Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

 

Dear Friends,

Palm Sunday may remind us that the Lenten season of sacrifice and self-denial is coming to an end, but this week is extremely important for all Christians. The greatest focus of the week is the Passion (suffering) and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the events that led up to it. The “Chrism Mass” will be on Tuesday in the Cathedral where the Bishop, together with all the priests, will commemorate one important event of the Holy Thursday – the institution of the Priesthood. It is during this Mass that the Bishop will bless the sacred oils used for the Sacraments. Besides Fr. Lancelot and myself, Mike Lanyi, our dedicated Sacristan, and his wife Debbie, who also is very committed to ministering in our parish, will represent our parish. They will bring some of these blessed oils back to our parish.

“Easter Triduum” is a term we hear more frequently this week. It simply means “a three day festival” of prayer and worship, beginning on the evening of Holy Thursday and ending on Easter Sunday. A short note on each of these days is given on page 5 of this bulletin. My earnest request to you, dear brothers and sisters, is that you make every effort this week to attend these sacred events. Can we consider this week as a time of grace for all of us as a family and so make sure that we participate in these worship services even by making some sacrifice this week, by rescheduling other activities, by rearranging other plans and thus giving priority to this week? You will see the grace of God flowing into your lives and into your homes.

You heard me inviting you to attend the Easter Vigil Service, at 8 pm on Saturday, March 30, especially if you have not attended one. Some think it is way too long and so avoid it! Listen to a Catholic layperson who worked in a parish office and thought the same way but had a very different experience when attended it:

“For many years I avoided the Easter Vigil like you avoid people who have a stomach virus.  At some point in my career as a parish staff and minister, I needed to attend.  I was not really looking forward to it.  I had heard it was very long, with many readings and a long homily. Nevertheless, duty called and so off I went. What an amazing experience it was to attend the Easter Vigil.  Yes, it was a bit longer than a usual Mass but containing such beauty and richness that when it was over I thought truly heaven and earth had met that night.”

Why miss such a wonderful opportunity? I must add that the music will be truly upbeat and uplifting. Joan Seamon and all our music ministers have been spending so much of their time and talent into helping us have a truly enriching experience through music for every Mass but in a very special way for the Easter Vigil. Our RCIA class will be receiving the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter Vigil. It will be a great opportunity for you to welcome them into our community as full-fledged members during the Easter Vigil, which is full of signs and symbols of our faith giving us an ethereal experience of sacred mysteries. Hence, I request you to come and experience the beautiful liturgies of the Holy Week, but in a special way the Easter Vigil that the Fathers of the Church termed “the mother of all vigils.”

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

5th Sunday of Lent

 

Dear Friends,

Last Sunday we had a day of Self Care Fair. It was a wonderful experience with representatives from 16 different organizations explaining their mission and giving away their flyers and other stuff. There were breakout sessions with various demonstrations and presentations on various aspects of being a better you in the library and the classrooms. Msgr. Joseph Kerrigan did a breakout session on Centering Prayer. What made this Self Care Fair very unique was that it was fully youth initiated and led by a total of 23 Teens – grades 8th to 12th from 4 parishes – St. Augustine, Kendall Park, Holy Family, New Brunswick, St. Joseph, Bound Brook, and our own St. Matthias. Thanks to our Deacon John Radvanski in a very special way for his supervising this event with the help of Sue Lenczewski, our SMYLE Coordinator. There were many other adults who served as Mentors and/or Professional Mental Health Advisors to whom we offer our gratitude. We wish to gratefully acknowledge the following organizations and agencies that participated: Catholic Charities, Central Jersey Family Health Consortium, NAMI NJ, Safe & Sound, Community Police Alliance of Somerset County, Franklin Township Stigma Free Council, Freedom From Fear, Operation Code Red, Mental Health First Aid -Empower Somerset, NJ Harm Reduction Coalition, Saint Peter’s University Hospital’s Community Health Services  (Nutrition), The Center For Therapy & Counseling Services, 988 Suicide Hotline,  Caring Contact, Franklin C.A.N. Franklin Cops and Autism Network, RWJ Barnabas Community Health from New Brunswick, and Zufall.

The presence of three Therapy Dogs brought extra cheer to all. There were generous donors (local vendors and individuals) who brought food and drinks to both the visitors and volunteers; they deserve our thanks in a special way. Deacon John Radvanski will be writing about this event in an upcoming issue with more information about and acknowledgment of all those involved/participated. It was truly a unique event for us, showing the holistic approach to our total well being. This event has given us an impetus to have more such events so that our mental, physical and emotional health will be brought into focus together with the spiritual health in the Church.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day today! And Happy St. Joseph’s Feast in two days! Lavish celebrations for these two feasts, especially for St. Patrick’s Day, are typical. But it is very important to reflect on the spiritual dimension of each feast.

On the feast of St. Patrick, the church focuses on the missionary nature of the life of St. Patrick who converted the Irish population to Catholicism in his 33 years of apostolate there. The Irish rightly brought his legacy to places they have settled. This is the right time to read the biography of St. Patrick and be inspired to witness to gospel values in our life.

The Feast of St. Joseph is a higher ranking Solemnity in the Liturgical calendar of the Church. Therefore the Mass celebrated on March 19 is very much like a Sunday Mass with Gloria, and all the readings. The solemnity in the church is certainly followed by the solemnity at the dinner table too! St. Joseph’s silence in the gospels is an indication of his interior disposition of openness to listening to God – something we all can benefit from.

Happy Feast of St. Patrick! Happy Feast of St. Joseph!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

Family Matters – Join Us As We Empower Catholic Parents to Live Out The Mission

Family Matters is a new initiative of the Center for FaithJustice in partnership with RENEW International. It is a process for nurturing discipleship among parents and caregivers as they enrich their own faith lives to more vibrantly pass on Catholic social tradition to their children.

St. Matthias will be piloting this program for families/children this year! Join us!

Parents and families will have access to:

 

  • Online resources
  • In-person gatherings at their parish
  • Home based activities
  • Mentorship from other Catholic parents in your parish
  • Access to Spiritual Direction
  • Retreats and Service opportunities with other families

Interested in joining? We will begin by hosting listening sessions for interested parents and families this spring!

To sign up for the listening session email Dee Nann

With you on the journey!

Center for FaithJustice, RENEW International

4th Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday

Dear Friends,

This Sunday we hold the Self Care Fair in our cafeteria. We have been promoting this event together with the “Empty Bowls Franklin” that takes place at the Double Tree hotel today. In this context, I think it is very fitting that we ask an important question: Should the church be concerned only with the spiritual health of the parishioners? Traditionally the answer we hear may be ‘YES.’ But the answer from the Bible is ‘NO!’ The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:23: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There are many other references to show how the Bible is interested not only in our soul-health but also in the health of our body and mind. Here are just a few:

Genesis.” 1:29 “And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit.

You shall have them for food.”

   3 John 1:2 “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well”.

   1 Timothy 5:23: “Do not go on drinking only water, but also use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.”

 Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”.

  Jeremiah 30:17 “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’”

  Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”.

This inter-connectedness of mind, body and soul that the Bible teaches is corroborated by many researches. Look at some of their conclusions:

  1. Acidity is caused not only by diet errors, but more dominated because of stress.
  2. Hypertension is caused not only by too much consumption of salty foods, but mainly because of too much worries about future.
  3. Cholesterol is caused not only by fatty foods, but the excessive laziness or sedentary lifestyle is more responsible.
  4. Asthma not only because of the disruption of oxygen supply to lungs, but often sad feelings make lungs unstable.
  5. Diabetes not only because of too much consumption of glucose, but selfish & stubborn attitude disrupts the function of the pancreas.

Today’s Self Care Fair organized by our Youth Ministry/SMYLE – in collaboration with St. Augustine’s Kendall Park, Holy Family, New Brunswick, and St. Joseph, Bound Brook – is truly an effort to be holistic in our faith formation. The God of the Bible wants our growth in all life dimensions: physical or biological, mental or psychological, moral and social. The disciplines of medicine, psychology, even organizational development. Luke 2:52 captures in the life of Christ this holistic concept: “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men”  It is this holistic growth that we are promoting here in our parish through various events and activities. I invite us all to participate and be more holistic in our thinking and living.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Fr. Abraham is Calling All Men of Our Parish!

“In today’s world, Catholic men are attacked from all sides. The world entices them to live only for themselves. It tells them to abdicate their God-given call to be leaders of the Church and their families. Too many Catholic men have given in and become caught up in vice and addiction. They feel empty, alone, unworthy, and even unlovable. They’re hungering for more, but don’t know where to turn.”

Hello gentlemen, do you find any truth in the above statement? If so, here’s some good news: our Diocesan Office of Evangelization is organizing a “Leadership Summit for Men.” It will be held in our neighborhood: at Mary, Mother of God parish in Hillsborough on Friday evening and Saturday morning, April 26-27. I wish to invite all the men of our parish to consider attending this event so you will be empowered to focus on the things that matter to you.

For more details, please email Fr. Abraham.

 

Ministry-Led Stations of the Cross During Lent

Join us every Friday during Lent for the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM. Different Ministries from our parish are leading this devotion with a different reflection each Friday.

We pray for faith and courage…our youth…
the suffering, ill and disabled…our seniors…
and end to racisms and other evil -isms…
At the foot of The Cross we stand.

Fridays during Lent – 7:00 PM

3rd Sunday of Lent

 

Dear Friends,

March 8 is International Women’s Day, an annual celebration to honor the achievements and contributions of women, while challenging the discrimination and oppression they continue to face. Pope Francis said: “On International Women’s Day, I think of all women: I thank them for their commitment to building a more humane society, through their ability to grasp reality with a creative eye and a tender heart.” We salute all the women for their invaluable contributions to enrich our families and communities, and pray for them in a special way.

This Sunday during the 10 am Mass, we have a Rite called ‘Scrutiny’ for the ‘Catechumen’ doing the RCIA. Are these strange terms for us? I think we will all remember that RCIA stands for the “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults,” though a couple of years ago, the US Bishops decided that RCIA should be more appropriately named OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults). ‘Catechumen’ is the term used for an unbaptized person who is attending this preparation in RCIA, and ‘Candidate’ is the term used for a baptized person who did not receive Eucharist or Confirmation. This year we are privileged to have a number of people in the RCIA, preparing to receive one or more of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation) at the Easter Vigil. They are: Jason Olmedo-Hernandez, Phyllis Carbone, Gigi Fortuna-Clase, Beverly Gilliam, Norvin Gilliam, Maxwell Lumax, Claudia Roque, Chelsea Lopez, Amanda Fortuna Clase, Josh Lumax and Alexis Lumax.

So, what is this rite called ‘scrutiny’? The official Book of the RCIA explains: “It is meant to uncover, and then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect; to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good.  For the scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.” (no.141) Essentially, it is composed of prayers of intercession and the laying on of hands so that the Holy Spirit may be invoked that they are freed from the spirit of evil. Doing the first scrutiny at Mass gives the whole congregation an opportunity to pray for and support those preparing for the Easter sacraments and to make the point that conversion is not only a personal matter but a communal commitment.

More importantly, this Rite of Scrutiny is also an opportunity for the rest of us, to self-examine and see the need for healing in our weakness, detect the sinful habits in our lives and to nourish the good within us so that we can bear good fruits for Christ. Lent is the time to learn from our mistakes of overindulgence in food, drink, drugs, gambling, promiscuity, or any other addiction that may keep us from coming to the living waters of a right relationship with God.  We all have our short list, don’t we?  And we all know, honest to God, what it is we need to leave behind before we come to the Living Water and the Bread of Heaven – as the Samaritan woman shows us in the gospel of John.

Let’s continue to live a happy and holy Lent!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

2nd Sunday of Lent

 

Dear Friends,

Today’s noon Mass is our celebration of the Annual Black History Month Mass here at St. Matthias. I am very happy to welcome the presider Fr. Alphonsus Kariuki, Pastor at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Dunellen, Concelebrant Fr. Gilles Njobam from Our Lady of Piscataway in Perth Amboy, and Deacon Rick Fortune from the Cathedral of St. Francis. We are also happy to welcome the Cameroonian Catholics who will be the song leaders for this Mass.  We know that Black History Month is an annual celebration to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society – from activists, civil rights pioneers, and religious leaders.

The USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) has a Subcommittee for African American Affairs which is the official voice of the African American Catholic community. This Subcommittee assists the U.S. Catholic bishops individually and collectively to attend to the needs and aspirations of African American Catholics regarding issues of pastoral ministry, evangelization, social justice, worship, development of leaders and other areas of concern. Bishop Joseph N. Perry, the Chairman of this Subcommittee, published a Lenten Reflection in which he wrote:

       We tread these forty days because we want to love God better, know ourselves better and love our neighbor better. Church is a group experience for Christians. We come together as a group because God created us to live in community and because Jesus modeled community as the way to God with his own twelve apostles and any number of other disciples, men and women, who were connected with his ministry. We know that if we try to journey alone, we will likely get lost.

        None of us is perfect. None of us knows the way all of the time. We all fail. We all need help. So, we come to listen to the Word of God and nourish ourselves with his Eucharist and share our strengths and challenges, our joys and sorrows for our own good and the good of all.
During Lent we discover out of the spiritual treasure troves of Church the fonts of God’s mercy and the richness of our fellowship with one another through the rituals of Eucharist, reconciliation, scriptural prophecy and life promised us in His resurrection.

The “spiritual treasure troves” that Bishop Perry mentioned above are what we offer here at St. Matthias. Besides the Holy Mass, we have devotions like the Stations of the Cross, Novenas, Adorations, Rosary, First Friday devotion/Holy Hour, etc. Our Lenten journey has a personal and communal dimension. Personally, we walk this journey by having personal practices, personal devotions and personal resolutions that will help us grow in holiness. But, it takes on an added meaning and benefit when we join the parish community and journey together. I am truly happy that many of our parishioners participate in the various devotions we have and reap rich spiritual benefits. Wouldn’t it be great if many more would do that?

Happy Lent!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

St. Martin de Porres and SMS Black History Month Contest

1st PLACE WINNER 

Congratulations to the 1st place winner of the SMS Black History Month Contest, Maren Williamson, for her digital artwork featuring Black Catholic saints and the first African Americans now on the journey to sainthood.  Below are a few frames of Maren’s work.  Don’t miss the digital showing at all Masses on February 25th.

 

2nd PLACE WINNER 

From the Artist, Isabella Matusalem:

My painting, Saint Martin de Porres in his youth is seen holding the Veil of Veronica, the veil Veronica wiped on Jesus’face before this death.  As shown on the Veil of Veronica, Jesus’ face is shown to be an African American male.  Near all four corners of the painting, the words “Damnant Quod Non Intelligunt”, a phrase first used by Quintilian, is shown; the phrase translates to “They condemn what they do not understand”.  Damnant Quod Non Intelligunt symbolizes to all of the Christian black African Americans who were condemned unfairly. The phrase can also connect to Jesus, who was wrongfully condemned.

(Acrylic, charcoal and alcohol markers on canvas).

 

 

 

3rd PLACE WINNER

Black History Continues to Flourish

by Lemi Bartholemieux-Doxy

In the bustling streets of history
where shadows of oppression cast their long gaze,
Black culture emerged,
A resilient phoenix rising from the ashes of struggle.
Langston Hughes, a poetic maestro, captured the heartbeat of this culture, a rhythm that
refused
to be silenced.
From the days of cotton fields,
where the echoes of sorrow were met with soulful hymns, to the pulsating energy of urban life,
Black culture has not merely survived;
it has flourished.
The roots of heritage run deep, intertwining tales of triumph and tribulation, creating a
vibrant
tapestry that defies erasure.

Zora Neal Hurston’s tales and Hughes’ poetic verses became anthems of resistance,
celebrating the beauty and strength of blackness.

As time marched on, the narrative evolved.
Gospel choirs filled the air with melodies of faith,
while the streets resonated with the raw beats of hip-hop,
Each verse a testament to resilience and the unyielding spirit of black culture.

In the quiet moments, under the ebony sky,
The stories persist-the struggles, the victories, the unbreakable bond that weaves
through time.
Langston’s legacy lives on, echoing in the whisper of the poetry
Black culture is not a relic of the past;
it is a dynamic force,
an ever-evolving symphony that continues to shape the world with its enduring presence.

 

Honorable Mentions:

Artist: Yuna Augatis

Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr. Frederick Douglass and Rosa Parks in Stained Glass on canvas.

 

 

 

 


Isabel McGuire

Medgar Evers

Born July 2nd, 1925, a true leader changed our world. Medgar Evers grew up in a time of racial inequality and oppression. Like many others, he faced such racial unfairness and cruelty. Though life was a struggle for Evers, we always made an effort to protest the Jim Crow laws that divided the South. Evers strongly believed in education and made a great effort to protest against any laws supporting segregation in schools. From a horrible experience, Evers became a Civil Rights leader, having been shown how racist people were. Evers was about to vote at a local election when he was turned away, and threatened to be killed if he did not. Evers had just returned from fighting in World War II and realized fighting for his country had done nothing. Racism was still widespread, and that was not what Evers had fought for. He fought for equal rights, and that was what he was determined to achieve. After attending college at Alcorn State in Mississippi, Evers obtained a job in Mound Bayou, a town highly populated with Black people. While at this job, Evers became the president of the Regional Council for Negro Leadership (RCNL). He began a boycott of gas stations that would not allow Black people to use their restrooms, using the slogan, “Don’t buy gas where you can’t use the restroom.”  This, along with many other protests of his, attracted thousands of people who protested for their rights.

1954, Evers was rejected from the University of Mississippi Law School because of the color of his skin. Now Evers had another goal: to desegregate the school and was successful in doing so when James Meridith was enrolled in 1962. These achievements are only a few of Evers’.  He changed the world so much for the better. He established new local chapters, organized voter registration drives, and led protests against segregation in schools. Although Evers was thriving in all his successes, there were still white people out to get him. As Evers eventually became a lawyer, he gained more notoriety, especially from white supremacists. There were two severe cases Evers endured, one accusing an innocent Black male of murder, and the other being that a 14-year-old Black male was lynched. This showed Evers he needed to continue his protest, but white supremacists continued to be unhappy with all his accomplishments. It was not until Evers walked around carrying T-shirts stating, “Jim Crow Must Go,” that he was shot in the head on June 12, 1963, by a Klu Klux Klan member. His murder happened not long after President John F. Kennedy’s speech on television in support of civil rights. Evers was buried with military honors in front of 3,000 people at Arlington National Cemetery and is honored today by songs and movies representing his life. His family continued to live on his legacy, becoming civil rights leaders, and we shall do the same for him, a true hero who helped change our world.


Connor Lyons

This work is an essay about the history and impact of African American musical genres

History of African American Music

African Americans have had a major impact on music and its genres.  African American music has existed for over three centuries.  African American musicians throughout history such as Aretha Franklin, Scott Joplin, Louis Armstrong, and Ray Charles made very innovative and influential music.  Many musical genres have African American genres have roots such as jazz, gospel, blues, and many more.

Jazz is a musical genre that dates back to the early 20th century where syncopation and improvisation play an important role.  Jazz was made from African American genres such as blues and ragtime mixed with other kinds of music.  African American musicians such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong played a key role in the growth of jazz.  Jazz led to the development of other musical styles and is now a very popular genre today.

Gospel music is a style of Christian music that can be traced to the early 17th century.  African American gospel music started in the days of slavery.  Christian slaves would sing hymns which evolved into gospel music.  African American gospel music had a rise in popularity in the 1930s, with a key source of this growth being Thomas A. Dorsey, who is referred to now as the father of gospel music.  The genre is still very popular and has made a big impact on popular music today.

The blues is primarily a lyrical form of music that was developed in the Southern United States after the Civil War.  It was influenced by ragtime, gospel music, and other types of music.  The blues genre derived from free African Americans expressing their disappointment in a post-slavery society in 1912.  African American W.C. Handy published “Memphis Blues” which led to the popularization of the blues.  The blues influenced many genres like jazz and is the origin of many popular music today.

Overall African American music has been very influential and popular in the past, and it still is today.  Many musical genres were created or influenced by African Americans, including hip-hop, rap, soul, rock, electronic, and many more.  It is obvious that African American music will continue to develop and thrive in the future.