To enhance our celebration of the most holy feast of the Triduum, Deacon Vinny will lead Morning Prayer, live streaming from the St. Thomas Church Facebook page. Please join us on the following days.
Thursday, April 9, 2020 @ 07:30 AM
Friday, April 10, 2020 @ 07:30 AM
Saturday, April 11, 2020 @ 07:30 AM
If you have not participated in Morning Prayer or the Liturgy of the Hours, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website provides a succinct summary of the Divine Office. usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgy-of-the-hours/
If you do not own a Breviary, you can find the prayers for each day and each hour at DivineOffice.org. You will have to register to use the website, but there is no cost and it is very easy to use.
 

UPDATE FROM THE ARCHBISHOP
Effectively immediately, the cancellation of all public Masses and liturgies will now extend through April 30, 2020. This includes the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter. We will find a way to provide services online as best we can during this time.
 

Dear parishioners,
     In this unprecedented time of national emergency, we still want to join together in prayer.  While will must maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of Covid19, we can gather in virtual space.  Our parish has a Facebook group that allows for this.  I will be broadcasting Masses on our regular schedule of Masses through Facebook Live.  Our group is found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/104009621923/.  You will be able to watch it live with others in the parish at the same time, or you could stream it at any time later if you could not make the given time.  Masses will broadcast Mondays and Tuesday at 7:30 AM, Thursdays and Fridays at 12:10 PM, Saturdays at 8:00AM, and the weekend Mass I will broadcast at for the Vigil Mass time at 4:00 PM on Saturdays.  Rather than broadcasting three identical Masses, I will just do one on Saturday that can be streamed again on Sunday for those who prefer.  (The intentions for each Mass will be included in the live stream, and I will pray separately myself for each Mass intention.)  There are prayers for Spiritual Communion to be said at the time of Eucharist and the Prayer of St. Raphael – said in place of the Archangel Michael prayer at the end of Mass, for healing – written on the Facebook posts. 
 
Since our Bible study of Joshua has been put on hold, I need something to fill my time.  I cannot  continue that study, as not all of our class in online.  While we pause Joshua until classes can meet in person, I have a solution.  I will be doing a study of the Book of Tobit.  This is the book in which we meet the Archangel Raphael, patron saint of healing.  It is about people remaining righteous and faithful amidst crisis and health problems.  It is appropriate for the time!  I will stream a study on Facebook live on our group page Thursdays and Mondays at 1:30 PM, beginning Thursday, March 19^th.  I hope to see many of you there!
 
Be happy; be healthy; be holy!  God bless you all!   Fr. Joe

Dear parishioners, effective immediately, by order of Archbishop Blair, all weekday and weekend Masses are cancelled.  This is in cooperation CDC issued cancellations of all groups of 50 people or more.  This order will remain in place at least through April 3^rd.  This would mean that there will not only be no regularly scheduled Masses, but there will be no Stations of the Cross, Adoration, Rosary Groups, or any other prayer groups.  There will be no funeral Masses, baptisms, or weddings during the closure.  The church and chapel will be locked at all times, unless sometime will be made available – dependent upon the cleaning schedule of the custodial crew.  Priests will say private Masses daily.  Father Joe will see about live-streaming mass on Facebook live.  Join our page at www.facebook.com/groups/104009621923 to see. 
 
All groups and activities in the parish will be closed.  Catechism will not meet as long as school is out of session.  The First Reconciliation on Monday, March 23 will be rescheduled after school has resumed.  First Holy Communion is currently on track for April 25^th – as long as classes resume the week before that.  We will notify you if these plans change.
 
While we regret having to do this, we do so with the hope to keep all our parish family healthy.  We can join together in prayer, even if we are not in the same room.  We are united in the Spirit of God who draws us all to Christ.  By making sacrifices now, we how to benefit all the members of society, especially those with compromised immune systems.  Lent is a time of make sacrifices.  This is our Lenten sacrifice this year.  We pray that the joy of the Risen Christ will united us again in the Easter Season to enable us to celebrate fully god’s power and healing grace.
 
Be happy; be healthy; be holy!  God bless you all – Fr. Joe

1. Southington Catholic School will be closed as long as Southington Public Schools are closed for the health emergency.
2. Catechism is also cancelled this week and through the time of the school closing.  The 9^th Grade Confirmation retreat this weekend is canceled.
3. The obligation to attend Sunday Mass has been lifted by Archbishop Blair through March 29^th for everyone.  We will have Masses (as long as allowed by the public health office), but you need not come.
4. All daily Masses, Adoration, and prayer groups will be in the church, and everyone is encouraged to leave at least 6 feet between them.
5. Bible study, ladies guild, the New Day bereavement group, and other organizations will not meet for the time being.  Adult Confirmation student will meet this Wednesday, March 18^th, and be given materials to study at home for a few weeks.  RCIA will continue for the time being. 
6. The confessionals have chairs for face to face 6 feet away from the priest, and the screens have been fixed with filters to screen bacterial and viral carriers.  Surfaces will be wiped with bleach wipes.
7. The church may be closed from time to time for the custodians as they go through the deep cleaning regiment.
8. All previous directives about holy water fonts being emptied, not shaking hands at the sign of peace or as greetings at the door, receiving Eucharist on the hands, proper cleansing of hands, and remaining home if sick still remain in place.