CAMPAIGN CELEBRATION - March 13th As our special Parish Growth Campaign winds down, the Campaign Leadership Team cordially invites you to gather for a closing Campaign Celebration in the Parish Center Sunday, March 13 after the 10:30 am Mass. Come celebrate our continuing growth and rejoice together in all that we love and value about St. Thomas Parish!

K of C 11588 - Blood Drive - March 13th K of C 11588 - Blood Drive - Sunday, March 13th - 8:15 am ~ 12:45 pm - St. Thomas the Apostle, 24 Westminster Road, West Hempstead, NY - Your donation will help to save up to THREE lives.  Our community hospitals need your help. Please share this lifesaving gift! Thank you for caring! Eligibility Criteria: Bring ID with signature or photo; Minimum weight 110 lbs.; Age 16-75(16 year olds must have parental permission. Age 76 and over need doctor’s note). Eat well (low fat) & drink fluids. No tattoos for past 12 months. For questions concerning medical eligibility call 1-800-688-0900. Long Island Blood Services.

WHAT CATHOLICS BELIEVE (A Refresher Course for Adults) What Catholics Believe (A Refresher Course for Adults) * Were you old enough to drive yourself to the last “religious class” you attended? * Do you feel confident answering questions about our Catholic faith? * Have you ever looked at the basic teachings of Catholicism with the eyes of an adult? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, you are invited to take another look at what Catholics believe. Come to the Parish Library at 7:30 pm on Mondays starting on February 22nd through May 2nd on selected dates. Click here for additional information. ALL ARE WELCOME!!!

PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT - 2016 Ongoing Conversations with God + Have you ever wondered how the readings from Mass apply to your own life? + Are you looking for more support and encouragement in your prayers? + Would you like to spend an evening with others who are interested in these things, too? Then come to the Rectory Meeting Room (downstairs from the Rectory Office) at 7:30 pm on Thursday, Dec. 3rd to reflect on the Sunday scriptures and pray for one another’s needs. No matter what your experience or background might be, you are welcome! Contact Rob Waters at 292-5883 or [email protected] for more information or to request a special prayer intention be remembered that night. Upcoming dates include: Dec. 17, Jan. 7, Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 18, March 3, March 17, April 14, April 28

CONFIRMATION PREPARATION FOR ADULTS - Monday Eveings “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit...” (Acts 2:4) In the Sacrament of Confirmation, baptized Catholics receive the Holy Spirit to help them become more like Christ and be strengthened in bearing witness to him.  Adults who have not yet received this sacrament may decide to do so for any number of reasons.  For example, they might be prompted by something that happens in their lives – an engagement, a birth, a move, a death, etc.  Or it could be on their minds for a long time before they feel ready to do something about it.  They might be preparing their children for the sacraments and decide that the time is right for them as well.  Or perhaps they feel they have finally reached a point where they can focus on their spiritual lives.  If you or someone you know has been baptized and received Eucharist in the Catholic Church but never received the Sacrament of Confirmation, now may be the time.  Confirmation preparation sessions for Catholic adults (18 and older) will be held on Monday evenings beginning February 22nd.  Anyone interested should make an appointment to meet with Cindy Sobiesiak before February 17th to discuss the details.  Is this the year for you or someone you love?  Contact Cindy at 489-8585 or with any questions or to schedule your appointment.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY - April 3rd Divine Mercy Ministry - What Are the Extraordinary Graces of Divine Mercy Sunday? In the Diary of St. Faustina, Jesus constantly mentions the great importance of The Feast of Mercy and the extraordinary graces He will grant: My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. (Diary #699) No soul will be justified until it turns with confidence to My mercy, and this is why the first Sunday after Easter is to be the Feast of Mercy. (Diary #570) Not only are we completely forgiven by God, but we receive many additional extraordinary graces. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My Mercy. This is a day of miracles. Ask and you shall receive. Knock and the door will be open to you. The Lord always gives in abundance. How to prepare and observe Divine Mercy Sunday (this year, April 3rd) 1. Place your complete trust in Jesus. 2. Sincerely repent all your sins by going to Confession during the Lenten Season. 3. Attend Sunday mass and receive Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday. 4. Venerate the Image of The Divine Mercy. 5. Participate in the parish’s celebration of the Feast Day. 6. Be merciful to others, through your actions, words, and prayers on their behalf. The St. Thomas Divine Mercy Ministry and Knights of Columbus invite you to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday on Sunday, April 3rd beginning with the 12 pm Mass at the Main Church. After this mass, we will gather in the Lower Church where we will celebrate with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, readings and reflections of Our Lord’s wounds, recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet in song and veneration of the Divine Mercy Image. All are welcome to attend this very special gathering.

TAG SALE - July 8th, 9th & 10th St. Thomas the Apostle Parish TAG SALE Returns!! We will be holding a Parish Tag Sale this summer… Tag Sale Dates: July 8, 9, 10 Information about how you can volunteer will follow.  TAG SALE DONATIONS: please set aside items from your home to donate to our Parish Tag Sale. We will be looking for all kinds of items…jewelry, clothing, furniture, tools, household items, decorative items, toys, books, games, sporting equipment, and more! We will start accepting donations at the end of June -- watch for information regarding drop-off dates and times in the parish bulletin. Please note the following is a list of items which we WILL NOT be accepting: Shoes, Pocketbooks, Stuffed Animals, Linens and bedding, Computers,TVs, VCR tapes, Car seats/booster seats, Paint or toxic chemicals, Food/Liquids, Mattresses, Area rugs larger than 5' x 7', Artificial Christmas Trees

JOIN THE COFFEE CREW! Our stellar Coffee Crew continues to host successful Social Sundays at the church and chapel each month. Show your Christian hospitality by joining the crew! You’ll get to meet and greet other members of our St. Thomas Family, welcome newcomers and visitors, and make everyone feel more at home as they enjoy food, drink and fellowship. Want to learn more? Contact Ann Rattoballi at 516-292-1056.

HELPING HANDS PROGRAM St. Thomas The Apostle’s Helping Hands Program ~ Helping Hands Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary as St. Thomas the Apostle’s Cooking Ministry Created in June 2009, our Helping Hands Program is a human services ministry reaching out to families in the parish who have recently faced a loss in their family or are going through an illness, treatment, surgery, etc. We do not have meetings and everything is done via e-mail! So if you work full time, this ministry is perfect for you! We coordinate a monthly e-mail list of meal deliveries to families in the parish and the program is simply a personal way for our parishioners to connect to one another in a time of sorrow or illness and say we care. We assign each volunteer cook only one (1) family a month via our email list and they offer 1 meal on behalf of the parish during their time of loss or illness. Many times, our families decline, but are still touched by the gesture of the parish taking the time to reach out to them. If they accept, the volunteer then schedules a time that is good for both themselves and the family to deliver that meal. In the last 5 years, our volunteers have reached out to more than 550 parish families in their time of sorrow or illness. If you know of a parishioner who could be touched by this program OR if you are interested in finding out more details about becoming a volunteer cook or making a donation to our cooks who also donate their time and money to provide these meals, please contact our Human Services office at 538.7465 or e-mail our group coordinator at [email protected].

LEARN ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH Are you interested in the Catholic faith? Do you know someone who has been coming to Mass but is not Catholic? Would you like to find out what’s involved in following Jesus as a Catholic? Are you searching for something more in life? A deeper relationship with God? A sense of belonging in a faith community? If you, or someone you know would like to gather with others who were never baptized or were baptized but have not received Eucharist in the Catholic Church, we invited you to learn more about sacramental preparation for adults contact, Cindy at 489-8585 or

PARISH LIBRARY A special invitation... Visit the St. Thomas Parish Library. Where is it? Come down the stairs in front of the main church building on Westminster Rd.  Once you enter the short hallway, the Parish Library is the first room on the right. What can I do there? Check out or return books. Spend time reading something you find on the shelf or that you’ve brought with you. Take a break, have a cup of coffee, and relax. That sounds great! The full schedule is posted on the library door.

SUPPORT ST. THOMAS PARISH WHEN YOU SHOP Support St. Thomas the Apostle Parish with every purchase you make!This is a simple way for all parishioners to support St. Thomas. We’ve joined OneCause to help you turn your everyday purchases into much-needed contributions for our church, at no extra cost to you. All we need is for you to join OneCause too!When you shop through OneCause for your everyday needs, for everything from apparel to travel, you will save money and earn up to a 20% contribution on every eligible purchase at hundreds of well-known merchants including    Target.com, Amazon.com, Staples.com., Landsend.com., Macys.com, and many more! Get started in 1-2-3! Go to www.onecause.com and click “join.” Fill in your profile information and select our organization to support. Start shopping through OneCause! Always start Your Everyday Shopping at OneCause.com Every time you shop through OneCause you will save money with hundreds of Coupons and Deals and contribute a percentage of every eligible purchase to St. Thomas.  Start at www.onecause.com, click to your favorite online store or service provider, make your purchase and automatically earn a contribution.  It’s that simple! JOIN ONECAUSE TODAY!

TELEVISED SUNDAY MASS - Every Sunday A televised Sunday Mass is now airing on ABC Family from 6:30 am to 7:00 am each Sunday, WNYW Fox 5 from 5:30 am to 6:00 am each Sunday and WLNY Channel 10/55 from 9:00 am to 9:30 am each Sunday morning. THE SUNDAY MASS is produced by the Passionist Fathers and Brothers out of New York City and is available nationally on local affiliates. Too early for you? Tape it, Tivo it, or watch it online. For more information consult the website at www.TheSundayMass.org.

KNITTING AND CROCHETING FOR NEWBORNS Knitting Group Our knitting and crochet group began in the Fall of 2005 with 6 members and has grown to over 60! We meet each Wednesday at 10:00 am until 12:00 from September until June in the Parish Center to share our talents with one another and others over coffee and bagels. All donations are greatly appreciated! The St. Thomas Knitting and Crocheting for Newborns would like to thank all the St. Thomas School and Religious Education students who participated in their grade level Mass on Sunday, November 20th for their generous donation of yarn.  Your donation makes it possible for infants at Winthrop University Hospital and cancer patients at Mercy Hospital to have warm hats and blankets.  The yarn is also used to make prayer shawls presented by the Ministry of Consolation to those who have recently lost a loved one.

FULL DAY PRE-KINDERGARTEN & AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM St. Thomas the Apostle School "Come Experience the Miracle" - St. Thomas School announces FULL DAY PRE-KINDERGARTEN - 8 AM - 2:45 PM. AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM 2:45 - 5:30 PM - Visit our Pre-school through Grade 8 Classes. All Visitors Welcomed! Please call for an appointment for your child to spend the day with us! Visit our Toddler (2year old); Nursery (3 year old); Pre-school (4 year old) through Grade 8 Classes. Tomorrow’s Technology in Today’s Classroom Smart Boards * Digital Cameras*Scanners * Videoconferencing * Distance Learning * Web Cameras * Digital Microscopes * Cultural Arts * After School Program * Clubs * Art * Music * Physical Ed. * Library Media Center * Computer * Spanish Location: 12 Westminster Road, West Hempstead, NY 11552 - 516-481-9310 www.stthomasschool.net Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation

BASIC & ADVANCED THEOLOGY CERTIFICATES A Basic Theology Certificate is available to all members of St. Thomas parish. Throughout the year courses will be offered meeting the requirements of the Diocese to obtain a basic certificate. These courses provide an introduction to Hebrew Scripture, Christian Scripture, Christology, Ecclesiology, Liturgy and Morality. Each course is generally five sessions and two hours each session. A minimum of eight hours is required for each unit to receive credit. An Advanced Theology Certificate can also be obtained after receiving the Basic Certificate by completing six advanced courses of ten hours each of which three must be in the areas of Christology, Ecclesiology and Psychology. Courses are offered all over Long Island as well as at St. Thomas. For further details or questions, contact the Religious Ed office at 538-7460.

ATTENTION BOOK LOVERS Do you love books? Would you like to help our parish school? We are purchasing books for our School Library and would like to know if you'd like someone to be memorialized. If so, you may fill out the tear-off on the bottom and list the name of a person or persons you would like to have remembered. Please list the name of the person donating the book, as well as the one it is in memory of. Monetary donations may be made to St. Thomas the Apostle.

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