St Thomas Rectory & Church

St Thomas Rectory & Church Catholic Church

When we set aside time for God, we begin to see everything from a different perspective. Our lives no longer spin out of...
08/21/2026

When we set aside time for God, we begin to see everything from a different perspective. Our lives no longer spin out of control, because we know in the depths of our being that God is in charge. We can let go of our own agendas. We can look forward to Sunday as a holy day because we begin to see that, ultimately, everything rests with God.
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If you are going to reclaim the Lord's Day, you have to make it a priority. Imagine what your Sunday would be like if you and your family decided to "keep Sunday holy."
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-- What kinds of things would you do?
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-- What kinds of things would you refrain from doing?
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-- Are there any new traditions you might start?
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-- Are there any old family traditions that you might resurrect?
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The best advice for modern-day Catholics who want to reclaim Sunday as a day of rest is to start slowly. Remember, there are no mechanisms in today's society to support your decision to make Sunday a holy day.
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If you haven't been going to Mass every Sunday, this is the best place to start. Make the commitment to attend Mass every week to hear God's words in the Scripture and be nourished by the Eucharist.
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When you plan how you will spend your time, you prioritize by putting the most important items first and building around them.

Parents, godparents and the entire community of the Church play a significant role in baptism.⁣"For the grace of baptism...
08/20/2026

Parents, godparents and the entire community of the Church play a significant role in baptism.
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"For the grace of baptism to unfold," the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, parents must assume their role as "nurturers of the life that God has entrusted to them."
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Faith requires a community of believers, the catechism continues, and faith must grow -- after -- baptism.
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Godparents must be "firm believers" who are "able and ready to help the newly baptized -- child or adult -- on the road to Christian life," and the larger ecclesial community should assist the developing and safeguarding of the "grace given at baptism," the catechism adds.
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In a homily for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jan. 11, 2015, Pope Francis baptized 33 infants in the Sistine Chapel and encouraged the family members to set an example for the newly baptized children.
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"Dear parents, dear godfathers and godmothers," he said, "if you want your children to become true Christians, help them to grow up 'immersed' in the Holy Spirit, … in the warmth of the love of God."
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"Make it a habit to read a passage of the Gospel" each day, he said.
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Pope Francis also said to invoke the Holy Spirit in prayer. "Say this prayer for your children" and "for yourselves," he said: "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love."
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Grandparents and godparents, how do you live your special role?

We are all called to serve. Lord help us to use our gifts to glorify Your kingdom. 🙌✝️⁣🔗: This image is from a free refl...
08/17/2026

We are all called to serve. Lord help us to use our gifts to glorify Your kingdom. 🙌✝️
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🔗: This image is from a free reflection guide about Blessed Stanley Rother available at https://www.rotherdoc.com/parish-resources

Our readings today spell out loud and clear that our God’s love and forgiveness is meant for all. Not just the few.⁣This...
08/16/2026

Our readings today spell out loud and clear that our God’s love and forgiveness is meant for all. Not just the few.
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This is good news, indeed. What does God ask of us in return?
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He asks that we strive to do what is right … what is just. In short, we must join [our]selves to the Lord, as Isaiah says, and God will welcome us into his holy kingdom.
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How do we do that? We can start by trying to imitate the generosity of God’s grace and welcome those who seek God’s mercy and healing.
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In other words, we reach out in love to each other and seek to build up the unity of his Church, the Body of Christ.

Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when we celebrate that Mary is in heaven, body and ...
08/15/2026

Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when we celebrate that Mary is in heaven, body and soul. But how do we know that Mary is in heaven?
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While Scripture does not describe the Assumption directly, we know Mary is in heaven because of God's unique plan for her. Chosen to be the Mother of Jesus, preserved from sin through the Immaculate Conception, and perfectly united to her Son throughout her life, Mary shares fully in Christ's victory over sin and death.
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The Assumption reminds us that heaven is our true home. In Mary, we see the destiny God desires for all who follow Christ faithfully.

How do you know when someone is open to evangelization?⁣1. Asking questions about God, good and evil, or the meaning of ...
08/12/2026

How do you know when someone is open to evangelization?
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1. Asking questions about God, good and evil, or the meaning of life.
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2. Reminiscing about Catholic school, nuns, priests or parish activities.
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3. Asking about where they can find Catholic reading materials.
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4. Comments about the pope, the Church or parish activities.
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5. Experiencing major life events or crises such as illness, death, the birth of a baby, graduations, a job loss or transfer, moving to a new home, separation and divorce, financial difficulties, tension, and other stress-related situations.
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6. Experiencing the presence of God during a Mass, a funeral or the celebration of a sacrament.
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7. Noticing your faith, love and deep sense of inner peace.

08/12/2026

The Church in Northwest Indiana stands at a pivotal moment.
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Pastoral planning has asked our parishes to be courageous, to restructure for the sake of mission rather than maintenance, and to utilize human and material resources to revitalize ministries to create vibrant, thriving communities.
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As we move forward, every priest, deacon, and member of the lay faithful is invited to see this moment not as a burden, but as a missionary opportunity. This is a chance to reinvigorate and renew the Church in Northwest Indiana.
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Let us be guided by the Holy Spirit to become a diocese where every parish is missionary, every community is vibrant, and every leader is formed to bring the Gospel to Northwest Indiana with clarity, joy, and conviction.

The Catholic Services Appeal helps fund evangelization and discipleship initiatives across the Diocese of Gary including...
07/26/2026

The Catholic Services Appeal helps fund evangelization and discipleship initiatives across the Diocese of Gary including the seminarian and diaconate formation programs, the Lay Ecclesial Ministry program, the Emmaus conference, and more.
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Give today to support the Church's outreach efforts in Northwest Indiana at csa.dcgary.org
When you are writing your donation to CSA, credit it to St. Thomas Aquinas, Knox, so that we can make our goal of $14,000 by the end of the year.

Saint James the Apostle reminds us what it means to follow Christ with courage and conviction. He left his nets and foll...
07/25/2026

Saint James the Apostle reminds us what it means to follow Christ with courage and conviction. He left his nets and followed immediately — one of the first missionaries Christ sent.
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Today, that same call echoes in seminaries across Africa and Asia, where young men leave family and security to prepare for priesthood in the Church's youngest dioceses.
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May the example of St. James inspire us to live our faith boldly—through both joy and sacrifice.
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Address

406 E Washington Street
Knox, IN
46534

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 10am
Wednesday 8am - 10am
Thursday 8am - 10am
Friday 8am - 10am
Saturday 3pm - 3:30pm
4:30pm - 5:30pm
Sunday 9am - 10:30am

Telephone

+15747724134

Website

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