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The fiscal year for the parish begins on September 1 and ends on August 31.

This is the "snapshot" of where we were as of last September

The bigger picture behind the numbers of our financial report

Each year we hope to provide you with a financial picture of the parish -- comparing the most recently completed fiscal year with the previous year -- both with regard to revenue and expenses. The fiscal year runs from September through August. Obviously, we are looking at a report that reflects where we were at some five months ago.

As you look at the charts and explanations below the charts, there are a few things that might immediately grab your attention.  While collections have increased from the previous year (thank you for your generosity), our auxiliary income took a big hit this past year because we did not have both the income from the school rental (Charter Academy School used our building in the 2022-2023 fiscal year) as well as money we had received from Covid relief (the forgiveness of PPP loans and the IRS employee retention credit). On the “bad news” side as well, our diocesan assessment went up (the assessment that is based on the robust income we received from 2022- 2023) as well as now having to pay a “non-school assessment” (a tax that the diocese collects from parishes that do not have a school).  As a result, we ran a deficit of a quarter of a million dollars in this past fiscal year!

Looking at this year's budget – how will we make up this $260,000 day-to-day operational deficit that we showed last year?

The seventy-year-old school building has seen better days – even recently we have had to spend over $22,000 in boiler repairs! The maintenance costs of the school building (utilities, building insurance, maintenance salaries) will be offset this year by three tenants: Catholic Charities Senior Center that currently uses the school auditorium, a sports program run by the Marianists, and most recently (depending on diocesan approval) another temporary charter-school tenant. These three tenants will offset the costs of the school building.

In addition, since the end of the last fiscal year, we have done more staff restructuring. The bottom line is that we hope to be able to “pay our bills,” that is, achieve a zero deficit by the end of this fiscal year. However, the achievement of that goal is largely due to your incredible generosity to this parish.

“Faith over fear!” I embrace this motto for I surely believe that the Lord will continue to provide what we need, our daily bread, to get through another year! As always, I am open to providing you with answers to any questions or concerns you may have.

The bigger picture behind the numbers of our financial report

Each year we hope to provide you with a financial picture of the parish -- comparing the most recently completed fiscal year with the previous year -- both with regard to revenue and expenses. The fiscal year runs from September through August. Obviously, we are looking at a report that reflects where we were at some five months ago.

As you look at the charts and explanations below the charts, there are a few things that might immediately grab your attention.  While collections have increased from the previous year (thank you for your generosity), our auxiliary income took a big hit this past year because we did not have both the income from the school rental (Charter Academy School used our building in the 2022-2023 fiscal year) as well as money we had received from Covid relief (the forgiveness of PPP loans and the IRS employee retention credit). On the “bad news” side as well, our diocesan assessment went up (the assessment that is based on the robust income we received from 2022- 2023) as well as now having to pay a “non-school assessment” (a tax that the diocese collects from parishes that do not have a school).  As a result, we ran a deficit of a quarter of a million dollars in this past fiscal year!

Looking at this year's budget – how will we make up this $260,000 day-to-day operational deficit that we showed last year?

The seventy-year-old school building has seen better days – even recently we have had to spend over $22,000 in boiler repairs! The maintenance costs of the school building (utilities, building insurance, maintenance salaries) will be offset this year by three tenants: Catholic Charities Senior Center that currently uses the school auditorium, a sports program run by the Marianists, and most recently (depending on diocesan approval) another temporary charter-school tenant. These three tenants will offset the costs of the school building.

In addition, since the end of the last fiscal year, we have done more staff restructuring. The bottom line is that we hope to be able to “pay our bills,” that is, achieve a zero deficit by the end of this fiscal year. However, the achievement of that goal is largely due to your incredible generosity to this parish.

“Faith over fear!” I embrace this motto for I surely believe that the Lord will continue to provide what we need, our daily bread, to get through another year! As always, I am open to providing you with answers to any questions or concerns you may have.

This Christmas, 10 families and 10 Shelter Clients were adopted! 46 families (112 people, including 43 children), received numerous gifts, and close to $9,000 in gift cards for their holiday celebrations!

Human services wishes to thank all of the generous members of our faith community at Saint THomas for the genuine outpouring of your love and care for those in need.

We want to share with you this awesome Christmas Story - a true story of one who "paid it forward."

With great joy we welcome to Saint Thomas the Apostle parish our new associate pastor, Father Dante Sabban. Father Dante is one of 12 children, born in 1968 in Luzon, Philippines. He was ordained a priest on January 12, 1998 for the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, Northern Cagayan Province, Luzon, Philippines. Through the twenty-seven years of his priesthood, he has served in various ministries, including associate pastor, co-director of youth ministry, director of a Catholic elementary school and, for over nineteen years, as pastor in three different parishes in the Philippines. In addition to his work in the Philippines, Father Dante has made several trips to Long Island to assist various parishes during the summer months. Most recently, he came to assist at Saints Cyril and Methodius parish in Deer Park. When Father Tony had learned about Father Anthony Cardone’s retirement, he reached out to the diocesan vicar for the clergy and was put in touch with Father Dante. Father will begin his work with us on January 1st. What a great start of a new year for all of us as we welcome this kind and compassionate priest to Saint Thomas.

As some of you know, Father Anthony will have a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, December 29th at 10:30am in the Church. Following Mass we are all invited to gather in the Parish center to wish Father Anthony well as he enters into this new chapter of his priesthood.

We thank those who have donated the various pieces of our outdoor nativity set and we pray for those in whose memory these pieces were donated. . . 

This year,  people were invited to "sponsor" one of the ten angels that surround the nativity scene.
This yearly sponsorship will be made available each year we put out our nativity set. 

The cornerstone of our Church - Jesus Christ.

On September 30, 1934, the cornerstone of our beautiful Church was laid - and in the months that followed Saint Thomas Church was built and made ready for our first celebration of the Eucharist that took place on Christmas Eve, some ninety years ago. In this ninetieth anniversary of our Church, Father Tony  wants to remember that day when the cornerstone was laid - for truly, the cornerstone of our Church is Jesus Christ. Over the years, the “living stones” - the good people who have given their time and talent to build this community - have been built upon the cornerstone of Jesus. As we hear in the words of Saint Paul when he writes to the Ephesians, “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

 Throughout the weekend of September 28-29, Father Tony called to mind the historic act of the laying of the cornerstone some ninety years ago but use it as an occasion to acknowledge and bless all the people who have volunteered their time and talent over the years to make this Church “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Father Tony blesses the cornerstone of the church

At the conclusion of the Mass, Father Tony  blessed all who had performed any kind of ministry in the Church in the past.  A special commemorative “holy card” was also be presented that gave each volunteer a sense of God’s delight in the work they have performed in the parish. (Commemorative holy cards are also available at the parish office)

So much in our world has changed over the past 90 years: The Great Depression, a major World War, Post-war Baby Boomers, the turbulent 60's, space exploration, the dawn of the digital age and social media, a world-wide pandemic and so much more.
So much in our Church has changed over the past 90 years. . .
Mass in Latin, the building of the School, the purchase of the Chapel, the Second Vatican Council, the additions made to the Church and School, the challenges of an aging population, and so much more.
What has remained constant – FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE.

With this in mind, we celebrate 90 years of our parish, an opportunity to honor a milestone of our history and declare that we are still going strong - and will continue to grow strong in the years ahead.

Ninety Years. . . and still going strong.

We are featuring this logo on a number of items, the purchase of which helps us in continuing to allow our mission to grow!
Featured now are our T-Shirt collection, in both V-neck and Crew neck, both in blue and in grey, in various sizes. The shirts are sold for $15 or 2 for $25. Canvas Tote bags featuring the 90th anniversary logo are only $10. Your purchase of a T-shirt or a bag (or both!) both promotes our beautiful parish as well as brings financial support to us! That’s a win-win all around!
Follow the link below to order your shirts – we order them in quantity (to save money on the printing of the logo) and so if you act right now, we hope to get the next “batch” by the beginning of August!

Click here to order your T-Shirt  and Canvas Tote Bags NOW!

Catechetical Sunday, which is celebrated on the third Sunday in September, (September 15, 2024) was established to recognize and celebrate the gift that catechists bring to a parish community. It also provides us an opportunity to reflect on the role that each baptized member of the faith community ought to play in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel.

The theme for 2024 is "Lord, when did we see you hungry?" The theme is intended to reflect our call to missionary discipleship. As St John Paul II reminded us: Every member of the faithful is called to holiness and to mission. We are called to be Eucharist by word and action to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our times cry out for this kind of holiness, one inflamed by the ardent determination to bring as many of our brothers and sisters as possible to Christ."

This year, Father Tony celebrated the Sunday - and after his homily, blessed our catechists. After communion, he also invited our young people to come forward with their backpacks - blessing the backpacks, the "tools of the trade" asking that the Lord will help our young people in becoming all that God desires them to be through their growth in both knowledge and wisdom.

Father Tony's homily

 The blessing of our catechists

The Feast of Saint Thomas and our 90th Anniversary

On July 3, 1934, the newly established Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle celebrated its patronal feast. That year, the feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle was a special one for plans were announced to begin the building of a beautiful Church  on Westminster Road.  Ninety years later, we come together to seek the blessing of our patron, Saint Thomas the Apostle, that our Church community may continue to grow and flourish under his apostolic intercession for this community of faith.

As we begin this jubilee year of celebration, Bishop Andrzej offered a special Mass of Thanksgiving on the Sunday that follows the Feast of Saint Thomas -- Sunday, July 7th at the 10:30am Mass. 

Bishop Andrzej's inspiring homily!

There will be many events during this Jubilee Year

- the blessing of our cornerstone and the blessing of the living stones (those who have served our parish through the years)
-- parish consecration to the Holy Eucharist 
- our special parish Dinner Dance
- our 90th Anniversary Christmas Concert featuring Andy Cooney, Frank Rendo and our own Parish Choir!
- And so much more to come!

On May 17th, four Eucharistic Processions began, starting from the North, South, East and West of our Country. Each procession will be continuing from mid May through Mid July when the four processions will finally come together in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On May 17th, a procession with the Most Blessed Sacrament began in West Haven Connecticut and made its way through Connecticut into New York City on Memorial Day weekend. On Monday, May 27th, nine of our parishioners gathered to walk with the Eucharist through the streets of Brooklyn, beginning with downtown Brooklyn and ending in Bay Ridge. From Brooklyn, the Eucharist was brought to Jersey City and eventually will make its way through the Eastern States until it arrives with the other processions in Indianapolis.

And so, our parishioners boarded an early morning train out of West Hempstead on the morning of Memorial Day, May 27th, making our way into Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn.

From there, our parishioners walked to Saint James Cathedral where they were joined by all the other pilgrims who were going to make their way through the oldest part of Brooklyn, the area closest to the Brooklyn Bridge. This section of Brooklyn has a special significance in that Mother Cabrini ministered to many of the immigrants who came here at the beginning of the last century. 

Bishop Brennan, the present Bishop of Brooklyn, offered a special prayer commemorating the work of Mother Cabrini in the spot that once was Sacred Heart Church and School. 

From Mother Cabrini Park, we journeyed to the Church of Sacred Heart - Saint Stephen - Our Lady Star of the Sea in Carrol Gardens. In each Church we visited, many of the local parishioners greeted the Eucharist as it entered the Church. The participation of music, praise and prayer was an incredible witness to the love that is shared in our devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament.

From Sacred Heart-Saint Stephen-Our Lady Star of the Sea we went to Holy Family-Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Park Slope. Pausing for Benediction and Eucharistic Adoration, we then made our way down to Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, processing through Sunset Park and into Bay Ridge.

Again, we paused in prayer and adoration at Saint Michael's. Many members of the youth community there joined the procession and brought us down Fourth Avenue as we made our way to our next Church, Our Lady of Angels.

Our final destination in Brooklyn was Our Lady of Angels. After adoration and benediction, the Eucharist was going to be brought to the pier in Brooklyn where Cardinal Dolan would escort the Eucharist to Jersey City. In the days ahead, the Eucharist will continue to be processed through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.

We were just so overwhelmed by the faith of people who love Jesus, who came out to process with us, to sing His praises, to adore in the Churches of Brooklyn and to be united together in this national movement of Eucharistic Revival. We pray that during this time of Eucharistic Revival, the Catholics of our country may come home to Jesus in the Eucharist, to profess more strongly their faith in his real presence in the Sacrament, to seek communion with Him through weekly participation in the Eucharist and to become His presence to the needy and poor in our midst. 

West Hempstead's Echo "Keeping Faith" is a new video series among religious leaders of the West Hempstead community. Here Rabbi Art Vernon of Congregation Shaaray Shalom and Father Tony Stanganelli of St. Thomas of West Hempstead discuss a number of issues: the role of religion in divisive issues, building congregations and communities in the post-Covid era, the impact of the October 7th massacres in Israel, addressing anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant attitudes and a host of other complex issues facing the community. 

What is the offertory procession?

In the celebration of the Mass, there are three major processions that take place -- the entrance procession, the offertory procession and the communion procession.  The entrance procession unites us as an assembly as we gather to celebrate the gift of the Father's love. The communion procession is obviously our sharing in the fruits of that redemption. The offertory procession is equally important - it is the moment when we present ourselves and all of our efforts in the hope that they can be united with the self-offering of Jesus and become fruitful for the sake of the world.

Why do we bring up bread and wine?

Obviously, what is involved in the procession is more than just making sure that the priest has the bread and the wine for the celebration of the Mass. Practically speaking, the bread and wine could just simply be on the altar at the beginning of the Mass. But let's look at the deeper reason behind the procession.

Bread - "fruit of the earth and work of human hands." Wine - "fruit of the vine and work of human hands." In both bread and wine we see the gift of God - wheat and grapes, but also the work we do to make the wheat into bread and the grapes into wine. The deeper meaning here is that bread and wine represent the partnership between God and humanity. God blesses us with his gifts, and we make something of those gifts. But wait, there is more! Obviously, God will take what we have made and make it something even greater - the body and blood of Jesus.

In one sense, the offertory procession represents this: We take all of the sacrifices that we have made in life - our efforts to create a family, our work to put food on the table, our desires that what we do makes a difference - and we unite those sacrifices to the supreme sacrifice of Jesus.  We are to unite our works, joys and sufferings to the bread and wine delivered to the priest. This way when they are transformed into the body and blood of our Lord, our sacrifice is united with Christ’s when presented to the Father.

Why might you want to bring up the bread and wine at Mass?

Perhaps the Mass is being offered in memory of a deceased loved one. Or perhaps you yourself are experiencing the need to ask the Lord to bless some work or enterprise of yours at this time.  Maybe there is a specific intention in your heart that you are asking the Lord to bless -- some intention that is being symbolized in the very bread and wine you are offering. Whatever the reason, we want YOU to be involved in this procession because what YOU bring to the table is important.

So, thing about it -- perhaps there is a Mass that you will attend in the near future that has a special meaning to you and your family.  Maybe a number of you in the family would like to participate in the offertory procession. A great way to let us know ahead of time is to fill out the form below and send it to us - so that we can let the ushers know that you will be presenting the gifts at that particular Mass that you are attending.

May the Lord bless our efforts and our work and make them life-giving in union with Jesus, our great High Priest.

Complete this form if you wish to participate in the offertory procession at a particular Mass in the future.

We at Saint Thomas are so very grateful for every single person who comes to worship the Lord at Sunday Mass. In a world where convenience seems to win over sacrifice, and words such as “obligation” seem like an old-fashioned cliché, your faithful presence at liturgy is so uplifting for every single person who gather for Mass. 

Still, after many years of habit, many of us feel comfortable with the Mass that we normally attend. It’s part of our routine – and since most of us sit in the same pew week after week, we come to know (or at least recognize) the people who sit around us. But now we are in a position where we must change – well a slight change in schedule in light of having one fewer priest to serve the people of Saint Thomas.

 The change affects our Masses in the chapel. Instead of 7:30am, 9:30am, 11am and 12:30pm in the chapel, our new schedule will be 7:30am, 10am and 11:30am in the chapel. This change will take effect on the weekend of November 26. The thought behind this new schedule was that people who normally attend the 9:30 Mass have a choice of either attending the 9 at Church or wait a half-hour for the new 10am in the chapel. And people who attend the 11am in the chapel now have a choice of either attending the 10:30am in the Church or wait a half-hour for the new 11:30am in the chapel. Those at the 12:30pm Mass are invited to either the 11:30 in the chapel or the 12 noon in the Church.

 “But that’s my Mass you’ve changed!” And while there may be many reasons why we have adopted a particular Mass time, making a slight move (as inconvenient as it may feel) brings us greater spiritual graces when we make our attendance at Mass a more intentional act (and not just part of a Sunday routine).

 Change isn’t easy – but God is always in the change – and blessing us for the sacrifices we make.

On the occasion of the patronal feast of our diocese, Saint Agnes, (Feast day January 21), Bishop Barres issues the following pastoral letter speaking of this great saint as a model of sacrificial self-giving. 

Read the text of the Bishop's Pastoral Letter

All middle school and senior high students are invited to audition for our Youth Group Summer Musical production of "The Wizard of Oz"

Prepare 16 - 20 bars of your favorite song (pop or from a musical)

Auditions: Friday evening, June 21 - 5:30 - 7:30pm
                        Saturday afternoon, June 22: 12 noon to 2pm

Call backs: Sunday, June 23rd from 1pm - 3pm

Saint Thomas the Apostle School Auditorium: 12 Westminster Road, West Hempstead

Bishop Barron Says New Vatican Document Affirms Church’s Timeless Teaching on Marriage

December 21, 2023

WASHINGTON – The document released this week by the Vatican on the pastoral meaning of blessings insists that marriage is a union of one man and one woman in lifelong fidelity and openness to children, said Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester. Following the publication of Fiducia supplicans by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, addressed questions and concerns that have emerged.

"In my capacity as chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, I would like to respond to some of the questions and concerns that have emerged in the wake of the publication of the Vatican document, Fiducia Supplicans. The statement in no way calls for a change in the Church’s teaching regarding marriage and sexuality. In fact, it goes to great lengths to insist that, in accord with unchanging doctrine, marriage is a union of one man and one woman in lifelong fidelity and openness to children.  

“The blessings that it allows for those in irregular relationships are not liturgical in nature and hence do not imply any approbation of such relationships. Rather, these benedictions are informal and spontaneous, designed to call upon God’s mercy to heal, guide, and strengthen. Despite some misleading coverage in the press, the declaration does not constitute a ‘step’ toward ratification of same-sex marriage nor a compromising of the Church’s teaching regarding those in irregular relationships.

“Fiducia Supplicans is very much congruent with Pope Francis’s long-held conviction that those who do not live up to the full demand of the Church’s moral teaching are nevertheless loved and cherished by God and invited to accept the Lord’s offer of forgiveness.”

Each year we hope to provide you with a financial picture of the finances of the parish -- comparing the most recently completed fiscal year with the previous year -- both with regard to revenue and expenses.

As you look at the charts and explanations below, there are a few things that might immediately grab your attention. It looks as though "collections" are down. Actually our Sunday collections have gone up slightly but we did not have as robust a collection at both Christmas and Easter. Also, this year we had eliminated some of the special second collections (like shrubs and gardens) which accounts for the overall decrease as well. Maybe we need to restore second collections!

Our largest increase in revenues this year came from three sources: the one-year rental of our school (which netted over $600,000) as well as money from Employee Retention Credit (IRS credits given to us for the employees we retained on payroll in the midst of the 2020 pandemic).  We were blessed to have this revenue; unfortunately, we are not sure if we will receive ERC revenue this year having applied for such credit from the first three quarters of 2021 (when the school was still open).

As we look at this year's budget, we have some good news and challenging news.

Good news: Through staff restructuring, we will be able to save some significant money in this current budget year. In salaries and benefits, we look to save over $150,000. Also, we may possible qualify for Employee Retention Credit for three quarters of the fiscal year 2021. We hope to engage in a rental agreement of our School Auditorium to Catholic Charities for the use of a senior day-care center (Monday through Friday).  We are also pursuing other rental possibilities for the school now and into the future. 

Challenging news:  The loss of our major tenant of the school building (Academy Charter School) means the loss of over $600,000 in revenue as we move forward. There will also be the need to replace our Church air conditioning system to a more EPA compliant (and cost reductive) chillers and pumps. 

What does all this mean? Our major (and most dependable) source of revenues to the parish, at present, is the generous contributions of our parishioners. But, as you can see from the report below, Sunday contributions account for only 45% of our total revenue. That means if the other sources of our revenue are not present (such as rental of the school building), we are in deep trouble. We have been able to survive this year (and perhaps next) because of extraordinary income such as Employee Retention Credit and bequests from estates where we are named as a beneficiary. For this reason, parishes advised that if they are going to be fiscally sound in years to come, the Sunday collection ought to amount to at least 55 - 60% of the total revenue of the parish. For this reason, we will need to engage in a modest "offertory increase campaign" in the next few weeks. Fundamentally, we would like to see at least a 10% increase in revenue that comes to us from collections.

As always, we thank you for your generosity because without that, we cannot achieve our mission here at Saint Thomas.

Note 1: Our Fund-raising income includes rebates from the Catholic Ministries Appeal, our Cash Calendar, and other fundraising events. While this line shows the income from fundraising, it is offset by the fundraising expenses listed in the expenditures column

Note 2: Income from Parish programs includes tuition for our Religious Education program, fees collected from Youth Ministry, pre-Cana and donations made to Human Services. 

Note 3: Auxiliary Revenue includes money collected from Weddings, Funerals and Baptisms, Donations made through the poor box and candles, rent paid on behalf of priests in residence, money that came to us through the PPP loans, Employee retention credit, bequests from wills and other donations. This year's surplus comes from over $600,000 rent of the school by Academy Charter School. IN the previous year, there was substantial income that came to us through PPP loans and large bequests.

Note 4: Collections on behalf of others: These are the diocesan collections (Religious Retirement, Catholic Relief Services, Tomorrow’s Hope, etc.) What is collected here is given directly to the diocese and appears as an expenditure.

Note 5: Non-operating revenue is revenue that comes through investments.

Note 6: Extraordinary Revenue: This is revenue that came in through the “Capital Improvement” collections and restricted donations.

Note 7: While salaries decreased, employee benefits have increased.

Note 8: Parish Program Expenses are from Religious Ed textbooks and disbursements made to our Human Services and Saint Vincent dePaul Society.

Note 9: Office and Administration expenses are postage and printing, telephone, computers, internet and accountant fees.

Note 10: Auxiliary expenses are liturgical expenses (vestments, hymnals, etc), and the diocesan assessment (approx 8% “tax” on our income supports diocesan administration)

Our recent Thanksgiving Food Drive was such a success -- because of YOU!  Your generosity helped Human Services prepare over 200 bags of pantry items. 

We also want a special shout-out to the students in our religious education program as well as members of our Youth Ministry program who participated in the drive.

Young and old alike -- together we make a statement about a parish that cares!