ASSOCIATIONS | St Thomas Church

Parish Associations

Associations are an important asset to the parish since they play a significant role in fostering lay involvement in pastoral matters. In the words of the late Pope John Paul II, "It is the responsibility of the pastors to guide, accompany and encourage these groups so that they may be well integrated into the life and mission of the parish". (Novo Millennio Ineunte)

Keeping the words of the late Holy Father in mind, our parish has several Associations and Cells. These groups have their meetings (monthly/weekly) under the guidance of a Spiritual Advisor, who is generally one of the priests of the parish. Since 2009, our parish has formed a Council of Associations which meets regularly to facilitate effective networking among the various Associations/Cells.

Parish Pastoral Council

Fr. Nelson Saldanha (Parish Priest)

President

Mr. Ashwin Rodricks (BCS)

Secretary

Ms. Loretta Silveira

SCC Project Coordinator

Fr. Joseph Gonsalves (in Residence)

Ex Officio

Sr. Evelyn Menezes

Ex Officio

Mr. Daryl Gonsalves

Jayprakash Nagar

Mr. Dominic David

Church Colony

Mr. Steve Correia

Chincholi Village

Ms. Jyothi Lobo

Sunder Nagar

Mr. Willson Chettiar

Jawahar Nagar

Mr. Paul Joseph

Kailashpuri

Ms. Jennifer John

Pandurang Wadi

Ms. Patricia Farrow

St. Vincent De Paul - SVP

Mr. Arun Sequeira

Media Cell

Mr. Francis Barboza

Vice President

Ms. Rani Joseph (Govind Nagar)

Joint Secretary

Fr Christopher Goveas (Assistant Priest)

Ex Officio

Sr. Esther Anthony

Ex Officio

Ms. Lily Bhanushali

Shreyas Colony

Ms. Karen Gonsalves

Perubaug

Mr. Pushparaj Shetty

Raipada

Mr. Elias Fernandes

Chincholi Bunder

Mr. Quinton Pereira

Station Road

Mr. Gia Pereira

Vishweshwar Nagar

Ms. Saira Homen

Mahindra Nagar

Ms. Manita Gonsalves

Piramal Nagar

Mr. Dean Pereira

Youth

Parish Family Cell

Spiritual Advisor: Fr. Joseph Gonsalves

Contact Person: Elias Fernandes

Charism: Building Holistic Families

Meeting held on: Third Saturday at 7.45 pm in the Conference Room

About: The Family Cell was first started in our Parish on March 26, 1997, under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Joaquim D’Costa. Bishop Bosco Penha celebrated the inaugural Eucharist.

With the transfer of Fr Joaquim from the parish in June 1997, the Family Cell did not survive for long and was then restarted on November 17, 2002, as a fruit of the Archdiocesan Synod which focused on the Family Apostolate as a major thrust to renew the Archdiocese.

Parish Liturgy Team

Spiritual Advisor: Fr Christopher Goveas

Contact Person: Lilia Fernandes

Charism: Connecting people to God and to one another through the Eucharist and other sacramental celebrations in the parish and the community so that God ultimately may be all in all

Meeting held on: Fourth Saturday of every alternate month at 8 pm

About: There always existed a Liturgical Group in St. Thomas Church but a formal Liturgical group with the Lectors’ Group and the Lay Eucharistic Ministers under its umbrella, was formed in the year 2001-2002 when a few members attended the Diploma Course in Liturgy held by The Archdiocesan Liturgical Committee (ALC)
Since then, the Liturgy Group has been functioning all well. We have the liturgies prepared for all the Sundays and special Liturgies for the Feasts, Solemnities and the Great Seasons of the Year which includes Lent and Advent.

A regular weekly programme is put up in the Sacristy for the Lectors and Lay Eucharistic Ministers. We also have the SCC units appointed for the Parish Mass on Sundays.

Society of St Vincent de Paul

Spiritual Advisor: Fr Christopher Goveas

Contact Person: Patricia Farrow, Donald D'souza, Lourdes Pereira, Denis D'silva

Charism: The Society promotes self help, welfare projects and sponsors special works beneficial to the adopted families. Vincentians must give of themselves, through their time, talents and resources to help the poor

Meeting held on: Every Friday at 7.30 pm in the conference room

About: The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP) is a global organization of Catholic laypeople founded in 1833 by Blessed Frederic Ozanam. Our Parish began participating in 1970. The SSVP promotes self-help and welfare projects, as well as sponsoring special works that benefit families in need. Vincentians are committed to giving their time, talents, and resources to help those less fortunate, regardless of their caste, creed, or religion.

After a thorough investigation, deserving families receive monthly assistance with rations and medicines. Members visit the adopted families in pairs, providing support in their homes. The SSVP also assists with education, house repairs, hospital bills, and funeral expenses. Additionally, lunch is organized for underprivileged families on the feast of St Vincent de Paul, which takes place on September 27th. Adopted families receive Christmas hampers, and Vincentians visit the SSVP-run AIDS Hospice/Leprosy home at Trombay and the Aged Home in Kalyan.

Legion of Mary

Spiritual Advisor: Fr. Joseph Gonsalves

Senior Group of Legionaries

President: Ms Cassina Netto

Vice President: Ms Sharol Menezes

Secretary: Ms Maggie Fernandes

Treasurer: Ms Marita Chettiar

Junior Group of Legionaries

President: Threasa Chettiar

About: “To serve and not be served” was the motto of our founder Bro. Frank Duff. The association of the Legion of Mary which was founded by him on September 07, 1921, in Dublin, Ireland has diligently abided by this motto over the past 90 years of its existence to serve the needy and downtrodden and follow the footsteps of Jesus under the banner of Mary our mother. This is a lay apostolic organization at the service of the church, under ecclesiastical guidance. Its two-fold purpose is the spiritual development of its members and advancing the reign of Christ in the world through the maternal intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church. The Legion today is spread far and wide in all 5 continents and across the length and breadth of our country.

The torch of the Legion has been aflame in our parish for more than 6 decades having been set up in the year 1955 by the late Rev. Fr. Silva Roza. The Junior Legion was established in 1976. The Legion was one of the very first organizations to be formed in our parish and the members took it upon themselves to reach out to parishioners in the vast undivided parish which covered in those days the whole of Goregaon West, Malad West and East and Aarey Colony areas. The members trudged on foot over long distances to establish contacts in far-flung areas. With the establishment of a Mass Centre at Chincholi, another unit of the Legion was set up in 1981 at Chincholi under the patronage of the Fernandes family and later merged with the Parish at large.

Presently, we have two 2 units – the Senior group and the Junior group functioning in our parish. Both groups are spiritually guided by Fr. Joseph Gonsalves. The Seniors under the Presidentship of Sr Cassina Netto has 12 members on roll while the Junior Legion of Mary Group comprises of 8 members under the Presidentship of Ms Threasa Chettiar.

Recently with the permission of our Parish Priest (Fr. Nelson Saldanha), we have started a Tamil Legion of Mary Group in the Raipada community with about 10 members on roll.

Parish Associations

Parish Pastoral Council

Parish Family Cell

Parish Liturgy Team

Society of St Vincent de Paul

Parish Youth Group

Legion of Mary

Charismatic Prayer Group

Telephone
022 2927 6796
022 2927 6994

Parish Office Timings
Monday to Saturday
09:30 a.m. to 01:00 p.m.
The office remains closed in the evenings and on Sundays

Email
stthomaschurch09
@gmail.com

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Parish Associations

Parish Pastoral Council

Telephone 022 2927 6796 022 2927 6994

Parish Office Timings Monday to Saturday 09:30 a.m. to 01:00 p.m. The office remains closed in the evenings and on Sundays

Email stthomaschurch09 @gmail.com

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Telephone
022 2927 6796
022 2927 6994

Parish Office Timings
Monday to Saturday
09:30 a.m. to 01:00 p.m.
The office remains closed in the evenings and on Sundays

Email
stthomaschurch09
@gmail.com