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, & 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!
TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME October 7, 2018 PARISH STAFF & MINISTRY CONTACTS Parish Priest: Father Toochukwu Okafor Deacon: Danny MacDonald Deacon: James McLevey Pastoral Associate: Becca Arend Catechist, Primary-6: Shereen Daniels Catechist, Jr. 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 Responsible Ministry: RoseAnn Hetherington Knights of Columbus: Mike Curry St. Vincent de Paul: Martin Delaney Property & Mass Coordinator: Wayne O Leary Liturgy: Becca Arend Seminarian Patrick Salah toochukwuokafor@yahoo.com macd1950@hotmail.com mclevey@ns.sympatico.ca becca.stmparish@gmail.com 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 becca.stmparish@gmail.com patrickjsalah@gmail.com EVENTS Sunday, October 7-African Mass 3:00 pm-church Monday, October 8 Office Closed for Thanksgiving Tuesday, October 9-POMBA-9:30 am-hall Tuesday, October 9-Prayer Group 7:30 pm SHR Tuesday, October 9 Hospitality Meeting 7 pm Hooper Room Wednesday, October 10-Adult Choir Practice-7:00 pm-church Wed. October 10 Bible Study 7:00pm Hooper Room Thurs. October 11 SSVDP General Meeting-7:00pm-SHR Friday, October 12 Alpha 6.30 pm Hall MASS INTENTION SCHEDULE Sat. October 6 4 pm Frank McQuillan Sun, October 7-9 am Wayne Foran & Brian McQuarrie FINANCIAL NEWS September 30, 2018 Mon, October 8 Tues. Oct. 9 Sunday Offering: $ 5,288.40 SCRIPTURE READINGS For this weekend Wed. Oct..10 9 am Prayer Service Thurs, Oct. 11 Fri, Oct. 12 1st Reading: Genesis 2.7ab Rs. Psalm: Ps.128.1-2,3,4-5 2nd Reading: Hebrews 2.9-11 Gospel: Mark 10.2-16
Hello from Patrick Salah, Seminarian for the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth Dear Parishioners, On September 21, Archbishop Mancini wrote a Letter to the faithful of the Archdiocese asking all to join him in praying the Rosary on October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and to ask Mary to help us in these troubled times. With this invitation, He is asking the whole of the archdiocese to unite and enter into a year of atonement through prayer and fasting to pray for unity in our Church; to intercede for all who are suffering from any kind of abuse and who are seeking healing and reconciliation in the Body of Christ. On September 29, the Holy Father, Pope Francis called on the faithful throughout the world to pray the Holy Rosary during the Month of the Holy Rosary (October) asking Mary and St. Michael to protect the church from the devil and every evil. On behalf of our pastor, Fr. Toochukwu, I also invite each parishioner of Saint Thomas More Parish to pray, and to fast for these intentions. Concretely, let us pray the Rosary before Mass with every greater devotion and supplication and would all who are able please join me, Wednesday, October 10 at 9:00a.m. in the Church to pray a solemn rosary together before the Blessed Sacrament. In Christ, Patrick Salah, Seminarian Intern Word Among Us Hospitality Ministry September signals a month of change: a new school year begins a shift from the summer heat, the return of organized sports and anticipation of our Fall colours to name a few. September was also a month where we focused on Hospitality as the homily theme. We listened and reflected on the importance of a welcoming parish, and the warmth we felt when we met new parishioners or put names to people s faces we ve been seeing in our pews. Wearing name tags for the first time last month was just one small step aimed at helping us all, both new parishioners and those of many years standing, to begin to get to know each other even better. We can all agree that a sincere, welcoming parish is something to which we all strive. With the help of greeters, coffee/tea socials, nametag Sundays and other means, our Hospitality Ministry is dedicated to bringing our faith community closer together. Regardless of age, if you have a warm heart, infectious smile and a desire to bring a joyous welcome to others, please consider joining with us. We are holding a brief information meeting on Tuesday, October 9 at 7pm in the parish hall. For more information, contact Darlene Morrison at (902) 404-1826. Are you looking for daily spiritual enrichment? We have just the publication for you. We have on sale in the foyer the Word Among Us. This small book provides daily reflections on scripture for you to experience every day. It is good for personal reflection, or in a group setting. Get your copy today! Cost for you is $2.50 only.
Let the Little Children Come! Today, the Pharisees try to put Jesus to the test again, and they bring forward to him the question of divorce. But, instead of giving them an answer which they could trap him with, Jesus asks them in return what the Scriptures say and, without criticizing Moses' Law, makes them understand that while that Law is legitimate, he came to perfect the law.: Moses wrote this law for you, because you are stubborn (Mk 10:5). Isn t Jesus showing us a key to decision making in our own lives? When we are unsure about a particular situation, Jesus takes us back to scripture, and tells us that the answer we are looking for is found in the bible. I like to call scripture God s love letter to his people. However studying scripture in my view is better when it done with others, as we have to help one another understand, and get the fullest meaning that is intended. We have a new bible study that has started here at the parish, I encourage you to join this new study, and/or to pick up a Word Among us booklet. They are wonderful ways to connect with new friends, as well as dive deeply into God s word. The second lesson from the reading is that the Kingdom of God is for absolutely everyone, and we must approach the kingdom in awe and wonder, just as a child sees the world they live in. God Bless you all, Deacon Dan MacDonald Religious Education Primary-Grade 6 Registration is on-going before class in the school foyer October 7 Happy Thanksgiving - no Catechism classes or Children's Liturgy October 14 Children's Liturgy resumes during the 9 am Mass, DOWNSTAIRS in the hall. Catechism resumes at 10:30 am October 28: Our students will be celebrating All Saints Adult Formation for parents and anyone interested will begin at 10:30 am in the Divine Mercy Chapel Chalice Can Thank you all so very much for your continuous support for our 5 Chalice children. May God bless you abundantly for your generosity Last week: $48.55 Mass and Prayer Service at STM There will be no weekday Masses during the week of October 8 as Fr. Toochukwu is away. On October 13/14, we welcome Fr. Gregory Agyeman, who will be celebrating the weekend Masses for us. There will be a prayer service led by Seminarian, Patrick Salah on Wed, Oct 10 at 9 am. All are encouraged to attend. There will be no Adoration on October 11 as the priests and deacons are on retreat. Please keep them in your prayers. Yard Sale, Saturday, Oct 13 from 9-1 Due to the weather, the Yard Sale had to be postponed until Oct 13 St. Thomas More Parish Adult Choir The choir will rehearse on Wednesday from 7 9 pm on three Wednesdays/month, and will sing on the third Sunday of each month at the 9:00 a.m. Mass. The choir will be under the direction of seminarian, Patrick Salah, who brings with him a wealth of experience. This will be an opportunity for the choir to grow and learn under his leadership. Patrick hopes for the choir to be able to offer beautiful hymns and choral music and welcomes all past and new members to this the rehearsals, especially more tenors and basses! Please bring water and a pencil with you. 2018 Assembly of God Registration Our 2018 Assembly of the People of God will take place from October 26-27 at the Seton Academic Centre at Mount Saint Vincent University. Registration started on August 1! Email Patrick Salah to register. The weekend gathering promises a line up of inspiring speakers and empowering workshops, as well as quality time with Archbishop Mancini and your family of faith all for $20.00. The parish is holding 30 tickets.
More STM News Thank you from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul A big Thank you to the parishioners of St. Thomas More for their support of the SSVP Annual appeal last weekend. For those who missed last weekends collection, donation envelopes are available at the back of the church. You also have a green envelope among your Sunday Offering Envelopes which is for the SSVDP donation. The next SSVDP meeting is on Thursday, October 11, 2018 at the 7 pm in the Sacred Heart Room. Sunday Offering Envelope # 255 Thank you dear parishioner for supporting your church through your weekly donation. Can you please contact the parish office (902 434 4190) as soon as possible. Thanks Please Take dishes from Kitchen We are asking all parishioners to pick up any dishes they may have left behind at the church before October 17th. Following that date we will have to put them as for sale items at our Fall Fair. Canada Needs Our Lady - Rosary Rally - October 13th. "The salvation of the whole world began with the "Hail Mary". Hence, the salvation of each person is also attached to this prayer." - St. Louis Grignion de Montfort On October 13th - across Canada - Public Rosary Rallies are being held to pray for our country of Canada. At St. Thomas More Parish,the Rosary Rally will be held right after 4:00 pm. Mass. After Mass we will assemble with a banner - in the parking lot - and proceed to the edge of the property which borders Caledonia and Main. We will stand in this spot and pray the Rosary - the five Glorious Mysteries. Please join us to pray for this wonderful country of ours. Thank You We have received a flat screen television. We would like to thank our parishioner for his generous donation. A THANKSGIVING PRAYER Dear God, Thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives, thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don't thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you've given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you and we need you. We give you praise and thanks, for you alone are worthy!
ARCHDIOCESE OF HALIFAX-YARMOUTH COMMUNITY NEWS Development and Peace Caritas Canada: Will you Share The Journey? The campaign was initiated by Pope Francis and Caritas Internationalis, the official Catholic confederation of 165 development and aid organizations of which Development and Peace is the Canadian member, to respond to the growing crisis of forced migration in the world today. Every minute, 31 people are displaced by conflict, persecution, extreme poverty, climate change, the exploitation of natural resources and large-scale development projects. There are currently 68.5 million people in the world who are refugees, asylum-seekers or internally displaced that is nearly twice the population of Canada. Until fundamental human rights are respected, and inclusive and participatory democracies take root, forced migration will only increase, says Serge Langlois, Executive Director of Development and Peace. The campaign illustrates the human distress caused by this global phenomenon through stories from Burma, Nigeria and Syria and invites Canadians to send a message to Prime Minister Trudeau asking that the government commit to: Supporting grassroots organizations working for peace, democracy and human rights; and Investing more in diplomatic and peaceful solutions to armed conflicts. In addition, the organization is asking Canadians to Share the Journey with forced migrants by organizing fundraising walks across Canada with the aim of reaching a total of 40,075 km, the equivalent of the Earth s circumference. Jewellery and Autumn Bake Sale St. Paul's Church, 197 Windmill Road, Dartmouth Saturday, Oct. 20 from 10:00-Noon. Product Bingo (meats and baked goods) St. Paul's Church, 197 Windmill Road, Dartmouth Saturday, Oct. 13 from 2:00 to 4:00. Cards - $10.00 for 3 cards (max.) Are You coming to Dinner? The 6th Annual Archbishop s Dinner is only a few weeks away! Are you planning to join us for this evening of fundraising, faith, and fellowship? We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Angèle Regnier as this year s guest speaker. As the co-founder of Catholic Christian Outreach, Angèle brings a wealth of experience and wisdom when it comes to ministry with young people. Come and be inspired and encouraged in our efforts to evangelize our youth. Proceeds for this fundraising dinner will go towards youth ministry and promoting vocations. When: Wednesday, October 10, 2018 Where: Cunard Centre, Halifax Time: 6:00pm- Reception and Silent Auction 7:00pm - Dinner Tickets: $125.00 - Tax receipt available for a portion of the ticket cost. For more information visit www.halifaxyarmouth.org/dinner Books and Baubles Sale The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will hold a Books and Baubles (new to you jewellery, purses and scarves) Sale. Sat. Oct. 13 from 9am to 2pm St. Peter Parish Center, 10 Maple St. Dartmouth. Here in Canada, we all have a story of migration, including First Nations peoples, who were pushed off their territories. We must show our solidarity with those facing this harsh reality today. At a time when fear is dominating over compassion in many societies, we hope this campaign will contribute towards a culture of encounter, understanding and friendship with migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, says Mr. Langlois. Canadians can also support the campaign by making a contribution to Development and Peace s programs in the Global South that address the root causes of forced displacement.