PARISH OF SAINT THOMAS MORE, MANALAPAN
ST. THOMAS MORE CHURCH
OUR LADY OF MERCY CHURCH
BAPTISM PREPARATION CLASS: The next Baptism Prepara-
tion class will be held on February 3, 2016 7:45pm, in the Adult Educa-
tion Room. It is required that both parents attend a preparation class be-
fore your child is baptized. Godparents are invited. Please call the Parish
Office, 732-446-6661, to register.
MORNING PRAYER Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours
is prayed each weekday (M-F) at 8am and on Sunday morning at 8am,
before the 8:30am Mass. Morning Prayer is an important part of the Lit-
urgy of the Hours which ranks second only to Holy Mass in importance.
It is the universal prayer of the Church. Everyone is encouraged to at-
tend, especially those who are already coming to daily mass. Booklets
and instructions will be provided each morning. Morning Prayer takes
less than 15 minutes to pray and is an excellent way to properly prepare
oneself for Holy Mass.
Sun 1/17 8:30am
10:00am
11:30am
People of the Parish
Bob D’Ambrosia
Jess L. Martorano
Brian Scarpa
Vincent Holdman
Rosemary Donovan
Joseph Caffieri
Mario Velardi
Joseph Piscino
Mon 1/18 8:30am Nicholas Rao
Elizabetta Figliolini
Wed 1/20 8:30am Elizabetta Figliolini
Alverna Dolan
Fri 1/22 8:30am
David Nelligan
Marge Kourey
Sat 1/23 5:00pm Peter T. Mongiove
Rose Cullinen
Nathan Johnson
Sun 1/24 8:30am
10:00am
11:30am
People of the Parish
Sebastiano Pruiti
Terry Zehl, Jr.
Katarzna D’Agostino
Robert Santapaul
Maria Antoinette Giannone
Carmine Gallo
Debra Benedon
Roseann Santarpia
Sun 1/17 8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
Daniel Cunningham
People of the Parish
Rosemary Varsos & family
Frank Livia
Dusty Leon
Tues 1/19 8:30am
Thurs 1/21 8:30am Irene Stephens
Sat 1/23 8:30am
7:00pm
John Rogany & family
Sun 1/24 8:00am
9:30am
11:00am
Edward Haring
People of the Parish
To learn more about the Knights of Columbus, a Christian Brotherhood
devoted to the virtues of CHARITY, FRATERNITY, UNITY &
PATRIOTISM, contact Guy Girgenti, Council Membership Chairman,
at 732-614-6050 or email Guy at [email protected] You can see
the K of C website at www.kofc5903.org.
Readings for the Week of January 17, 2016 Sunday: Is 62:1-5/Ps 96:1-3, 7-10/1 Cor 12:4-11/Jn 2:1-11
Monday: 1 Sm 15:16-23/Ps 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23/Mk 2:18-22
Tuesday: 1 Sm 16:1-13/Ps 89:20-22, 27-28/Mk 2:23-28
Wednesday: 1 Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51/Ps 144:1-2, 9-10/Mk 3:1-6
Thursday: 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7/Ps 56:2-3, 9-13/Mk 3:7-12
Friday: 1 Sm 24:3-21/Ps 57:2-4, 6, 11/Mk 3:13-19
Saturday: 2 Sm 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27/Ps 80:2-3, 5-7/Mk 3:20-21
When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have
no wine." And Jesus said to her, "Woman, how does your concern
affect me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servers,
"Do whatever he tells you." - Jn 2:3-5
Next week, we will take up the Collection for the Church in Latin
America. In Peru, the 14 villages of Chazuta, in Moyobamba, are all
located away from the city center, with the most remote only accessible
by boat. The faithful in these communities do not have access to
catechetical formation, and members often feel separated from the life of
the universal Church. Through a grant from the Collection for the
Church in Latin America, the religious congregation of the Missionaries
of Jesus was able to provide faith formation, spiritual retreats, and
workshops to nearly 250 people. Upon completion, participants were
better equipped to help others deepen their faith and answer questions.
The program also renewed their sense of commitment to their parishes
and created stronger bonds within their own families. Through this
program, members of the Chazuta villages felt the love and support of
the universal Church. Please support programs like these and give
generously in next week's collection. For more information, please visit
www.usccb.org/latin-america.
THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
MONDAY, JANUARY 18
Holiday-all parish offices closed.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 19
7:00pm Bible Study
8:30pm AA
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20
7:00pm First Eucharist parent meeting (Petri Hall)
THURSDAY, JANYUAR 21
6:30pm Handbells
7:30pm Choir
7:30pm Faith In Our Future town hall meeting (Petri Hall)
FRIDAY, JANUARY 22
9:30am Legion of Mary (room C)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 23
3:30pm Confession
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24
1:00pm Baptisms
So many of our clients have been effusive about the
extra food we were able to provide over the holiday
season. Of course, we enjoyed their thanks, but it’s
you who deserve the thanks...and so we pass it
along. The downside now, however, is that there
are bare spots on our shelves and once again we need to ask for your
help. We can use cans of vegetables, peas, carrots, beans, mixed vegs,
plus jelly, pasta, tuna fish, potatoes and fruit. Together we’ll ease the
burden on a number of families.
Upper Room Spiritual Center
3455 West Bangs Avenue, Building 2 Neptune, NJ 07753 Centering Prayer
Join us as Fr. Keating invites us into greater depth and transformation in
Christ. The day will include presentation/DVD, discussion and
Centering Prayer.
Facilitator: Bunny Scott
Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
Place: Upper Room Spiritual Center
Fee: $35-$45 (A light lunch and materials included)
Knitting and Prayer
Learn how to combine your knitting/crocheting skills, prayer and
compassion and be rewarded with the satisfaction of creating a prayer
shawl. Little or no experience required.
Facilitators: Lois Dougherty and Mary Reidy
Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Time: 1:30-3:30pm
Place: Upper Room Spiritual Center Free will offering.
The March for Life will held on Friday,
January 22, 2016 in Washington, DC. The
purpose of this March is to show determination
to secure for all unborn children their most
important right, their Rite to Life, without
which all other rights are meaningless. Come
with us on the March for Life and let the
President, Congress, and the Supreme Court know that we strongly
respect all human life from the moment of conception to natural death.
A bus will leave from the Yorktowne Shopping Center (Gordon’s
Corner Road and Pease Road, Manalapan.) at 6:30AM on Friday
January 22. The bus fee is $10.00 per adult, $5.00 per child (twelve and
under), and $25.00 per family. For information and reservations, please
call the bus captain ,Tony Musillo at 732-536-1731
This weekend, the Knights of Columbus will
be in the foyer after all Masses to distribute
Roses For Life, the symbol of the Pro Life
Movement. Donations will be used to offset
the costs to transport those attending the
March for Life in Washington, DC on Friday, January 22, 2016.
Beginning on Thursday, January 28th, the Holy Name Society will
resume having their monthly breakfast at Valentine Hall on Pine Street
after the 8:30am morning Mass. The breakfasts will be on the last
Thursday of the month moving forward. All who attend Mass at Our
Lady of Mercy on Thursday morning, are welcome to attend the
breakfast. We look forward to seeing you there.
To our Dear Friend, Jean Baker and all of her
Elves…..Words are inadequate to express our
thanks and gratitude for all the gifts, good
wishes, kindness and joy you have brought to our
folks. If it were not for the gracious hearts of
your friends and parishioners, the Christmas
Season would not have been so bright. Thank
you from the bottom of our hearts, and may God
reward each of you for the kindness you have bestowed. We wish you
all a Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Joyous New Year!!
Love & prayers, The Participants & Staff at the Western Monmouth
Achievement Center.
FAITH IN OUR FUTURE "Town Hall" meetings
will take place on Thursday, January 21st &
Tuesday, January 26th. Both meetings will take
place in Petri Hall at 7:30 PM. Everyone is invited
to help plan for the future of our parish. This is
YOUR chance to make your voice heard!
Altar Server Ministry seeking additional members Altar Servers make up the largest ministry in our parish and we
are actively seeking new members to serve at Our Lady of Mercy
and St. Thomas More Churches. This opportunity is open to boys
and girls 9 years of age or older. Detailed information about our
Altar Server Ministry is available on the parish web site at:
http://www.moremercy.org/altarserver.html. Anyone interested
in joining should contact Deacon Matt Nicosia at (732) 490-1592
or by email [email protected]. Training sessions will
be scheduled as individuals sign up.
JANUARY 17, 2016
Please pray for the ill of the parish, especially, Dot
Ackerman, Juliana Andruzzi, Sheila Annunziata, Cristina
Aparicio, Anthony Argiro, Felicia Arnold, Melissa
Augeri, Tara Plaima Baselici, Pat & John Benderoth,
Anita Berthiume, John Birmingham, Gino Bombardieri,
William Buchinsky, Marc Bukofsky, Debra Ann Cacace, Alessandra
Castrata, Anthony Colantoni, Mimie Cook, Frank Corbett, Donna
Carchesio, Joni Curculio, Maryann Cass, John Castellany, Maureen
Castellani, Patricia Cipully, Robert Clees, David Cohen, Michael
Competello, John Corsaro, Dimitri Costa, Nancy Csurbak, Daniel
Cummings, Mary Agnes Cummings, Dr. Joseph Curatolo, Frankie Dale,
Anne DeCrescenzo, Jeanette DePietro, David DiRocco, Joe Dolac, Maya
Dourassof, John Esposito, Rosemary Esposito, Jack Feliciano, Keith
Finger, Danny Fowler, Dolores Galli, Eda Garuccio, Debbie Gialanella,
Steve Gilbert, Yanathan Glattman, Ann Marie Gonzalez, John Graziano,
Bob Greenway, Frank Grezlak, Brian Hack, Dominick Hammel, Callie
Herschfield, Lawrence Hynes, Nicholas Incorvaia, Lorraine Jarrard,
Melissa Jurkieicz, Harvey Katz, Charles Kerry, Nancy Kiel, Jessica
Knapp, Jack Lamb, Madalyn Lea Langlais, Sebastian Lattugga, Nick
Lazar, Judy Lonseth, Patricia Ross Leary, Peter Lukowicz, Susan
McCarthy, Frank McGill, Kelly McGovern, Michael McGovern, A.
Leonard McLean, Jennifer McNamee, Jeanette Maccarone, Carmine
Maglione, Louise Mallon, Vincent Maniscalco, Emily Manuel, Joseph
Manzi, Rose Mattiace, Michael Meola, Robert Mewell, Vincent Milatta,
Eric Mueller, Salvatore Morealle, Michael Nichols, Charlie O’Brian,
Dakota O’Donnell, Madeline O'Donohue, Elvira Olivieri, Keith
O'Rourke, Maureen Oyafuso, Christine Pagano, Lisa Parrinelo, Aldo
Patruno, Perry Peconrino, Debbie Pernal, Emily Paige Perlson, Debra
Kurc-Pierson, Alain DePoerck, Clemencia Rubino, Michael Russell,
Carole Scandiffico, Anthony Schiano, Jessie Seigal, Anthony Luhrs
Seitz, Hannah Sensale, Anthony Simone, Louis Shapiro, Lenore Storm,
Rich Suppa, Vera Termini, John Totillo, Louise Tracy, Alexis Troitskhy,
Dominic Vacca, Rosemary Vardakas, Vicki Vosk, Joan Vukelich, Joseph
& Debbie White & Walter Wojciechowski
Prayer Chain In addition to the people who need prayers listed in our bulletin, this
parish has a prayer chain. You may call 732-446-2371 for any additional
requests or situations. Email contact can also be made by going to
www.moremercy.org and clicking on “Prayer Chain”. Anyone interested
in this ministry may call the above number as well. Members of the
prayer chain also attend the novenas held at Our Lady of Mercy Church
each Monday at 7:00pm. Prayer requests are written in a book and the
book is placed upon the altar. Special prayers are said for those needs
each week and offered up to Our Lady of Perpetual Help for intercession.
Thank you for your continued support and generosity.
God Bless you, Father Mark
at
St. Thomas More
Nursery School & Kindergarten
• Mommy & Me
• Ages 2 ½ - 5
• Full Day Kindergarten
• Full Day & Half Day Programs
• Smart Boards and iPads
Voted “Favorite Preschool in Manalapan”
Join the Bridges’ family!
It’s Catholic education at its best!
186 Gordons Corner Road • Manalapan
732-446-3107
www.bridgesnurseryschool.com
Luann Normandia, Director
The John F. Carroll Columbian Club Banquet Hall Rental
If you are looking for a beautiful, full service banquet hall for your
special event, please call Mr. John Peragine, Past Grand Knight, at 732-
742-4772 for rental information or to schedule a tour of the facility
located at 3 LaSatta Avenue in Englishtown.
Does your employer have a matching gift program??? If so, please consider making your donation to the Parish of St. Thomas
More through the program thereby doubling your contribution to our
Parish. The Parish of St. Thomas More qualifies as a recipient of such
donations under most corporate programs. If you need more
information, please contact the parish office, Monday through Friday
from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Thank you!
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time "Jesus told them, 'Fill the jars with water.' So they filled them
to the brim." And then look what happened! The water became wine!
And not only that, but it became "the good wine." Jesus transformed
plain water into the very best wine served at that wedding feast in Cana.
And he can do the same with our lives.
Sometimes, we come to Jesus with empty jars. We feel we
have nothing to offer, that our efforts have failed and our energy has run
dry. It may seem impossible that anything good could come out of our
situation. Even our hope has often disappeared in these moments. But
today's Gospel should restore our confidence; we don't need to work the
miracle. We just need to "do whatever he tells" us.
In many cases, this will mean doing something that doesn't
make sense on the surface. The servers were probably skeptical that
filling their jugs with water would have any benefit. But they did it
anyway. And they did it wholeheartedly, filling them up "to the brim." In
our moments of emptiness, we too need to do what Jesus asks of us, all
the way, without reservation. We need to continue to pray (even when
we don't hear an answer). We need to continue to participate in the
sacraments (even when they don't seem to help). We need to continue to
follow the commandments (even when they strike us as difficult or
irrelevant). We need to continue to love our neighbors (even when they
don't love us back). All of this is like pouring water into those jars. We
simply need to do what Jesus asks of us and then allow him to do the
rest. Only when we are willing to follow his directions can he transform
our emptiness into an overabundance of joy.
Is God Calling You?!
Our Diocesan Priesthood Vocation Discernment meeting is a wonderful
opportunity to share how God is calling you to serve His Church. In
these sessions we talk about the issues that affect our vocation: How
does God call me? How can I know where God wants me to serve Him?
What is the life of a priestly ministry? What are the qualities that make a
holy priest? What is the formation process like? Through prayer,
experience, and a strong dedication to one’s spiritual life, discernment
emerges as a gift from God, leading us in the right direction.
You are invited to share your journey with us at these meetings. Our
next meeting will be held on Sunday, January 24th from 4:00pm to
6:00pm at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, 149 North
Warren Street, Trenton, NJ. Join Rev. Msgr. Joseph Roldan as he shares
his experiences of the priesthood, leads a discussion and vocations. It
would be great to see you and hear how the Lord is working in your life.
Fo r mo r e in fo r mat io n an d to r eg i s t e r , c o n tac t
[email protected] or call 609-406-7449.
St. Thomas More Leisure Club is looking for members. Enjoy an
afternoon of fun and fellowship. Our meetings are on the 1st Tuesday of
every month, unless otherwise advised in advance. After the business
meeting, there is always a fun 50/50, usually a birthday celebration or
even a fun-paced game of Pokeno; so bring your nickels!! The annual
membership fee is only $10.00. All this and great trips to Atlantic City
and other great spots throughout the year. So, what are you waiting for??
COME JOIN THE FUN!!
VIANNEY INSTITUTE OF LEARNING
Make a 2016 New Year’s Resolution you can keep…..get fit, get
creative & have fun!!
BRUSHES & CORKS….Enjoy a Night out
Painting….Wednesday, January 20th from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.
$40.00 Leave with your Valentine Themed Masterpiece!! BYOB
& snacks, get your friends together for an fun evening. Must be
21 or older for this class. Taught by Dave V. from Pinots Palette
Manalapan.
To register, please visit www.sjvhs.com/vianney-institute-of-
learning or call 732-739-0800, ext. 122 for more info.
Saint John Vianney High School Wine Tasting
Saturday, February 13th 7-10pm
$40 in advance $45 at the Door
Over 40 Distributors of Fine Wine, Spirits &
Craft Beers, Fine Food, Cigar Bar, Photo Booth,
Raffles and more....visit www.sjvhs.com - look
under announcements for more information or to purchase
tickets online or call 732-739-0800 ext 121 .