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

Dear Parishioners,

1. Holy Qurbana Schedule

• Monday, August 3, 2026
  
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana

• Tuesday, August 4, 2026 (The Feast day of St. John Maria Vianney)
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana 
  • 7:00 PM: Holy Qurbana  

• Wednesday, August 5, 2026
  
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana 
  • 7:00 PM: Holy Qurbana

• Thursday, August 6, 2026
  
  • Please Note: There is no Holy Qurbana on Thursday, August 6, 2026.

• Friday, August 7, 2026
  
  • Please Note: There is no Holy Qurbana on Friday morning at 8:30 AM.
  • 6:00 PM: Eucharistic Adoration followed by St. Jude's Novena
  • 7:00 PM: Holy Qurbana  

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

• Sunday, August 9, 2026
  • 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana (Malayalam)
  • Please Note: There is only one Holy Qurbana at 8:30 AM on Sunday, August 9, 2026. 

2. August 2026 Updates

• IPSF 2026: The much-awaited Inter Parish Sports Fest 2026 will be happening this week from Thursday, August 6 to Sunday, August 9. The event is hosted by Divine Mercy Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Edinburg.  
  • Important Travel Reminder: Since Edinburg is a border town, there is a possibility of random immigration or Border Patrol checks while traveling back from Edinburg. We kindly request all families traveling to Edinburg to carry documents that verify your legal status in the United States, such as a US Passport / Permanent Resident Card / Visa / I-797 / I-94 / Birth Certificate (for kids who don't have passport yet) or other applicable documents. This applies to every family member traveling to Edinburg. Please note, these are routine Immigration & Border Patrol check points that travellers in the area pass through regularly. This is only a precautionary step in an abundance of caution and there is no need for any unnecessary concern. 
  • Overall IPSF Schedule: IPSF Participants and Parents, Please refer to the IPSF High Level Schedule provided by Host Parish. Please use this schedule to see what day your events are starting. Please plan to be on time at Edinburg.
  • Detailed Gamewise Schedule: Please refer to the  Event wise, Category wise, detailed Schedule for IPSF 2026. 
  • IPSF Venues:
    • Check-in & Registration, Holy Qurbana, Food Courts: Edinburg Activity Center - 123 Mark S. Peña Dr, Edinburg, TX 78539
    • Main Venue - All Competitions except Soccer, Flag Football & Arm Wrestling: Edinburg Sports & Wellness Center,  315 Mark S. Peña Dr, Edinburg, TX 78539
    • Soccer & Flag Football Venue :  Edinburg Municipal Park -  714 S Raul Longoria Rd, Edinburg, TX 78542
    • Arm Wrestling, March Past, Cultural Program & Youth Meet :  ACE Center, City of Edinburg,  315 W McIntyre St, Edinburg, TX 78541

• Special Prayer & Blessing for School Children: As schools reopen next week for the 2026-2027 academic year, there will be a special prayer and blessing for all school children during 8:30 AM Holy Qurbana on Sunday, August 9, 2026. All parents are encouraged to bring your children for this special blessing as they begin a new academic year. Please note, there is only one Holy Qurbana at 8:30 AM on Sunday, August 9, and the special prayer & blessing will be during this Holy Qurbana.

• Academic Year 2026-2027 CCD Updates:
  • CCD Classes Begin on: Sunday, August 23, 2026
  • CCD Staff Meeting: on Sunday, August 16, 2026, after 8:30 AM Holy Qurbana
  • CCD Teacher's Orientation & Training: Saturday, August 22, 2026, after 8:30 AM Holy Qurbana
  • CCD Student's Parents Meeting: Sunday, August 30, 2026, after 8:30 AM Holy Qurbana

• Charity Fundraising Onam Sadya: Our Women's Forum is organizing a Charity Fundraising Onam Sadya on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 11:00 AM in our Jubilee Hall. Tickets are $25 per person. We encourage everyone to participate, enjoy a delicious and traditional Onam Sadya with fellow parishioners and support this noble cause. 

• 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.

• CCD Registration for 2026-2027: CCD Registration is in progress for the 2026-2027 Academic year.  Registration must be completed thru ParishOnNet. Please register your kids for CCD ASAP.
  • CCD Registration is Open to students from Pre-K through 12th grade.
  • The registration fee is $80 per child.
  • Those with outstanding pledge dues through 2025, may not be able to complete CCD Registration.  Please use the 'Donate' button on ParishOnNet, enter the Pledge Due amount, Select Fund '4010-Annual Pledge'  and submit pending pledge payment first. Once dues are paid, you should be able to complete CCD Registration. 
  • If you face any challenges registering, please reach out to Trustees. 
  • How to Register thru ParishOnNet.
    • Log in to ParishOnNet
    • Click 'Enroll my Family'.
    • Select the Family members / Kids you want to enroll, and under 'Select session', select their grade for upcoming year.
    • Review and update your contact information (Phone & Email).
    • Answer the 'Required Consents' section.
    • Verify & Update your billing details (Credit Card / Debit Card / Account number + Routing Number etc can be used).
    • Complete your registration by submitting a payment. 

• 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

• Annual Parish Picnic on Saturday, September 26: Our Annual Parish Picnic will be on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at One Eleven Ranch Park (2121 E Brand Rd, Garland, TX 75044). There will be food, games, and many other activities to engage with fellow parishioners. It's a great opportunity to meet and greet new members of our parish community. Please mark your calendars. 

• 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 paperworks are fulfilled in a timely manner, we request the cooperation of families involved.  
  • Families are requested to contact Vicar immediately after any Nuptial arrangements / Proposals are done.
  • 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 Paper-work required for Marriage, Betrothal or Baptism.
  • Marriage Preparation Course (PreCana) Completion Certificate is required.
  • Baptism Certificate and Confirmation Certificate is 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 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 Church and fill required Paper Work to reserve Church. If you need Choir for your private event, Please inform and reserve Choir also. 
  • Additionally, if your family is planning to invite a priest from outside the parish to celebrate a family sacramental event, such as a wedding or baptism or First Holy Communion, Please:
    • Inform the Parish priests in advance, 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