5 th beginning at 8:30 with registration and coffee.

Pre-registration is encouraged to help determine the numbers for food preparation. $5.00 will be collected to cover the cost of food. Please register at : https:// sites.google.com/saintjohnxxiii.

6 ARCHDIOCESE OF HALIFAX-YARMOUTH NEWS-COMMUNITY NEWS Men s Retreat The FM645 men s group is hosting a Men s Retreat at Saint John XXIII on May 5 th beginning at 8:30 with registration and coffee. This retreat will begin with mass and finish with Eucharistic Adoration at 3. In between will be presentations, small group discussion, rosary and Praise and Worship. All men are welcome. Pre-registration is encouraged to help determine the numbers for food preparation. $5.00 will be collected to cover the cost of food. Please register at : sites.google.com/saintjohnxxiii.ca/ministryeventsignup/ fm645-mens-retreat. Obligatory memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church The Holy See has announced the decision by Pope Francis to insert the celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, into the General Roman Calendar. The decision by the Holy Father to make this an annual obligatory memorial was announced this past 3 March As indicated in the Decree of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (Prot. N. 10/18) dated 11 February 2018, the obligatory memorial is to be observed annually on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday. Consider Pre-Planning Your Cemetery Needs Pre-need planning is the arrangement of cemetery services prior to need. Many individuals have found that planning in advance of death gives them peace of mind and relieves their family members of the emotional burden of making these arrangements. Catholic Cemeteries of Halifax can help you. In the Halifax area, the Catholic Cemeteries of Halifax is responsible for three cemeteries: Gate of Heaven, Holy Cross, and Mount Olivet. Gate of Heaven Cemetery is located in Lower Sackville. It opened in 1938 and comprises 31 rolling acres of land for traditional and cremation burials. Our Lady of Fatima Statue Visiting Dartmouth On Saturday, April 21 from 6 8 pm, a part of Holy Portugal comes to St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 320 Flying Cloud Dr., Dartmouth Come and enjoy a presentation on the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima and hear the Message from Our Lady and pray the Rosary. Holy Cross Cemetery is a registered historic site and is located in downtown Halifax. In the cemetery sits Our Lady of Sorrows. The chapel was built in a day in August of 1843, shortly after the cemetery opened. Holy Cross is the final resting place of many notable families, many of Irish descent. Mount Olivet Roman Catholic Cemetery in the west end of Halifax has offered a quiet and gentle final resting place from many since its opening in Deceased in the cemetery include victims of the Halifax Explosion, the Titanic, and the World Wars. To meet today s needs, niches for the committal of cremated remains and a cremation garden are available at Mount Olivet. A cremation garden is available at Holy Cross Cemetery while a columbarium for cremation, as well as traditional burials, are available at Gate of Heaven. Burials are available all year round. If you would like to make a plan please contact, Cathy Driscoll- Cainen by phone: (902) ext. 308 or cdriscoll@halifaxyarmouth.org For more information visit the Catholic Cemeteries of Halifax website at

Welcome! MASS SCHEDULE SACRAMENT

Welcome! MASS SCHEDULE SACRAMENT Saint Thomas More Parish OFFICE 15 Caledonia Road Dartmouth, NS, B2X 1K7 Tel: (902) 434-4190 Fax: (902) 435-7267 Email: officeinfo@ns.aliantzinc.ca Website: h p://stm-parish.com Office Hours Monday, Wednesday,