SSaint Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church

Rectory/Parish Center: (973) 338-9190 ● Fax: (973) 338-4224 ● Religious Education: (973) 338-7400

School: (973) 338-8505 ● Convent: (973) 338-9118

Address: 60 Byrd Avenue, Bloomfield, New Jersey ● Website: www.stachurchbloomfield.com

December 25, 2016 Christmas Day

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Christmas Day

Masses for the Week

Sunday, December 25 8:00 am For The People

10:30 am Jacob Szajkowski – Daughters

12:00 pm Eleanor Pettoni – Family

Monday, December 26

7:30 am Felix Milani – Family 11:30 am Rocco Nardelli – Family

Tuesday, December 27

7:30 am Rosemary Matis – Friends 11:30 am Pat & Phyllis Russillo – Family

Wednesday, December 28 7:30 am William Delefeti – Daughters 11:30 am Deceased of Teti Family – Family

Thursday, December 29 7:30 am Catherine T. Taylor – Friend 11:30 am Harold Strazza – Friend

Friday, December 30

7:30 am Evelyn Tosi – Friend 11:30 am Rizalina Ilustrisimo – Family

Saturday, December 31 8:30 am Joseph Mundy – Friend

Sunday, January 1 Saturday, December 31 5:00 pm Ernest, Philomena Cordasco & Joseph Bianchi, Sr. – Family

Sunday, January 1

7:30 am For The People

9:00 am Robert & Joshephine Sheridan – Family

10:30 am Martin Rizzo - Family

12:00 pm Joseph Vincent McKenna - Family

PRAY FOR OUR SICK

Nina Mattarazzo, Kiran Fernando, Nancy Salerno,

Dawn Alfano, Inez Roberts

REST IN PEACE

Paul Crandall

SANCTUARY CANDLES

Church: Desc’d of Rohan & Powers Families Convent: David Kossack & Bridget Kochuk

December 25, 2016

Four Masses are celebrated for the feast of Christmas, and each is given its own set of readings to help us contemplate Christ's birth. The Gospel for the vigil Mass on Christmas Eve is taken from the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew. The Mass at midnight proclaims the birth of Jesus using the Gospel of Luke. The Mass at dawn on Christmas morning continues the story of the birth of Jesus as found in Luke's Gospel through the shepherds' visit to the infant Jesus. In each of these Gospel readings, we hear portions of the Infancy Narratives with which we are familiar. The Gospel for the Christmas Mass during the day is taken from the beginning of John's Gospel, but this Gospel is not an Infancy Narrative like those found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Instead, John's Gospel begins at the beginning, as it were, and presents the Creation story as the framework for announcing the Incarnation. John's opening words, “In the beginning . . .,” echo the opening verse of the Book of Genesis. This framework invites us to view Jesus' birth from God's perspective. Each of the Gospels makes clear that Jesus' birth was the result of God's initiative. However, John's Gospel highlights that this was the divine intention from the very beginning, from the moment of Creation. As we observe in today's reading, the Gospel of John includes highly philosophical and theological language. One example that particularly stands out is John's use of the expression, “Word of God.” This expression (logos in the Greek) borrows from a concept found in both Jewish and Greek thought. In Jewish thought, this phrase describes God taking action—for example, in the Creation story and in the Wisdom literature. In Greek, or Hellenistic, thought, the logos was understood as an intermediary between God and humanity. John and others in the early Church adopted this language to describe God's incarnation in Jesus. As the term was used to express the trinitarian faith of Christians, the word Logos came to be equated with the Second Person of the Trinity.

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From the Pastor’s Desk...

Dear Parishioners, Christmas is a wonderful and holy time of the year. It is when we become more aware of the many gifts God gives us all year - the gift of life, the gift of faith, and the gift of each other. On Christmas God showed how deeply he loved us by taking on flesh and becoming one like us, so that we could become more like Him. All of us here at Saint Thomas the Apostle, priests and staff, wish you and your family a happy and holy Christmas. My prayer is that the Christ, whose birth we celebrate, may be present in your hearts and in your homes throughout this season of joy! In the Lord,

Rev. Charles J. Miller Pastor

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The main source of operating funds for

St. Thomas is our weekly / holyday offertory

collections. The information below will show where the

Parish is as of December 11 compared to the budget amount for the year. The break even date is June 30,

2017. The amount needed each week is $17,630 and the

amount collected last weekend was $16,291.

Budget Amount Year to Date Remaining Amount $881,500 $384,940 $496,560

The year to date amount is negative by $38,630 as of week number 24 in our budget year.

Giving Tree Program Thank you to everyone that participated in the Annual Advent Giving Tree Program. Your generosity and continued support has not only made this program successful but has brightened the Christmas season for many. We collected over $3500.00 in gift cards that served our local community in addition to all the gifts for the organizations listed below. A total of 97 very large bags filled with gifts were distributed to: -Dr. Lena Edwards Charter School, Jersey City

-Interfaith Hospitality for the Homeless of Essex County, Montclair

-National Alliance for Mentally Ill, NAMI Essex NJ Inc., Montclair

-Newark Beth Israel/St. Barnabas Health Care Center for Hemophilia, Newark

-St. Rose of Lima Parish, Newark

-The Pope John Paul II Pavilion at St. Mary’s Life Center, Orange

-St. Joseph’s Social Services, Elizabeth

-Atrium Senior Living, Park Ridge (Medicaid Residents)

A special thank you to all those who pitched in to help tote and sort the gifts.

St. Thomas Young Adult Winter Retreat

January 7 – January 8 (2pm Saturday – 3pm Sunday)

Parishioners age 19 – 30 are invited to join the young adult ministry on a winter retreat at the

Baptist Camp & Conference Center in Lebanon, NJ.

Registration fee: $55 For registration information contact:

Tim Dennin: tdennin@live.com or Maureen Scully: maureen.v.scully@gmail.com

Altar Servers Wanted

If you are in grades 4 – 8 and would like to

become an altar server please join us for our

upcoming training sessions. There will be

four sessions – January 11, 18, 25, and

February 1 from 7:00-8:30pm in the church.

You don’t need to attend all four sessions to

become a server – as long as you go to at

least two you will be fine.

Also, if you are already an altar server and

would like to refresh your training please

feel free to join the training sessions. Please

call Tracey Hann at 973-338-7400 and leave

your name and phone number if you’re

interested. Thanks!

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE

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Beyond Cornerstone Service Ministry

Let us pause to remember our Ministry in prayer:

Dear God, Watch over your children, especially those with no homes to return to at the end of long and weary days. Protect them from all harm and keep them from despair. Open the hearts and eyes of those of us with blessings to share. Unite our voices in a call for justice: So that no man need ever lie down for the night on a wooden park bench because he has no home: So that no woman need ever tuck her children into the backseat of her car because she has ne home: So that no child need ever wonder, “Where will I feel safe?” because he has no home; So that all those who wander and all who are in need, find the food and shelter and the peace they seek. Remind us, O God, that we cannot rest fully secure in our homes each night until all your children are, at last, home. Amen

Our commitment to the St. Augustine soup kitchen has continued to thrive because of your continued giving of “time, talent and treasure”. Thank you

St. Thomas the Apostle Prayer Shawl Ministry

Next Meeting

Sunday, January 17th at 11:30 in the Parish Center

All crafters are welcome to joins us on the third Sunday of the month from September to June unless otherwise specified. We meet in the St. Peter’s room at 11:30 until 1:30. An active prayer... As I knit this shawl, the work of my hands and the faith of my soul ask God to bring blessings upon you. A gift received, a prayer accepted. The receiver physically and spiritually wrapped in the shawl, the prayers of the giver -- prayers for comfort, for healing, a blessing, or thanksgiving. During these cold winter months a prayer shawl or lap robe, which can be had for the asking, may well be comforting to someone limited in activity or going through a difficult time. You may request a shawl by calling the parish center, by speaking to one of our members, dropping by during one of our meetings or by contacting Alicia @ 973-473-6633 or aliciavons@ gmail.com

Let us continue to pray for those making shawls

and those who receive them.

“For a child is born for us, A son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Merry Christmas with Love! St. Thomas the Apostle

School Community

2016-2017 Registration Information

Join us at our Open House on: Sunday, January 31, 2016 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 4, 2106 4:00 - 7:00 pm

New Family Registration begins Monday, February 1, 2016

For more information or to schedule a tour, call the school office at 973.338.8505.

www.stthomastheapostlenj.com

ATTENTION STA ALUMNI Please visit our website & register on the Alumni

Registration page.

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SSummer CCD If you have children and a busy schedule, our Summer CCD program might be just the help you need. We offer classes for children going into Grades 1, 3,4,5,6,7, and 8. We also offer class for students who are going into Grade 2 in school but have never been to CCD before. Classes run each day from June 26th through July 7th from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. No absences are permitted. Watch the bulletin for registration information starting in mid-January. Summer CCD teachers are desperately needed for all grades. If you have ever thought of volunteering and helping in our church in any way please consider teaching CCD – it is a truly rewarding experience! If the commitment of two weeks is too much for you, we can pair you up with a team teacher who can teach one week while you teach the other. This is also a great opportunity for college students who are studying to become teachers. Please consider helping out with our Summer CCD program – if interested, please call Tracey Hann at 973-338-7400 or email at rclan1@verizon.net. Thanks! Religious Education Christmas Break from December 26th through January 8th. Classes willresume on Monday, January 9th and Tuesday, January 10th.

All are Invited to Pray the Rosary

The Rosary Society will meet at the church to pray the Rosary 7 pm on the following days:

Jan. 9th Feb. 6th

March 6th April 3rd May 1st June 5th

Meetings follow in the Parish Center

ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE CHURCH

60 BYRD AVENUE BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY 07003

SUPPORT GROUP FOR THOSE

GRIEVING THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE

We invite you to join us for a series of three

sessions of mutual sharing & support in a spiritual,

caring, confidential setting.

Our Mission:

Provide a Christ-centered group experience

Offer spiritual& emotional support

a caring, compassionate, confidential atmosphere

2017 session dates: January 22 & 29

February 12

Sundays 12:00 noon– 1:00 p.m.

Meetings held: Parish Center

St. James Room

Registration required

Please contact Parish Center:

973-338-9190

All calls are confidential.

595 St. Thomas the Apostle, Bloomfi eld, NJ (inside) U John Patrick Publishing Company (800) 333-3166 • www.jppc.net

THOMAS M. CONNOR, M.D., F.A.A.P., F.A.C.C.Board Certifi ed Pediatric & Adolescent Cardiologist

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Italian-AmericanItalian-AmericanCuisineCuisine

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Catering On andOff Premises

J.Q. Automotive

Foreign & Domestic Repair SpecialistFamily Owned, Operated & Trusted For 25 Yrs.

Computer Diagnostic SpecialistsEmission Repair Facility • Brake Service

Exhaust Systems • Front End RepairsElectrical Repairs • Transmission Service

Air Conditioning Service

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GENERAL CONTRACTORKITCHEN - BATHS - WINDOWS - DOORS

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Buying • Selling • Renting

Park SquareMargaret CozzarelliREALTOR® Associate244 Chestnut St., Nutley, NJ 07110973-951-6705 Cell • 973-667-3000 Offi ceMargaret.Cozzarelli@yahoo.com

Each Offi ce Independently Owned and Operated

Dr. Michael C. Boja Board Certifi ed in Family Medicine

Offi ce HoursMon. to Sat. 8am - 5pm

Mon., Weds. & Fri. (Evening) 5pm - 8pmPlease Call Offi ce For Appointment

Walk-Ins Are Welcome159 Bloomfi eld Ave., Nutley, NJ 07110

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WEEKLY & BI-WEEKLY GRASS CUTS STARTING AT $25SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT

• Fall & Spring Clean-ups• Lawn Maintenance• Shrub Pruning • Mulching• Brush Removal • Topsoil

Michael Wallis, Owner Former St. Th omas Student973-632-0337

FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICEHelping Families and Friends Honor Their Loved OnesNicholas J. Grillo, Owner/Manager | N.J. Lic. No. 4795

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Tree Experts for:• Removal• Pruning• Trimming• Stump Grinding• Storm Damage

Residential & Commercial

Over 18 Years Experience

High Quality Service at Reasonable Prices

Payment plans availableYEAR ROUND SERVICE

Lic. # 13VH03451800Free Estimates Fully Insured

Bloomfield, NJ

Marvin G. Monge(973) 338-0506

marvin@happytreesbymgm.com

10% Off With AdCal-Pez Enterprises LLC

Custom Masonry • Steps • Sidewalks • Patios • PaversDecks - Wood • Vinyl • Fences

Doors - Bath • Kitchens • WindowsSiding • Roofi ng • Demolition

Rubbish Removal • Snow RemovalRobert Pezzino

Offi ce: (973) 259-1052 • Cell: (973) 986-0531

NJ Lic. # 13VH01378600Fully Insured

Auto • Home • Health • Life • CommercialServicing the Bloomfi eld Area for 25 Years

Robert Issa, Insurance Broker187 Broad St. | Bloomfi eld, NJ 07003 • 973.743.8115

Affordable PremiumINSURANCE AGENCY

Nevada Diner RestaurantOpen 24 Hours

973-743-9393Fresh Seafood Daily

All Baking Done on Premises293 Broad St., Bloomfi eld, NJ 07003

Dr. Boris Alvarez, DDS, FAGD

10 Washington StreetBloomfi eld, NJ 07003

973-743-3930www.bloomfi elddentaldesigns.com

General Dentistry • Implants • InvisalignTeeth Whitening • Dental Emergencies

Creating Smiles Family DentalElizabeth Sandoval DMDGentle Dentistry For The Whole Family(973) 338-1100 • 1025 Broad Street, Bloomfi eld, NJ 07003

BASEMENT WATERPROOFING

MOLD REMEDIATION • FOUNDATION REPAIRwww.RightwayWaterproofi ng.com • 908-282-0220

FREE INSPECTIONLicensed & Insured

Family Owned and Operated Since 1987

Church

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Commercial Rates are at an All Time Low. Contact us today to get a free analysis to see if we can help

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595 St. Thomas the Apostle ~ Bloomfi eld, NJ (back) Rt. UPS John Patrick Publishing Company (800) 333-3166 • www.jppc.net

973-256-1065 • www.schumacherchevy.com

Schumacher Chevrolet8 Main Street • Little Falls, NJ

Serving Northern New Jersey For Over 75 Years • New And Used Car SalesSame Family, Same LocationService & Parts

Mon.-Fri.: 9AM-6PM

Sat.: 8AM-1PM

New & Used Car SalesMon.-Thurs.: 9AM-8PM

Fri.: 9AM-6PM • Sat.: 9AM-5PM

A.A. SANTANGELOPlumbing & Heating NO JOB TOO SMALL

973-235-1839Parishioner NJ Lic#6523

N.J. Lic. No. 3067307-309 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ

TOWING& RECOVERY

24 HR.ROAD SERVICE

JumpStarts • Flat Tires • FuelJumpStarts • Flat Tires • FuelLock-Outs • Mobile Battery InstallationLock-Outs • Mobile Battery Installation

Towing • Etc.Towing • Etc.973-680-0097973-680-0097

Joseph Perrone ~Joseph Perrone ~ Parishioner Parishioner Free Estimates and Fully Insured Free Estimates and Fully Insured

PERRONE CONSTRUCTIONMASON & GENERAL CONTRACTORS

973-759-4643Stucco Specialist • Brick/Stone • Sidewalks • PatiosStucco Specialist • Brick/Stone • Sidewalks • PatiosWaterproofi ng • Steps • Driveway • Retaining WallsWaterproofi ng • Steps • Driveway • Retaining Walls

Brick Pavers • Belgium BlockBrick Pavers • Belgium Block DISCOUNT FOR SENIORS DISCOUNT FOR SENIORS

800-545-1020www.AIRGROUPLLC.COM

Garner Bros.Plumbing and Heating

Est. 1918

93 Bay Ave., Bloomfi eld, NJ

973-748-0981Lic. No. 1373 Parishioner

FLOOR COVERINGS, INC.If Your Floor Covering Is Not Becoming To You...

You Should Be Coming To Us.10 Elm Street, Montclair, NJ 07042(973) 744-2080 Fax (973) 744-2552

Since 1926

HARRY J. HERZATTORNEY AT LAW

Personal Attention and A Commitment to Excellence

DIVORCE & FAMILY LAWDivorce/Separation • Custody/VisitationChild Support/Alimony • Enforcement

Domestic Violence • Annulment • AdoptionREAL ESTATE

Purchase & Sale Closings • Mortgage Refi nancingMUNICIPAL COURT

DWI & Traffi c Offenses • Criminal • ExpungementBANKRUPTCY

www.HHERZLAW.comOver 30 Years of Experience and Integrity

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FREDA & SURIANO O RT H O D O N T I C S

Damon System Invisalign973.748.2248

www.fsorthodontics.com1310 Broad Street • Bloomfi eld

NJ Specialty License #3386, 3388

Halpin – Bitecola BrookdaleFuneral & Cremation Service, LLC

973-338-5900Daniel Bitecola, III – Manager, NJ Lic. No. 4814

1284 Broad Street, Bloomfi eld, N.J. 07003Serving the St. Thomas Community since 1963

WWW.BROOKDALEFH.COM

Oil Tank RemovalSoil RemediationLSRP Services

Bloomfi eld, NJ 973-893-8009Res. • Comm. - Lic. #15098

973-893-1411973-893-1411Bloomfield, NJ - Parishioner

JOHN IS BACK…..JOHN IS BACK….JOHN IS BACK….EST.1979

“Sunday Special”Free LB. of potato, macaroni or cole slaw

with every $10.00 purchase.*breakfast sandwiches & platters *hot & cold subs *special salads

*take home dinners *eat in or take out * free delivery48 West Passaic Avenue, Bloomfi eld

(Corner of Byrd Avenue)973-748-8888

*specials only valid when mentioning this ad - limited time only* Open Monday-Friday 6 am to 6 pm

Saturday 6 to 4 - Sunday 9 to 2

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Online Catalog • Online Ordering • Online ProofingAll Major Credit Cards Accepted • FREE UPS GROUND SHIPPING!

INTEGRAL CARE PEDIATRICSDr. Maria C. Turizo, M.D. F.A.A.P.

Se Habla Español(973) 233-5494

1255 Broad St., Suite 105, Bloomfi eld, NJ 07003

Oscar & Ana Pozzoli, PT, LANA-CLT(973) 429-0890 • www.omnitherapycenter.com

Physical Therapy

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Fax: (973) 748-8661Omnitherapycenter@Comast.net

Van Der Wende Associates, Inc.Theresa VeneziaSales AssociateCell: (201) 513-6026

Louis VeneziaSales Associate

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Since 1895A ministry of the Sisters of the

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Affordable Senior Living