Author: Nathalie Godet

Come Join Us for Adult G.I.F.T. (Growing in Faith Together).

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

Open to the Community

Our next session will be on Sunday, February 2nd.  We will start GIFT with the 12 Noon Mass. Then, immediately following in the church, we will gather to pray 2 decades of the Rosary, honoring the Rosary in a Year and offering our prayers to our Lady to instill HOPE into the hearts of families. The session will run until approximately 2:30 pm. We can’t wait to see you there! Let’s come together to celebrate and be inspired as we grow in our faith and support each other on the journey.

The School Advisory Council (SAC) is looking for new members.

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

The School Advisory Council (SAC) is looking for new members. St. Matthias Parish members, who would want to contribute some of their time and expertise to help advise the Pastor and the Principal in making St. Matthias School better today, and  well prepared for the future, are welcome. The individuals could be past, or current SMS parents or grand parents, who care deeply about the elementary and middle school Catholic education. Experience in education, finance, accounting, technology, engineering, property management, healthcare, procurement, or human resources is welcome.

The council generally meets once a month (6-7 times a year), in person and/or via zoom. The principal, the vice-principal and the pastor report on the current status and challenges. The council discusses the current issues and the ways to position the school in a better place for the future. The topics like academics, marketing, enrollment, technology and grounds improvements, giving (Tuition Angels, The Annual Fund)  and others are discussed. The council member term is 3 years. As we currently have a few members close to the end of their term, we are looking to fill multiple positions.

Interested individuals can contact the current SAC chair Sue Lenczewski, myworld2@comcast.net or the school Principal Mrs. Lynch, mlynch@stmatthiasnj.org. If you feel, you would be a good contributor, please pray about it, and reach out to us, as we strive to be a diverse team of advisors (in culture and experience) who can use their time and talent to assist the school administration in making SMS the best it can be.

SAC website – www.stmatthias.info/school-advisory-council

 

 

Franklin Township’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Community Breakfast

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

The Franklin Township Dr. Martin Luther King Community Foundation Presents

Franklin Township’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Community Breakfast

Monday, January 20, 2025

8:30AM Breakfast Buffet & Celebration

Double Tree Hotel– Somerset

Admission $60

Keynote Speaker:

Bonnie Watson Coleman

Congresswoman, U.S. House of Representatives

 

For Event Information, Ticket Sales, Donations or Business Promotion Use QR Code Above or Visit: www.FTMLK.org

Email FTMLKCF@gmail.com Call 732-328-8374

No tickets sold at the door.

Purchase Tickets Before 1/15/2025

All tickets are available through the website.

 

 

PROCEEDS AND CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE USED FOR THE FTMLKCF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. DONATIONS CAN BE MAILED TO:

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, INC.

P.O. BOX 5684 SOMERSET, NJ 08875 (PAYABLE TO: FTMLKCF)

FTMLKCF IS A 501(C)3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

Come Join us for a Bible Study on The Eucharist!

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

For this upcoming and final year of Eucharistic Revival, Saint Matthias will be offering a Bible Study focused on The Eucharist.  Jesus says: “I am the living bread come down from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh which I give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51).  Jesus left us a great gift in the Eucharist, a gift that allows us to encounter him in a most profound way, a gift that gives us life and draws us into communion with God and each other. So, it is fitting that we do what we can to grow in our knowledge of, and love for, the Eucharist.  This bible study is offered with this in mind.

The Bible Study will be in person in the Parish Office Building (Ruiz room) on Saturday mornings from 10:30am to Noon.  It is offered over 7 consecutive Saturdays (seven sessions in all) beginning on Saturday January 18 and ending on Saturday March 1st. If you’d like to sign up and take part in this Bible Study simply email:

Joe Percoco at percoco@rutgers.edu  – or –  Ivette Michel at ladyi63@aol.com.

 

Pope Francis tells us: “The Eucharist brings us Jesus’ love, which can transform our lives”. Please come join us forthis special offering that provides us with one more way to encounter Jesus and experience his love!

 

The Baptism of the Lord

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

We know that the Jubilee Year 2025 was officially inaugurated by Pope Francis by opening the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, on December 24. There are four other Holy Doors in Rome: the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, and the door located at the Rebibbia Prison in Rome.

Bishop James Checchio designated the following sacred places within our Diocese as places where the faithful may obtain the Jubilee Indulgence:

  1. Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen, NJ
  2. Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, NJ
  3. National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Washington, NJ
  4. National Shrine of St. Lucy Filippini (inside St. Mary of Mount Virgin Church, New Brunswick, NJ.

The Bishop’s decree states (as you can see it on our website) “These sacred spaces have been carefully chosen to reflect the spiritual significance of pilgrimage and to foster deeper conversion and reconciliation among the people of God. The visit is not merely an outward action but a reflection of the soul’s pilgrimage towards God, with conversion, reconciliation, and renewal at its heart.”

Here in our parish, we inaugurate the Jubilee Year 2025 today, focusing on the meaning of this Jubilee year at all the Masses. The theme of this Jubilee Year, proposed by Pope Francis, is “Pilgrims of Hope.”  As he so beautifully expressed it: “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.”

There will be many resources coming from our Diocese as well as from the USCCB (US Conference of Catholic Bishops) that we can make use of for our spiritual enrichment. I like to mention two easily accessible resources that we can start with immediately:

1)      Catholic Brain:  This is a faith formation program for individuals and families, with lots of informative and fun stuff for growing in our faith. Our Parish has already a subscription and we use it for the GIFT program. But I do encourage all of us to use it for our own spiritual benefit. See page 8 in today’s bulletin for accessing it through Debbie Schurko, our Director of Religious Education.

2)      Rosary In A Year Podcasts:  This is for practicing one of the timeless devotional prayers of our Church – the Holy Rosary. See the blurb on page 7 in today’s bulletin about accessing these daily podcasts. You can use them at your convenience.

We will also be praying the Jubilee Prayer, penned by Pope Francis, at all our Masses. It concludes with these words: “May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the  treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever, Amen.”

Let us joyfully and prayerfully participate in this Jubilee Year 2025!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

 

Please Volunteer To Help Us Take Down Our Trees

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

Our Spread the Light Campaign has brought joy to many, but the time has come to take down our trees for another year. Please consider joining us on Saturday, January 11, at 9 AM to take the lights off of the trees and pack them away. Last year, with the help of many hands, the job took less than two hours.

Also, please note, if you decorated your tree please make sure all decorations are removed by Wednesday, January 8. That is the day the signs will be removed. Tree decorations left on the trees on January 11 will be discarded.

Once again, many thanks to all who sponsored, set up, decorated, and helped to take down our beautiful trees. With all of us working together we can continue to Spread the Light of Jesus for many years to come!

The Epiphany of the Lord

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas, as we keep the feast of the Epiphany today. It is good to know that our Orthodox brethren in the USA and the rest of the world keep Christmas on January 7 as their churches follow the Julian calendar.

The story of the three kings (though the Bible speaks of them not as kings but as the wise men from the east or the Magi) has fascinated us all. Liturgically, Epiphany is when the birth of the Messiah is manifested to the world in and through the three kings (number three is concluded from the number of gifts offered to Baby Jesus). Equally fascinating is the story of a fourth king immortalized by Henry van Dyke in his story “The Other Wise Man” written in 1895.

The fourth wise man is not mentioned in the Gospels but his name is Artaban. In the story version, our hero was late and missed the caravan as the other three left without him. He got to Bethlehem too late to see the Baby Jesus. But Artaban did make it in time to save one of the Holy Innocents by bribing a soldier. For the next 33 years Artaban searched for Jesus. He did not find Jesus, but all the while the Fourth wise man fed the hungry and helped the poor. Then one day in Jerusalem Artaban saw the “King of the Jews” being crucified. He started to offer a pearl as ransom. But then he saw a girl being sold into slavery to pay family debts. Artaban gave his pearl to buy freedom for the girl. Suddenly the earth quaked as Jesus died on the cross and a stone struck Artaban. Dying, he heard a Voice saying: “When you helped the least of my children, you helped me. Meet me in Heaven!” Artaban, the fourth Wise Man, had been making God present in his community for years by helping others. God asks each of us on the feast of Epiphany to be a fourth Wise Man by becoming God’s epiphanies, making His love present in the world around us by our acts of love and kindness.

This story can teach us something about making New Year resolution. Do you believe in making a New Year resolution? I believe everyone should have a New Year resolution because we all need personal growth. If so, why do some studies show that only about 20% persevere in practicing their resolutions while the vast majority’s resolutions crash by February? There are many reasons like lack of specificity, overdue expectations, poor will power, etc. Still, making a resolution gives us an impetus to become better and improve areas where we need growth.

This is especially true for us Christians in living the values of our faith. Whether our resolution is of a secular nature (better money management, stop a bad habit like drinking, eating more healthily, etc.) or of a spiritual nature, (to pray more, to read the Bible daily, attend church more regularly, etc.), we need to practice perseverance in implementing these – as did Artaban, the fourth wise man. In order to have the discipline of perseverance, we need to be very conscious of the Word of God that tells us: “I can do everything through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).In other words, if we rely on God as the center of our New Year resolution, then we have a far better chance of success. It is a great help to have an accountability partner who will gently remind us or lovingly challenge us to stay the course.

As Proverbs 16:3 asks us, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Happy New Year Blessings!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

The Most Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas! In this Christmas week, are you having a breather after the hectic time leading to the Christmas Day? How do you feel after December 25th? A cartoon in the New Yorker magazine says it all. In the middle of the floor is a dried up, withered, Christmas tree. The calendar on the wall reads December 26. Dad is sitting in his chair with an ice pack on his head. Mom is in a bathrobe and her hair in rollers. The floor is a virtual mountain of torn wrappings, boxes, and bows. Junior is reaching in his stocking to be sure that there is no more candy. In the background we see a table with a thoroughly picked turkey still sitting there. The caption on the cartoon reads simply: The morning after. This is normal family life. It is precisely to highlight this normalcy that we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family today!

The Holy Family too was very normal with the ups and downs like in any ordinary family. How consoling it is to realize that the Holy Family was not exempted from difficulties, trials and suffering. Mary was pregnant out of wedlock. Jesus was born in the manger because there was no room in the inn. Joseph led his family to flee to Egypt because of the murderous plan of King Herod to kill the baby Jesus. Mary saw her Son crucified on the Cross. How did they survive? The Holy Family was God centered. That made all the difference.

Recent researches have reaffirmed the importance of family making a significant difference in nurturing the faith of children and adolescents with faith practices at home. John Roberto, a prominent youth minister who founded what is now known as Center for Ministry Development, has an article on the USCCB website titled “Partnering with Parents to Nurture Family Faith – Insights from Research.” Here are some of the most important practices he lists:

  • Reading the Bible as a family and encouraging young people to read the Bible regularly
  • Praying together as a family and encouraging young people to pray personally
  • Serving people in need as a family and supporting service activities by young people
  • Eating together as a family
  • Having family conversations about faith
  • Talking about faith, religious issues, and questions and doubts
  • Ritualizing important family moments and milestone experiences
  • Celebrating holidays and church year seasons at home
  • Providing moral instruction
  • Being involved in a faith community and participating regularly in Sunday worship as a family

This is why the Church consistently reminds us that the family is the “domestic church.” I wish to thank as well as support our parish families who make valiant efforts to live the gospel values despite huge challenges. This New Year gives us an opportunity to introduce some of these practices – if we are not already doing these – in our families. As a first step, why not begin this New Year, the Jubilee Year, by attending our 10 am Mass with family?

May the Christmas blessings stay with you and your family for the whole of 2025!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

 

4th Sunday of Advent

Posted on by Nathalie Godet

 

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas!

Yes, even though today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Christmas is getting close…and it is here in just two days… Although we can’t control its suddenness, and how our culture celebrates it, we can keep the spirit of Christmas in our own home by teaching our children the value of delayed gratification. Wait for the party, wait to open a present. Read the Christmas story as a family. Matthew and Luke are the Evangelists we can depend on for the birth and infancy narratives of Jesus. The first two chapters from each of these gospels are ideal for this purpose. Read at least one chapter each day starting today.

This Christmas is very special because the Jubilee Year (celebrated every 25 years) will begin on December 24, 2024 (Christmas Eve) and conclude on January 6, 2026 (Feast of the Epiphany). This was officially proclaimed by Pope Francis in his papal bull titled Spes Non Confundit  which means “Hope Does Not Disappoint”.

It is customary that holy doors will be designated to enter through during this Jubilee Year, first in Rome and then in each diocese throughout the world. Holy Doors of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope in Rome will be located at the four papal basilicas as well as at a prison. The first Holy Door will be opened by Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica on this Christmas Eve to usher in the beginning of the Jubilee Year worldwide.

What is the significance? The Holy Doors are sacred portals. These doors are ceremonially opened during Jubilee Years, symbolizing the spiritual journey from sin to grace. For pilgrims, crossing these doors is a profound act of faith, offering an opportunity for renewal, forgiveness, and a deeper connection with the divine. The act of physically crossing the threshold signifies a renewal of faith and a desire for spiritual transformation. As Pope St. John Paul II stated, “To pass through that door means to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; it is to strengthen faith in him in order to live the new life which he has given us.”

Let us all enter the Jubilee Year of Hope. The Christmas story is truly a story of hope. May our Christmas be filled with the wonder of “Emmanuel” (Matthew.1:23: God-with-us). May His peace and joy illumine our hearts and our homes.

Christmas Blessings!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal