Saint Thomas the Apostle Church

Saint Thomas the Apostle Church Saint Thomas the Apostle Church is a Roman Catholic Faith Community located in Bloomfield, New Jersey

09/04/2026

On Labor Day, the pastor told the parish staff:

“Today we honor the dignity of work… so let’s all take a moment to appreciate the holiest labor of all.”

The secretary asked, “Which one is that, Father?”

He replied,
“Whichever job you’re doing - because it means I don’t have to do it.”

Saint of today -St. Rose of ViterboSt. Rose of Viterbo was born in the Italian city of Viterbo in 1235. From a remarkabl...
09/04/2026

Saint of today -

St. Rose of Viterbo

St. Rose of Viterbo was born in the Italian city of Viterbo in 1235. From a remarkably young age, she displayed an extraordinary devotion to Christ.

At just ten years old, she was received as a Secular Franciscan and began preaching publicly in the streets of her hometown, urging repentance and meditation on the Passion of Jesus. Even within her family home, she embraced a life of penance, prayer, and simplicity.

According to tradition, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Rose when she was eight years old and gravely ill, offering guidance that would shape her vocation. Strengthened by this encounter, Rose dedicated herself fully to the Franciscan spirit.

During her youth, political turmoil shook Viterbo as factions within the city rose in opposition to the Holy Father. Rose and her family remained steadfast in their loyalty to the Pope, a stance that led to their exile under imperial authority. Her courage and fidelity became a witness to the primacy of conscience and devotion to the Church.

St. Rose’s life was marked by several extraordinary signs. It is said that while preaching, the stone upon which she stood rose miraculously into the air, sustaining her as she proclaimed the Gospel. After her death, she reportedly appeared three times to Pope Alexander IV, two and a half years after her passing. When her body was later exhumed, it was found incorrupt, a sign long regarded in Catholic tradition as a mark of sanctity.
She died in 1252 at only seventeen years of age, yet her brief life left a profound spiritual legacy.

Today, the St. Rose of Viterbo Convent, home to the Franciscan Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration, continues her mission of prayer and service.

St. Rose was formally canonized by Pope Callistus III in 1457, and she remains a cherished model of youthful holiness, courage, and unwavering fidelity to Christ and His Church.

Archdiocese of Newark St. Thomas the Apostle School Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin #

Saint of today - Pope St. Gregory the GreatSaint Gregory the Great’s Story-Saint Gregory the Great was the prefect of Ro...
09/04/2026

Saint of today -

Pope St. Gregory the Great

Saint Gregory the Great’s Story-

Saint Gregory the Great was the prefect of Rome before he was 30. After five years in office he resigned, founded six monasteries on his Sicilian estate, and became a Benedictine monk in his own home at Rome.

Ordained a priest, Gregory became one of the pope’s seven deacons, and also served six years in the East as papal representative in Constantinople. He was recalled to become abbot, but at the age of 50 was elected pope by the clergy and people of Rome.

Gregory was direct and firm. He removed unworthy priests from office, forbade taking money for many services, emptied the papal treasury to ransom prisoners of the Lombards and to care for persecuted Jews and the victims of plague and famine. He was very concerned about the conversion of England, sending 40 monks from his own monastery. He is known for his reform of the liturgy, and for strengthening respect for doctrine. Whether he was largely responsible for the revision of “Gregorian” chant is disputed.

Saint Gregory the Great lived in a time of perpetual strife with invading Lombards and difficult relations with the East. When Rome itself was under attack, he interviewed the Lombard king.

His book, Pastoral Care, on the duties and qualities of a bishop, was read for centuries after his death. He described bishops mainly as physicians whose main duties were preaching and the enforcement of discipline. In his own down-to-earth preaching, Gregory was skilled at applying the daily Gospel to the needs of his listeners. Called “the Great,” Gregory has been given a place with Augustine, Ambrose, and Jerome, as one of the four key doctors of the Western Church.

An Anglican historian has written: “It is impossible to conceive what would have been the confusion, the lawlessness, the chaotic state of the Middle Ages without the medieval papacy; and of the medieval papacy, the real father is Gregory the Great.”

- Franciscan Media

One week to go!Cherubs Choir starts next Sunday - tiny singers, big smiles, joyful music.See you after Mass!St. Thomas t...
09/04/2026

One week to go!
Cherubs Choir starts next Sunday - tiny singers, big smiles, joyful music.
See you after Mass!
St. Thomas the Apostle School Kathy AtThelittlegym Patricio Molina Kim Mesiti

08/31/2026

Parishioner: “Why is the door sticking?”

Maintenance: “Because this building was built by saints, not carpenters.”

Saint(s) of today -Sts. Joseph of Arimathea and NicodemusSt. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were very prominent Jewis...
08/31/2026

Saint(s) of today -

Sts. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus

St. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were very prominent Jewish leaders and were members of the supreme Jewish Council known as Sanhedrin.

In the gospels, Mathew described Joseph as a rich man while Luke described him as a good and upright (righteous) man.

Even though Joseph was a very important Jewish leader, he believed in the coming kingdom of God and started believing that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

After the death of Jesus on the cross at Golgotha, Joseph courageously met Pilate, the Procurator of Judea, in person, and asked him for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered the body of Jesus be given to Joseph, after confirming from the guards that Jesus died on the cross.

Joseph and Nicodemus then wrapped the body of Jesus with 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes brought by Nicodemus, then in fine linen and buried His body in a cave tomb hewn for Him.

Joseph and Nicodemus had given an honorable burial to Jesus following the Jewish burial procedures and ritual laws.

It was later known that Nicodemus was a secret disciple of Jesus. He had gone to Jesus one night to listen to His teachings. He praised Jesus "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles you have done" (John 3: 2).

St. Joseph of Arimathea is the patron saint of Funeral Directors and Pallbearers.

Saint of today - St Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430)Augustine was born in Thagaste in Africa of a Berber family. He was br...
08/28/2026

Saint of today -

St Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430)

Augustine was born in Thagaste in Africa of a Berber family. He was brought up a Christian but left the Church early and spent a great deal of time seriously seeking the truth, first in the Manichaean heresy, which he abandoned on seeing how nonsensical it was, and then in Neoplatonism, until at length, through the prayers of his mother and the teaching of St Ambrose of Milan, he was converted back to Christianity and baptized in 387, shortly before his mother’s death.

Augustine had a brilliant legal and academic career, but after his conversion he returned home to Africa and led an ascetic life. He was elected Bishop of Hippo and spent 34 years looking after his flock, teaching them, strengthening them in the faith and protecting them strenuously against the errors of the time. He wrote an enormous amount and left a permanent mark on both philosophy and theology. His Confessions, as dazzling in style as they are deep in content, are a landmark of world literature.

The Second Readings in the Office of Readings contain extracts from many of his works.

He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1308.

08/26/2026

The Daughters of Charity hitting some golf balls and grabbing a few slices.

08/26/2026

A priest and a taxi driver died at the same time and were both taken to heaven. Upon reaching pearly gates, they both waited at the entrance, with the taxi driver ahead of the priest in order. Then suddenly, the gate opened in a glorious manner with trumpets blasting and the golden carpet rolled out. St Peter walked out the carpet, accompanied by the choir of angels singing, they greeted the taxi driver and brought him inside heaven. Watching all this, the priest was eager for the same experience .

Moments later, the gate opened again but rather ordinarily with no trumpet blasting or music. St Peter came out but there was no golden carpet nor were there any angels accompanying him. St Peter greeted the priest and took him in. The priest was curious and so he asked St Peter, “ Not that I am complaining but tell me something, why is it the the taxi driver got a huge welcome reception to enter the gates of heaven while I got a rather modest one”. “ Oh well”, St Peter started off, “ when you preached, only a few people prayed but when he drove his taxi, everyone in the taxi prayed”.

Address

60 Byrd Avenue
Bloomfield, NJ
07003

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 10am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - 3pm
Friday 9am - 2pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+19733389190

Website

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