Weekly Announcements: St. Thomas the Apostle Syro Malabar Forane Catholic Church
4922 Rosehill Road, Garland, Texas 75043

Dear Parishioners,

1. Holy Qurbana Schedule

• Monday, September 28, 2026
  
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana

• Tuesday, September 29
  
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana
  • Please Note: There will be no Holy Qurbana at 7 PM on Tuesday, September 29, 2026

• Wednesday, September 30, 2026
  
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana
  • 7:00 PM: Holy Qurbana

• Thursday, October 1, 2026
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana

• Friday, October 2, 2026 (First Friday & Full-Day Eucharistic Adoration)
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana followed by Eucharistic Adoration until 6:50 PM
  • 6:50 PM: St. Jude Novena
  • 7:00 PM: Holy Qurbana followed by Eucharistic Adoration until midnight. 

• Saturday, October 3, 2026
  
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana, followed by the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

• Sunday, October 4, 2026
  • 8:30 AM: CCD
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana (Malayalam)
  • 10:30 AM: Holy Qurbana (English) 

2. October 2026 Updates

• Farewell to Former Vicar Rev. Fr. John Melepuram: Fr. John Melepuram, the current Vicar General, who was the Vicar of our parish from 1999 to 2004, wishes to reunite with our parish community to celebrate a Holy Qurbana of Thanksgiving. Fr. John is scheduled to retire in early 2027, after 48 years of dedicated priestly service. Please see the details of the Farewell Ceremony below.
  • When: Saturday, October 3, 2026 - Holy Qurbana at 4:00 PM, followed by a fellowship gathering and felicitation.
  • Where: Holy Qurbana at St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, followed by a gathering in Jubilee Hall
  • For more details, please see the Fr. John Farewell Flyer.
  • Those who would like to attend are requested to RSVP to any of the following coordinators. RSVP is mandatory. 
    • Jokutty (Kurian Joseph): 214-507-9892
    • Cherian Churanadu      : 214-729-2132
    • George Joseph             : 817-791-1775
    • Elsy Philip                     : 214-418-3431 

• Dei-Verbum 2026- Semi-Finalists & Finalists: Congratulations to all the Dei Verbum 2026 Semi-Finalists & Finalists from our parish. Our Parish is proud of your achievements, and we thank you for your dedication and hard work. The Finalists & Semi-Finalists listed below were recognized and presented with certificates for their participation and outstanding performance.  

• Holy Childhood Association (HCA) Meeting: The Holy Childhood Association's next meeting will be on Saturday, October 10, at 10:00 AM in the Jubilee Hall.

• Women's Forum One-Day Trip: The Women's Forum will be conducting a fun-filled one-day trip on Saturday, October 17, 2026. All women of our parish are warmly invited to join this relaxing and exciting trip. Please mark your calendars and plan work schedules accordingly.

• Beloved - Young Women's Conference: We invite all women aged 18-30s to join us for a weekend celebrating womanhood. It will be a beautiful way to connect with other women and learn more about sisterhood in faith. 
  • When: Friday, October 23, 5 PM to 9 PM & Saturday, October 24, 9 AM to 5 PM.
  • Where: St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Church, Coppell
  • Registration Link: https://www.belovedconference.us/registration
  • For more details, please see the 'Beloved' Flyer 

• Month of the Holy Rosary: October is the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary. Our Parish will have a 10-Day Rosary from Thursday, October 22 to Saturday, October 31. Please mark your calendars.

• CCD Announcements: Please see important CCD Announcements below. 
  • Upcoming Mandatory Teachers' Meeting during First Semester:
    • Sunday, November 8, 2026, 9:50 AM to 10:15 AM in the Grade 12 Classroom. 
  • Bible Bee Contest 2026-2027: This year, the Bible Bee will be conducted in two rounds with a time limit. 
    • Bible Bee Round 1: Round 1 will be conducted in each grade's classroom on Sunday, November 22, 2026, during CCD class. The Top 3 participants from each grade will be selected for the final round. 
    • Bible Bee Round 2 (Finals) will be conducted on Sunday, December 20, 2026.  
    • Bible Bee verses for each grade have already been shared in the respective grade WhatsApp groups.
    • A printed copy of the Bible Bee Verses to be memorized for the contest has also been provided to the children. 
    • If anyone would like to sponsor a Bible Bee prize (Cash award) Please Zelle to 214 809 5490. Sponsorships of any amount are welcome. Your generous support will encourage and recognize our children for their hard work and dedication. 
    • For more information, Please contact Mr. George Varghese (CCD Secretary).
    • Bible Bee test details for each grade as follows:
      • Pre-K                : 10 Verses | Oral Test      | Less than a 5-second gap between verses.
      • Kindergarten    : 15 Verses | Oral Test      | Less than a 5-second gap between verses.
      • Grade 1 to 3     : 25 Verses | Oral Test      | Less than a 5-second gap between verses.
      • Grade 4 to 6     : 25 Verses | Written Test | 20 minutes
      • Grade 7 to 9     : 50 Verses | Written Test | 40 minutes
      • Grade 10 to 12 : 75 Verses | Written Test | 60 minutes
    • Recognition of First-Round Winners: The top 3 participants from each grade in the first round will also receive a monetary gift in recognition of their hard work and dedication. 
    • Bible Bee Final Round Prizes: 
      • Category 1: Pre-K & Kindergarten - First Prize: $75   | Second Prize: $50   | Third Prize: $25
      • Category 2: Grades 1 to 3               - First Prize: $75   | Second Prize: $50   | Third Prize: $25
      • Category 3: Grades 4 to 6               - First Prize: $100 | Second Prize: $75   | Third Prize: $50
      • Category 4: Grades 7 to 9               - First Prize: $150 | Second Prize: $100 | Third Prize: $50
      • Category 5: Grades 10 to 12           - First Prize: $200 | Second Prize: $150 | Third Prize: $100
    • Please refer Bible Bee 2026 - 2027 Flyer  for complete details. 
  • CCD Students Report Card / Grade Book (2026-2027):
    • Report Cards/Grade Books will be shared electronically by class teachers with each student/parent this year. 
    • Parents/Students are responsible for completing the report card every week. Teachers, the Principal and Fr. Christin will monitor report cards/grade book entries for accuracy.

• World Youth Day Seoul 2027: World Youth Day 2027 will take place in Seoul, South Korea, from August 3 to August 8, 2027. DYA will be taking a group from our Eparchy.  If you are interested, please fill out this Interest Form. For further details, please reach out to Don Joseph at +1 469 845 5701.  

• Safe Environment - Mandatory Virtual Parent Awareness Training: Starting this year, both parents of CCD students are expected to complete a brief Safe Environment Parent Awareness Training.
  • Both parents should create an individual account at VIRTUS Online. www.virtusonline.org
  • When creating your account, please select the “Parent” role.
  • The system will automatically assign the required Parent Training Module.
  • The assigned training must be completed within 10 days (online).
  • Active Volunteers: If you are already a Safe Environment-compliant active volunteer, then you do not need to complete the separate Parent Training.
  • Please reach out to Safe Environment coordinators for any questions. 

• Dei Verbum 2027 - Eparchial Bible Quiz: Please see details of our Eparchial Bible Quiz - Dei Verbum 2027.
  • Preliminary (Online) Test for Dei Verbum 2027 will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2027. 
  • Final (Online) Test for Dei Verbum 2027 will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2027.
    • Dei Verbum will be conducted in 5 age groups as listed below.
    • Sub-Junior (Grades 4 to 6)
    • Junior (Grades 7 to 8)
    • Senior (Grades 9 to 12)
    • Adult (Youth & Adults below age 60)
    • Senior Citizen (Adults aged 60 and above)
  • For Dei Verbum Bible Quiz Topics for Preliminary Round as well as Final Round for each age group, please refer to Dei Verbum 2027 Flyer

• Upcoming Ward Prayer Meetings:

• Church Pledge Payments: We kindly request all parishioners with pending pledges to make their payments as soon as possible. The suggested annual pledge amount is $1,200 per family. 

3. Upcoming Events 

• Marriage Preparation Course (PreCana): The Family Apostolate is excited to invite engaged couples to "PreCana" in 2026. The following weekends are open for registration:
  • October 30-November 1, 2026 | Lemont IL | Venue: St. Mary’s Retreat House. To Register for Lemont Course, Please click here. PRE-CANA REGISTRATION FORM (October 30-November 1, 2026)
  • December 4-6, 2026 | Dickinson, TX | Venue: Christian Renewal Center – Dickinson, TX. To Register for Dickinson course, Please click here. PRE-CANA REGISTRATION FORM (December 4-6, 2026)
  • For more details about Pre Cana Course, Visit our Eparchy Website. Marriage Preparation Course - St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Chicago
  • If you have any questions, please email at familyapostolate.chicago@gmail.com    

4. Safe Environment Updates

• Volunteer Application Form: Anyone who is interested in volunteering in any church activities, please complete the volunteer application form. Please click on this link and input your email address to get the form in email. https://app.hellosign.com/s/HiUEwvY9 
• St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Diocese Safe Environment Hotline: +1 224 225 9121
• Effective safety programs begin with education and understanding.
• Please click the link to view the article on: ​​High Stakes: A Culture of Safety for Every Child

5. Additional Church Related Information

• Pre-Wedding Requirements - Important Notice: As members of the church, the Sacrament of Matrimony is a sacred covenant that requires proper spiritual, canonical and pastoral preparations. In order to ensure all necessary requirements and paperwork are fulfilled in a timely manner, we request the cooperation of families involved.  
  • Families are requested to contact Vicar immediately as soon as any nuptial arrangements / proposals are made.
  • The bride-to-be / groom-to-be is required to meet the Vicar in person and fill the Pre-Nuptial Form.
  • Active membership in Parish is required for proceeding with paperwork required for Marriage, Betrothal or Baptism.
  • Marriage Preparation Course (PreCana) Completion Certificate is required.
  • Baptism Certificate and Confirmation Certificate are required.
  • If you need to announce the Marriage Banns before Betrothal, there is another specific form to be filled. 

• Important Information regarding Sacraments: Please follow these guidelines while planning for the Sacrament in your family. Your cooperation will help ensure the proper preparation for flawless execution of these sacred occasions.
  • There will be a brief Baptism preparation session for the parents prior to baptism of their child.  While planning for a Baptism,  Please ensure that:
    • An Appointment is scheduled with the Parish Priests for the preparation session.
    • The parents attend the Baptism Preparation session before the Baptism date.
    • The Baptism Registration Form is completed and submitted to the parish priests well in advance.
    • Please contact Trustees' Office to check availability of the Church and fill required paperwork to reserve the church. If you need a Choir for your private event, Please inform the trustees and reserve the choir as well. 
  • Additionally, if your family is planning to invite a priest from outside the parish to celebrate a family sacramental event, such as a wedding, baptism or First Holy Communion, please:
    • Inform the parish priests in advance of the details of the invited priest.
    • Provide a valid 'Letter of Good Standing' from the diocese where the visiting priest is currently serving. 

• Contact Information Update on ParishOnNet: Dear Parishioners, please ensure that your contact details—especially your phone number and address—are up to date on ParishOnNet. You may update your information directly on ParishOnNet or contact the Secretary or Trustees for assistance. Trustees are currently finding it difficult to reach some members due to incorrect phone numbers.

• ParishOnNet Access: According to diocesan guidelines, we have provided ParishOnNet access to all parishioners. To access ParishOnNet for our church, please click on the ParishOnNet link. You can view your family details, church contributions, tax statements, CCD registration, and more. If you are unable to access ParishOnNet, please contact the Trustees.

• Church Payments via Zelle: If you choose to make payments to the church via Zelle, please use payst.thomasgarland@gmail.com as the recipient email. Also, include the purpose of the payment and your parish Family ID number to help us accurately identify and process your payment.

• Offertory Collection: When placing your offertory collection in the envelope, please ensure that you write your Family ID number and clearly state the intended purpose of your donation.

• Church/Parish Hall Booking: To secure a booking for the church or parish hall for any purpose, individuals must complete the required form available at the Parish Trustees' Office.

God Bless You
Rev. Fr. Siby Sebastian MST

Church Main Office (972) 240-1100

Kaikkarans (Trustees):
Emmanuel Kuzhippillil (Baby) (972) 365-5906
Jose Abraham (Jomon) (816) 616-8327
Siby Thalakulam (214) 907-5993
Thomas Jose (972) 338-0072

Parish Council Secretary:
Suja Kainickara (214) 500-8162

Liturgy Coordinator:
Jose Paul (972) 589-0434

Parish Vicar:
Rev. Fr. Siby Sebastian MST (346) 270-0262

Associate Pastor:
Rev. Fr. Christin Pudiyakunnel (201) 753-6829