The Roman Catholic Communities of

St. James the Greater 75 River Road

Montague, New Jersey

and

St. Thomas the Apostle 210 Route 206 North

Sandyston, New Jersey

Office for both parishes is located at 210 Route 206 North Sandyston, NJ 07826

Parish Office: 973-948-2296

Fax: 973-948-4634 E-mail address: stjamesthomas@aol.com Website address: saintjamesthomas.org

Rectory: 973-293-7582

Office Hours: Monday through Friday

8:30 AM – 2:30 PM

PASTOR: Father Wayne Varga DEACON: Mr. Wayne von Doehren

CRE: Mrs. Mary Flexer PASTORAL ASSOCIATE: Mrs. Patricia Hope

PARISH SECRETARY: Mrs. Rosemarie Briegel

Mass Schedule at St. James Sunday: 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM

Saturday: 8:00 AM

Mass Schedule at St. Thomas Saturday: 4:30 PM – Vigil

Sunday: 9:30 AM Mon., Tues., Wed. and Fri.: 9:00 AM

Sacrament of Reconciliation

St. Thomas the Apostle - Saturday - 4:00 PM - 4:20 PM or by appointment

Religious Education for children (CCD): Religious Education/Youth Office and classes are located at the Msgr. Gacquin Youth/ Religious Education Center,

122 Layton-Hainesville Road, Sandyston (mail should be sent to parish office address listed above) Phone: 973-948-7004 ~ Fax: 973-948-7007

Children’s Liturgy of the Word (September through April):

At St. Thomas the Apostle Church as part of the 9:30 AM Mass. New parishioners are invited to fill out a registration form which can be found in the vestibule of the Church. Often when a Catholic is asked to be a Godparent for baptism or sponsor for Confirmation a letter from the pastor of their parish is requested. This can only be given to registered and active members of the parish. The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated during Mass providing that liturgical norms do not dictate otherwise. Please contact the office to schedule a Baptism and to make arrangements for preparations especially for first time parents. Baptisms may be scheduled at other times if extenuating conditions apply. Godparents must be practicing Catholics. Part of our ministry is to visit the sick in hospital or at home. Privacy laws do not allow us to visit or pray publicly for the sick unless permission is given by the individual or their health care proxy. Please inform us of the needs of the sick, and we will be happy to respond as best we can.

Pregnancy Assistance

Call 1-800-395-HELP or Tri-State Pregnancy 570-491-5151 Good Counsel: 1.800.723.8331 for pregnant mothers in need anytime, anyplace.

www.goodcounselhomes.org Post Abortion Healing:

Project Rachel 973-777-8818, ext. 272 Lumina: Hope and Healing After Abortion: 1.877.LUMINA1 (877.586.4621)

www.postabortionhelp.org Adoption Services:

Adoption@CatholicCharities. Welcome -We Are a Tithing Parish

Jesus is Risen, Alleluia !! We celebrate today the most joyous feast that any people anywhere can celebrate. It is not just a feast of earth, but also the greatest festival of heaven. We celebrate today that Jesus has burst through the doors of death and has shown us what lies beyond:

even greater life and eternal happiness with God Himself ! Our Lord’s triumph becomes our triumph, for He died and rose from the grave for us. This gift of knowing that our future after death is meant to be one of joy, happiness, fulfillment and peace—is surely one of His greatest gifts to us. Our Lord Himself told us: “Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, will live; and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John 11: 25 – 26)

Our six weeks of Lent were meant to prepare us for this glorious day. All our sacrifices and fasting, our working to overcome faults, and our charitable deeds—all this is meant to help us prepare for this feast and for the eternal life it promises. May we not make the mistake, after Easter, of slipping back into old ways of thinking and acting. God’s grace has helped us to reach higher. May we not fall back.

Our faith in the Lord’s Resurrection should also affect our outlook on daily life. We should be the most optimistic of all peoples. May we count our blessings instead of our troubles. May we seek out the good in every situation. May we always work to emphasize the positive. After all, we’re positive that God watches over us.

On behalf of our Parish Staff, may I wish each of you all the joys and blessings of this glorious Easter Day. May you have a continuing joy in the knowledge that the Lord loves you and is with you always. God bless you, Father Wayne

EASTER SUNDAY March 27, 2016

St. James the Greater

The Sanctuary Lamp this week burns in

Memory of Kate Olivo at the Request of her Family

SATURDAY, April 2 8:00AM – Raymond Shea req. by his Family SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER April 3 8:00AM – Eric Cerra req. by Harvey & Joan McKean 11:30AM – Frank & Jane Varga req. by their Family

ST. JAMES THE GREATER $1,095.00 – Regular Collection – March 20, 2016 $ 372.00 – Diocesan Assessment $2,477.00 – Weekly Budget Need $ 790.00 – Regular Collection – March 22, 2015 Consider a gift to St. James Parish in your will.

Rosaries for Peace Please join us Sundays before 9:30am Mass for recitation of the First Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary. The remaining mysteries will be recited immediately after Mass. Rosary beads are available in the Gathering Space. The Saturday eve Mass will also be preceded by a Rosary for Peace, beginning at 4:10 p.m. May we ask our Blessed Mother, Patroness of our Nation, to help us find peace in our nation and in the world. Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima Statue/Legion of Mary This beautifully adorned statue is a visible reminder of the love God has shown in the Blessed Mother. Placing such a beautiful image in your home turns hearts to prayer and brings grace to those who open their hearts to any image of God’s love. If you would like to have the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in your home, or need any further information about the Legion of Mary in our parishes, please contact Diana, Legion of Mary, at 973-948-7601. Pray the Family Rosary TO CHRIST THE DIVINE HEALER WE PRAY FOR: Margaret Accordino, Mary Cunico, Rachel Gibbs, Barbara Haggerty, Carmen Howell, Kimberly & Baby Macie, Bill Lange, Jeff Librizzi, Betty Mastrelli, Sandy Matthews, Brian McKenna, Cathy Moyer, Danielle Parker, Marguerite Phillips, Flo Puccio, Baby Teddy, Jen Vaughn, Lorraine Verga, Tarra Wagner and Thomas Walsh Jesus Heals The Healing Service at St. James is postponed until the Spring of 2016. If you have any questions, please call Deacon Wayne at 973-293-3344. St. James Rosary & Altar Society If any ladies in the parish are interested in joining, please call Joan Henn at 973-293-3690 or Linda Spinapolice at 973-293-7031.

St. Thomas the Apostle

The Sanctuary Lamp this week burns in Memory of Rosemarie Bastian at the

Request of her Family MONDAY, March 28 9:00AM – Robert L. Benson, Sr. req. by Paul & Rosemary Brislin TUESDAY, March 29 9:00AM – Frances Towle req. by Grace Reich WEDNESDAY, March 30 9:00AM – Ethel Martin req. by her sister, Grace Reich

- Holy Souls in Purgatory THURSDAY, March 31 No Mass FRIDAY, April 1 9:00AM – Father James Gacquin - 20th Anniversary req. by Mary Flexer SATURDAY, Vigil, April 2 7:30PM – Louise & Rudolph Hoffman req. by the Wainwright Family -Michael Wenning req. by Marie & Omar Mendez SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER April 3 9:30AM – Barbara Kientzler req. by her son, Charles

- Mike Wenning req. by the Catechists of the Parish -Intentions of the Newly Confirmed

ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE $2,407.00 – Regular Collection – March 20, 2016 $ 584.00 – Diocesan Assessment $4,410.00 – Weekly Budget Need $2,090.00 – Regular Collection – March 22, 2015 Consider a gift to St. Thomas Parish in your will.

The Legion of Mary meets every Friday morning at 10:00a.m. in St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Men and women of both parishes are invited to consider Auxiliary or Active membership. For further information, please contact the parish office.

Joyous Easter! There are no Religious Education Classes this

week. We will resume on Tuesday, April 5th and Wednesday, April 6th.

Easter Prayers and Thank You’s Thank you so very much to all those who helped to make this Lenten Season so beautiful for so many of us: to the Columbiettes and all those who provided for the Children’s Stations of the Cross and Soup Dinner each Friday and for the dinner for our Confirmation Candidates on Good Friday before the Living Stations of the Cross, to the Knights of Columbus for their including our youth in the Seder Supper, to Father Wayne and Father Tom Fallone for their presence to our youth and teens at our Reconciliation Service, to our teens for their prayerful re-enactment of the Passion of Our Lord, to our faithful catechists for their ongoing selflessness in bringing Christ to the children and teens of our parishes, to all of our young and teen parishioners who attended and participated in any of our Lenten and Holy Week events and to their parents for their love and encouragement in passing on the Catholic faith to them. May you all know of a place in my prayer of thanksgiving to Our Risen Lord. Joyous Easter.

Alleluia He is Risen!!! We have come to the end of our Lenten journey, and the diocesan Operation Rice Bowl Lenten Program also comes to an end. All Operation Rice Bowl almsgiving must be turned in at the Religious Education Center or to the container located in either church by April 9th. Please make any checks payable to your parish. Thank you all for your spirit of prayer, compassion, self-sacrifice and generosity towards those in need.

Save the Date!!! A special Jubilee Year of Mercy Pilgrimage is being planned for our Middle-school and High-school parishioners to the Diocesan Holy Door at Holy Rosary Church/Shrine of Saint John Paul II in Passaic on Sunday, May 1st, so….save the date! More information will follow in the mail. Alleluia! Keep the joy of Easter morning in your spirits throughout

the Easter season.

Mother’s Day Plant Sale St. James Church will be having a plant sale on Mother’s Day, May 8th, after both Masses. Remember that “special lady” in your life on her “special” day. There will be 10” and 12” assorted hanging baskets while supplies last. Prices vary depending on the size and type of flower you choose. St. Thomas History – St. Bartholomew the Apostle was a residential home along Route 15 in Lafayette and had a large room in it modified for use as a chapel. It became the residence for the Western Sussex Missions until the St. James rectory was built.

2016: St. Thomas 75th Anniversary Year Good Deed Journaling. All parishioners are invited to make note of the good deeds they perform during the course of the day. There are little notebooks on the table in the Gathering Space. Please take one and use it as a personal diary to record the good deeds you perform for the Lord each day. You may surprise yourself. These notebooks are for your personal use only, and can be a wonderful offering to the Lord of your time well spent for His honor and glory. SAVE THE DATE: On Saturday, April 23rd at 7:00PM in the Father Lewis Center, the Columbiettes will be having a dance with great music provided by “KOZ THE DJ’. Tickets are $10.00 each and can be purchased at either church after Masses or through Rosemarie, the parish secretary. Join us for a night of fun. Hotdogs, Sauerkraut, rolls, dessert, coffee and tea will be served. BYOB. Checks made payable to Msgr. James F. Gacquin Auxiliary #12974. First Saturday Mass will be celebrated at St. James Church on Saturday morning, April 2nd, at 8am. Our Lady of Fatima promised to assist with the graces needed for salvation at the hour of death, all those who on the first Saturday of five consecutive months shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep her company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation. The next St. Thomas 75th Anniversary Year meeting will be Saturday, April 16th after the 4:30pm Mass. This is a change from the April 23rd meeting that was set to take place. Lighthouse Catholic Media Audio CDs. This week we highlight

“Down to Earth / Grounded in Faith.” There are several moments in life where God attempts to grab our attention and remind us that He is in charge. Through humor and poignant biblical insights, Mark Hart candidly reflects on a particular near-death experience in his life where Our Lord grabbed his attention and put Mark's Catholic faith to the test. Only $3 each. Mark Hart serves as the executive vice president for Life Teen International (LifeTeen.org). A 20-year veteran of youth ministry, he is a best-selling & award-winning author of over a dozen books. He is also one of the most sought-after speakers in the Catholic Church today.

Yoga-lates St. Thomas is offering a Spring fitness class with a mix of Yoga moves (for flexibility and calm mind) and Pilates (for strength and tone especially in your core muscles). The class is on Tuesday nights from 6:15-7:15pm for 8 weeks starting April 12th. You may join us at any time. The class is easy to follow but a full body workout. Bring a mat, hand held weights (1-8lbs.), water and a friend. Join for the session for only $40.00 or pay $6.00 per class. Twenty percent of the class money will be going to St. Thomas parish. So, please try it out and do something for yourself. Any questions, please call Chris Dube at 973-948-2329. HOLD THE DATE The St. Thomas Tricky Tray will take place on Friday, May 6th. More information will follow.

This Week in Our Parishes STC – St. Thomas Church or Fr. Lewis Center SJC – St. James Church or Church Hall REC – Fr. Gacquin Religious Ed. Center Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016

8:00 a. m. SJC Easter Sunday Mass 9:30 a. m. STC Easter Sunday Mass 11:30a.m. SJC Easter Sunday Mass Monday, Mar. 28 Tuesday, Mar. 29 10:00a.m. STC Reflection on Readings Wednesday, Mar. 30 Thursday, Mar. 31 Friday, Apr. 1 9:00 a.m. STC Adoration of Blessed Sacrament after Mass, till 12 Noon 10:00a.m. STC Legion of Mary Mtg. 7:30 p.m. Confirmation Rehearsal at

St. Joseph’s Church, Newton

Saturday, Apr. 2 3 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Joseph’s Church, Newton Sunday, April 3, 2016 Divine Mercy Sunday 8:00 a.m. SJC Coffee Hour after Mass 9:30 a.m. STC 75th Anniversary Year Begins -- Coffee Hour 11:30p.m. SJC Coffee Hour after Mass 3:00 p.m. STC Divine Mercy Chaplet Future Events Sat. Ap. 23 STC Spring Dance Fri. May 6 STC Annual Tricky Tray ************************************ Next Sunday’s Reading: 2nd Sun. of Easter 1st Reading: Acts of Apostles 5: 12--16 Resp. Psalm: Psalm 118 2nd Reading: Revelation 1: 9-11, 12f, 17--19 Gospel: John 20: 19—31 ************************************

Happy Easter ! Along with our parish staff, I wish you a very joyous Feast of our Lord’s Resurrection. It is the pledge of our own. Remember that for us as Christians, Easter is not just a day—it is a whole season. In some ways, our entire life is a preparation for the fullness of life in the Lord’s Kingdom. We hope that you will be able to enjoy this day with family and friends.

Our Thanks to all who had a part in making the services of Holy Week and Easter so meaningful: our choir and musicians, those who served at the Liturgies, all who decorated and helped clean the church in preparation for the services. Thanks also to the Knights and our 6th, 7th & 8th Graders for the Seder Supper, our disciples for Holy Thursday, and to our Confirmation youth for presenting the Living Stations.

2016: St. Thomas’ 75th Anniversary Year Our 75th Anniversary celebrations will begin with a “Kick-Off Coffee Hour” next Sunday April 3rd. It will take place after the 9:30 a.m. Mass, and will begin to display photos and memorabilia from the ‘good old days.’ Older parishioners are encouraged to write down their memories so that we can include them in future Bulletins. Other events of the year will be published soon.

Our Thanks to Mike Bussow and Mike Milligan, who recently spent many hours washing, stripping and waxing the Father Lewis Center. Along with the new coat of paint, we practically have a new church hall to celebrate the events of our 75th Anniversary.

Congratulations and Thanks also to all who had a part in making the recent St. James Annual St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef Dinner go so well; and to all who came out to enjoy the event. Besides having a wonderful time, the profit for the evening was an incredible $ 1510.50 !

Sat. Evening Mass. The vote is in ! The people have spoken ! By a three-to-one margin, St. Thomas parishioners have asked that our Sat. ev. Mass remain at 4:30 p.m. all throughout the year. Effective immediately ! “If people really understood what the Mass was about: our churches would be packed every Sunday.” --Bishop Serratelli