A recent drop in blood donations has led the Stanford Blood Center to ask Bay Area residents to donate blood to help meet the needs of local hospitals. According to center officials, in the last few weeks there have been many surgeries requiring numerous blood products. That, coupled with a drop in donations over the summer, has caused the current inventory to be critically low. Center officials are now requesting blood donations from the public.
Are you interested in enhancing your spiritual life, or learning more about your faith, or walking closer to God? Would you be interested in joining a small group of your friends for an interactive Bible study? I've spoken to a few people, here at Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish, that are interested in starting a weekly Bible study. It would be open to those in the community who would like to study more, share more, or understand more, about God's written Word. If you are interested, or have suggestions for a Bible study, please email Neale Wade at [email protected]
Many, many thanks to all the generous, caring folks who donated delicious food to the guests staying at the church shelter during the first two weeks of August. The staff, church members, and guests are very thankful for your help. Ruth Chippendale
Summer has come and gone so quickly, and our public schools begin next week. And to keep in line with our public school system, our faith formation classes for grades Pre-K to 5th Grades also begin next week. We have been encouraging all of you to register since the end of our sessions last May, and we hope everyone who has not yet registered will do so this week at our annual Pancake Breakfasts. We hope to see everyone at these events.
As your Pastor, I want to encourage all parents and guardians to make plans for your children’s *ongoing faith formation, as our own programs commence. Your parish stands ready to help you. Over the summer, both Susan Olsen (Director of Catechetical Ministry) and Chris Mardesich (Director of Youth Ministry) have been hard at work preparing for this new year of learning and living our Catholic faith. We have programs for children in pre-school through high school. Our vision of faith formation is structured to engage children and youth in a process that is engaging, challenging, and fun.
East Palo Alto nonprofit Ecumenical Hunger Program is looking for help from the community to address a gap in back-to-school items for local students in need. At the start of each school year, Ecumenical Hunger Program provides students in East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, Menlo Park and surrounding areas with backpacks, school supplies, new uniforms and new shoes. A Redwood City organization that the nonprofit partners with, "My New Red Shoes," helped Ecumenical Hunger Program donate 460 pairs of new shoes this year, but 150 children still remain in need.
Volunteers needed for South Palo Alto Food Closet. There is a great need for the fourth Monday of the month from 12-2 pm and for the fifth Monday of the month for both 10-12 and 12-2 time slots. Please contact Jane Bernstein at 814-5478 or [email protected]
Do you have a child who is aged 7 or more who has not been baptized? Do you have a child over the age of 7 who has not yet received First Eucharist? The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults adapted for children is the proper venue for sacramental preparation for these children. A new year of preparation began on Wednesday, June 7. Sessions are from 6 - 7:15 pm in the Dermody Center. Please contact Susan at [email protected] or at the Pastoral Center (650-494-2694, ext. 25) if you have questions.
Thank you generous St. Thomas Aquinas parishioners for your donations at the end of July through our parish St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Conference for people in need in Palo Alto. In addition to buying food for our daily food bags, and food gift cards, we were able to pay emergency rents for 3 families in Palo Alto Housing. We were sometimes able to help with car registrations. Some people are still living in cars. We are grateful to be able help some people in real need. Thank you again.
Our final figures from the 2017 Catholic Charities Appeal are in, and I am delighted to let you know that the total contributions made to Catholic Charites from the generous members of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish were $9,856.
Why do we sing at Mass, or to make the question more basic: why do we sing at all, ever? Why has the human animal developed this particular art-form? Animals have their cries and birds chirp, but why do we humans sing? What is found in the act of singing that makes this a unique property of the human species? Yes, it is said that whales and dolphins “sing,” but maybe that’s because their brains are larger than our own! (Does this imply that the “smarter” a creature is … ?)
Just over a year ago I spotted Father Matt’s invitation in the parish bulletin to consider entering the ILM program. Sponsored by the Diocese of San Jose, ILM stands for Institute for Leadership in Ministry. I asked to meet with Father to learn more about the program and how it prepares graduates to assist in their parish communities. I read more details on the ILM website, asked for my husband’s support and couldn’t wait to begin. I completed year one of the three-year program in May and will begin Year Two in September.