Ministries

Helping to maintain Altar linens is a silent, generous way to serve God and the parish community. Parishioners are scheduled as a primary or substitute each month. They are responsible for collecting, cleaning, and pressing the linens used during the Masses and on the Altar. The schedule is flexible.  It's a great time to meditate on the Body and Blood of Christ, say the Holy Rosary, or to pray for vocations.  

The word “Arimathean” comes from Joseph of Arimathea, who gave up his own tomb for Jesus. This ministry is based on Luke 23: 50-56 where Joseph of Arimathea took responsibility for the burial of Jesus.  By simply being there, you can be Christ to others in their time of difficulty.

Arimatheans help those parishioners who are in the grieving process and who may have little or no family in the area. Those who sign up for this ministry are volunteering to attend the funeral Mass of parishioners as they are able. You would be notified via Flocknote e-mail or text message on your phone when there is a funeral in the church; if you are able, you would attend and represent the St. Thomas the Apostle parish family in supporting the family of the deceased with your presence. It would be an opportunity to practice one of the Corporal Works of Mercy: To bury the dead.

If you are interested in volunteering for this ministry, please contact the office and leave your name, e-mail address, and/or mobile phone number. You will receive notice of a funeral for one of our parishioners.  You are not required to attend… just show up if you can and provide comfort to the family of the deceased with your presence, and see our brothers & sisters Home by filling a few pews and lending your voices in prayer.

Please contact the office for more information.

The St. Thomas Bereavement Support group has been helping those who mourn for over 30 years! The support group takes a very positive approach to grief by helping grievers learn how to make a new life, even when they don’t want to.  Just come, sit, and listen. See for yourself that your life can be a lot better. 

We meet every Thursday from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. in St. Martin’s Hall.  Thirty years of experience has taught us how to help make a positive difference in a person’s life.

Please contact the office for more information.

The message of The Divine Mercy is simple. It is that God loves us – all of us. And, he wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come to share His joy.

We pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet every weekday following the 8:00 a.m. Mass. For more information on Divine Mercy, please visit their website: https:// www.thedivinemercy.org/

Please contact the office for more information.

• Families who wish to enroll children in this program must be registered at St. Thomas the Apostle.
• Prior to attending any program or class, registration in YFF classes is required by completing registration forms, attending mandatory parent meeting, reading Parish Handbook, completing, and signing Parent/Student Parish Faith Formation Policy and Media Acknowledgement forms.
• A copy of the child’s Baptismal Certificate must be provided at time of registration.

1. Readiness to receive the Sacraments.
2. Age
3. Grade level in current school year

• First Holy Communion- families of students in second grade or above, who have not received First Holy Communion and who have completed the previous year of faith formation in the prior year are automatically enrolled in Sacramental Prep. A child must be in their second consecutive year of Faith Formation classes to be eligible for First Holy Communion. Attending Mass regularly is also required.
• Confirmation- Families of students in the eighth grade or above, who have not received the sacrament of Confirmation and who have completed the previous year of Faith Formation last year are automatically enrolled in Sacramental Prep. A child must be in their second consecutive year of Faith Formation classes to be eligible for Confirmation. Attending Mass regularly is also required.

What is the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary?

Jesus said: “My Immaculate Mother’s Flame of Love is to you what the Ark was for Noah!”

Our Lady said: “My Immaculate Heart’s Flame of Love is Jesus Christ Himself!”

The purpose of the grace is to blind Satan’s stronghold on souls. We implore Our Lady to pour out this powerful grace into the world to save souls. This devotion has received the Imprimatur of Archbishop Charles Chaput, and the approval of the Pope.

The Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary prayer group meets on Thursdays at 8:45 a.m. to pray the Flame of Love Rosary to blind Satan. We would love for you to join us and see what it is about! For more information on the Flame of Love, please visit their website: http://www.flameoflove.us/

Please contact the office for more information.

Please join us Tuesdays at 8:45 a.m. in the church to offer reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus as He requested when He said, "By offering My Face to My Eternal Father, nothing will be refused, and the conversion of many sinners will be obtained.”

We will offer prayers and silent Adoration before Jesus truly present in the Holy Tabernacle. For more information on the Holy Face Devotion, please visit their website: http://www.theholyface.com/

Please contact the office for more information.

Thanks to the efforts of Father Michael J. McGivney, who was beatified on October 31, 2020, the Knights of Columbus was officially chartered as a fraternal benefit society in 1882.  True to its founder’s vision, the Knights stands in solidarity with the Pope in the Church’s mission of charity and evangelization.

All the good works we do are informed by our four core principles:  Charity, Unity, Fraternity, Patriotism. Our charitable activities encompass a variety of local projects and the opportunity to work together with fellow Knights and their families.  Today, there are more than 1.9 million members of the Knights doing good across the world.

The Knights of Columbus, St. Thomas Council #15154, extends an invitation to all Catholic men to join our Council and to learn more about us. The Council meets the second Thursday of each month.

On the first weekend of each month the Knights have a collection for the Pregnancy & Family Life Center of Citrus County.  Since 1983, their mission has been to provide valuable support to expectant mothers and families in need in Citrus County. They assist women in making life affirming options for their unborn child, and can assist families from the time they first come to them for help until the time their youngest child graduates from high school. All services are free & confidential.

For more information, you can contact our council at [email protected].

The Knitting Circle of St. Thomas welcomes all parishioners who knit, crochet, or who would like to learn to join us! We make Prayer Squares to give to those living at assisted living manors, hospitals, or in their homes. We also make prayer shawls, lap robes, and hats and scarves for local charities.  Donations can be dropped off at the parish office during business hours.
Please contact the office for more information.

Are you looking to be involved as a volunteer in your parish and community?  We are in need of Lectors, Altar Servers, and Eucharistic Ministers for all Masses as well as Eucharistic Ministers for the nursing homes in our area. 

Please prayerfully consider volunteering for these important roles and the opportunity to grow in the love of Christ – for the more we give, the more we receive.  Please contact the office for more information.

Maintenance  assistance is needed year-round to help with the care and upkeep of our grounds and facilities.  If you enjoy working with your hands, we welcome you to contact the parish office for more information.

Do you love to sing? Can you carry a tune? 
Come join us!

Any parishioner who is interested in joining the Music Ministry Family is encouraged to email our Music Director, Michelle Kim-Painter, at [email protected].  Choir rehearsals take place during the week, and the choir also warms up at 9:45 a.m. prior to 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass.  Come join us to make music together in prayer, worship, and community!

A Respect Life Ministry brings awareness and educates our parish in all aspects of life. It promotes caring and love for human life in all stages. Members of this ministry are involved in activities that range from educating the public about respecting life issues from womb to tomb. Specific examples of respecting life include those concerning human trafficking, euthanasia, abortion, health care ethics, capital punishment, etc.

Although sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Respect Life Programs are essentially comprised of the efforts of leaders throughout the Church; parish priests, staff, and volunteers; teachers and school administrators; diocesan leaders; and so many others, like you. We hope to seed such a reverence and understanding of what our role as Catholics should and could be relative to many areas concerning respecting life. Through awareness, education, and discussion, we can hopefully feel confident to be able to openly support and evangelize our catholic duty to respect life, God’s gift to all of us.  Join us on the first Tuesday of every month at 11:00 a.m. in St. Martin's Hall.

Please contact the office for more information.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process developed by the Catholic Church that calls adults (and children of catechetical age) to a conversion of mind and heart and prepares them for a full and active life in the Church as disciples of Jesus.

St. Thomas warmly welcomes prospective candidates and gradually introduces them to aspects of Catholic beliefs and practices.

We look forward to talking with you about how you can become a Catholic.  Please contact the office for more information.

Our St. Thomas Conference of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society is one of 48 conferences that are located within the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida.  We are the only conference located in Citrus County.

Our mission is to serve, in the name of Christ, the poor and the needy within our parish community that are in temporary need of help.  We are a person-to-person ministry that works directly with the poor within our own St. Thomas Parish boundaries.  We help families and individuals on limited income, frequently in poor health, who may be having difficulty paying for rent, utilities, prescriptions, transportation, gas, and even food.  

We are in urgent need of new volunteers, both men & women, who will consider becoming a member and help us help those who are in need.  You can make a big difference!  Our greatest need is for individuals to deal directly with those seeking our help.

You can get to know a little more about us by attending our next monthly meeting held right here at St. Thomas Church.  Our meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month at 4:30PM in St Martin's Hall from September through June.  Please contact the office for more information.

For assistance, please call our conference at 352-628-3366.

Following the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we are beginning a new prayer group devoted to praying for the sanctification of priests.  With the example of the Foundation of Prayer for Priests, our new Vianney Cenacle will be held on the First Friday of each month during the first half hour of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  We will recite the Unity Prayer and the Rosary, and ask God to keep all priests close to the heart of our Blessed Mother Virgin Mary.  We also encourage the spiritual adoption of our priests and seminarians.  All are welcome to join us in prayer, whether you become part of our cenacle or pray individually.  A list of our priests and seminarians can be found here.  Please contact the office for more information.

The St. Thomas Women's Guild was established in 2016 to provide the women of the parish an opportunity to receive physical & spiritual support.

We have activities that help with all parish functions, from fund raisers to quilt raffles to a flea market, & provide funds to purchase items for the church. Each year we provide the decoration & flowers for the all the holidays. We also have a day of recollection each year that is well attended.

We meet the third Wednesday of the month at 11:00 a.m. in St. Martin's Hall from September to May.  All women of the parish are encouraged to come to our meetings & discover what we are doing. 

Please contact the office for more information.

Our Youth Group meets once a month in St Martin's Hall where they participate in Creative Discussions and plan Community Service Projects followed by games, including table tennis, air hockey, basketball, board games, and Movie & Popcorn Night.

Please contact the office for more information.