Category: Newsletter

Mission Session 3

Join us for our Third Session of Forgiven. We will meet after the Masses on Sunday. After the 8 a.m. at St. Joan of Arc in the school Library and after the 10:30 at St. Thomas More right in the church. Thank you to our Deacons for leading this experience!

EMHC’s Needed for Homebound

Are you EMHC trained? We are in need of help with our homebound parishioners at both parishes. Our brothers and sisters in Christ desire to take part in communion on Sunday.

St. Thomas More: Rick Fanciullo

St. Joan of Arc: Dcn. Tim and Ruth Leininger

Promote Your Business in the Bulletin

Bulletin promotions help fund our bulletin. If you, a friend, or a loved one owns a business and would like to advertise in our bulletin please contact Jaime Arvizu. Phone (602) 642-4136 Email jarvizu@4lpi.com

Schedule Mass Intentions

Scheduling Mass intentions for either SJA or STM are BY MAIL REQUEST ONLY until January 2nd. After that, you can call or walk in with requests. Blank request forms are in the vestibule at each church and at Midtown Catholic Office, 4804 Grover.

Penance Services are Next Week

If you haven’t been to reconciliation in the last month or two, now would be a great time to go! Our penance services are:

Next Tuesday, December 20th, at St. Joan of Arc from 6-8 p.m.

Next Wednesday, December 21st, at St. Thomas More from 6-8 p.m.

St. Vincent de Paul Gift Matching

I’m thrilled to share some exciting news with you!   During the month of December, all monetary gifts made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha will be matched – dollar-for-dollar – up to $100,000. These “matching challenge funds” were recently offered to the Society by some generous local donors who also share our mission of serving members of our community who find themselves in a financial crisis and need assistance to be able to stay in their homes and feed their families.   This is great opportunity to make your donation go even further this December – essentially doubling it!   Also, you may be interested to know that there are many options to consider and choose from, when making a financial gift to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, including:   Send a check, cash or money order to: Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, 1715 Izard Street, Omaha, NE 68102.Make an online gift, using a credit or debit card – at ssvpomaha.org.Set up a recurring/monthly donation – also at ssvpomaha.org. Make a gift of securities (stocks or mutual funds). SSVP partners with the Omaha Community Foundation to accept gifts of securities. Please contact Nathan Morgan at the OCF, who will facilitate the securities transfer at nathan@omahafoundation.org or at 402-933-4229. Make a qualified charitable distribution from an Individual Retirement Account (for those 70 ½ and older).Make an estate planning/legacy gift in your will, one that will provide hope for those in need to last well into the future.   Again, all gifts made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha by December 31st will matched – dollar-for-dollar – up to $100,000.

TMIY Serve Day- Saturday, December 17^th

6:00am – TMIY Meeting and Group Discussion

7:30am – Start putting together the Winter Care Packages (should take no longer than 30 minutes)

8:30am – Break or breakfast at Billie J’s

10:00am – Deliver Winter Care Packages to Siena Francis House

10:45am – 5 Volunteers to serve Lunch and 8 Volunteers to help stock the pantry

12:45am – Done.  

How can I get involved?  You are welcome to participate in any and/or all of the activities on Saturday, December 17^th.

1) Attend the TMIY Meeting

2) Help package winter care packages for men

3) Join us for breakfast and socialize, following TMIY

3) Sign up to serve at Siena Francis House using the link below

4) Pray for us or purchase items for the care packages (not tax-deductible) – contact Woody at 651-353-6243

What is a winter kit?

Winter Hat

Winter Gloves

3-pack Wool Socks

Base Layer Long Sleeve Shirt
 Base Layer Pants
 Chapstick
 Candy Cane

Steps to register to volunteer:

1.       Go to this link to see your group reservation http://thatman.sienafrancis.volunteerhub.com/

2.       Click “Create Account” and follow the prompts (you do not have a join code)

3.       Click “Sign Up” next to the reserved event

4.       Agree to volunteer waiver

The day of the event:

–          You will be volunteering in the Emergency Shelter Building.  The address is 1117 N 17^th St. Omaha, NE 68102. 

o   When you pass the intersection of 17^th and Nicholas St. going North, you will see a parking lot on the west (left) side of 17^th St.  All volunteers can use this parking lot.  The emergency shelter is across the street from the parking lot.  The building says Siena Francis House Emergency Shelter on an exterior wall.   o   Go in through the main door, and tell the staff at the front desk that you are kitchen volunteers.  Staff will guide you to the kitchen

Holiday Mass Schedule

Thanksgiving Day:

Mass at 9 am (Both Locations)

Immaculate Conception:

December 8th, Solemnity, Holy Day of Obligation

St. Thomas More: December 7^th Vigil Mass 6 pm. December 8^th 7 am and 8:15 am

St. Joan of Arc: December 8^th 8:30 am and 6:00 pm

Penance Services:

SJA: December 20^th 6 pm

STM: December 21^st 6 pm

Christmas Weekend Mass Schedule

Vigil Mass (both parishes) 4 pm

Midnight Mass (12 a.m.) at STM

8:00 am SJA

10:30 am STM

New Year, New Schedule

St. Thomas More will no longer have a 5 pm Vigil Mass on Saturdays starting on December 31st, with its first Sunday 4:30 pm Mass the next day on January 1st.

Holiday Office Schedule

Normal Schedule:

Mon-Fri 8 am to 4:30 pm

The office will be closed:

Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 24^th

Friday November 25^th

Immaculate Conception, Thursday December 8^th

Friday December 23^rd at Noon

Monday December 26^th

Friday December 30^th at Noon

Monday January 2^nd

Thanksgiving Blessing

Bring some food to the Thanksgiving Day Masses for a food blessing! Bread and wine are the traditional move, but you can certainly bring more. Follow instructions at each parish for keeping food with you or putting it on the altar.

Parish Mission

Join us after Sunday Masses on December 4th, 11th, and 18th to watch a video and discuss the concept of forgiveness.

Peddlers Market

Get your Christmas Shopping done early and shop with local and small vendors!

St. Nick’s Dinner

Come to the St. Nicholas Dinner in the St. Joan of Arc Social Hall!

Sunday December 4^th, 2022, 12 Noon-4:00 pm

$12/Adults;$6/Children under 11

Menu: turkey, mashed potatoes, 2 vegetables, dressing, cranberries, beverage, and dessert

Santa will be in attendance from 12:30 pm-3:30 pm

There is still time to sign-up to help before, during, or after the dinner.

Contact Alyssa Schulz 402.331.6432 or Sharn Carr or Jeni Burlage with questions.

Did St. Nick really punch a heretic? Read here: Let’s Stop Celebrating St. Nicholas Punching Arius| National Catholic Register (ncregister.com)

Subscribe to the Midweek Updates Newsletter to stay up to date on happenings at St. Joan of Arc and St. Thomas More Parish Communities

New Mass Schedule Starts New Year’s Weekend

On Saturday, Dec 31^st, STM will have its normal 8am Mass (does not count towards Solemnity Obligation)

On Saturday, Dec 31^st, SJA will have the vigil Mass at 5:30 pm

On Sunday, January 1^st, SJA will have Mass at 8:00 am On Sunday, January 1^st, STM will have Mass at 10:30 am and at 4:30 pm

On January 2^nd, we will begin the New Weekday Schedule:

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays – Mass at 8:30 am at SJA

Thursdays, Fridays – Mass at 7:00 am at STM

(Fridays when school is in session, STM will have another Mass at 8:15 am)

Saturdays, Mass at 8:00 am at STM

  (does not count towards Sunday obligation)

Saturdays, Mass at 5:30 pm at SJA

Sundays, Mass at 8:00 am at SJA

Holiday Mass Schedule

Thanksgiving Day

Each church will have Mass at 9am

Immaculate Conception Mass Schedule

On Wednesday, Dec 7^th, STM will have a vigil Mass at 6:00 pm.

On Thursday, Dec 8^th, STM will have Masses at 7:00 am and 8:15 am

On Thursday, Dec 8^th, SJA will have Masses at 8:30 am and 6:00 pm

Penance Services – Dec 20^th at SJA and Dec 21^st at STM both at 6:00 pm. 

Christmas Weekend Mass Schedule

On Saturday, Dec 24^th, both STM and SJA will have a vigil Mass at 4:00 pm

On Sunday, Dec 25^th, STM will have Midnight Mass and

      a Christmas Day Mass at 10:30 am

On Sunday, Dec 25^th, SJA will have a Christmas Mass at 8:00 am

Thanksgiving Food Blessing

Following the 9 a.m. Masses on Thanksgiving, both priests will offer a food blessing for thanksgiving. Ideal is to bring a bottle of wine and loaf of bread to Mass. Other food (in small samples) is fine as well. Keep in mind it will be sitting the duration of Mass. Follow instructions at the church about keeping the food in your pew or placing it near the altar.

The Chosen Comes to Formed

The hit show, The Chosen, has taken the Christian world by storm since 2019. Season 1 is now available to stream on Formed.org, which is available to all of our parishioners. The series will be followed with a Catholic commentary series from the many theologians and scholars involved with Formed. If you have not yet experienced the phenomenon, I highly recommend giving the first episode a watch!

Pancake Feeds at Both Parishes this Month

St. Thomas More will have a pancake feed on Sunday November 13^th starting at 8:30 a.m. and St. Joan of Arc will follow up the next Sunday, November 20^th. A fun two weeks if you enjoy pancakes or want to get to know more of your parish family! See the bulletin or talk to a member of the Knights of Columbus for more details.

St. Thomas More Peddlers Market

Please join us for our 16^th annual STM Peddlers’ Market. We are hosting this on THURSDAY, Dec. 1^st, 2022 from 5-9 p.m. This is a unique shopping experience with two floors of artisans and vendors. Shoppers will enjoy free admission, soup, and Orisi’s Pizza. Sip on beer and wine while shopping.

If you are interested in being a vendor at this event, we still have some tables available. You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/st-thomas-more-peddlers-market-2022-registration or simply search for this event on Eventbrite!

Please Contact Sara McCandless with any questions you may have, 402.981.9941 or email stmpeddlersmarket@gmail.com.

Advent Mission Poll Results

I was pleasantly surprised by your feedback in my poll for the Advent Mission. We actually had more people answer the poll than I can view on the free version of Survey Monkey! The initial results showed a strong favor for a traditional mission with a service opportunity as a solid second. I will be meeting with our priests and deacons next week to put a plan together.

Please reach out to me at tjsimpson@midtowncatholic.church or (402) 507-5546 if you would like to be involved in running the mission. I am hopeful that if we have enough volunteers, we can also do a service opportunity and run the mission conjunctively at both parishes.

STM Scrip Pizza Contest

This year’s contest starts Monday, November 7th. The classroom with the highest average amount of SCRIP (Gift Cards) purchased can win a classroom pizza party. There is also a weekly drawing for every person that makes a purchase that week (winner gets a $25 gift card). Make sure to include your STM child’s name and grade anytime you purchase SCRIP before Monday, January 2nd.

Christ the King Novena starts November 11^th

Sunday November 20th marks the Solemnity of Christ the King. You can join other Catholics in praying a novena to Chris the King on November 11th.

EWTN has a simple repetitive prayer to follow: Novena to Christ the King | EWTN

Pray More Novenas has a background on the feast and a prayer for each day: CHRIST THE KING NOVENA PRAYERS – Pray More Novenas – Novena Prayers & Catholic Devotion

Chris Stefanik in Freemont Wednesday November 30^th

Are you struggling with joy? Have joy but want more? Wherever you fall on the spectrum, you will not want to miss Chris Stefanick coming to St Pat’s to share part of his teaching on joy!

Chris will be here Wednesday, November 30 at 6:30 pm for a one-hour talk in the church, followed by Q&A and a book signing. Parishioners are also planning to share treats that bring them joy in Delaney Hall after, so be sure to mosey on down there and see what that’s all about!  Register for FREE here: https://stpatsfremont.flocknote.com/signup/101832

Events Happening This Week and Upcoming at Midtown Catholic

The Midweek update is back. Please send all propositions and concerns to tjsimpson@midtowncatholic.church

Voting on Mass time continues this weekend.

Be sure to attend Mass at one of our two churches to help inform the Pastors and Parish council on our preference for a different Mass time. We need to adjust so that one priest can say all four Masses.

St. Vincent de Paul Pantry Collection- both parishes this weekend.

Bring non-perishable food items to church this weekend to share with the less fortunate. Appreciated items include rice, beans, cereals, hamburger helper, oatmeal, pancake mix, peanut butter jelly, pasta sauce, canned meat, macaroni & cheese, toilet paper, dish and laundry soap, and diapers.

Blessing of Pets from 2-2:30 Sunday at St. Thomas More

Youth Choir Practice Thursday

5:30-6:15 p.m. at St. Thomas More. Your kids can still join. Contact Rachel Bielstein at rjbielstein@midtowncatholic.church for more info.

October is Month of the Rosary

Symbol of Hate? Rearview mirror decor? Sacramental? Find our here: The History of the Rosary – Catholicism.org

Join us in praying the Rosary at 6 p.m.:

Tuesday Nights Queen of Peace Garden at SJA

Sunday Nights St. Thomas More

Volunteer! Winter Coat Give Away- November 5

St. Vincent de Paul Society is looking for helpers on November 5th to help give out coats at the Omaha Home for Boys from 8 am to 1 pm. Send an email to coats@svdpomaha.com

Donate NEW or GENTLY USED coats for children and adults at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift stores or Gloria Deo Store. Financial Contributions welcome at svdpomaha.com/donate