Welcome to St. Thomas More Parish
We, the faith community of St. Thomas More, confirm our commitment to our Lord and brother, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. We center on the Eucharist and the embodiment of Catholic family values. We commit to love of neighbor: hospitality and compassion; nurturing and enrichment; empathy and social justice, emphasizing the contemporary needs of the church and the poor.
- Reinstatement of the Sunday Obligation
- Donations Needed
- Households of Discipleship 9-23-2020
- Alpha Online
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Reinstatement of the Sunday Obligation
Phase 2: Return of Public Celebration of Masses
Following much careful consideration, the dispensation for Sunday Mass obligation has been lifted and beginning this weekend, all Catholics will once again gather as a community of faith on Sundays. The lifting of the dispensation was announced in a decree issued by Bishop David Ricken on Monday, Sept. 7. www.gbdioc.org/sundayobligationdecree
With this news, please note there are still occasions when the obligation to attend Sunday Mass does not apply:
- ·If individual Catholics struggle with serious health concerns or are physically or morally prevented from worshipping at Mass for a grave reason
- ·If individuals are frail due to illness or age or, in their well-formed consciences believe that going into public places -- including Sunday worship at Mass -- would place their health or the health of their loved ones in serious jeopardy
- ·If individuals are sick, or have been in contact with someone who has been sick
The faithful who are unable to attend Mass are urged to make holy the Lord's Day and to pray, read the Scriptures, watch a broadcast or livestreamed Mass and take part in acts of charity.
The diocese also issued guidelines for public Masses at www.gbdioc.org/sundayobligationreinstatement. These guidelines make clear that face masks are still required, and that, while restrictions will be lifted on the percentage of people at Mass, the standards of social distancing will still be upheld.
The obligation to attend Mass for Catholics reflects our faith in Jesus Christ, the blessing of the Holy Eucharist and an acknowledgment of His great love for us.
Important Resources:
- Guidelines for the return to these public Masses in Phase 2 are listed here.
- Guiding principles for the the phases are located here.
- Guidelines regarding the lifting of the dispensation are listed here.
- Please sign up for the Mass you plan on attending so we can monitor the number of attendees.
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Please sign up for September 26 and 27 Mass times by clicking here.
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We are happy to welcome you back to the celebration of the Mass in this limited way. See you soon!
For those who are not able to attend Mass in person due to being in a high risk category for contracting the virus or other reasons, or for visitors who are considering joining St Thomas More Parish or the Catholic Church, we invite you to view the live streams of the Masses on our Facebook page. The live streams are being recorded and are available to view after the Masses in the Videos section of the Facebook page.
Thank you for being the amazing catholic community that you are!
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Donations Needed
St Anthony Food Pantry
Can you help us fill the Neopit food pantry shelves? Robin Adamski is planning a food delivery to our sister parish, St. Anthony, Neopit the first week in October, to help provide meals. We know this is an extremely difficult time, so you may leave your non-perishable food donations in the STM shopping cart by September 28 OR you may also make a cash donation by putting an envelope in the collection basket marked “Neopit.” Thank you for your generosity!
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Households of Discipleship 9-23-2020
New Beginnings...Tonight we start a new year of Discipleship Formation! It is going to look very different and we are returning to the basics of discipleship. If you are a parent, be sure to join us tonight (September 23) at 6:15 pm in the church so we can map out our journey for the year. It is important that at least one parent from each household attend this evening to learn about this new and exciting process. Please contact the office if you are unable to attend.- See above for information about tonight's important meeting.
- Don't forget to sign up for Mass this weekend.
- A simple family discussion question.
- This week's Log
- Phase 2 update
- Keep praying for one another - intentions below!
- Pictures of sacred spaces in nature.
- News, Updates, and Links to the bulletin and other great resources.
- And some wisdom from Snoopy.
Enjoy your weekend!Mass Sept. 26 and 27 Sign Up Please sign up for the Mass time you plan to attend this weekend. We are continuing to practice social distancing and wear masks during liturgy. See further guidelines at: https://www.gbdioc.org/front- page/reconnect-to-inspire The dispensation for Sunday Mass obligation has been lifted and beginning the weekend of Sept. 19 and 20, all Catholics will again gather as a community of faith on Sundays. This information was shared in a webinar held on Sept. 10 and in the most recent issue of The Compass. We thank you for worshiping with us and we invite you to share this wonderful news with your neighbors and friends.
With this news, please note there are still occasions when the obligation to attend Sunday Mass does not apply:
- If you or someone you know struggles with serious health concerns or are physically or morally prevented from worshipping at Mass for a grave reason
- If you or someone you know is frail due to illness or age or, if in a well-formed conscience believes that going into public places -- including Sunday worship at Mass -- would place their health or the health of their loved ones in serious jeopardy
- If you are sick or have been in contact with someone who has been sick
The faithful who are unable to attend Mass are urged to make holy the Lord’s Day and to pray, read the Scriptures, watch a broadcast or live-streamed Mass and take part in acts of charity.
The obligation to attend Mass for Catholics reflects our faith in Jesus Christ, the blessing of the Holy Eucharist and an acknowledgment of His great love for us.See the attachment for the current guidelines for the celebration of Mass at this time.
Photography by Alica BruceMealtime Moments...What we watch and read reflects and shapes who we are. This week's question:What is your favorite quote from a book/TV show/movie/song? Why do you like it?The things that stick in our head are important to us. Pay attention and learn about the inner life of one another.Deacon Lincoln's Log...New Beginnings!“Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.”Phil 2:5“The one who does not advance falls back.”St. Bernard of ClairvauxThis weekend we celebrate the sacraments in a powerful way. The Kopke family begins anew as Shawn receives the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation while his daughter Addison celebrates her first Communion. Maria Harland also celebrates sacraments as she is Confirmed and receives her First Communion alongside her son Grayson. Stephanie Potter will also celebrate Confirmation and First Communion. These adults had been preparing to receive these sacraments at Easter this year, but COVID-19 prevented that, but now is the time for this new beginning for them!These sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist are called sacraments of initiation because...Attached is the information sent out to families that were registered in Faith Formation last year. Everyone is welcome to join this exciting way to deepen our love for Jesus.
We continue through Phase 2
Discipleship FormationMark your calendars for Wednesday, October 7 at 6:15 pm. We will be having our first Discipleship Formation Session for all ages (especially adults), on that evening and will going "back to basics" in a new way. Come and check it out! Our first monthly theme is "Encountering the Heart of Jesus."
Reconnect GroupsReconnect groups are short (4 session) gatherings to help us connect with ourselves, one another, and God as we reflect together on our experience with the pandemic.Two new Reconnect groups start soon. There is currently an in person group in process. We will also have a virtual reconnect group at 6:30 pm on Tuesdays on Sept 29, Oct 6, Oct 13, and Oct 20.More groups will be forming as needed.If you would like to connect with a reconnect group please contact:
Wendy Fischer, Missionary Discipleship Operations Assistant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (920) 739-8172
Rebooting the LiturgySee the above announcement from the Diocese of Green Bay! Stay tuned in the weeks to come for information as we begin to reboot our liturgical ministers.
Together in prayer...Here are the prayer intentions from our prayer line (phone) and online prayer basket. Join in the prayers for your fellow St. Thomas More parishioners!Remember Jesus said, "If two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father." (Mt. 18:19)Keep your Pics Coming!For the next few months, we are taking our picture theme outside to the great outdoors. Please share pictures of sacred places or moments that you have found out in God's glorious creation. If possible, please include a short explanation or reflection on the space (no more than a few sentences). You can send your pictures to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
From Char Zeier When flower beds become 'holy'. A halo of peonies adorning a hosta bed.
Tonight we start a new year of Discipleship Formation! It is going to look very different and we are returning to the basics of discipleship. If you are a parent, be sure to join us tonight (September 23) at 6:15 pm in the church so we can map out our journey for the year. It is important that at least one parent from each household attend this evening to learn about this new and exciting process. Please contact the office if you are unable to attend.Sacraments: See above for information about the lifting of the dispensation for Sunday Mass obligation. If you plan to attend Mass this weekend, you can sign up using the sign-up form above or on the website or by calling the office.We are celebrating weddings and funerals and baptisms and anointing of the sick with some precautions in place. The Sacrament of Reconciliation continues with our regular schedule (see below for details). We have resumed the public celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass with precautions (see above for details).Our regular schedule for celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation (4:15 pm on Saturday and 9:15-9:45 am on Sunday).Phone ministry continues. You may be receiving a call from a staff member or parishioner to see how you are doing, pray with you, and offer any assistance we can. We will never ask for money over the phone and will identify ourselves as being from St. Thomas More. This is one way we can stay connected during this difficult time.
Give us your Feedback...Let us know what you want in our Wednesday Flocknote by replying. We want this to be useful to you as we grow as disciples of Jesus. -
Alpha Online
Do I know Jesus???
Do I want a personal relationship with Jesus?
Does He want a relationship with me?
Does it really matter? Especially in today’s world!
Opportunity to discover these answers:
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Alpha Online
We will be offering Alpha once again. This time around it will be a completely virtual event. Join us from the comfort of your home, as we dive deeper into relationship with Christ.
Thursday Evenings
@6:30 p.m.
Begins October 8th, 2020
15 sessions
REGISTER:
By October 6th, 2020
Contact:
Minka Bourner
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 920-739-7758
or
Patricia Verbrick
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 920-277-2346 (c)
St. Thomas More Parish
1810B North McDonald Street
Appleton, WI 54911
A Catholic Community of Welcome, Praise and Mission
