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We welcome you to our parishes in the
northwest corner of Sussex County, New Jersey. -
St. James the Greater
75 River Road, Montague, NJ 07827
Map and Directions
St. Thomas the Apostle
210 Route 206 N, Sandyston, NJ 07826
Map and Directions -
Our church welcomes those visiting our area
to join with us at Mass.
Please check our Church Bulletin [link is above - upper right] for timely info and any other upcoming parish or area events.
2022 - 2023 Religious Education program classes :
Grades 4, 5 & 6 – Tues. ; Grades 1, 2 & 3 – Wed. ;
Conf. I & II – Sun.
Current class dates for each are in the Parish Bulletin.
The Sacraments of Christian Initiation for those students who will receive First Holy Eucharist and Confirmation,
builds on the grace that each child first received at Baptism.
It requires 2 years of preparation -
usually in 1st & 2nd grade, and again in 7th & 8th grade.
The grades in-between are the added stepping stones to help
assure that each child may more fully grasp and understand their faith
and should not be skipped.
Children's Liturgy of the WordC.L.O.W. is offered at St. Thomas the Apostle's Sunday 9:30 a.m. Mass.
The next CLOW is on Feb. 5th.
Students should continue attending at either the 4:30 Sat. Vigil,
or a Sunday Mass each weekend.Mrs. Flexer welcomes Confirmation Candidates (from grades 7 & 8) and Confirmed teens to consider assisting as Lector, and/or Hospitality Minister for our 2023 C.L.O.W. schedule.
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Consider this in 2023!
We wou
ld like to make you aware of an opportunity to grow in your faith and learn more about the Catholic Church’s teachings - on your own time.
On January 1st, Ascension launched its Catechism in a Year podcast. Thats consists of daily 15-20 minute episodes of Fr. Mike Schmitz reading through the entire-offering insights and guidance. One can still easily catch up. Consider giving it a try!The Catechism explains & discusses all the fundamental teachings of our faith in a prayerful, engaging and approachable way. Having it in podcast form makes it easily accessible via a computer or smartphone/tablet - which you can listen at home, or while walking, driving - at a time you choose.We continue to provide hand sanitizer.
We invite you to consider joining other taking on this faith journey. Info is online to sign up for FREE at both Ascension Press’s website & on their FB page. Check out the The Catechism in a Year YouTube Channel - the only place to watch, listen and / or read along with every word of the podcast.
The Bible In a Year remains accessible and all 365 individual episodes remain online.
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Feel free to wear a facial mask, if you choose or need to for personal health reasons.
For everyone's continued safety, those wishing to receive Communion on the tongue - please approach at the end of all processing forward to receive in the hand.
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Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
The R.C.I.A. sessions are mainly for adults - for faith sharing and instruction. The sessions run approximately one to one and 1/2 hours and would be held at the convenience of all participants. There is no cost for this program.
Parishioners can invite others to become Baptized Catholics.
If anyone is already baptized, do not delay being fully initiated - if for some reason you did not receive any of these Sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation
- of the Catholic Church.
Anyone interested - please check the Church Bulletin [shown top Right] and contact the Parish. -
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Alternate ways to view Mass
We offer this list of links to online Masses or ones televised, for those who still cannot legitimately attend in person - as noted Per the Bishops of NJ - below.
All others should be attending a Sat. Vigil or a Sunday Mass offered each weekend to fulfill your Sunday Mass obligation if there is no illness or genuine extenuating circumstance.
Per the Bishops of NJThe dispensation from the obligation to participate in Sunday Eucharist was lifted on the Vigil of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ,
June 5th, 2021 for all of those in good health.
{ No one had been dispensed from observing their Sunday obligation. }
"A person with a cough or fever of any kind should not take part in Mass in-person.""All who are healthy and who do not regularly come in contact with those who have serious underlying medical conditions are encouraged to take part in Mass in-person."
" Those who are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus,
i.e. those sixty (60) years of age and over, and especially those with one or several underlying medical conditions, or those directly responsible for the care of those most susceptible - who may therefore not feel comfortable returning at this time, should continue to follow Mass at home via live streams or televised options until restrictions are removed."
Go to our Alerts at top right for more info on alternative sources
to view Mass online or via your TV, and other related info.P.S. Don’t keep ‘social distance’ from the Lord !
During the season when assorted respiratory bugs normally circulate
- one can still mask, and take standard precautions.
Mass options online :
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Catholic TV
EWTN -
Parish info - current procedures:
1. Those who should or wish to - please feel free to wear a face mask. Hand sanitizers remain available in the Gathering Space for anyone's use on entering the building.
protocol advises: "Those who wish to receive Holy Communion on the tongue .. come up and receive at the conclusion of the Communion Procession." Our pastor, Father Wayne Varga, requests all continue to adhere to this request.Do not attend in person if experiencing respiratory symptoms { as Flu, RSV, & Covid have similar symptoms} or if you should isolate/ quarantine due to known COVID exposure.
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The parishes of St. James and of St. Thomas accept Online Giving.
Please click the logo above to sign up for either parish.Thank You for your continued support!
Diocesan Assessments * & Special Collection * dates listed.
Please indicate which * collection & date you are donating towards - via an added notation.
New Parishioner Information
We welcome you and ask that you fill out a registration form.
One can be obtained at church, via our Parish Office, or a download:
St. Thomas or St. James
When a Catholic is asked to be Godparent or Sponsor,
a letter from the pastor of their home parish is requested.
That letter can only be legitimately provided to a registered member of a parish.
Please do call the Parish Office 973-948-2296 [Ext. 11]
to schedule Confession with the pastor
or for any specific requests.
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Our Parish Food Pantry is currently accessible
most weekdays til about 2:30pm via the Parish Office.
Please call first to be certain someone there can assist you.
If you don't get to speak directly with someone, do leave a message with your name and a phone # so that you can be responded to. Someone will call you back .
REMINDERDo NOT reply to the any email supposedly sent by the pastor or any staff member. There have been SCAM texts/email that were "supposedly" sent by either Fr. Wayne or Mrs. Flexer and occured at different times; the "Reply To:" addresses were not being directed back to their correct email address but to a totally unrelated account being used by a scammer.
Law enforcement was given the info - and warns that such are part of active phishing emails that show crooks continue to try to access personal info or to get someone to send them gift cards, etc. via email.
Before you might respond to such - contact the parish first. -
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Mass Schedule
- Saturday Vigil 4:30 PM EnglishEnglishEN at St. Thomas the Apostle
- Sunday 8:00 AM EnglishEnglishEN at St. James the Greater 9:30 AM EnglishEnglishEN at St. Thomas the Apostle 11:30 AM EnglishEnglishEN at St. James the Greater
- MonWed Fri 9:00 AM EnglishEnglishEN at St. Thomas the Apostle
- Saturday 8:00 AM EnglishEnglishEN at St. James the Greater
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Wintry Weather alerts
For Weekday Masses - if either the Sandyston-Walpack or Montague Elementary School Districts [when in session] call for a delay or closure.. do not venture out. We cannot assure that the long driveway or sidewalks will be sufficiently cleared at St. Thomas.
All other times, use your best judgment.
If known early enough and when conditions warrant concern on weekends, or during school vacation/holidays, we shall try to post any cancellation here and also to our Facebook page - as long as power & internet is working. -
Confession
- Saturday: 4:00 PM to 4:20 PM at St. Thomas the Apostle
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NOTE:
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is always also available by Appt. -
Parish Staff
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Pastor
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Deacon
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CRE
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Parish Secretary
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FORMED
Click : FORMED to sign up for your own direct account under our parish subscription: St. James the Greater and St. Thomas the Apostle.
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Religious Education for Children (CCD)
Religious Education / Youth Office and Classes are located at
122 Layton-Hainesville Road, Sandyston, NJ 07826
Map and DirectionsMsgr. Gacquin Youth
Religious Education Center
CCD Office Phone: 973-948-7004
(All mail should be sent to the parish office address - noted at the bottom of this page.) -
See www.ithirstinitiative.org
For those Interested in Assisting Those Suffering from Addiction:
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Pregnancy Assistance & Adoption Services
Call 1-800-395-HELP or
Tri-State Pregnancy 570-491-5151
Good Counsel: 1.800.723.8331
for pregnant mothers in need any time, any place.
www.goodcounselhomes.org
Adoption@Catholic Charities
+++Post Abortion Healing
Project Rachel
973-777-8818, ext. 272Lumina: Hope and Healing After Abortion: 1.877.LUMINA1 (877.586.4621)
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