Author: Nathalie Godet

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Happy Independence Day! Fourth of July is a beautiful time to come together and celebrate our nation’s independence and to remember that true freedom comes from God. This quintessential summer holiday is to be celebrated “ideally with sun on your skin and sand between your toes” as one travel guide put it.

Summer, generally speaking, is a time to relax and refresh. We think of slowing down our hectic pace of life, plan a vacation, and find some time for ourselves to do the things that we wanted to do. Despite all the good intentions, some may find that many of their summer plans have to be postponed due to the very hectic pace that they had hoped to get a break from. But everyone can benefit from the summer season by intentionally planning to do something worthwhile.

Summer reading plan is one of those things that can be done this season, even if we don’t get time to go for a vacation. There are many summer reading programs for children to keep reading and learning during their hiatus from school. We know reading for pleasure helps children grow and develop. But, what about adults? There are many book clubs for adults too. They all post a list of recommended books for summer reading. One librarian who organizes book club said: “Reading is a serious stress-buster, and after a really stressful year, it’s a great way to unwind and relax. Honestly it is a form of self-care that we often overlook.”

Now that we have begun the Parish Phase of the Eucharistic Revival, I would ask all of us to focus on reading some books on the Holy Eucharist this summer. There are many books out there. I have lined up to read three books this summer. The first one is: “Telling the Story of Jesus: Word – Communion – Mission.” The author, Cardinal Luis Tagle, tells the readers to be in communion with Jesus and that this communion is found in the Eucharist as well as among the lost, the tired, and the abandoned people of this world. He focuses on three fundamental dimensions of Christian experience: 1) authentic spiritual worship of Jesus in and beyond Eucharist, 2) our communion in the Word of God, and 3) the mission each one of us has to tell the story of Jesus based on our experience of him. I look forward to being enriched by this and other two books: This is My Body (Bishop Barron) and Becoming Eucharistic People: The Hope and Promise of Parish Life (Timothy O’Malley).

But, summer reading on the Eucharist need not be limited to books. There are many resources on line about the Eucharistic Revival that are easily accessible. Here are just four websites with a ton of materials:  www.eucharisticrevival.org, www.wordonfire.org, www.usccb.org, and www.fdlc.org/eucharistic-revival-resources/ You will find great videos and information about this revival, enriching articles on the Eucharist, powerful speakers on the Eucharist, free webinars and easy activities for the whole family centered on the Eucharist.

In the meanwhile, let us keep up the enthusiasm with which we have entered the Year of Eucharistic Revival here at St. Matthias. The Monday adoration is well attended as people come to experience personal communion with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. This should lead us to have better communion with others. That is how we become the Body of Christ.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

What is Adoration?

The Benedictine Sisters of Sacre Coeur de Montmartre.

The following article on Adoration was taken from the Magnificat special edition, The Magnificat Adoration Manuel.

Adoration is due to God alone. To adore the thrice-holy and supremely lovable God in the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar means that we offer ourselves to the ineffable love of God who has begun to manifest himself in creation, who has been revealed to us since Abraham, who has laid in Jesus Christ the foundation of the Church through which he acts in the world.

To pray before the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar is to cast a glance of faith upon Jesus Christ, true God and true man, truly present in the Bread of the Eucharist.

This prayer of adoration manifests God’s mercy and tenderness for humanity and calls each one of us to intercede for the needs of men. God so loved the world the he gave his only Son, Jesus, the source of salvation, is offered for our contemplation and adoration incessantly. From him, all who pray to him receive and abundance of grace to live in this world as beloved children; and through him, in the Spirit, each of us returns to the Father; the God of tenderness and mercy, to bless and glorify him. Moreover, regardless of our poverty or wealth, through prayer, we can draw from the unfathomable riches of the Heart of Christ, given to us in the Eucharist, for the good of all people. Let us ask the Lord to make us worshipers in spirit and truth, witnesses of the love of God before the men and women of our time.

In prayer of adoration, it is not a question, like the hypocritical Pharisee of the Gospel, of giving thanks for our own righteousness, and of praying only for others love of God, given for us in Jesus, exposed before our eyes in the Blessed Sacrament, it is a question of recognizing ourselves as poor and sinful, to see that without him we can do nothing (cf. Jn 15:5), to let ourselves be saved by him, to let ourselves be healed, to let ourselves be converted. It is a question of offering ourselves to God the Father in the one and perfect offering of Jesus his Son, under the movement of the Holy Spirit, in order to fully accomplish his will. In this way, our prayer will be true: it will transform us, and in the Communion of Saints, it will shine forth as the grace of salvation for many men and women of our time who do not know God, who have distanced themselves from him, or who refuse his love.

The Basilica of Sacre Coeur de Montmartre has been the site of continuous perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Paris since 1885.

Msgr. Brennan

Survey for Adults Interested in Supporting St. Matthias Youth Ministry

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

SMYLE provides a safe space for our teens for self-expression and to find their purpose while developing an authentic relationship with God, others, and self. SMYLE provides Social, Service, Spiritual, and Religious opportunities/events where teens can form a community with people who can bring joy, create new possibilities, and spark new adventures or friendships!

Our teens in Junior High and High School (grades 6 – 12) have completed surveys highlighting their interests and concerns during these challenging times. This Adult (21+) survey is an attempt to match their responses with your skills and gifts. Please help St. Matthias to create a variety of different opportunities for our youth, by sharing your time & talent in areas of interest/need identified by our youth.

There are many direct, and also very helpful indirect ways, for adults to minister either to, for, or with our youth. Whatever you’re passionate about doing which gives you meaning and purpose – either professionally or as a hobby – it might be something a teen would be curious to further explore with your guidance.

We can only do more as we gain more support – so please pray and also encourage others to participate!
If you don’t have time to answer these questions but would like to chat with us, just provide your contact info, scroll to the bottom of the second page and click –> Submit.
Thanks for prayerfully considering being a part of a ministry where you’re capable of greatness!

To fill out the form, please click here.

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

The Eucharistic Procession last Saturday was a beautiful experience. The vast majority of those who attended the 5 pm Mass joined the procession and entered back in the church and attended the Benediction. We began the weekly adoration on Monday and the response was truly amazing. With 42 people praying silently before the Blessed Sacrament in the first half hour and then having an overage of 30 people present for every half-hour slot of the rest of the time. I invite you all to sign up for one of those slots or simply drop in for whatever time you can between 6-8 pm on Mondays.

I am very grateful to Msgr. Brennan for setting this plan in motion with detailed instruction and training of the EMs about exposing and reposing the Blessed Sacrament. Please read his letter on page 8 about his retirement plans, as approved by the Bishop. He does not want a formal farewell but I know you will certainly express your gratitude to him for his presence and ministry with us. I have requested him to return and help us whenever possible.

Though changes are part of life, it is painful to accept. On the last day of our school, there was a lovely prayer service with all the students gathered in the parking lot. It was moving to see Mr. Joe Gidaro sprinkling holy water on the students and the teachers blessing the students with the sign of the cross. When Mrs. Mary Lynch announced the names of those teachers and staff not returning after the summer, there were expressions of sadness from the students. Those expressions were very palpable when the names of Mr. Gidaro and Mrs. Josephine Pugnet were announced. Both of them touched the students with their caring and loving service: Mr. Gidaro faithfully served as Vice Principal and Mrs. Pugnet as the Cafeteria Manager, overseeing the lunch program and providing the students with choice meals. Both will be missed in the school and their services are gratefully remembered.

Graduation itself is another change, but a happy one, as you can see in that lovely picture of the class of 2023 on page 7. The 32 young men and women have completed their ACADEMIC life with us as they move on to the next level of their life’s journey, but we hope they will continue their spiritual life with us as we strive for a solid faith formation through Catholic education”. As the Catholic Community of St. Matthias, we, together with their parents and school faculty and staff, are very proud of them. We will continue our mission of Catholic education to the best of our ability.

Happy Feast to all Fathers! Having a good father is a gift of God’s grace. A good father is not afraid to show love, is patient, forgiving, joyful, and believes in his children. A good father leads by example and is present to help rear his offspring. In Scripture and in church, God is often called Father. Why? Is it so we can bring God down to our level of understanding, or is it to encourage our earthly fathers to live up to a higher standard? If it is the latter, men have some really big shoes to fill! Of course, the Catechism teaches that God is neither male nor female (CCC no.239), and God’s grace and mercy go way beyond the goodness that any of our fathers can exhibit. Yet, let us be aware of and practice our need to thank God daily for our fathers, uncles, brothers, sons, and men friends.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Announcement From Msgr. Brennan

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Parishioners of Saint Matthias,

On March 7th, 2023 I celebrated my 75th birthday and on March 23rd I wrote a letter to Bishop Checchio requesting his approval and blessing on my retirement from active priestly ministry effective July 1st, 2023. Bishop Checchio has approved my decision and so June 30th will be my last day serving as Senior Priest at Saint Matthias. On July 1st I will enter into full retirement and will move to Saint James Church in Basking Ridge. The pastor, Msgr. Sylvester Cronin has extended an invitation to me for the last two years letting me know I was welcome to live with him in retirement. In addition to the pastor, there is an associate, a retired priest from Newark, and a seminarian living at the rectory. So we will be a small community of five people living at the parish.

In retirement I will still continue some priestly ministry, but on a limited basis. If requested I will assist with some weekend Masses, funerals, or even some weekday Masses.

I am deeply grateful to Father Abraham and the people of Saint Matthias, for the welcome you have given me over the past two years. I moved into Saint Matthias in February 2021, though I did not begin ministry officially until July 1, 2021. So it will be exactly 2 years I have served here as Senior Priest and I have enjoyed my time here and the people I have met. Father Abraham has been most thoughtful and a joy to live with. I am grateful to the deacons and the staff of the parish who have shown such kindness and consideration to me and my needs. I am also thankful to Bishop Checchio for allowing me to serve here as Senior Priest.

I must confess I am looking forward to retirement as my energy level has certainly begun to wane. I hope to be able to play some golf (though even that has to be limited to allow time for recovery), and perhaps a little travel, especially back to Ireland to visit family and friends. I already have plans to visit Ireland in July.

I have assured Father Abraham that he can call me if he needs some help from time to time and I will do all in my power to assist, if possible. Please be assured of a remembrance in my prayers and masses and I ask the same of you. We are one in Christ and especially in the Eucharist. During this year of Eucharistic Revival let us pray for each other and our church that we may truly become one in Christ.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Msgr. Seamus F Brennan

A letter From Fr. Abraham Regarding St. Matthias School

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To the Parents of St. Matthias School

Dear Parents,

As we come to the final days of the current academic year, I wish to thank you for your interest and support for your children’s education and for the support you have given to the school administration to fulfil our mission of Catholic Education. The beautiful graduation celebrations of the 8th Graders was a clear testimony of this.

The Principal is the primary person responsible for the overall management of every school. While shouldering that responsibility, our Principal, Mary Lynch, has done an amazing feat in getting her own graduation of her Masters degree last month from St. Peter’s University, Jersey City. She deserves a double congratulations for this.

Over the past years, the enrollment in our school has been decreasing which in turn made the parish having to generously subsidize the school. The St. Matthias Church’s mission is to support our school and do everything in its power to make the school strong. But when the enrollment drops and when parish subsidy is needed beyond a reasonable limit, some staff consolidation is called for. It is in that spirit that I painfully informed Mr. Joe Gidaro that his contract with our school would not be renewed. Mr. Gidaro has faithfully served St. Matthias for 12 years. Besides being the Vice Principal, he has worn many hats – especially as director of marketing & development, filling in as librarian and as substitute teacher when needed. He has the admiration and affection from all here in the campus and outside. Therefore letting him go was a very painful decision taken after lots of consideration and proper information over a long period of time.

Both Mr. Gidaro and Mrs. Lynch were informed of this possibility two years ago, and then one year ago. But when Mary Lynch informed you of this yesterday (6/8/2023), it must have come as a shock, and some rumors that are untrue have been going around. I wish to assure you that this decision is taken precisely to make our school strong and sustainable. The Church will not flinch from its primary mission of evangelization and our Catholic School is a major component of that mission. I am committed to that mission – despite whatever rumors are out there. Our Bishop, Most Rev. James Checchio is committed to that. The Office of Catholic Schools is committed to that. And certainly this Catholic Community of St. Matthias is committed to that.

Hence I invite you all to understand and accept the change, in the spirit of a family, and continue to support our St. Matthias School, and help it stay and grow stronger in ‘Faith, Caring and Excellence,’- as our School motto reminds us.

Have a wonderful summer.
God bless you and your families.

 

Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Pastor
The Catholic Community of St. Matthias, Somerset

 

Letter to SMS Parents 2023 June

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Today’s bulletin is a special edition as we inaugurate the Parish Phase of the National Eucharistic Revival that our nation’s Bishops Conference has initiated. Please read in this bulletin the objectives and practical plans of this revival.

What are we doing here at St. Matthias for reviving Eucharistic spirituality? Our newly formed Eucharistic Revival Committee has proposed many ideas for me to consider and implement those that are practical during the course of the year. We begin with the following:

  1. Eucharistic Procession: This weekend we are celebrating the feast of “Corpus Christi” which is the traditional name for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. We have announced holding the Eucharistic Procession after the 5 pm Mass. Processing with the Holy Eucharist around our church and school praying and singing is a public expression of our faith in the Eucharist.
  2. Weekly Adoration: Being in the presence of the Eucharistic Lord is a very pious personal devotion. Sitting quietly in front of the Blessed Sacrament is a spiritually fulfilling experience that Catholics all over the world love. We are dedicating two hours every Monday from 6-8 pm. Many have already signed up. Most welcome to experience it.
  3. Closing the door near the Tabernacle: You may remember during the Jubilee Year of 2000, all our side doors were closed and everyone had to enter through the main door in the front. This time, only one door near the Tabernacle side in the church will be closed in order to signify the sacredness of the area. It is only human that we stand near the Tabernacle, having chitchat and laughter, taking the presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle for granted. Leaving that door closed is just a symbolic reminder to us of the reverence and silence we need to have in front and near the Lord in the Tabernacle.
  4. Communion from the Chalice: During the pandemic, we had suspended our practice of receiving the Precious Blood of the Lord from the Chalice due to the fear of the risk of cross-contamination. In this post-pandemic times, it is only right that we offer the chalice to those who wish to receive. We will plan the logistics and try this soon.

There are more ideas and plans in the offing as we intend to promote the four pillars of the Eucharistic revival: 1) Reinvigorating worship, 2) Personal Encounter with Christ, 3) Robust Faith Formation, and 4) Missionary Commissioning. (see page 5 of this bulletin for more on this).

Congratulations to three of our parishioners – Ricky Michel, Ivette Michel and Donna Vattelana – who have been trained as Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers. Their commissioning at the 5 pm Mass this weekend is a reminder to others to consider becoming such a Minister of Holy Communion.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

The Most Holy Trinity

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

You have seen the change of colors in the church to green, reminding us that we are now in the “Ordinary Time” of the Liturgical Calendar. It is called “ordinary” simply because the weeks of Ordinary Time are numbered. It stems from the Latin word ordo, from which we get the English word order. Thus, the numbered weeks of Ordinary Time in fact represent the ordered life of the Church—the period in which we live our lives neither in feasting (as in the Christmas and Easter seasons) or in more severe penance (as in Advent and Lent).  “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42). Not much drama here. The usual stuff of daily life. Worshiping together, eating together and learning together. Yes, a big segment of our life consists of the ordinary.

The Church uses this time for a more vigorous understanding of our faith. Hence, today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity. Our faith in the Triune God is a mystery that was revealed to us by Jesus himself. Trinity pervades our life – both internally and internally. When we were baptized, the triple pouring of the water on us is an external reminder of the internal transformation that took place in our soul. The signing of the cross is recognized as the universal symbol of Christian profession, reminding us that the Holy Trinity lives in us.

Next Sunday is the Feast of Corpus Christi. Its liturgical title, “Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ,” shows its centrality in Christian life and worship. But, in the recent decades, faith in the Real Presence of Jesus has waned in the mind of Catholics in general. Studies and researches have shown a sad reality of only about 30% of Catholics believing that the bread and wine do transform into the body and blood of Christ. That is the reason for the US Bishops Conference to call for a National Eucharistic Congress. Its Diocesan phase is coming to an end and the Parish phase begins next Sunday with the Feast of Corpus Christi.

As announced, we have formed a Parish Eucharistic Revival Committee who will initiate and implement many ideas and plans to strengthen our faith in the Eucharist and to invite people back to church. Two ideas with which we will begin the Revival are:

  1. To have the Eucharistic Procession around our campus following the 5 pm Mass next Saturday. Please come and be part of this important expression of our faith.
  2. To have a Eucharistic Adoration every Monday from 6 – 8 pm. You have seen the sign up chart in the narthex. Try for a half-hour slot on one or more Monday evenings and see what a beautiful experience being in the presence of Jesus can be.

There will be other ideas that we will implement. Let us enter into this Year of Revival entrusting ourselves to Jesus Christ our Savior whose promise to be with us always is most tangibly realized in the Holy Eucharist.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

Pentecost Sunday

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Mary and the Eucharist

We are in the last week of the month of May which has traditionally been seen as the month of Mary. Spring begins to take hold and flowers are in full bloom. Life springs anew from the dormancy of winter. Families return to walk in parks and children get involved in baseball, softball, and other outdoor sports. We feel more alive and energetic (unless perhaps we suffer from seasonal allergies). With the beginning of the month of May many Catholic families build some type of altar in their homes and place a statue of Mary in a prominent position on or near the altar. Fresh flowers are kept on the altar out of devotion to Mary. And many families prepare to celebrate First Communion with children.

Mother’s Day also falls in May (14 this year), the day when all of us like to reflect on the gift of our mothers . Whether they are living or deceased we remember them in some way, with prayers or with flowers and gifts to express our gratitude for the gift of life they gave us.

In the last encyclical he wrote before his death, Ecclesia de Eucharistia , Pope Saint John Paul 11 focused the church’s attention on the Eucharist . In this encyclical he pointed out that the church has no better model for devotion to the Eucharist than Mary. At one point the pope meditates on the Visitation (feast day May 31) quoting Saint Elizabeth‘s words “Blessed is she who believed”. He writes , “ when at the Visitation , she bore in her womb the Word made flesh , she became the tabernacle -the first tabernacle in history-in which the Son of God , still invisible to our human gaze , allowed himself to be adored by Elizabeth.” One of the chapters is entitled “In the school of Mary” and the pope speaks about how we are called to contemplate the face of Christ with Mary. As the church throughout the USA  is about to launch the parish phase of Eucharistic Revival on June 11 of this year we would do well to turn to Mary in this month of May to ask her intercession for our families and our parish community.

The greatest gift many Catholics could give to their mothers this Mother’s Day would be to return to regular attendance at Sunday mass. As a priest I hear so many stories from mothers of teens and young adults, of the pain and hurt they experience because their children have stopped attending mass. If you are among those who have stopped attending mass then one of the best gifts you could give your parents would be to recommit to mass every Sunday and bring your family along. May is the month of Mary and mothers and first Holy Communions. I pray it can be a time of renewal for all Catholics as we enter into this time of Eucharistic Revival contemplating the face of Christ with Mary.

Msgr. Brennan