97. St. Thomas the Apostle

SATURDAY March 20, 2021 5:00 p.m. Deceased Members of the Forcelli Family

SUNDAY March 21, 2021 7:30 a.m. Parishioners of St Thomas the Apostle 9:30 a.m. Jim Verna 11:30 a.m. Tony Coletta 5:00 p.m. Anthony (Sonny) Fenza

MONDAY March 22, 2021 8:00 a.m. DiCicco Family

TUESDAY March 23, 2021 8:00 a.m. John Tkacz WEDNESDAY March 24, 2021 8:00 a.m. Dr. Ed McLaughlin

THURSDAY March 25, 2021

8:00 a.m. Thomas Rosini

FRIDAY March 26, 2021 8:00 a.m. John Tkacz SATURDAY March 27, 2021 5:00 p.m. Thomas Santoro

SUNDAY March 28, 2021 7:30 a.m. Joann S. Miller 9:30 a.m. Parishioners of St Thomas the Apostle 11:30 a.m. John & Elizabeth Brooks 5:00 p.m. Robert Piperno

As a Christian Community we pray for our relatives and friends who are sick especially: Nicole Budetta, Frances Buckley, Helen Burns, Christine Cavaliere, Susan Crowe, Chris Drago, Krysten Gentile, Gary Glessner, Lisa Hogg, Constance Hughes, Louis Kurzeknabe, Sally Larkin, Antoinette Lenzo, Mary Martini, Michael McGrellis, Jim Mulhearn, Thomas Obenchain, Michael Perakis, Janice Phillips, Steven Piperno, Kathy Plush, Carol Pyle, Rich Rippel, Dominic Rosini, John Ryan, Brandon Shain, Shelly Shtuka, Irene Tomaszewski, Peggy Wren, Mona Zambito.

Monday, March 22 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament - 8:30 am -7 pm (C) Faith Matters - 9:00 am (SH) Confessions - 6:00 pm - 6:45 pm (SH) Mary’s Way of the Cross - 7:00 pm (Chapel) Charismatic Prayer Meeting - 7:30 pm (SH)

Tuesday, March 23 Chaplet of Divine Mercy – 7:45 am (C) EADM - 7:00 pm (SH) Parish Lenten Confessions - 7:00 (C) Wednesday, March 24 Chaplet of Divine Mercy – 7:45 am (C) Bible Study – 9:00 am (SH) Social Committee Meeting - 6:00 pm (SH) Walking with Purpose - 7:00 pm (SH) Thursday, March 25 Chaplet of Divine Mercy - 7:45 am (C) Walking with Purpose - 9:00 am (SH) Walk as Jesus Walked - 7:00 pm (SH) Knights of Columbus - 7:30 pm (PC) Friday, March 26 Chaplet of Divine Mercy - 7:45 am (C) Stations of the Cross - 7:00 pm (C) Saturday, March 27 Cancer Ministry - 9:30 am (SH)

Come enjoy fellowship and learning at Faith Matters on Monday in the Social Hall. Each week, one of our priests will share information about a

different topic. Faith Matters meets on Monday at 9am & again at 7pm in the Social Hall. Please invite a Friend!

Faith Matters Schedule 3/22 The Passion According to Father Steve St Mark** (9 am session only) 3/29 The Triduum Father Ed 4/5 Easter Monday—NO Faith Matters

Parish Events for this Week

Readings for the Week – March 21, 2021

Monday: Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Jn 8:1-11 Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9; Ps 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21; Jn 8:21-30 Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56; Jn 8:31-42 Thursday: Is 7:10-14; 8:10; Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11; Heb 10:4-10; Lk 1:26-38 Friday: Jer 20:10-13; Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7; Jn 10:31-42 Saturday: Ez 37:21-28; Jer 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13; Jn 11:45-56 Sunday: Mk 11:1-10 or Jn 12:12-16; Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 9-20, 23-24; Phil 2:6-11; Mk 14:1 — 15:47 or Mk 15:1-39

To add someone to the prayer list, please contact the Office at 610-459-2224 or email parishsecretary@staglenmills.org.

Faith

Matters

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ROSE OF THE RESURRECTION

If you would like to have a loved one remembered in prayer, contact the Rectory office one week prior to the week you would like to have a Rose placed at the statue of St. Joseph. The donation is $10 and name the deceased will be listed

in this section of the bulletin.

Francesco Pastino

Bill, Billy & Linda Fitzpatrick

The faithful continue to be dispensed by Archbishop Perez from the obligation to attend mass on Sundays person Sunday

Your mask should be worn at all times except when The mask should cover your nose and mouth. Face masks are strongly encouraged for everyone

(except those 2 years of age and younger and those who for health or other reasons cannot wear a face covering or mask). We ask everyone to sanitize your hands upon entering and leaving the Church. We are grateful for the many parishioners who assist

n of

Masses celebrated in real time are always preferred over recordings. All Sunday Masses and the ”.

Lenten Collection Boxes - Help us help others by taking a Lenten Box home with you. Fill it with your spare change or checks and

return the box before Easter during weekend Masses or at the rectory. Your gifts will help our Ministry assist many people in our area, as well as your fellow parishioners in need, by providing non-perishable food, baby diapers and formula, casseroles and individual meals, fresh produce and much needed toiletries and clothing basics. Every gift helps. Together we can make a difference!

Lenten Fellowship - This activity brings people to-gether for a special Lenten meal. Preparing a meal for your household or "bubble" for only $2 a person mirrors the plight of the poor in their daily struggles. And in the spirit of "giving up" something for Lent, we ask each guest to make a donation to the Caring & Sharing Ministry, us-ing the purple envelopes in the Narthex. While you’re there, pick up a recipe book of inexpensive but nutritious meals to start your planning. Return your envelopes dur-ing weekend Masses or at the rectory. Are you up to the challenge?

Lenten Food Collection - This is spe-cial collection during Lent of staple/non-perishable food (such as canned goods, ce-reals, pastas), diapers, wipes and formula. Whatever is not used within our own parish are delivered to St. Agnes Parish for their food pantry and outreach programs. The collection box is out all during Lent... so bring your contri-butions each week. Thank you for your support!

Caring & Sharing

The Holy Spirit has sent yet another new member to our Olde St. Thomas the Apostle

Knights of Columbus brotherhood. Welcome

James Sweeney! Jim and wife Anne are five

year members of St. Thomas the Apostle

Parish. Anne is a St. Thomas Church sac-

ristan. The Sweeneys are proud

parents of two adult children

and two grandkids.

Reminder: The PA Statewide

Knights of Columbus fund their

scholarship program with

the annual "Chance of a Life-

time" Sweepstakes's proceeds. Contact St.

Thomas Knight of Columbus Harry Hartman at

(610)416-5724 or hjhartman@verizon.net for

chances and further information.

Parish Lenten Confessions There will be multiple priests to hear confessions on Tuesday, March 23 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Come receive the healing grace of the Sacrament of Penance.

Schedule for Holy Week Holy Thursday - April 1 7:00 pm - Mass in the Church followed by Adoration in the Chapel until 11:00 pm Good Friday - April 2 12 Noon - Stations of the Cross 3:00 pm - Seven Last Words 7:00 pm - Celebration of the Lord’s Passion Holy Saturday - April 3 11:00 am - Blessing of Easter Foods 8:00 pm - Easter Vigil Mass Easter Sunday - April 4 Masses at 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 am ** NO 5:00 pm Masses on Saturday 4/3 or Sunday 4/4 **

Charismatic Prayer Meeting The monthly Charismatic Prayer Meeting will be held on Monday, March 22, in the Social Hall at 7:30 p.m. Please join us for an uplifting evening of Prayer, Praise and Song! All are Welcome!

Thank you to everyone who made casseroles for the St Francis Inn in Kensington . You are in their prayers! If you missed the delivery today, please pick up a pan in the Narthex this week and return before next month’s delivery on April 18.

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97. St. Thomas the Apostle

Dear friends and St Thomas the Apostle

Parishioners,

After thirty five years as a parish member

and several years of serving as the parish

Deacon, it is with both sadness and joy

that I announce that due to family request

and some health issues with my spouse we

will be leaving St. Thomas the Apostle

parish and moving to Lancaster in the near

future.

I personally thank each of you for your

friendship and dedication to St Thomas the

Apostle Parish. This parish will always be

home to us and we will continue to have

you all in our prayers.

May God continue to bless you,

Deacon Fran and Janice

St Thomas the Apostle

welcomes the following

new parishioners:

Philip & Elizabeth Dauria

Ryan & Corinne Stiltner

Casey & Jaime Youkins

Michael & Angela Brees

Joseph & Christina Dunn

Salesian Sunday Reflection The Fifth Sunday of Lent March 21, 2021 As we continue our Lenten journey, the prophet Jeremiah turns our attention to the new covenant God desires to establish with his people. “All, from least to greatest, will know the Lord. He will write the law on our hearts and forgive our evildo-ing and remember our sins no more.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus announces that the “hour” has come. When he is lifted up from the earth, he will draw all to himself. Jesus has cho-sen to strip himself of his divinity and become hu-man like us so that we would know the great love God has for us.

Now he is preparing himself to be the grain of wheat that will fall to the ground and die in order to produce much fruit. This will be the hour of our salvation. Because Jesus is obedient to his Father whom he loves dearly, he will suffer and die for the sins of the whole world. He will reconcile the whole human race with God. With his death and rising, Jesus will complete God’s new covenant. Through the grace of baptism, God’s law is now written on our hearts. We become God’s children once again, able to call God “Father.”

When we go within our hearts to listen to God’s word, we must not be surprised that we encoun-ter a challenge. Jesus will challenge us to follow him wherever he goes, to do the will of his Father, as he did. Like Jesus, we may feel troubled at times with what we have to face each day. Like Jesus, we will come to understand that our Father is with us in everything we do.

We have nothing to fear. We heard Jesus tell us: “My Father will honor whoever serves me.” That is Jesus’ promise to us.

Let us be faithful to the new covenant Jesus has made with us. Let us listen to our heart; it is there that God speaks to us. Let us strive each day to do with love all that our God asks of us. Let us ask Jesus, who has died and risen for us, to draw us closer to him and one another each day. L I V E + J E S U S

The STA Social Committee is a new ministry offer-ing. As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, we want to reinvigorate the social aspects of our parish community. The Social Committee’s main role will be to assist the pastor in coordinating existing programs, pro-posing new programs, and brainstorming new paradigms to bring our community together. If you would like to join this new committee, please come to a planning meeting on Wednesday, March

24 at 6:00pm in the Social Hall. Please direct any

questions to Pastor@staglenmills.org.

All are invited to pray the Stations of the Cross every Friday evening during Lent at 7:00 pm in the Church. Join with fel-low parishioners as we walk with Jesus on his journey to Calvary.

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DIRECTION OF INTENTION My God give me the grace to per-form this action with you and through love for you. In advance I offer to you all the good that I will do and accept all the difficulty I may meet therein.

St. Thomas the Apostle, Pray for us. St. Francis de Sales, Pray for us.

PARISH STAFF 610-459-2224 Business Manager Marge Coleman Parish/Tuition Secretary Rose Costa Parish Secretary/Safe Joan Lupi Environment Coordinator SCHOOL STAFF 610-459-8134 Principal John Keeley School Secretary Marie Ecklund School Secretary Kathy Roselli LITURGICAL MINISTRIES 610-459-2224 Altar Servers Eucharistic Ministers Greeters & Ushers Lectors Sacristans Arts & Environment Altar Linen Launders Funeral Coordinators MUSIC MINISTRY 610-636-4557 Adult & Youth Choir Maria McAnulty FAITH FORMATION Director Colleen Nancarrow 610-459-3477 R.C.I.A. Deacon Fran 484-832-0588 Bible Study Carol Szkudlapski 610-459-8040 Faith Matters Parish Office 610-459-2224 Baptismal Prep Parish Office 610-459-2224 Charismatic Prayer Group Liz O’Hara 610-361-0130 Divine Mercy Cenacle Pat Ausman 610-361-8280 DEVOTIONS Divine Mercy Chaplet Pat Bruggeman 610-459-1638 Pilgrim Virgin Statue Carolyn Roth 610-361-9380 Rosary and Chaplet Jan Bradley 610-459-2789 Night of Reparation Pam Meisch 610-459-1169 SERVICE MINISTRIES Respect Life Teresa Santoleri 302-345-7867 Cancer Ministry Frank Albright 610-358-5268 Kathy Schlenk 610-241-2171 Prayer Shawl Mary Ford 610-459-3809 Caring & Sharing Ann Diersing 610-558-1659 Knights of Columbus John Rahner 610-459-1262 Boy Scouts Greg Chestnut 610-459-8818 Chapel Ministry 610-459-2224 Gardening Maintanence Angie McCullough 610-358-0610 Media Ministry 610-459-2224 CYO Martha Shields 610-358-1129 Environmental Group Leona Swiacki 484-332-3964 Pastoral Council Greg Chestnut 610-459-8818 Finance Council Angie McCullough 610-358-0610

PARISH OFFICE HOURS Monday-Thursday 8:30am to 12:00pm & 1:00pm to 4:00pm, Friday 8:30 to 12:00pm by appointment only. Closed Weekends. REGISTRATION New members of the parish can register at the Parish Office, Monday through Friday by calling the rectory office at 459-2224 during business hours. Registrations can also be done online at staparishgm.org. EXPOSITION Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Monday beginning at 8:30 am until 7:00 pm. ROSARY/CHAPLET The Rosary & Chaplet of Divine Mercy is said every Monday evening in the Chapel at 7pm. (except during Lent when there will be Mary’s Way of the Cross) WEDDINGS Arrangements are to be made at least six months in ad-vance of the date. CONFESSIONS Monday from 6:00-6:45pm and Saturday from 4:00-4:45 pm or by appointment. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Religious Education classes for Parish children who do not attend Catholic schools are conducted in the parish for Grades 1 thru 8 & meet on Tuesday afternoon & evening during the school year. For more information call Colleen Nancarrow at 610-459-3477. BAPTISM Baptisms are conferred at St. Thomas Church on any Sunday either during or after Mass. Call the Parish Of-fice to schedule a date/time. PRE-BAPTISM CLASS FOR PARENTS Classes are held on the last Sunday of each month at 12:45pm. Both parents must attend before a child is baptized, but only once.

Parish Information

For more information about any of our ministries or activities, please see the parish website:

https://staparishgm.org/

Collections for the week ending 3/14 were $13,586. Eelctronic and credit card collections were $7,918. Thank you for your continued generosity!