Dear Parishioners,
1. Holy Qurbana Schedule
- Monday, February 16, 2026 - Vibhoothi Thirunnal / Ash Monday - Day of Fasting
- 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana and imposition of ashes
- 7:00 PM: Holy Qurbana and imposition of ashes
- Tuesday, February 17, 2026 – Thursday, February 19, 2026
- 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana
- Please note: Holy Qurbana will be offered on Thursdays also during the Season of Lent.
- Friday, February 20, 2026
- 6:00 PM - 6:40 PM: Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
- 6:00 PM: Eucharistic Adoration followed by St. Jude's Novena
- 7:00 PM: Holy Qurbana followed by Way of the Cross/ Kurishinte Vazhi.
- Saturday, February 21, 2026
- 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana, followed by the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Sunday, February 22, 2026
- 8:30 AM: CCD
- 8:30 AM: Holy Qurbana (Malayalam)
- 10:30 AM: Holy Qurbana (English)
2. February 2026 Updates
- Season of Lent: The 50-Day Great Lent begins on Monday, February 16, 2026 with Ash Monday.
- Vibhoothi Thirunnal / Ash Monday is observed as a day of fasting. There will be Holy Qurbana at 8:30 AM and 7 PM on Ash Monday.
- Holy Qurbana will be celebrated daily (including Thursdays) throughout the Season of Lent.
- Our Vicar, Rev Fr. Siby Sebastian, MST will be available for Confession after Holy Qurbana, during Weekdays of the Season of Lent.
- Annual General Body Meeting: The Annual General Body Meeting will be held on Sunday, March 1st, 2026, after Holy Qurbana in the Jubilee Hall. All registered and active members of the parish are encouraged to attend.
- 8:30 AM: CCD
- 9:45 AM: Holy Qurbana
- General Body Meeting will start in the Jubilee Hall, soon after Holy Qurbana.
- There will be only one Holy Qurbana at 9:45 AM.
- Annual House Blessing during Season of Lent: Our Vicar Rev. Fr. Siby Sebastian MST, would like to do Annual House Blessing during Season of Lent.
- Ward Representatives will be posting Sign-up sheets in respective Ward WhatsApp groups with days allocated to your Wards. If you would like to have your house Blessed, Please sign up with your preferred date and time. Also Please feel free to reach out to your Ward Representatives directly.
- Lenten Retreats: As we enter the Holy Season of Great Lent, the Church invites each of us to a deeper journey of prayer, repentance and renewal. Lent is a blessed opportunity to return to the Lord with all our hearts, to strengthen our families in faith and to grow in love and charity. Our Parish is prayerfully organizing Lenten Retreats for all age groups in both Malayalam and English. we humbly request every parishioner to keep these retreats in your prayers, that they may bear abundant spiritual fruits for our parish community.
- March 7 & 8, 2026- Saturday & Sunday: English Retreat For College Students and Young Adults - led by Mr. Craig Dyke and the Holy Cross Family Ministries Team
- March 19, 20, 21 and 22 - Thursday & Friday (Evening hours only) and Saturday & Sunday: Malayalam Retreat for Adults led by Rev. Fr. Binoj Mulavarickal.
- March 21 and 22 - Saturday & Sunday: English Retreat for Middle School and High School Students in Jubilee Hall, led by Fr. Jomon Kalladanthiyil (St. Joseph's Oratory) & Fr. Pinto Paul (Holy Cross Family Ministries).
- Holy Childhood Association Movie Night: Holy Childhood Association (HCA) will be having a Movie Night on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 6 PM in the Parish Hall. Requesting all HCA families and children to attend.
- Marian Consecration Prayer:
- Marian Consecration Prayer Starting on February 20th till March 25th.
- 33 Days of Marian Consecration Preparation during Lenten time.
- Requesting all parents to ensure your children join the prayer every evening.
- Zoom Links and Prayer schedule will be shared thru respective CCD Class Whatsapp groups.
- Parking Lot Pledge Payments: Our parish family is blessed to be growing and with that growth comes responsibility. The ongoing Church Parking Lot Project is an important step toward improving safety, accessibility and convenience for every parish member. The total cost for this project is $800,000. Thanks to your generosity, $400,000 has already been paid. But at this moment, we must speak honestly and openly: We do not yet have the remaining $400,000 which will be due immediately. This is our church, this is our responsibility and this is our moment. We humbly request each family to prayerfully consider making a meaningful contribution at the earliest. Without your support, We do not have sufficient funds to complete this project. You can make your Church Parking Lot Pledge payments, through ParishonNet, or via Zelle ( payst.thomasgarland@gmail.com ) or Credit Card. Please contribute and support this effort. Let us unite in faith, generosity and gratitude and complete this mission successfully.
- Beware of Fraudulent Phishing Emails/Messages: We have been informed that various parishioners have received emails / text messages / Whatsapp Messages claiming to be our Parish Priest or Parish Leadership or Parish Perunnal Coordinators requesting Financial assistance or access codes etc. We noticed those messages contain multiple key words matching our church activities, to make it look so genuine and real. These messages are fraudulent and are attempts to deceive generous members of our community. Please be aware that our parish priest and parish leadership will never request financial help thru unofficial emails or text messages. If you receive such a message, do not reply, do not send money or gift cards, do not click on any suspicious links, do not give any access codes shared to your phone. Let us remain vigilant and protect ourselves from these targeted phishing attempts.
- Auditions for Church Choir:
- Auditions for our Church Choir will be conducted on Saturday, February 28, 2026, after 8:30 AM Holy Qurbana.
- Those who are interested in being part of our church choir, please sign up with our Choir Director Tom George (469-920-7631) or our Vicar, Rev. Fr. Siby Sebastian (346-270-0262).
- Please email your tracks to kgeorgetom@gmail.com.
- Blanket Drive for 'Hope for Children' Foundation: Women's Forum will be organizing a blanket drive (new blankets only) from February 8th, supporting 'Hope for Children' Foundation. 'Hope for Children' is a Dallas based nonprofit organization. They take care of abused and neglected children, giving them hope and building a brighter future. Please support this initiative.
- Youth Camp 2026: St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Youth Council invites all our high school students to Youth Camp 2026 - an exciting experience filled with games, friendship, spiritual sessions, and a variety of fun indoor and outdoor activities. Come build lasting memories and grow together!
- When: March 13th to 16th, 2026
- Where: at Mt. Lebanon Camp - New Updated venue for unique experience. Address: 1701 Texas Plume Rd, Cedar Hill, TX 75104
- Who can Participate: Grades 9 to 12 CCD students
- How to Register: Registration is now Open thru ParishOnNet. Please use your ParishonNet Login to register.
- While Registering, Please make sure to click the Liability Waiver Forms too.
- Please check the Updated Youth Camp Flyer for further details.
- IPSF Parish Level Competition Updates: IPSF Parish Level Competitions will be conducted on below dates. Please mark your Calendars, if you have registered for respective events. Detailed Category wise time & Schedule will be communicated by your respective event coordinators through Whatsapp groups. Basketball, Volleyball and Throwball Tryouts will be at the 'Salvation Army Gym' at 435 S 5th Street, Garland, TX 75040.
| Event |
Category |
Date |
Time / Comments |
Where? |
| Basketball |
Elementary Male & Female |
20-Feb-2026 |
Friday, 6 PM to 8 PM |
Salvation Army Gym |
| Basketball |
Middle School Male |
20-Feb-2026 |
Friday, 8 PM to 10 PM |
Salvation Army Gym |
| Table Tennis |
Youth Male, Youth Female |
21-Feb-2026 |
Saturday, 10:00 AM, 3 PM |
Jubilee Hall |
| Basketball |
High School Male |
21-Feb-2026 |
Saturday, 9 AM to 11 AM |
Salvation Army Gym |
| Basketball |
High School + Youth Female |
21-Feb-2026 |
Saturday, 11 AM to 1 PM |
Salvation Army Gym |
| Badminton |
Middle School Male, Elementary Male, Elementary Female, High School Male |
21-Feb-2026 |
Saturday, 9:30 AM Onwards |
Jubilee Hall |
| Table Tennis |
Adult Male |
22-Feb-2026 |
Sunday, 10:45 AM |
Jubilee Hall |
| Badminton |
Youth Female, High School Female, Middle School Female |
22-Feb-2026 |
Sunday, 10:45 AM Onwards |
Jubilee Hall |
| Volleyball |
Middle School Male & Female |
27-Feb-2026 |
Friday, 6 PM to 8 PM |
Salvation Army Gym |
| Volleyball |
High School Male, High School Female + Youth Female |
27-Feb-2026 |
Friday, 8 PM to 10 PM |
Salvation Army Gym |
| Badminton |
Adult Male, Youth Male, Senior Male |
28-Feb-2026 |
9:45 AM Onwards |
Jubilee Hall |
| Carroms |
All Categories |
28-Feb-2026 |
Check-in from 9:30 AM |
Jubilee Hall |
| Arm Wrestling |
All Categories |
01-Mar-2026 |
Sunday, 3:00 PM (after GB Meeting) |
Jubilee Hall |
| Walking |
Senior Male & Female |
TBD |
Rescheduled due to GB Meeting |
Jubilee Hall |
| Throwball |
Middle School, High School & Youth Female, Adult Female |
06-Mar-2026 |
Friday, 6 PM to 7 PM |
Salvation Army Gym |
| Volleyball |
Youth Male & Adult Male |
06-Mar-2026 |
Friday, 7 PM to 8:30 PM |
Salvation Army Gym |
| Basketball |
Youth Male & Adult Male |
06-Mar-2026 |
Friday, 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM |
Salvation Army Gym |
- Upcoming Ward Prayer Meetings:
| Ward Name |
Day |
Prayer Date |
Prayer Time |
Prayer Host / Venue |
| St. Mariam Thresia (Sunnyvale East) |
Saturday |
02/21/2026 |
5:30 PM |
Jaise George & Neena |
| St. George (South Garland East) |
Saturday |
02/21/2026 |
7:30 PM |
Biju Joseph & Tigi |
| St. Little Flower (Sunnyvale West) |
Sunday |
02/22/2026 |
5:30 PM |
Jince Madamana & Marilyn |
| St. Mary (Mesquite) |
Saturday |
02/28/2026 |
5:30 PM |
Mary Joseph |
| St. Alphonsa (Allen/Plano) |
Sunday |
03/01/2026 |
7:00 PM |
Biju & Jobini Chathampadathil |
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- Church Pledge Payments: We kindly request all parishioners with pending pledges to make their payments as soon as possible. The suggested amount is $1,200 per family.
3. Upcoming Events
- Dei Verbum Bible Quiz-Semi-Finals: Congratulations to all participants who qualified in the Preliminary round of the Dei Verbum Bible Quiz. Dei Verbum Semi-Finals Online Quiz will be conducted on Saturday, March 7th, 2026, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM CST. Candidates who scored 80% or more in Preliminary Round are eligible to participate in Semi-Final Round. Please read Flyer for Complete details and Books of Bible to be studied for each category for Semi-Finals.
- Bible Bee Contest on Sunday, April 19, 2026: We have a New Year resolution for our CCD children: Bible Bee Contest 2026! The contest will be conducted in four categories:
-
- Category 1: Pre-K & KG (10 verses)
- Category 2: Grades 1-5 (25 verses)
- Category 3: Grades 6-8 (50 verses)
- Category 4: Grades 9-12 (100 verses)
Bible Bee Contest will be conducted on Sunday, April 19th, during CCD Class. Bible verses have already been printed and distributed to all students during December. Parents, Please encourage your children to learn the Bible Verses provided for their Grade Category.
The top three students in each category who write the maximum number of Bible verses with the book, chapter, and verse will be awarded attractive prizes. For Pre-K through Grade 2, the contest will be conducted orally.
To view the flyer, please click on the link: PreCana 2026 Flyer.jpg
- Jubilee Convention 2026: Our diocese is preparing for the Syro-Malabar Convention 2026, which will be held at McCormick Place, Chicago, July 9-12, 2026. We encourage everyone to participate in this special Jubilee Convention. Please register as soon as possible. A committee is available to assist you - please contact them if you need any help.
-
- Kuriachen Mannanal: (972) 741-0103
- Annie Nellikunnel: (732) 618-2122
- Elsy Philip: (214) 418-3431
- Jeeva Raju: (469) 734-6481
For more details, visit www.SyroConvention.org
To register, visit https://register.syroconvention.org/syro-convention-2026
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- Join us for the Syro-Malabar Jubilee Convention! This exciting event is a chance for families to explore their roots in the Syro-Malabar Church, hear from our leaders and help shape the future of our Eparchy. Plus, you'll have plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow community members and have some fun. Register now - Early Bird discounts will end soon. We've got programs tailored for adults (English & Malayalam), Youth and Kids.
- Last Date for Registration to participate in Syro-Malabar Convention will be March 31, 2026.
- Syro-Malabar Jubilee Convention - Check Out this Link .Highlights Include: Grow your Business, Dance your Heart Out, Compete in your favorite Sports, Worship, Connect and belong. Find your people and Come explore Chicago!
- There are several ways to support the convention. You may place an ad in the business kiosk, which will help to promote your business across various parishes and at the convention center. For more details, watch this video.
- Families can use the Parish Digital Kiosk for special family events and to spread the spirit. For more details, Please watch this video.
- Syro Startup Connect: Opportunity for young entrepreneurs for premier business innovations with AI. Please watch this video to learn more about Syro Startup Connect. This requires a separate sign-up in addition to the convention Registration. Please register using this link. To understand complete Logistics about Syro Connect, Please visit this Link: https://www.syroconvention.org/syroconnect
- For Convention Registrations for youth and young adults, there is special payment plan which ends on Jan 31st. This includes $150.00 initial deposit and $200 installment payments every 30 days (Total - $750) for shared room option. Applicable only for individual/self registrations.
- IPSF 2026: The Inter Parish Sports Festival (IPSF) will be hosted by Divine Mercy Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Edinburg (McAllen), TX Parish, and is scheduled for August 6-9, 2026, at Edinburg. Please mark your calendars.
- IPSF Registration for our Parish Level Competitions are now officially closed.
- Local Parish Level Competition Dates are now announced for various events. Please Refer 'January 2026 Updates' Section of this Newsletter for further details. Please stay tuned for dates for rest of the events.
- For any questions Please reach out to our Parish Level IPSF coordinators.
- Suja Kainickara (214 500 8162)
- Mathew Ozhukayil (214 864 5106)
4. Safe Environment Updates
- Effective safety programs begin with education and understanding.
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5. Additional Church Related Information
- 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
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