A Message from the Pastor
This Sunday, we commemorate the most momentous event in the entire universe: Jesus Christ’s triumphal rise from the dead over all the evil forces in the material and spiritual worlds. We know what Christmas and Good Friday are about because we’ve experienced the birth of babies and the death of loved ones. But Easter? Most of us would say we have absolutely no experience with that. So, let’s take a closer look at this great and mysterious truth.
First, Jesus raised himself from the dead—something no one had ever done. His death was not a suicide, and no one took his life—He gave it. As we read in John 10:18, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” Jesus was absolutely free and could have avoided death, but that would have meant not being true to himself or his divine mission. It would have been like St. Maximilian Kolbe, the martyr of the Nazi concentration camps, announcing at the last minute, “Wait! I don’t want to die in place of anyone else, even if he’s the father of many children! I rescind the offer of my life.” Of course, Christ never considered reneging on his love and obedience to the Father.
Notice that Jesus’ resurrection was completely different from the resuscitation of his friend Lazarus, who returned to the same type of existence he had before dying. No, Jesus was “raised to new life,” and those who knew him before his death no longer immediately recognized him. Think of the two disciples whom Jesus joined on the road to Emmaus. Only after many hours together did they realize it was Jesus who had been with them. The difference between this new life and Christ’s old life was so great that it was hard to recognize him again.
But what does Jesus’ resurrection mean for us today? It means many things. It means that God’s power is infinitely (quite literally) greater than all the evil in the world. God always has the last word. Good will always triumph over evil at the end of time.
Moreover, as we will see on Pentecost Sunday, it means that Jesus rose from the dead not to disappear into the heavenly realms but to make his home in us. We are now invited to “live in Christ” so that we will no longer fear death as before, no longer see it as the end of life but rather as a change in life. Jesus has pierced the veil between this life and the next and has gone ahead of us, saying, “Do not be afraid.” And because Jesus is the Son of God, we know that his words are true and show us the way to be fully human.
Easter and Pentecost inaugurate a new era, one in which a new field of energy is released, and the New Testament strains to describe it as “peace,” “love,” or “joy.” Jesus teaches us the real meaning of love: it is never possessive, suffocating, or controlling. It is a love that goes out from itself and gives life to others.
On behalf of the Dominican friars at St. Tom’s and our entire staff, I wish you and your loved ones a happy and blessed Easter.
First, Jesus raised himself from the dead—something no one had ever done. His death was not a suicide, and no one took his life—He gave it. As we read in John 10:18, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” Jesus was absolutely free and could have avoided death, but that would have meant not being true to himself or his divine mission. It would have been like St. Maximilian Kolbe, the martyr of the Nazi concentration camps, announcing at the last minute, “Wait! I don’t want to die in place of anyone else, even if he’s the father of many children! I rescind the offer of my life.” Of course, Christ never considered reneging on his love and obedience to the Father.
Notice that Jesus’ resurrection was completely different from the resuscitation of his friend Lazarus, who returned to the same type of existence he had before dying. No, Jesus was “raised to new life,” and those who knew him before his death no longer immediately recognized him. Think of the two disciples whom Jesus joined on the road to Emmaus. Only after many hours together did they realize it was Jesus who had been with them. The difference between this new life and Christ’s old life was so great that it was hard to recognize him again.
But what does Jesus’ resurrection mean for us today? It means many things. It means that God’s power is infinitely (quite literally) greater than all the evil in the world. God always has the last word. Good will always triumph over evil at the end of time.
Moreover, as we will see on Pentecost Sunday, it means that Jesus rose from the dead not to disappear into the heavenly realms but to make his home in us. We are now invited to “live in Christ” so that we will no longer fear death as before, no longer see it as the end of life but rather as a change in life. Jesus has pierced the veil between this life and the next and has gone ahead of us, saying, “Do not be afraid.” And because Jesus is the Son of God, we know that his words are true and show us the way to be fully human.
Easter and Pentecost inaugurate a new era, one in which a new field of energy is released, and the New Testament strains to describe it as “peace,” “love,” or “joy.” Jesus teaches us the real meaning of love: it is never possessive, suffocating, or controlling. It is a love that goes out from itself and gives life to others.
On behalf of the Dominican friars at St. Tom’s and our entire staff, I wish you and your loved ones a happy and blessed Easter.
Fr. Tom McDermott, OP
Fr. Tom McDermott, OP
Resources:
Livestream Mass @ 9AM
Sunday Bulletin
Readings: Easter Sunday
Faith Direct e-giving
If you are a Faith Direct e-giver and would prefer NOT to receive Sunday Collection Envelopes, click here
Parish Calendar
Parish Website
Prayer Intentions
To submit names for prayer intentions in the Bulletin, use this link or call the Parish Office at (765) 743-4652.
Holy Week Schedule & Announcements
Holy Thursday (March 28)
11:00AM - Confession
4:00PM - Confession
7:00PM - Mass of the Lord's Supper
8:30PM - Confession
8:30PM - Altar of the Repose, Newman Hall
Good Friday (March 29)
11:00AM - Confession
Noon - Walking Stations of the Cross
3:00PM - Service of the Passion, Church
Note: Purdue will relax parking enforcement in the gravel lot starting at 2:30 p.m.4:00PM - Confession
Holy Saturday (March 30)
10:30AM - Confession
Noon - Easter Basket Blessing
7:00PM - Confession
8:30PM - Easter Vigil, Church
Easter Sunday (March 31)
9:00AM - Mass(Livestream and overflow seating in Newman Hall)
11:15AM - Mass
Fasting and Abstinence during Lent
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics, and Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence from meat. The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal and two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members from age 14 upwards.
Desserts for the Easter Vigil Reception
All are welcome to celebrate with the newly baptized Catholics and their families after the Easter Vigil this Saturday night, March 30. Dessert donations for the reception would be most welcome. Please drop them off on the cart outside the Parish Office by Saturday morning. Thank you for your generosity!
April's Theology on Tap is on Tuesday
The Sacred Scriptures are an indispensable part of the deposit of our Catholic faith. But where did the Bible come from? Who wrote it? And how did it take the form we recognize today? Resident parishioner and diocesan formation leader Jonathan Sullivan will unpack these questions and more during this month's Theology on Tap on Tuesday, April 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room at Harry's Chocolate Shop. Everyone 21 and older is welcome to attend!
"Learn to Discern" scheduled for April 6
Where is God calling you? This is one of the most important questions and one that, when explored, can only bring us to deeper fulfillment. As a discernment group, we will meet on Saturday, April 6. We will have both men and women meeting together. If attendance permits, we can split into a men's group and a women's group for discussion. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Church, followed by breakfast and discussion in Room 4; end by attending 11:30 a.m. Mass.
Habitat Catholic Build Day on April 6
St. Tom's Hands and Feet of Christ ministry will participate in the Diocese-wide Catholic Build for Habitat for Humanity next Saturday, April 6, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you'd like to assist that day, visit the online sign-up. Financial contributions can also be made to the build online.
SBMT Reunion slated for April 7
This year's Spring Break Mission Trip participants will share their experiences from their state-side trips at the Reunion event next Sunday, April 7, at 4:30 p.m. in Newman Hall (downstairs). All are welcome to learn more! Pictured above are 2024 participants in the mission trip to Mississippi.
Boiler Catholics Everybody: “Faith in Your Future" on April 11
God created you for this particular moment in time. Explore how the habits you build today will enable you to be faithful to God’s mission for you right now and for years to come by attending April's Boiler Catholics Everybody event on Thursday, April 11, at 8:00 p.m. in Newman Hall. Our presenter is Jessica Wade, manager and liaison to young adult ministry for the Diocese of Lafayette's Office of Evangelization and Witness. All are welcome!
Sign Up Now for St. Tom's Service Day
St. Tom's Spring Service Day is a wonderful way to serve and get to know better our St. Tom's community. The service day, led by our Facilities Committee and Hands and Feet of Christ Ministry, will take place on Saturday, April 13, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Work will include a deep clean outside the rectory and inside and outside the church. Stay afterward for a pizza lunch. Sign Up Today!
Boiler Catholics Spring Formal on April 13
The Boiler Catholics Spring Formal event will take place Saturday, April 13, from 7:00 to 11 p.m. Come, have fun, dance, and hang out with all of your friends!
Part-time Cook Opportunity
The Dominican Friars will soon need a part-time cook for lunches Monday to Friday. If interested, email Fr. Tom at frtom@boilercatholics.org or contact the Parish Office.
Volunteer Receptionists Needed
Volunteers are needed to support the front desk in the Parish Office (2-4 hours, every other week). There are 30 total time slots over a two-week timeframe. Current openings include:
Tuesdays: Noon to 2:00 p.m. (1), 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. (1)
Wednesdays: 9:00 a.m. to Noon (1)
Thursdays: 9:00 a.m. to Noon (2), Noon to 2:00 p.m.(1)
For more information, please contact Mary Riehle by calling the parish office on weekday afternoons or by emailing Mary@boilercatholics.org.
MoST to host Mother's Day Brunch
Treat your mother, the mother of your children, or any of the mothers in your life to St. Tom's annual Mother's Day Brunch on Sunday, May 12, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. in Newman Hall. This tasty celebration, lovingly coordinated and prepared by the Men of St. Tom's (MoST) ministry, features five omelet stations, pancakes, bacon and sausage, breads and spreads, yogurt, fruit, juices, mimosas (21 and over!), and more.Mothers dine free. Suggested donation for their guests is $10/adult, $5/child (12 and under), toddlers free, and $25 max./immediate family.
SPRING GRADUATES: Baccalaureate Mass is May 10
St. Tom's will celebrate the May graduation of our Boiler Catholic students during Daily Mass on Friday, May 10, at 11:30 a.m.. All undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to attend in their regalia and invite family and friends to join them. Cake and punch will be served in Newman Hall after Mass. Read more.
Support LUM's "We've Got Talent"
Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM) is hosting its annual "We've Got Talent" fundraising event on Friday, April 12. Proceeds benefit the LUM Good Samaritan Fund. Richard VonTersch, a 7:00 p.m. Music Ministry group member at St. Tom's, will be among the performers competing. Come and support Richard and LUM. The cost is $35 per person, $280 per table (max.8). A selection of heavy appetizers and desserts will be served. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and performances start at 6:30 p.m. For tickets, visit the LUM website or Text 'WGT' to 50155.
Richard VonTersch
Good Friday Walking Stations of the Cross
Holy Week includes the opportunity for Walking Stations of the Cross around Purdue's campus on Good Friday (tomorrow). The Stations will begin and end at the Church. All are welcome! If you would like to help with the Stations, please contact Ryan Hunt at ryan@boilercatholics.org. To access the Stations of the Cross script for participating in the procession, visit https://boilercatholics.org/walkingstations.
A Message from Fr. Brent Bowen, OP
Dear Friends,
When I was in college, there was a retired priest in residence at the parish I attended named Fr. Ken. Fr. Ken was a "snowbird," meaning he spent his winters in Florida but would then return to his home diocese of Newark each summer. One year, the parish had a seminarian in his pastoral year. I recall one day, Fr. Ken giving the seminarian some advice: “Let the people teach you.” Although that advice was not meant for me at the time, Fr. Ken's words have stuck with me to this day.
In many ways, you have taught me, nurtured me, and allowed me to serve you in the first five years of my priestly ministry, both in my first three years at St. Tom's and the two years I have spent working in the diocesan chancery. I am truly grateful.
In early July, I will move to St. Dominic Priory in St. Louis, Missouri. My focus for the next year will be wrapping up my doctoral project, writing my treatise (similar to a thesis), and defending it. Then, in the Fall of 2025, the Provincial asked me to join the faculty at Aquinas Institute of Theology, the graduate theological school where our student brothers (seminarians) study, as a Professor of Preaching and Evangelization. It is a great honor to help form the next generation of Dominican preachers, and I am humbled to have been asked to do so.
Please know of my prayers and deep gratitude for each of you. Boiler up!
In Christ,
Fr. Brent Bowen, O.P.
Fr. Brent Bowen, OP
Catholic Ministries Appeal
Thanks to the generosity of our parish community, St. Tom's exceeded its $138,230 goal for the Diocese of Lafayette's 2023 Catholic Ministries Appeal by $2,402. This weekend is the launch of the 2024 Campaign. The Diocese's goal for this year is $5,902,000. St. Tom's portion is $146,000. We ask you to prayerfully consider your donation to the 2024 CMA campaign, which directly benefits St. Tom's campus ministry programs. Learn more about the impact of the CMA campaign on our Diocese's many ministries by visiting the campaign website. If you are a resident parishioner, you should have received a pledge card in the mail. If not, cards will be available in the pews this weekend. You may mail or place your pledge card in the collection basket or make your pledge or one-time gift online.