The Ministry of Bereavement answers the need to serve the grieving people of our parish family in a special way. There is a need for words of faith, comfort, and encouragement as well as various acts of kindness for those who mourn.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
A very important aspect of this ministry is assisting the family of the deceased in preparing the funeral liturgy.  Another area where we can use assistance is preparing food for the family after the funeral has taken place.  In all that it does, the Bereavement Committee is a positive sign of Christian love and support within our parish community... and beyond.

Contact:
Deacon Michael Thomas at  513-753-2549
Deacon Bob Brazier at 513-688-3626
 

Catholics today are seeking Jesus in the Scriptures as never before. Many grew up in an era when the Church, busy doing other things, was not putting much energy into teaching the Bible. Some Catholics even picked up a kind of fear of Bible reading — as if danger of false interpretation was so great it was better to have nothing to do with the Bible at all. Today, there is a new emphasis on Scripture among Catholics. Bible study groups, an expanded selection of Scripture in the liturgy, and encouragement from Church leaders has led many Catholics to dust off the family Bible, looking for nourishment for their spiritual life.

WHEN THE BIBLE STUDY MEETS
Our bible study group meets every Wednesday morning at 9:30AM in the Faith Formation Room to study and discuss the Liturgy of the Word for the upcoming Sunday Mass.

Christ Renews His Parish is designed to give the individual, both women and men in the parish, an opportunity for renewal and growth in the spiritual family of the church. It is also an opportunity for prayer and faith sharing in the awareness of God’s love and how we can respond to His call to help us grow together as a Christian parish family.  What happens on the weekend? Most who have taken part in the weekend say, “You can’t explain what happens: you have to experience it for yourself.”
 
THE EXPERIENCE
The 30-hour Christ Renews His Parish experience includes: group activities and discussions, prayer together, reflection talks by the "giving team."  Reflection themes include topics such as The Father’s Loving Care for Us, Scripture, Eucharist, and the Christian Life, as well as private reflection. A Reconciliation service with individual Confession and a Eucharistic celebration are integral parts of each weekend experience. The weekend begins at 8:00AM on Saturday and ends by 2:00PM on Sunday.

Contact:
Deacon Michael Thomas at  513-753-2549

One of the greatest challenges facing families today is how to pass along Christian values to generations to come. Our Dad’s Group centers on efforts to provide resources to fathers and grandfathers to help them fulfill God’s mandate to be a good parent. Most fathers have received little or no training in parenthood.  This is a great way to meet other men of the parish and to help support each other in our goal of being the best dads we can be. The group meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7:30PM.

Contacts:
Deacon Michael Thomas at  513-753-2549
Jerry Harpring at  513-378-8001

The St. Veronica/St. Thomas More (SVTM) Football Program fosters the physical development of the parish student athlete in an environment governed by Catholic teaching and emphasizing sportsmanship, fair play, respect, discipline, and fellowship.  

The SVTM Board of Trustees are appointed bi-annually and consists of five individuals, two each from St. Veronica and St. Thomas More, and one from St. Bernadette. They oversee the appointment of volunteer coordinators on an annual basis at the first meeting held in January.

Meetings are held on a quarterly basis, on the second Tuesday of the month.   All boys and girls in grades K-8, who are enrolled in our parish school or who are parishioners enrolled in the Parish School of Religion, are eligible to participate in the SVTM Football and Cheer programs.  Any parishioner may be appointed as a member of the SVTM Board of Trustees or be appointed as a Coordinator, Head Football or Cheer Squad Coach.

To be considered for a coaching position, candidates must be an active member of the parish community, file a written coach’s application and meet all the standards of the Archdiocesan Decree on Child Protection.

The obligation to visit and comfort those who cannot take part in the Eucharistic assembly may be clearly demonstrated by taking communion to them from the community’s Eucharistic celebration. This symbol of the unity between the community and its sick members has the deepest significance on the Lord’s Day, the special day of the Eucharistic assembly.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
Special training as Extraordinary Ministers of Communion is required for those who take Holy Communion to the sick and homebound.  This is a great opportunity for our retired members who might have extra time during the week and for those who want to extend their celebration of the Lord’s Day through this loving act of service. The days, times, and duration for those receiving this ministry may vary according to their individual needs.   

The Respect Life Ministry, under the guidance of Fr. Bill Wagner and the USCCB’s Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities seeks to inform, engage and evangelize our parishioners on the Church’s teachings on matters of life ranging from conception to a natural death. We do this by hosting Respect Life events throughout the year and actively engaging parishioners of all ages.  Our Respect Life programs seek to address life issues and advertise these through our parish bulletin and this website. Some events and activities hosted by the Respect Life Ministry are:

• Cemetery of the Innocent
• 40 Days for Life
• Cookie Ministry for a Kairos Weekend at the prison
• March for Life, and Life Chain

"Never tire of firmly speaking out in defense of life from its conception and do not be deterred from the commitment to defend the dignity of every human person with courageous determination. Christ is with you: be not afraid.”  

- Pope John Paul ll 

St. Thomas More Parish is a member of the Southeastern Ecumenical Ministry (SEM), an organization of 30 churches in eastern Hamilton and western Clermont Counties, which help the area’s needy and elderly through mission activities, including housing facilities for the elderly and a food pantry.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
SEM operates a food pantry where people in need may receive food and funds on an emergency basis. The Food Pantry receives food every other month from donations given to the ongoing St. Thomas More “Feed the Poor” collection and from other member churches. The Food Pantry telephone number is 513-231-1412. Volunteers are always welcome.  

Contact:
Tom Kiefer at  513-752-0134
STM’s Delegate to SEM Legislative Board  

The St. Vincent de Paul Society is a ministry of volunteers who administer to the poor in our parish area. Contact is made as the result of calls received on our St. Vincent de Paul voice mail line from people in need.

Clients are given assistance with food, rent, utility bills, clothing and other basic needs. Clients are visited and interviewed by members to determine their needs. The work of the St. Vincent de Paul is sustained by the generosity of our parishioners through fifth Sunday collections, food drives and Christmas Giving Tree. Without this assistance the conference would not exist. St. Vincent de Paul manages our St. Thomas More House at 804 Ohio Pike, which is used as a food pantry.
 

Do you shop Amazon? Did you know that you can shop Amazon and have a portion of your sale go to our STM St. Vincent de Paul? If you use the link below when shopping Amazon, you can also give to our St. Vincent de Paul at the same time. So when you are shopping Amazon, how about giving our St. Vincent de Paul a gift too!

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