On September 25 we launch the 2011 Stewardship Campaign.  This year's theme is "The Time is Now.  The Needs are Great."

The Every Member Canvass program is the cornerstone of our annual Stewardship Campaign.  Each member of the Parish is visited by an ambassador.  These meetings are an opportunity to share what makes St. Thomas important and valuable in your lives.  Parishioners are then invited to pray about the role of the Church in their lives.  Following the meeting a pledge card is mailed with an invitation for members to prayerfully make a commitment for 2012.  This year we have automated the process with a major upgrade to the Parish database.  This will make the tracking of calls, pledge mailings and responses much easier. 

This year the Stewardship Ambassador team is made up exclusively of clergy and Vestry members.  This approach gives each parishioner the opportunity to meet with a member of the Parish leadership.

In the next 2 weeks please expect a call or email from your Ambassador to set up a mutually convenient time to meet or to talk.  Please be patient!  Each Vestry member has 15 to 20 calls to make.  If you haven't heard from anybody, please contact the office.

Thank you for supporting St. Thomas and for your ongoing gifts of time, talent and treasure.

The 2011 Stewardship prayer:

Lord God of Hosts, Source of all gifts we, Thy people, rejoice in the fullness of Thy generosity.  We thank thee for those whose lives are visible signs of Thy love and blessing to others.  Give us the courage to do the same. Make us good stewards of all we have received and will receive, generously sharing our time, talents and treasure to build thy kingdom of love and justice. We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord, In whom we begin and end all things.
Amen.

Please join us in celebration and blessing of those special creatures that are members of our families.

Join us on October 2 to celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi ("Flea Sunday") before, during and after the 10:30 High Mass. The usual blessing ceremony will happen during the Mass but this year the children of St. Thomas will assist before and after the Mass to love and care for our pets. Our kids will have water, treats and love to share with our beloved pets.

Attention all St. Thomas parents: Please join us at 10:15 outside the entrance to Church to set up water bowls and snacks. Please be prepared to help after Mass as well. We would also appreciate if you could bring snacks for cats and dogs as well as disposable bowls we can fill with water in the kitchen. Please contact David Seck A.S.A.P at davidseck6@gmail.com  if you can bring supplies and your children to assist with this important event.

Saint Vincent de Paul, C.M., (24 April 1581 - 27 September 1660) was a priest of the Catholic Church who became dedicated to serving the poor.

St. Vincent was born in Pouy, Landes, Gascony, France, to a family of peasant farmers. He studied humanities in Dax, France, with the Cordeliers and he graduated in theology at Toulouse. He was ordained in 1600, remaining in Toulouse until he went to Marseille for an inheritance. In 1605, on his way back from Marseille, he was taken captive by Turkish pirates, who brought him to Tunis and sold him into slavery. After converting his owner to Christianity, Vincent de Paul escaped in 1607.

After returning to France, de Paul went to Rome. There he continued his studies until 1609, when he was sent back to France on a mission to Henry IV of France; he served as chaplain to Marguerite de Valois. For a while he was parish priest at Clichy, but from 1612 he began to serve the Gondi, an illustrious family. He was confessor and spiritual director to Madame de Gondi, and he began giving preaching missions to the peasants on the estate with her aid.

In 1622 de Paul was appointed chaplain to the galleys, and in this capacity he gave missions for the galley-slaves.  In 1625 de Paul founded the Congregation of the Mission, a society of missionary priests commonly known as the Vincentians or Lazarists. In 1633, with the assistance of Louise de Marillac he founded the Daughters of Charity. He also fought against the Jansenist heresy.

De Paul was renowned for his compassion, humility and generosity. In 1705, the Superior-General of the Lazarists requested that the holy process of de Paul's canonization be instituted. On 13 August 1729, Vincent was declared blessed by Pope Benedict XIII. He was canonized nearly eight years later by Pope Clement XII on 16 June 1737. In 1885, Pope Leo XIII gave him as patron to the Sisters of Charity. He is also patron to the Brothers of Charity.  St. Vincent is honored with a feast day in the Church of England and the Episcopal Church on September 27.

Adapted from www.wikipedia.org

Fr. Gabriel Ferrer

Sermon

Fr. Gabriel Ferrer

Deacon

The Rev. Walter S. Johnson

We are nearly complete
with Phase II of the Acoustics Project.

Major construction is  completed.  Staining of the Transcepts are due to be finished by the weekend.  The Damien Chapel will be stained next week and the exterior will be painted then too.

A Frequently Asked Question guide  (4 pages) has been put together that outlines the major construction project that will start shortly at St. Thomas to remedy the Acoustics issues at the Church.