Author: Nathalie Godet

Dear Friends,

Hearty Welcome to Fr. Lancelot McGrath! Many of you have asked me if I was getting another priest in the place of Msgr. Brennan who retired and moved out. I am happy to share the good news that Bishop Checchio has appointed Fr. Lancelot McGrath as the Parochial Vicar at St. Matthias Church.

Fr. McGrath has been serving as Parochial Vicar at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Monroe Township, for the past four years. I am happy to welcome him to our parish, though his appointment will be effective from September 1, 2023.

In the meanwhile, I am happy that we can avail the services of different priests. I am happy that Fr. Nick Gengaro, who is so familiar to us all, Fr. Tom Lanza, the Vocations Director of the Diocese and Fr. Jose Lim, the newly ordained priest of our Diocese, have been the presiders at different Masses these past weekends. The Consolata Missionaries, who have helped us in the past, will also be helping us whenever possible. These opportunities give us an exposure to different priests who give us a different taste of priestly ministry, especially in preaching.

Today is World Day for Grandparents and Elderly.  This day was established by Pope Francis to be celebrated on the fourth Sunday, closer to July 26, the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. The goal is “to draw attention to a category all too often placed on the margins, remembering instead their value and encouraging actions in their favor.” The Pope is celebrating the Mass for and with the grandparents and the elderly today (Sunday, July 23) in St. Peter’s Square.

“His mercy is from age to age” (Lk 1:50) is the theme chosen for this year. This choice was intended to connect the Rome event to the great celebration of the World Youth Day in Lisbon (Aug. 1-6), to ideally put young and old ‘in dialogue’, as the Pope has always desired. The theme was chosen to be in tune with that of World Youth Day in Lisbon:  “Mary arose and went with haste,” taken from Luke’s Gospel. Even the short passage “His mercy from age to age” is taken from Luke’s Gospel and is the end of the first part of the Magnificat, when Mary immediately goes to meet her elderly cousin Elizabeth after the Angel’s annunciation. Thus, it is a theme that highlights the importance of dialogue between generations. Indeed, dialogue between the elderly and the young helps to obtain a more complete vision of the way in which a more humane and fraternal society can be built.

As we celebrate the grandparents and the elderly of our parish, let us remember that they have a thing or two to teach us about enduring change and handling life’s adversity. Respecting them can be the most gratuitous return for their selfless efforts that benefited us in different ways. Bible is very clear on this: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. (Ephesians 6:1-3). “Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. …. Treat older women as you would your mother….” (Timothy 5:1-3).

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Dear Friends,

Pride is a word that can be confusing.  There is a positive sense in which we can be proud of many things. Last week we all celebrated July 4th with great pride. We can be proud of our parents, achievements, faith, friends etc. St. Paul could say: “I have reason to be proud of my work for God” (Rom. 15:17). But there is a negative sense in which some people can be “puffed up” or “full of themselves” exhibiting a haughty attitude. C.S. Lewis, whose influence on Christianity is long lasting, wrote: “According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind…… it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began” (Mere Christianity, p.111).

But our culture seems to celebrate pride as a virtue whereas humility is seen as a weakness! Thus we see pride and arrogance among many rich and powerful, celebrities and stars, and even among some religious leaders. What does Bible say? “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). Pride leads to over-confidence and arrogance in one’s own abilities. But it will eventually backfire on the proud because they are unable to see fault in themselves. We all are familiar with stories of “fall from grace” of many contemporary famous personalities.

No wonder, Jesus condemns intellectual pride in today’s gospel and says that the mysteries of the Kingdom are “hidden from the wise and the understanding, but revealed to little children” (Matthew 11:26).  He knows that ordinary people with large, sensitive hearts can accept the “Good News” he preaches, while proud intellectuals cannot. Even the learned rabbis of Jesus’ time recognized that the simplest people were often nearer to God than the wisest.   They composed stories to show that ordinary people often practiced great love and compassion, for instance, the story of the man who lent his tools to someone in need, or the woman who helped her neighbors.  Jesus says that such people will inherit Heaven rather than the learned and the wise who pride themselves on   their intellectual achievements but do not love. This is why spiritual masters of all persuasions insist that pride is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool! Let us take to heart what Jesus tells us today: “learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29)

Our Monday adoration is an opportunity to learn many things from Jesus. One gift we can learn from him is silence. Jesus welcomes us with a listening heart. Prayer is a dialog of talking and listening. We can speak to him in silence. But he will talk to us only when we have quieted our hearts and are completely silent. The more time we spend being with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in silence, the more we will begin to hear God’s voice. Let us use the Monday adoration for cultivating this gift of silence.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

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