September 28, 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters, A happy Fall season to everyone! I’d especially like to greet all of our new members. God has blessed us with your presence, and it’s a joy to have you with us on our journey of faith. This weekend, we’re observing Catholic Charities and Communities Weekend, which supports many of important charitable efforts and ministries around our Diocese. Locally, this drive has a big impact on the funds for our campus ministry. Many of our members also know the Guadalupana sisters at the Catholic Center for Concern and in Greene County—much of their support comes through this drive. The pledge cards were sent out a bit early this year, so you might have missed them in the mail, but that’s okay. Feel free to drop the pledge cards in the offertory this weekend or next. Thank you for your generosity to this important effort. Traditionally, the Fall season is a time of harvest and giving thanks, when we reap the fruits of the year’s work and celebrate as a community. Here in St. Thomas, we have the custom of using the month of October (more or less) as a time for us to focus on stewardship, our being responsible and generous with the gifts God has given us. Today’s Gospel is a very direct reminder to us of the importance of this idea. As the parable shows, if we get in the habit of closing our hearts to others, it’s hard for us to open our hearts to receive mercy from God. As the month begins, I invite everyone to begin a prayerful reflection on how the Lord might be calling you to be a good steward. Then, as the month goes along, we will highlight opportunities to be involved—both personally and financially—so that together we can serve our neighbors, “without reproach, until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Timothy 6:11-16). It is an honor and a joy to be walking this road with the people of St. Thomas parish, through the apostle’s intercession and under our Lady’s mantle. God bless,

Father Jantz