Weekly Updates from St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Delmar, NY
Sent every Friday morning with info for the weekend and the following week.
Thanks for subscribing!
Sent every Friday morning with info for the weekend and the following week.
Thanks for subscribing!
Weekend of September 12-13, 2026
Twenty-fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Friday, September 11
- 10:30am: Reflecting on the Sunday Scriptures, Conference Room
- 12:15pm: Mass
- 1:00pm: Adoration, Confession
- 2:00pm: Prayer Service, Flagpole
- 4:00pm: Confessions
- 5:00pm: Mass (Livestream)
St. Thomas Parish,
After taking a week off, St. Peter returns to our Gospel passage this weekend. As we recall, three weeks ago he made the beautiful confession to Jesus: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Two weeks ago, Jesus turned to Peter and said, “You are an obstacle to me.” Now, arriving at today’s passage two chapters later in the Gospel of Matthew, we hear Peter ask a question to Jesus, a question that has surely passed through our own minds. Lord, someone sinned against me, so how often do I have to forgive them? Peter hoped for a small answer, like seven times, but Jesus responds with “seventy-seven times,” meaning there should be no end to your forgiveness.
The parable that follows gives us an insight into what Jesus has to teach us about forgiveness. And this is a difficult topic for many. If we are harmed by someone else’s wrong, how are we supposed to forgive? Does that mean to simply write off the wrong that has been done, to accept the hurt and just “move on,” to forget about what happened and continue? I doubt many would answer that way. A harm done is not easily forgotten, so can it be easily forgiven, or forgiven an infinite amount of times?
The answer, I think, begins with recognizing that forgiveness is not the same thing as saying that what happened was right or just. Forgiveness certainly does not mean that we deny the hurt, excuse someone's actions, or pretend that trust has never been broken. Forgiveness is also not about ignoring justice. Instead, forgiveness is about what we choose to do with the hurt that has been inflicted upon us.
This is where Jesus’ parable becomes particularly challenging. The first servant had been forgiven an enormous debt, far more than he could ever repay. Yet almost immediately, he encountered someone who owed him a much smaller amount, and he refused to extend the same mercy he had just received. What is Jesus trying to say? While our hurts may be significant, we must remember that we are people who have ourselves received an extraordinary amount of mercy from God. Every time we pray the Our Father, we say, “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We are asking God to measure out to us the same mercy that we are willing to offer to others.
That is certainly easier to say than to live! Some hurts take a long time to heal, and sometimes forgiveness is something we have to choose again and again. Perhaps that is part of what Jesus means when he tells Peter to forgive “seventy-seven times.” Forgiveness is sometimes the daily decision to place that hurt back into God’s hands rather than allowing resentment, anger, or bitterness to have the final word. Ultimately, Christian forgiveness begins with what we have received from Christ. We forgive because we have been forgiven. We show mercy because we have received mercy. And when we find forgiveness difficult, and there are certainly times when it will be, we can ask God for the grace to begin again, trusting that the One who has forgiven our enormous debt can also teach our hearts how to forgive.
A couple reminders:
- The priests of the Diocese are on a retreat together this week, Tuesday-Friday. The only change in the schedule here is that there will be no Mass on Thursday, September 17. Please know of our prayers for all of you!
- Bishop Mark is planning a convalidation ceremony at the Cathedral on Sunday, November 29th at 2:00. A celebration of convalidation is an opportunity for couples married outside of the Catholic Church to enter a marriage covenant in the Catholic tradition, be strengthened by God’s grace, and be supported by His Church. To start this process, I will be having an informational session on Sunday, September 13 at 6:00pm in Church (just following Mass). I’d invite couples to come and hear more about what this means. If the husband and wife can’t come together that night, it’s okay for one of you to come, I know that there might be some childcare situations. Or bring your children along too, that’s fine! This will be a good beginning to what is sure to be a beautiful and grace-filled process leading to the Sacrament of Matrimony in this convalidation opportunity.
- The parish picnic is next Sunday! The caterer needs a headcount for food. Please sign up via the Flocknote link in the Friday Weekly Update, or on one of the sheets at the doors of the church.
Peace to you,
Fr. Matt
Next Week:
Monday, September 14
- 7:30am: Mass
- 8:00am: Rosary
Tuesday, September 15
- 11:30am: Confession
- 12:15pm: Mass
- 3:00pm: Tuesday Drive, Gathering Hall
Wednesday, September 16
- 11:00am: Rosary, Mary Chapel
- 7:00pm: Choir Rehearsal, Church
- 7:00pm: Young Adult Group: 518 Frassati, Gathering Hall
No Mass Today
- 8:00am: Rosary
- 10:30am: Catholic Moms Group, Lower Lounge
Friday, September 18
- 10:30am: Reflecting on the Sunday Scriptures, Conference Room
- 12:15pm: Mass
- 1:00pm: Active Older Adults Luncheon, Gathering Hall
- 1:00pm: Adoration, Confession
Saturday, September 19
- 7:30am: Day-of-Race Registration for Tiger Trot, School
- 9:00am: 2nd Annual Tiger Trot, School
- 4:00pm: Confessions
- 5:00pm: Mass
Sunday, September 20
- 7:30am: Mass
- 10:30am: Mass
- 10:30am: Children's Liturgy of the Word, Chapel
- 11:30am: Annual Parish Picnic, Church & School Lawn
- 5:00pm: Mass
SEPTEMBER TUESDAY DRIVES!
Tuesday, September 15 from 3-4 PM in the Gathering Hall: College Care Packages: candy, mints, Stroop waffles, small microwave foods like mac & cheese, chap stick, lunch size cookies, pringles, pocket tissues, hand sanitizer or cleaning wipes, breakfast protein bars, fruit snacks, $10 gift card Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts, Amazon, lottery tickets, or a surprise! Leftovers will be shared with our local food pantries! Thank you for sharing a yummy surprise with our college students!
ONE WEEK UNTIL THE TIGER TROT!
Our 2nd Annual Tiger Trot 5K Race & Kids Run is just ONE WEEK AWAY!
We can’t wait for an amazing day filled with incredible runners, enthusiastic volunteers, and wonderful spectators coming together to support our St. Thomas community!
Whether you’re running, volunteering, cheering from the sidelines, or all three, we can’t wait to see you there!
Don’t wait — register today and be part of the fun!
We are looking for volunteers to help with many different things before, during, and after the Picnic. We truly appreciate your time, support, and effort in helping make our community events possible and so special!
We also need to provide Frese’s Catering with a headcount, so please sign up as soon as possible! This will help them prepare enough food for everyone attending. Thank you for helping us make sure we’re ready for a wonderful Picnic!
This Year’s Guests of Honor: Bob & Pat Ricchiuti!
We are incredibly grateful for Bob and Pat’s many years of service and their continued dedication to our Parish and School. Their commitment, generosity, and countless contributions have helped make our community stronger, and we are so excited to have the opportunity to honor them for all they have done!
We are incredibly grateful for Bob and Pat’s many years of service and their continued dedication to our Parish and School. Their commitment, generosity, and countless contributions have helped make our community stronger, and we are so excited to have the opportunity to honor them for all they have done!
We hope you will join us for an evening of celebration, gratitude, and fellowship as we come together to Light the Way for our Parish and School!
Help Us Light the Way for St. Thomas School!
We are asking our parish community to help us make this year’s Gala a success. Do you own a local business, work for a company that supports community organizations, or have a connection with a business or individual that may be interested in supporting St. Thomas School?
We are currently seeking:
Event Sponsors: Sponsorship opportunities are available at a variety of levels for businesses, families and individuals.
Live & Silent Auction Donations: Gift cards, merchandise, services, experiences, event tickets and other items are greatly appreciated.
Sometimes the most valuable help is simply making a connection. If you know a business or individual who may be willing to support the Gala, we would love an introduction!
Proceeds from the Gala directly support the students and programs of St. Thomas the Apostle School.
Interested in helping?
Contact Lucy Rubino at lrubino@stthomas-school.org or 518-439-5573 for sponsorship information, donation materials or to connect us with a potential supporter.
Thank you for helping us Light the Way for our students!
St. Thomas CYO Registration is open for the 26-27 Season!
St. Thomas offers an instructional, competitive travel basketball experience for children in grades 3-8. In addition to the travel program, a clinic program is offered on Saturday mornings to children in grades 1-4.
All teams, led by volunteer coaches, emphasize teamwork, sportsmanship, and player development.
All teams, led by volunteer coaches, emphasize teamwork, sportsmanship, and player development.
2027 Parish Pilgrimage to France
Informational Meeting:
Tuesday, September 22
7:00pm in the Gathering Hall
It's Better to use Flocknote for Giving!
Take a look at the St. Thomas giving page to get started:
- Use a credit card for giving
- Connect direct deposit through your bank account
- Set up a recurring giving donation weekly, monthly, or annually
https://stthomasdelmar.flocknote.com/give
Thank you!
Your generosity funds our ministries, programs,
and keeps our church looking beautiful!
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
35 Adams Place
Delmar, NY 12054
(518) 439-4951
https://linktr.ee/St.ThomastheApostleChurchNY
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School
42 Adams Place
Delmar, NY 12054
(518) 439-5573
Enrolling for next year:
https://linktr.ee/St.ThomastheApostleSchoolNY
