St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church . Naperville IL . 630.355.8980 Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet-in-Illinois

Most Rev. R. Daniel Conlon, Bishop Most Rev. Joseph Siegel, Auxiliary Bishop

Most Rev. Joseph L. Imesch, Bishop Emeritus

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 9, 2012

*indicates part-time staff

Nick Furibondo 898.5224 Richard Strassburger 499.5676

St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church 1500 Brookdale Road, Naperville, IL 60563 e-mail: mainoffice@stapostle.org 630 355-8980 (Main Office) Visit us on the internet at www.stapostle.org 630 305-6318 (Religious Education) 630 355-0521 (Facsimilie)

Parish Staff Priests Rev. Don E. McLaughlin – Pastor, x102, dmclaughlin@stapostle.org Rev. Rodolphe Arty, C.S.C. – Parochial Vicar, x 103, rarty@stapostle.org Rev. Bob Colaresi, O. Carm. – Weekend Associate, robco@robco.org Permanent Deacons Rev. Mr. Michael (Kathryn) Barrett – x220, meabarrett@att.net Rev. Mr. Jim (Mary Jo) Breen – 630.357.4853, jimb4853@yahoo.com Rev. Mr. Larry (Susan) Kearney – x225, lrkearney@comcast.net Rev. Mr. Chuck (Sue) Lane – x220, chucklane2@juno.com Rev. Mr. Pat (Mary Jo) Lennon – x220, presence.now@gmail.com Liturgy Kate Cuddy – Director of Music and Liturgy, x112, kcuddy@stapostle.org Scott Knisley – Asst. Director of Music and Liturgy, x111, sknisley@stapostle.org Lori Culberson – Liturgy Coordinator, x120, lculberson@stapostle.org Theresa Sheliga* – Sacristan Coordinator, x116 Faith Formation Sandy Renehan – Principal at All Saints Catholic Academy 630.961.6125 Patti Dougherty – Director of Religious Education, x109, pdougherty@stapostle.org Brett Adams – Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, x117, badams@stapostle.org Peggy Goralski – Associate Partner of Youth Ministry, x123, pgoralski@stapostle.org Chari Rosales – Director of Adult Education & RCIA x138, crosales@stapostle.org Nancy Cirmo – Religious Education Assistant, x118, ncirmo@stapostle.org Outreach and Social Justice Michael Ryder – Director of Outreach & Social Justice, x121, mryder@stapostle.org Anne Schultz – OSJ Partner, x113, aschultz@stapostle.org Sally Meno* – OSJ Financial, x137, smeno@stapostle.org Pastoral Care Jan Olah – Director of Pastoral Care, x124 Felicia Lawlor*, M.S., R.N. – Faith Community Nurse, x104, flawlor@stapostle.org Rose Grumbine*, R.N., – Faith Community Nurse, x140, rgrumbine@stapostle.org Administration Janet Simmons – Finance/Business Officer, x106, jsimmons@stapostle.org Diane McQueen – Gen Office Administrative Asst, x101, dmcqueen@stapostle.org Kathy Ferguson – Gen Office Administrative Asst, x100, mainoffice@stapostle.org Elizabeth Fisher* – Evening/Saturday Receptionist Mary Wright* – Evening/Saturday Receptionist Marge Coronado – Administration and R.E. Asst, x219, mcoronado@stapostlr.org Marilyn DeMeo* – Database Coordinator (T/Th), x107, mdemeo@stapostle.org Angie Tuttle – Bulletin and Web Editor, Liturgy Asst, x110, atuttle@stapostle.org Bob Hartmann – Facility Manager, x133, facility@stapostle.org Pastoral Leadership Community Christine Berta 579.4294 Pam Foster 699.3044 Charles Haydon 369.2262

Commission Facilitators Worship Kate Cuddy 355.8980 Parish Life Faith Formation Chris Baker 548.1733 Administration Charles Haydon 369.2262 Service Carol Healy 961.0942

Liturgy Schedule Daily (Monday — Friday) Communion Service — 6:30 a.m. Rosary — 8:10 a.m. Mass — 8:30 a.m. (Saturday) Mass — 8:30 a.m.

Weekend Saturday Vigil — 4:30 p.m. Sunday — 8:00, 9:30, 11:15 a.m.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every first Friday, 9:00 — 9:30 a.m.

Sacrament of Reconciliation Reconciliation is available Saturday, 3:30 to 4:15 p.m., in the Reconciliation Room of the Chapel. Our priests are available during the week by appointment. Commu-nal Penance services are held occasionally during the year. Sick and Home Bound Call the Church Office to receive prayer/Eucharist from a priest, deacon or Minister of Care. Baptism Baptisms are usually celebrated 2-3 Sundays each month at a 12:30 p.m. service. On selected dates, Baptisms are celebrated at weekend Masses. Parents are required to attend an awareness and renewal evening prior to the Baptism. Call the Church Office a few months in advance to make arrangements. Matrimony A couple planning on being married at St. Thomas should contact the church six months in advance. One year is preferred. Either the bride or groom, or their parents, must be a registered parishioner for at least three months prior to calling to set a date. Religious Education Call the 630.305.6318 to register. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) Any person wanting to learn more about the Catholic Faith, or to join our Catholic community should call the church at 630.355.8980. Counseling Service Call Samaritan Interfaith 630.357.2456 or Jan Olah, Pastoral Care 630.355.8980 x 124. Sunday Nursery Nursery care is available for your child age one (walking) to four at the 9:30 a.m. Mass. For more information call the church office.

Now that the Labor Day holiday is over and things are “back to normal”… kids full swing in school, summer vacations taken, fall sports in play, I want to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to Patti Dougherty, the Picnic Committee members and co-chairs Mary Wright and Dennis DeMeo who worked so hard to make this year’s parish picnic an enjoyable success – despite the rain. Thanks to the many volunteers who ran the various games and ac-tivities and who helped setup, tear down, cleanup. All who came enjoyed the food, games, presentation by the “Chalkman” and the

opportunity to come together as the St. Thomas Parish family. A good time was had by all! And, as the Labor Day holiday is over, much of our attention turns now to the presidential election that is only 9 weeks away. We will be inundated with po-litical campaign ads on television and radio as well as much rhetoric and de-bates. So, what is the role of the Catholic Church in politics? I distributed to all our staff, and have made copies available in the narthex of the “Guidelines on Political Activities for Parishes and Catholic Church Organizations” written by the Catholic Conference of Illinois (www.catholicconferenceofillinois.org). The Catholic Conference of Illinois is the agent through which the six dioceses in the state of Illinois act mutually and cooperatively in matters of inter-diocesan and sate-wide interest. It is the public policy arm of the Catholic Church in Illinois. It is my expectation that these guidelines will be followed at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. The Catholic Church, its parishes and Church organizations are prohibited by federal law from participating in partisan political activities. However, the Church does have a role in politics and public policy formation through activities such as educating Catholics and others on the teachings of the Church as they relate to social policies; analyzing and measuring policies against the values of the Gospel; speaking out on issues, such as those involv-ing the life and dignity of the human person, social justice, the promotion of the common good, and the life of the Church in society. Some may expect those who preach at St. Thomas to use the pulpit (Sunday homily) as a means to do this. If the Scripture readings assigned by the Church for a particular Sunday speak to a certain Church teaching that is pertinent to the political debate, then certainly we may preach it. However, I will not use the pulpit for a single issue that is not related to the assigned Sunday Scripture readings. There are other venues for that i.e. bulletin inserts and voter education materials. Also noted in the “Guidelines” is that only voter education materials that come from or are approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI), or the local dioceses may be published by or distributed in parishes, schools or other entities of the province. Also, parishes and Church organization should avoid any participation in or authori-zation of the distribution of campaign literature or biased voter education mate-rials on their property. However, a parish or Church organization is not obli-gated to actively monitor and prevent campaign leafleting of cars in its parking lot. The Catholic Church encourages Catholic voters to participate fully in the political process and to form their conscience according to Church teaching. For more information please visit the following websites: www.faithfulcitizenship.org catholicconferenceofillinois.org dioceseofjoliet.org

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time September 9, 2012 Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs to the kingdom?

— James 2:5

Welcome Guests and Visitors! We’re so glad you’re here and invite you to walk the path of faith with us. St. Thomas strives to provide a spiritual home where all are welcome, where the healing, reconciling, liberating love of God is shared by all. We believe the church is the sacrament of God’s saving presence in the world, join us! Would you like to become a Parishioner? Call Kathy Ferguson 630.355.8980.

From the Pastor’s Desk

September 9, 2012, Page 4

Worship Commission—Liturgy & Music

Presider’s Schedule September 15/16

Saturday 4:30 pm, Fr. Dof Arty, Deacon Mike Barrett

Sunday 8:00 am, Fr. Don McLaughlin, Deacon Larry Kearney 9:30 am, Fr. Bob Colaresi, Deacon Pat Lennon 11:15 am, Fr. Dof Arty 6:00 pm, Fr. Matt Lorenz

Schedule is subject to change.

Sunday 6:00 p.m. Mass Resumes The Sunday 6:00 p.m. Mass will resume Septem-ber 9. This is a very upbeat, lively mass geared for youth and the young at heart. All ministers are needed — Lectors, Musicians, Choir Members, and Eucharis-tic Ministers. If you are interested, call Lori Culber-son at 630.355.8980 x 120.

Fr. Don’s Formal Installation Fr. Don will be formally installed as the fourth pastor of St. Thomas on September 30 at the 9:30 a.m. mass by Fr. Thomas Sularz. Fr. Thomas Sularz is the pastor of St. Daniel the Prophet in Wheaton and is also Dean of the Western Dupage Deanery. A recep-tion for Fr. Don will follow the Mass.

HELP! Altar Servers…it’s not too late! A training session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 12 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. You only need to attend one session. Inter-ested? Contact Lori Culberson 630.355.8980 x 120. Also….it’s not too late to sign-up to be a Eucha-ristic Minister or a Host Greeter. These ministers are needed for all Masses, but Host Greeters are espe-cially needed for the 11:15am Mass on Sundays. Training is provided! All you need is a welcoming heart and a willingness to serve the community! Something to Consider Sacristans and Hostesses for Friday and Saturday Afternoon Weddings are desperately needed. These ministers are the first face of hospitality and welcome for many families. Married couples, might you consider doing this as a team? High School or College students are welcome to serve as well! Training is provided. Please prayer-fully consider this call.

Choir Season is Upon Us! St. Thomas’ Choirs are beginning again. Singers and Instrumentalists of all ages are needed. Why not consider this calling? If interested, please see what group you would fit into, and attend the first re-hearsal. Come for a warm welcome and meet the fine people of this music ministry! St. Thomas Youth Choir (Grades 2-5):

Rehearse Mondays from 4:15pm to 5:15pm First Rehearsal: September 10

St. Thomas Middle School Choir (Grades 6-8): Rehearse Thursdays from 4:15pm to 5:15pm First Rehearsal: September 6

St. Thomas High School Choir (Journey Praise): Rehearse Thursdays from 6pm to 7pm First Rehearsal: September 6

St. Thomas Adult Choir (Voices of Faith): Rehearse Tuesdays from 7:30pm to 9:30pm First Rehearsal: September 4

 Annual Blessing of Pets—Sunday, September 30 Because the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals falls on a weekday day this year (Thursday, October 4), to enable more people to attend with their pets, the annual blessing of pets is being offered on Sunday, September 30 at 1:30 p.m. (No Bears game this Sunday, they play Monday night!). The blessing will take place in the yard near the labyrinth.

Page 5 — September 9, 2012

Pray For Our Parish

Mass Intentions Monday, September 10, 2012 8:30 Our Homebound Parishioners Tuesday, September 11, 2012 8:30 †Pat Gallagher, by Betty Gallagher Wednesday, September 12, 2012 8:30 Parishioners of Ste Marie-Madeleine in Duchity Thursday, September 13, 2012 8:30 †John Mahoney, by Barbara & Bill Walsh Friday, September 14, 2012 8:30 †Bill Riordan, by Lucille Saturday, September 15, 2012 8:30 Priests & Brothers of The Holy Cross 4:30 †Emilia Hlinka, by Anthony Hlinka †Sue Culberson, by Jim & Mary Jo Breen Sunday, September 16, 2012 8:00 †Barb Diederichs, by Tom †Esperanza Delgado, by Carmella Aguilar 9:30 †Anthony Rizzi, by Family †Tom Jakubowski, by Jim & Mary Jo Breen 11:15 †Marilyn Kane, by Ed Kane †Fred Olliges, by The Shonkwiler Family 6:00 For the People of St. Thomas

Cpt. Matthew Haselhorst Sgt. William Stuart 1st Lt. Chris Turley

SR Joel Curry SR Jeffrey Bates

Please Pray for our Men and Women Serving in the Military Our parish community would like to recognize and remember the following individuals in prayer:

U.S. Air Force Lt. Joseph Zito Staff Sgt. Brooke Sica Airman Maxwell Dempsey

Air Force National Guard Senior Airman Jacob Brancaleon

U.S. Army Lt. Alanna Casey Sgt. Aaron Simms PFC Sean Wesley SPC Eric Servatius Warrant Officer Aviation Kyle Zimmerman

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Kevin Martin Corporal Aaron Murphy Lance Corporal Oliver Buckley Captain Brad Rothman Lt. Colin Miller-Ratcliffes Lance Corporal Tommy Balducci

U.S. Navy AT3 Amanda Schlarman Ensign Jason Coons

U.S. Coast Guard

Call the parish office 630.355.8980 to include someone you love in the Military prayer list.

For the sick… Mary Growney, wife of John Larry Kieklak, husband of Mary and father of Beth Pojman Kathleen & Steve Bursik, daughter & son in-law of Lucille Panas Grace Breamer, sister of Josephine Potter Nancy Billenstein, friend of Julie Hatcher Kevin Lee, son of Margie, friend of Jim Roller Lois Walker, sister of Elizabeth Fisher Bill Callahan, friend of Beth Anne Mahler For the deceased… Hilda Zamudio, friend of Tina Dufkis Lori Martino, mother of Tina Gross

Now is the time, creator God, to give back to you what you have given to us. You liberate us from the prison of our guilt, and make us free from our pain. You inspire us, and give us so much to believe in. You keep things steady; You still the raging storms of fear and anger, worry and stress that well up within us. You keep things fresh, alive, and new. You continually shower us with gifts and blessings; of which there are too many to count!

September 9, 2012, Page 6

Faith and Formation Commission– Adult

Now we come to the section of the Apostles’ Creed that addresses Jesus. We say we believe “IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD.” We know Jesus was a real person because there are historical records of him even outside of our sacred Scriptures. And like most an-cient Jews, Jesus was given his name for a specific pur-pose. In Hebrew, His name means “God saves,” which reflects Jesus’ identity and mission. The Jewish people had been watching for their Messiah for hundreds of years. The early Church came to believe Jesus was the Christ, the anointed One, the long-awaited Messiah. Like God the Father, Jesus was given the title of Lord. The Hebrew word for Lord is Adonai. The Greek word for Lord is Kyrios, which indicates divinity. As Lord, Jesus has authority to guide and lead and shepherd according to God’s idea of what leads to life, and therefore He is wor-thy of our worship and obedience. By professing that Jesus is God’s only true and eternal Son, we are again recogniz-ing God as our heavenly Father. But we are also recogniz-ing that Jesus has a unique relationship to God the Father and that Jesus Himself is also God. What an incredible gift this Father bestows upon us by sending His own beloved Son to walk among us.

C.A.R.E. CORNER

Soul Searchers St. Thomas Soul Searchers meets once a month to explore and discover truths in Simone Weil’s Waiting for God. Weil was a philosopher, political activist, and agnostic turned Christian mystic who died in 1938. This collection of her letters and essays offers her non-traditional views of Christianity and is considered a classic to inform future generations. The book is published by HarperCollins, 2001 and is available at Barnes and Noble and several on-line sites. This month’s reading: Intro-duction and Letter I. The next meeting of Soul Searchers is Saturday, September 8 from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. in the Rectory Basement. Contact Mary Maloney with questions at 630.355.8980. Come whenever your schedule allows and enjoy a thought pro-voking experience. All are welcome to attend this monthly discussion group. Calling All Artists...

The Celebration of the Arts ministry of St. Thomas the Apostle invites artists to participate in the 15th Annual Fine Art and Craft Fair.

The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, November 3 and 4 in the Minis-try Center. The deadline for registration is September 30, however space is allocated on a “first come first serve” basis so don’t wait until the last minute to register. Call Don Castro at 630.717.9354 or Chari Rosales at 630.355.8980x138 for entry forms or more information.

Is it time to invest in your relationship?

A strong, loving and lifelong relationship doesn’t happen by chance. We can all learn how to make even the happiest marriage better. Once a month on Friday evening from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., come to the Lighthouse for dinner, a video and private couple conversation on topics vital to everyday concerns such as the art of communication, resolving conflict, the impact of family, and love in action. Dates for 2012-13 are Sept. 14, Oct. 12, Nov. 9, Dec. 7, Jan. 18, Feb. 15, Mar. 8 and Apr. 19. Tables for two, candlelight and a relaxed atmosphere await you with your hosts, Rose and Steven Grumbine. So that all conversations remain private – there is no group sharing – registrations are available only to the first 12 couples who apply. The cost is just $70 per couple to cover meals and materials. Pick up a flier/registration form in the Gathering Area or register with Chari Rosales in the Adult Faith For-mation Office at 630.355.8980 x138 or crosales@stapostle.org. Sign up now – good things await you!

Page 7 — September 9, 2012

Walking Humbly with God

- Poor exploited by wealthy - Infidelity and adultery rampant - Cheating scandals and political upheavals

Headlines from the Chicago Tribune? No, ex-cerpts from Old Testament prophets Amos, Hosea and Micah, pioneers in the transmission of God’s insistence on social justice – the focus of the upcom-ing Friday Bible Study. What God values and what we do are often at odds. How can we align the two? Fr. Richard Rohr, noted Franciscan teacher and au-thor writes, “If you understand Hebrew Scripture, you can truly understand Jesus.” Start with these three prophets and see how and why Jesus in his ministry was indeed the word of God in the flesh. Grow your understanding of Amos, Hosea and Micah through the Friday Morning Bible Study, which meets 9:15 to 11:00 a.m. from September 14, 2012 thru May 2013. An orientation for new partici-pants with facilitator Audrey Easton will be held at 9:15 a.m. on September 7. To register, or for more information, contact Chari Rosales in the Adult Faith Formation Office at 630.355.8980 x138 or crosales@stapostle.org. All are welcome!

Spread the Word Scripture Study at St. Thomas

Mark

Did you know the deaf man Jesus healed was probably a Gentile? Jesus’ healing was not just for people of his Faith. Jesus healed the deaf man to bring him more fully into his community. Are we considerate of those with special needs?

Dance lessons coming! “Shake it up, baby!” Long-time, experienced dance instructor Diana Giarusso will lead couples, both beginner and experienced dancers, through swing, salsa, rhumba, fox trot, cha cha, waltz and tango in four Thursday sessions, September 27 through October 18, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the St. Thomas Gym. Cost is $20 per couple per session. All that’s required is a sense of fun and adventure! Register by September 24 with Chari Rosales in the Adult Faith Formation Office at 630.355.8980 x138 or crosales@stapostle.org.

Today’s Readings First Reading — Be strong, fear not! Here is your God (Isaiah 35:4-7a). Psalm — Praise the Lord, my soul! (Psalm 146). Second Reading — Show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ (James 2:1-5). Gospel — Jesus makes the deaf hear and the mute speak (Mark 7:31-37). The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

Readings for the Week Mon: 1 Cor 5:1-8; Lk 6:6-11 Tues: 1 Cor 6:1-11; Lk 6:12-19 Wed: 1 Cor 7:25-31; Lk 6:20-26 Thurs: 1 Cor 8:1b-7, 11-13; Lk 6:27-38 Fri: Nm 21:4b-9; Phil 2:6-11; Jn 3:13-17 Sat: 1 Cor 10:14-22; Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35 Sun: Is 50:5-9a; Ps 116; Jas 2:14-18; Mk 8:27-35

September 9, 2012, Page 8

? Families: Take some time to discuss and reflect on the readings.

Question of the Week...

What is one way you realize you are “deaf”?

Faith and Formation Commission– Youth

Did you know St. Thomas has a nursery?

See page 13 for details!

It’s Not Too Late to Register For Religious Education Late registration for Religious Education is going on now. If you have not registered yet, please come to the Faith Formation / Religious Education Office (hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to pick up a registration form or download it from the St. Thomas website www.stapostle.org. Questions? Call the Faith Formation Office at 630.305.6318. For Families with Special Needs Sometimes the sights and sounds at Mass is over-whelming for those with sensory challenges. The con-ference room, next to the St. Thomas Nursery, and across from the Faith Formation Office, can serve as a Quiet Space for parents to bring children who need a short break during Mass. This small space can only accommodate one family at a time attending to a child. Families are encouraged to rejoin the assembly when their child has had the opportunity to regulate him/her self. Copies of “My Picture Missal” are available for on Sundays during the 9:30 and 11:15 masses and are located at the Greeter Desk in the Gathering Area. Please check in the booklet right after mass so others may borrow it. This booklet uses visuals (similar to Boardmaker) to help a child follow the order of the Mass. It is small and colorful, with basic captions in-structing “sit”, “stand”, “sing”, etc. Parents will find this tool useful in allowing children with special needs to be engaged and participate during the Mass. All are truly welcome at St. Thomas the Apostle. If there are other ways to better support your family’s needs, please contact the Faith Formation Office at 630.305.6318 or the Parish Office at 630.355.8980.

Liturgy of the Word with Children Liturgy of the Word is for children 4 years old (and able to attend on their own) through Grade 3. This begins September 23 until April 21 except around Christmas and Easter. This will be offered for children during the 9:30 and 11:15 Masses. Children begin mass with their parents until they are invited by the Priest to attend their own ‘Liturgy of the Word.” They leave just before the assembly starts the Readings and return after the Prayers of the Faithful. They go into meeting rooms in the Ministry Center. There is no registration and children of the above ages may attend either mass. Contact Patti Dougherty if interested in helping or with any questions at 630.355.8980 ext. 109 or pdougherty@stapostle.org.

Middle School Religious Education starts this week: Monday, September 10

Middle School Monday RE classes begin at All Saints, 7:15-8:30 pm Saturday, September 15

Middle School Saturday RE classes begin at All Saints, 8:30-9:45 am OR 10:30-11:45 am

Page 9 — September 9, 2012

Sign-up for Freshman Small Groups High School Freshmen: Sign ups are going on for freshmen small faith sharing groups. Participating in a small faith sharing group is a requirement for Con-firmation preparation. You should have received an email detailing how to join a small group. If not, please contact Brett Adams at badams@stapostle.org or Peggy Goralski at pgoralski@stapostle.org . These groups meet four to five times throughout the course of the year beginning with the Small Group Kick-off on September 30. Small Group Leaders Needed Adult small group leaders are needed for high school faith sharing groups. The first meeting for high school faith sharing groups is scheduled for Sun-day, September 30. The groups meet four to five times through the course of the year. If you are inter-ested in ministering in this way, contact Brett Adams at badams@stapostle.org or 630.355.8980, x117.

Youth Ministry Corner We’ve all no doubt had the experience, at one point or another, of seeing someone’s appearance and mak-ing judgments about them. Tattered clothes, saggy pants, expensive watch, perfect appearance, and the list goes on. I think our scriptures today ask us to move beyond our initial impressions and preconceived no-tions of people, and to open our hearts to the fact that we may not be as different as we thought. In the first reading from Isaiah, there is a slue of role reversals: those who are frightened…fear not! Blind eyes will be opened, the lame will leap, and so on. Countless times in scripture God seems to be all about role reversals and transformation, and the fact that there is more than meets the eye. This continues in the second reading, urging us not to make distinctions between the rich and poor, for “did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom…” Where this comes to a head is in the Gospel when Jesus cures the deaf person, he speaks the words “Ephphatha!” which means, “Be opened!” I take from this phrase, not simply the magic words to cure a deaf persons ears, but a challenge to all of us. God is con-tinually trying to open our hearts to his love, and this love makes no distinctions between rich and poor, and the haves and the have-nots, the “cool” and the “uncool”, or “popular” and “unpopular”. So my prayer for you this week is that your heart may be opened to experience love as Jesus did, without distinctions, and as your heart is opened I ask you to hold in prayer the roughly 50 youth who attended re-treat at Saint Thomas this weekend whom have no doubt been challenged to live in the spirit of Eph-phatha! Peace and Prayers, Brett Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry

Journey Night High School students and parents…it’s time to kick off another year of Journey Nights, Sunday, September 16 at 4:15 pm. Judy McDonald, a professional comedian for the past sixteen years and a lifelong Catholic, will speak. She has shared her unique way of evangelizing on TV, military bases, conferences, comedy clubs, and parishes all over the United States and the world. Judy will lead participants in an exploration to find God break-ing through to their lives. Come and be inspired to do great things for the glory of God.

September 9, 2012, Page 10

Service Commission—Outreach & Social Justice Hurricane Isaac Impact Impact on Ste. Marie-Madeleine in Duchity, Haiti St. Thomas’ Twinning parish in Duchity was spared any serious damage from Hurricane Isaac. Duchity, up in the mountains of southwest Haiti, endured heavy rains and the run off damaged some crops, but there were no injuries. The Glace River that crosses the road to Duchity was very high and traffic could not pass, but that is a fairly normal occurrence.

Impact on St. Thomas the Apostle in Long Beach, MS When Hurricane Katrina hit seven years ago, St. Thomas sent donations and rebuilding teams to the Gulf coast. A relationship was formed between the two St. Thomas parishes. When the earthquake hit Haiti, St. Thomas, Long Beach, in turn, provided a large donation to the Twinning program for earthquake relief. Hurricane Isaac was considered an “aggravation”. It was the first hurricane to hit the area since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. There was lots of rain and flooding but the flooding was due to the rain, not due to the Gulf. Some people who live near the beach were un-able to stay in their homes and watch the water during the storm; that would have been too emotional for them. People in low lying areas were ordered to evacuate and some people were without power, though all power should have been restored by Saturday, September 1. The new St. Thomas church and offices have some leaks, though some of the leaks were occurring even prior to the storm. Fr. Louis was on sabbatical this summer for 11 weeks. He is now safely back in Long Beach. Patsy Bishop, Fr. Louis’ assistant, asked for continued prayers for the people of St. Thomas, especially for those emotionally affected by this recent storm. Patsy said it means so much to St. Thomas to continue to have a connection with the people of St. Thomas in Naperville.

St. Thomas Cares and UMAP Veterans Program It is all about right relationships! St. Thomas Cares recently sponsored a golf outing with was attended by Terri McNally from Global Lease. Terri helped found Women for Wounded Warriors, a support organization for veterans that has become aware of the UMAP program (Utility Workers Military Assis-tance Program). Because of this relationship, Terri re-quested support from St. Thomas Cares for veterans in the UMAP program. Many veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have great difficulty transitioning back into American life. UMAP is a program designed to assist men and women transitioning from the military back into the ci-vilian sector with gainful career opportunities in the Util-ity Workers sector. In Chicago, the Utility Workers of America, working with city colleges, provides qualified veterans with six months of training and the guarantee of a job. Some of the veterans struggle to pay their rent while going to school. � Adam was helped with his July rent by Women for

Wounded Warriors— St. Thomas Cares helped him with his August rent.

� Tamara is a single mom and needs assistance with her rent for the next couple of months. Without help, her only option is a shelter— St. Thomas Cares helped Tamara with her August rent.

Both Adam and Tamara, as suggested by UMAP, signed a promissory note through UMAP to repay when they are able. It is all about right relationships and living our faith as the hands and feet of Jesus. Thanks to all who support St. Thomas Cares!

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8th Annual Hike for Hesed— September 22 Registration 7:30 to 8:30 AM Hike begins at 8:30 AM (2.6 miles roundtrip) Walk alone or build a hike team with co-workers, family, friends! Hike Team forms are available in the Gathering Area. The Hike starts at Hesed House, 680 S River St, Aurora, and winds along the walk path of the Fox River to the Montgomery Mill Street Bridge. Food and refreshments provided following the hike. For information, call 630.897.2156 ext. 542

DuPAGE PADS If the first Thursday of the month doesn’t work for you, perhaps the first Sunday does. The St. Thomas DuPage PADS Ministry serves the homeless at Community United Methodist Church in Naperville the first Sunday-Monday of every month (evening meal, overnight, breakfast, and bag lunch). They are in serious need of volunteers for the overnight shifts (10pm – 2am, 2am – 6am). Each shift has two volunteers. For more information contact Outreach and Social Justice: Mike Ryder 630.355.8980, mryder@stapostle.org.

The St. Thomas Hesed House PADS Min-istry serves the homeless at Hesed House the first Thursday-Friday of every month (evening meal, overnight, breakfast, and bag lunch). They are in serious need of volunteers to help on the overnight shifts (11pm – 3am and 3am – 7am) the first Thursday-Friday night of each month. Each shift has 2-3 volunteers. For more information contact the Outreach and Social Justice Office: Mike Ryder 630.355.8980, mryder@stapostle.org. DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AT HESED HOUSE? � Hesed House sees a new person at its doors every

10.5 hours � On August 31, 2011 records were broken for the

number of men, women and children seeking shelter � Food, and services on one night in PADS-214! Sharply

higher than for the same time in previous years; � 11% of those served at Hesed House are U.S. veterans � Approximately 40 children sleep at Hesed House every

night � Since having a full-time, on-site addictions counselor at

Hesed House, sobriety among guests has increased 389% WITH HESED HOUSE’S HELP … 45% of adults who stay in the PADS Program 30 days or longer will find employment, 5% will receive further education, 20% will find some type of housing, 15% with mental health issues will enroll in treatment, 20% with substance abuse issues will enroll in treatment, 93% of the adults enrolled in the Waubonsee Community College Job Skills Development Program at Hesed House will graduate with many finding employment despite a chal-lenging economy.

See the St. Thomas website for two pages of information on the wonderful work of Hesed House PADS.

SVDP Home Visitors NEEDED Are you Being Called? Self-sufficiency is a goal that the majority of indi-viduals and families work toward. Once it is achieved, there is a sense of worth, satisfaction, relief, control and happiness. However, goals cannot be achieved without "opportunity". This is where volunteer members of the St. Vincent de Paul ministry get involved. The financial assis-tance provided is frequently an "opportunity" to bridge the gap between disaster and their ability to meet their needs. It is not easy to ask for help and in this economy the need is great and the resources are limited. As volunteers in this ministry, we are privileged to literally share God's kindness and mercy with others. It is a great reward for all of us. There is so much to be done. We encourage you to join us and experience this "opportunity" for yourself. — Sue Reuter – SVDP Home Visitor NOTE: The St. Thomas Saint Vincent de Paul home visi-tors go two-by-two to visit families in need. In addition to offering financial assistance, they often provide references for families to find additional help. New home visitors are always paired with experienced home visitors. Time com-mitment is a few hours every six weeks. Specific times are very flexible. For more information contact the OSJ Office (mryder@stapostle.org, 630.355.8980 x121)

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Pastoral Care To all St. Thomas Visitors and Parishioners: Health Ministry nurse volunteers are available after the 4:30 pm Saturday Mass and the 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., and 11:15 am Sunday Masses this weekend for Blood Pressure Screen-ing and Education. The screening site is the Dea-con’s office, the first office left as you exit the Church (West Wing). All are welcome — participants who are blood pressure curious, and those who are known hyper-tensive. Call you Parish Nurses 630.355.8980 Felicia x 104 or Rose x 140, with questions, con-cerns or to schedule another time.

St. Thomas Hosts Successful Parish Picnic God’s timeline is not necessarily ours. Most of the summer during the drought, we hoped and prayed for rain. Our picnic committee valiantly met several times during the drought and planned our picnic to be held in the sun and heat typical of late August. Dodge ball and the popular egg toss were to be held outdoors along with the entertainment, food and beverages. On Saturday, we set up some of the canopies intended to block out some of the sun’s rays. Although the weather forecasters predicted scattered afternoon showers, we hoped they were wrong. Alas, at 8:30 a.m. when the computer monitors displayed a two-inch wide area from Canada to Arkansas of dark green heading north-east our way, we made a decision to move the picnic indoors. Evaristo, assisted by volunteers, moved tables and chairs back into the building toward their new destination. A sense of excitement was felt. We had to move quickly to get everything ready before people came in. We wondered, “Could we do it?” Signs and tables needed to be relocated. Our volunteers reacted without hesita-tion to pitch in. Suddenly Mass let out and the hallway was crowded. The picnic had officially started! Before I knew it, it was 12:30 and Shaun Hayes, the Chalkman came onstage. In less than 20 minutes a gor-geous image was made which will be kept by the parish. Shaun told us of his amazing transformation, because of Happy Meal girl. It’s amazing how one person can make a difference. Here at St. Thomas the Apostle, we are blessed to have so many people willing and able to help make a dif-ference. Special thanks go out to all of our parishioners, sponsors and volunteers who helped make the event possible. Although each volunteer was given a bottle of water or a Dilly bar as a thank you, I think the most re-warding gratitude came from the excitement and smiles of the children winning games in the Children’s Game room, the Cake Walk, Bingo, the Piñata or Minute to Win It. The joy on the children’s faces was an appropriate thank you. I can just imagine God smiling down on us, saying I answered your prayer for rain and your prayer for a successful picnic.

Submitted by Picnic Co Chair Mary Wright

Outstanding Bingo Prizes Thank you to all the parishioners and sponsors who were so generous in supplying bingo prizes and items for raffle baskets. Twenty raffle baskets were assembled and still had many, many prizes for all ages. The tables were filled all afternoon with families who enjoyed playing Bingo together. It was wonderful to see the children play and be excited when they won. Thanks for all the books and toys donated for the children prizes, and the variety of items for adults. The leftover prizes were donated to St. Vincent DePaul. If you were unable to attend this year, we hope you are able to come next year and that again you’d give your gently used items to the St. Thomas Picnic Committee. (See next page for list of sponsors)

Where: Horseshoe Casino When: Wednesday, Oct 10 Who: 40 people needed Cost: $25 includes bus trip, buffet and $10 to play R.S.V.P. to Tom Dederichs 630.445.5331 or Diane McQueen 630.355.8980 x 101 Checks payable to: Thomas Dederichs Send to Tom at: 1130 Laureli Circle, Naperville, IL 60540

FUN—FUN—FUN Senior Trip!

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A Tootsie Pop smile and the “Chalkman”

brought joy to St. Thomas picnic goers!

Stewardship Commission Last Weekend’s stewardship of financial gifts...

Weekly Sunday Offertory September 2, 2012 Sunday Collection Offering Automatic Direct Debit Mailed in & stock donations Total for week *Based on Collection Counters Reports

Fiscal Year (7/1 to 6/30) to date: Weekly Average 7/1/10 to date: Offertory Goal Year to Date Over/short of goal to date: Goal for Fiscal Year 7/1 to 6/30 Remaining for Fiscal Year goal

$20,430 n/a

$2,951 $23,381

$323,351

$32,335 $366,780 ($43,429)

$1,904,992 $1,581,641

Did you know St. Thomas has a Sunday Nursery? Please come and check out St. Thomas’ Sunday Nursery held during the 9:30 and 11:15 masses. The nursery is located off the hall by Ministry Center Entrance and we wel-come children of walking age through the age of three. At age four, children may be-gin attending the Liturgy of the Word ses-sions offered during these two mass times. Parents are encouraged to be a part of our nursery schedule but need to complete Di-ocesan requirements before helping. Teen volunteers are welcomed as well. Information of these requirements as well as registration forms, are available on the nurs-ery door. There is also the option of paying a fee of $3.00 per child per Sunday. The nursery is open after Labor Day until Me-morial Day and is closed on some holy days. For more information, please contact Nursery Facilitator, Ombretta Schutz, 630.375.0516, brettaschutz@yahoo.com or call the Faith Formation Office at church 630.305.6318.

A special thanks for donations from these sponsors for our St. Thomas Parish Picnic:

AMC Cantera Theater, I-88 & Winfield Rd.Warrenville Anderson’s Bookstore, 123 West Jefferson, Naperville Casey’s Foods, 124 West Gartner Road Naperville Colonial Café, 8 West Gartner Road, Naperville Winfield Dairy Queen, 27w223 Geneva Rd, Winfield DeEtta’s Bakery, http://deettasbakery.com/ 630.217.8395 Giordano’s of Naperville, 119 S. Main Street, Naperville Great Clips, 1552 North Aurora Road, Naperville Haagen-Dazs, 30 West Jefferson Avenue Naperville Half Price Books, 2867 95th Street Naperville McDonald’s, 516 River Road, Naperville Moonlake Landscaping 612 Broadway St. Aurora, IL 60505 moonlakelandscaping.com Naperville Running Co., 34 West Jefferson, Naperville Sam's Club, 808 Illinois 59, Naperville St. Nicholas Parish, Aurora Texas Roadhouse North Aurora Ave. Naperville The UPS Store, 2948 Kirk Road - Suite 106, Aurora Twist of Faith, ww.reverbnation.com/thetwistoffaithband Sean Moriarty, Proqur Consulting Dr. Kevin Kovach Marry Currier

Please support our sponsors in return!

September 9, 2012, Page 14

Administration Commission St. Thomas the Apostle JOBS MINISTRY

SEPTEMBER KEYNOTE SPEAKER Wednesday, Sept 26, at 7:00 pm:

"Getting and Retaining Employee Referrals" Workshop Robert Rosell will demonstrate the importance of having employee referrals as part of your current and future employment searches. We will first discuss how to find employee referrals using two virtually unknown free LinkedIn features, and then go over common ele-ments to have in an introduction message to an em-ployee referral. Finally, we will talk about what to say when you meet a potential Employee Referral. Robert Rosell's professional career has spanned more than twenty years across two careers. The first is IT where he went the route from programming through Senior Systems Analyst across multiple technologies and platforms. When Robert joined Motorola in 2000, he moved into quality building Quality Management Systems (QMSs) from scratch for new technologies. Shortly after Robert got laid off in 2009, he joined IL workNet and became a Volunteer Team Leader there. He then helped contribute to the development and continual improvement regarding all content associated with the IL workNet program. While continuing to work IL workNet, Robert de-veloped a new workshop called "Getting and Retaining Employee Referrals" with a networking logo of Social Media Emotional Intelligence (SMEI). He then found his way back to IT with a focus on health care at Bax-ter in October by networking with his current manager more than one year ago. Robert did this by using the ER technique after previously landing earlier this year at Electromotive Diesel (EMD) (March 2010) using the same method. As he was leaving EMD to go to Baxter, Bob got two of his former managers at Mo-torola hired at EMD through being a referral for them. Fri, Sept 14, 9:30 am: Jan Marino presents "Take Back Your Career". Discover how the job market has changed. Learn how to play the new career game. Who should be on your team? What are the new winning plays? Jan is a per-sonal career management and personal branding expert, speaker, author and founder of High Gain Companies, Inc. Her latest book is ”Take Back Your Career”.

Fri, Sep 21, 9:30 am: Dee Reinhardt presents "Market Yourself in the Digital Age". Learn little-known ways to present yourself to a potential employer. Strange but true methods that have gained people a new position include: video, still image, social media, and web. We will cover new search options and other valuable resources. For the past several years, Dee Reinhardt has been the Marketing

THE WEEK AHEAD... Monday, Sept. 10 4:15—5:15 p.m. Youth Choir, Church 7:00—9:00 p.m. Buildings & Grounds, Judea 7:00—9:30 p.m. Coed Volleyball, Gym 7:15—8:30 p.m. Middle School R.E. at All Saints Academy Tuesday, Sept. 11 10:00—11:00 a.m. Care Pantry, Gym & Senior Center 4:30—5:45 p.m. Elementary R.E. at Brookdale School 7:00—9:00 p.m. Charismatic Prayer Group, Lounge 7:00—9:00 p.m. Adult Basketball, Gym 7:00—9:00 p.m. Voices of Faith, Church 7:00—9:00 p.m. Finance Committee, Cana 7:30—9:00 p.m. Minister of Care Training, Senior Center 7:30—9:00 p.m. Rainbows Leader Meeting, Nursery Wednesday, Sept. 12 6:00—8:00 p.m. Altar Server Training, Church & Gathering Area 6:30—9:30 p.m. Catholicism, Lighthouse 7:00—9:00 p.m. Commission Night, Judea, Cana & Galilee 7:00—9:30 p.m. Myriam & Elias Rehearsal, Senior Center Thursday, Sept. 13 9:15—11:15 a.m. Spread the Word Bible Study, Senior Center 4:!5—5:15 p.m. Jammers, Church 6:00—7:00 p.m. Journey Praise, Church 7:00—9:00 p.m. Baptism Class, Lighthouse 7:00—8:00 p.m. Lector Training ,Chapel 7:15—8:30 p.m. Leader Training for L.O.W. , Youth Center 7:30—9:00 p.m. Spread the Word Bible Study, Senior Center Friday, Sept. 14 9:00—1:00 p.m. Bible Study, Senior Center 9:15 am-12:00 p.m. Jobs Ministry, Gym 6:00—9:00 p.m. ALPHA Marriage Course, Lighthouse Saturday, Sept. 15 8:30—11:45 a.m. Middle School R. E. at All Saints Academy 8:30—11:45 a.m. Elementary R.E. at All Saints Academy 9:00—10:30 a.m. Men’s Saturday Sharing, Cana 9:00am-12:00 p.m. Fall Watercolor Class, Senior Center 9:00am-2:00 p.m. Minister of Care Training, Rectory Basement Sunday, Sept. 16 8:00am-1:00 p.m. Welcome & Donut Sunday, Gym 9:00am-1:00 p.m. Haiti Kick-off Weekend, Gathering Area 9:00am-12:00 p.m. RCIA, Senior Center 10:40—11:10 a.m. Youth/Assistant Training for LOW, Youth Center 12:45—1:45 p.m. Baptisms, Church 4:00—6:00 p.m. Journey Night, Gym

Coordinator for the workforce development agency of Kane County, KCDEE.

Wed, Sept 26, 7 pm: Speaker Night: Robert Rosell will present "Getting and Retaining Employee Referrals". (See feature article above)

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