Author: Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Today is World Marriage Day. This annual observance is to honor husband and wife as the foundation of the family, the basic unit of society. As I congratulate all the married men and women on this special day, I thank them sincerely for their faithfulness and sacrifice in living out their married life. Marriage is hard, and we live in a world that encourages comfort and happiness above pain and sacrifice. Yet, at the heart of the sacrament of Holy Matrimony, there is a vocational call to a very different way of life. Our “yes” to the sacrament of marriage is not something that only happens on our wedding day. Ongoing marriage formation reminds us that our “yes” to this vocation is something that we give daily, and God will continue to give us what we need to grow closer to one another and to him. Therefore ongoing support and spiritual formation for married couples is a must. Last year, I had invited every husband and wife to spend a little dedicated time in prayer and reflection by participating in a seven-day virtual retreat focused on marriage at this link: http://www.foryourmarriage.org/marriage-retreat

This year I am suggesting that you read some good articles related to married life. There are many wonderful resources online, but I suggest one website in particular that has interesting reflections like: Then and now: What your vows really mean, How to unconditionally love your spouse, Understanding the inner lives of husbands, Is busyness affecting your marriage?, Redefining your marriage after the nest empties out. You can access these from https://www.focusonthefamily.ca/content/building-spiritual-intimacy-in-your-marriage

LENT is upon us! Mardi Gras is this Monday, followed by Fat Tuesday leading to Ash Wednesday. This year Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day are both on February 14! Does that change the rules of fasting and abstinence? No. In fact, our Bishop Checchio has already informed the whole Diocese: “This year, be aware that Ash Wednesday falls on February 14 (also Valentine’s Day).  The obligation to fast does remain in effect, so it is suggested that those who are planning a special dinner make that their one main meal of the day.”

As we receive ashes on our forehead, let it be a visible symbol of our acknowledgement of our mortality and our dependence on a God who offers us His merciful love always. May the weeks following Ash Wednesday help us to learn how to live the way of Jesus. That’s why I am inviting us all to consciously choose some of the opportunities that our parish is offering: Faith sharing in our LIVE LENT! small groups (the six sessions are on the Eucharistic themes), Stations of the Cross on Fridays of Lent at 7 pm in church, attending Monday evening adoration, etc. It is also very important that we decide on some spiritual practice on a personal level too.

Happy Lent!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

 

Dear Friends,

Glad to be back: My home trip was a very happy experience, especially because I had not taken my home vacation for a year and a half. Though it was short (18 days in India), I was kept very busy with Memorial celebration of my father’s death anniversary, the wedding of my nephew, feast of the parish, gathering of the extended Orapankal families, visiting, praying with and bringing Holy Communion to my sick aunts and uncles, and spending time with my 91-year old mother. Obviously, it was not a typical vacation to relax or have a quiet time. I am very grateful to Fr. Lancelot for willingly shouldering the parish responsibilities in my absence, taking care of all the pastoral needs in an admirable way, especially the number of funerals and sick calls. Thanks to the parish staff who cooperated with him in serving the parish community.

Catholic Schools Week: Last Sunday we had the opening Mass for the weeklong celebration of National Catholic Schools Week. It was well organized with students of diverse backgrounds participating in the entrance procession, readings, handing out the thank you’s after the Mass, etc. Thanks to Mary Lynch, our Principal, who has been coordinating various activities and events during this past week with the help of the faculty and staff and thus promoting the mission of our Catholic School. Our Bishop Checchio wrote a letter to the parents and guardians on this occasion in which he reminded them:
“As parents, you play a primary, vital role in the success of our children. Your support, encouragement, and commitment to the values of Catholic education contribute greatly to the formation of well-rounded individuals who carry the light of Christ into the world. I am deeply grateful for your partnership in this sacred mission.”
I too wish to echo the same as I thank the parents for choosing St. Matthias School to give the children the best of both worlds: Catholic formation and academic excellence.

2024 Pro-Life Award: This year, in light of the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, our Bishop had asked us pastors and pro-life ministries to nominate parishioners who have been laboring in the field and working in the parishes and local communities to promote the sanctity of life from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death. Accordingly, we had nominated our parishioner Eileen King for this award and we, as a parish, can be very proud that she was chosen to be one of the 2024 pro-life honorees from across the Diocese of Metuchen. This award was presented to her on Sunday, January 21, at our Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi.

In the name of the parish community, I congratulate Eileen King for this honor. We are grateful to God for her faith-filled service to life, which is truly a reflection of God’s unconditional love and mercy. This honor is also an invitation to us all to get more involved in life matters, especially by joining the Pro-Life Ministry in our parish. Please contact Fran Johnson at tfxj@msn.com if interested. Whether it be walking with moms in need, walking with the elderly, tending to the sick and dying, working with those with disabilities, or with those who struggle with addiction, efforts to build a culture of life and love are needed now more than ever in the world.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

 

A Message From a Member of Our Pastoral Staff

I don’t know if it’s my age … but it seems that time is flying by! We are just a few weeks away from the Christmas season and in less than a month, we will be celebrating Ash Wednesday. This year it falls on Valentine’s Day… a day of fasting and abstention. Of course, Ash Wednesday is the start of the forty days of Lent and this leads us up to Holy Week and to the glorious feast of Christ’s resurrection, Easter Sunday.

Right now, however, we are in the few weeks of ordinary time. A little bit of a breather between the two major feasts of Christmas and Easter. In today’s Gospel, we hear Christ calling a few of the apostles to come and follow Me. He calls them to leave their fishing nets and to become fishers of Men. My sisters and brothers, we are all called to be Disciples of Christ. When we are baptized, we are automatically called to be Disciples of Christ …To leave “our nets” behind and to be fishers of men.

Sometimes we tend to forget that not only priests, religious, and Deacons receive the call from Jesus to follow Him. We are all called. Each one’s answer to that call is obviously different. Twenty-five years ago, I answered God’s call to the Diaconate and will be ordained twenty years this June. Sometimes we aren’t tuned in to when God is calling us. There’s a little story of a man whose house was going to be flooded. The rescuers came in a rowboat to rescue him. He refused to get in saying God will save him. The water rose higher to the top floor. Again the rescuers came with a boat. Again, he refused saying God will save Him. Finally, they came by helicopter when he was on his roof. Again, he refused… giving the same answer. He perished in the flood. When he got to heaven, he asked God “Why didn’t you save me? God answered, “I sent you two boats and a helicopter and you didn’t listen!”

Lent is a perfect time to spend some time asking God what are you calling me in my life right now. Remember that the call could be a whisper of a feeling. For me, Lent is a time for me to sit down with the Lord and see if there is somewhere different that the Lord is calling me. It does not matter at what stage in life you are, we must listen to the possibility that God may be calling us to something new and exciting in our lives. As we get closer to Lent think about what you may do… I say do rather than give up something. I feel doing this is putting Lent in a positive rather than a negative spiritual journey. More time in prayer with the Lord is a great way to enhance your Lenten journey. Perhaps it’s time to join a Lenten small faith group. Whatever you do make this Lent the best you can and you will feel the joy of Christ’s resurrection on Easter more fully.

Peace of Christ,

Deacon Russ

 

 

Dear Friends,

Today we celebrate the Feast of Epiphany. Our noon Mass has often been a bi-lingual Mass. Three Kings will join our entrance procession. Immediately following Mass, the Franklin High School Madrigals will perform a 1/2-hour program of Christmas music for our enjoyment. The Madrigals are an inspiring group of young musicians from Franklin Township who sing in traditional medieval costumes.

In its Greek origin, Epiphany refers to God’s revelation to humans. Today we focus on the wise men or magi whom later legends have named as Melchior, Casper, and Balthazar. They may have been of noble birth, educated, wealthy, and influential. Whether we agree or not with the non-biblical descriptions of them, one thing is certain: they had studied the Hebrew Scriptures, in particular, the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. Their study of the Scriptures led them to the Messiah and they adored him.

Reading and praying the Scriptures is the surest way to know the Messiah. The decision to do it daily is an excellent resolution for the New Year. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the famous German Lutheran theologian and anti-Nazi dissident, described Jesus as “the man for others.” He wrote: “The church is the church only when it exists for others…The church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving.” We are aware that this holiday season of Christmas, New Year, and Epiphany is a very difficult time for many people due to grieving the loss of a dear one, struggling with personal problems, and suffering from loneliness, depression, and other issues. Are we conscious of their plight?

I emailed a parishioner who was grieving the loss of her husband and assured her of my prayers and thoughts this Christmas. Her reply truly edified me:

“Well, we made it through the first Christmas.  Years ago, we started the practice of making sure others were not alone for the holidays.  Mom had friends who had no family or family who lived far away.  My husband and I would take our celebration on the road to them or pick them up with Mom to join us.  This year, I invited my cousin to join us.  He was divorced a couple of years ago and was not the one who wanted the divorce.  He’s been very sad and lonely and sometimes angry.  He misses his wife and 2 children very much. After Mass, I went home and cooked dinner to bring to Mom at the Rehab.  He joined us.  Mom said grace.  We joked about how Dad would always tease her that it was too long.  We all came together each with our own sense of loss, but laughed, told stories, and had great family time. My cousin smiled.  He told us the story of how he rescued an abandoned dog on the highway (he’s a truck driver).  God gave us the support we needed through each other.”

What a wonderful testimony of a grieving and lonely person reaching out to others who are lonely! Jesus expects us to be men and women for others. He wants us to be his hands and feet, to reach out to others in understanding, love, and care.

I will be leaving this evening for India to visit my family. I will return in three weeks.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal