Author: Nathalie Godet

Dear Friends,

Happy Easter!

This year’s Easter is very special for the whole of the Christendom. This year (2025), we have a remarkable coincidence: Both the Eastern and Western Christians are holding Easter on the same day today, April 20, a joint celebration that doesn’t happen often. Last year (2024), you may remember that Catholics and much of the rest of the world celebrated Easter on March 31, while the Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter on May 5. The difference is due to the fact that most Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C. and the Catholic Church and pretty much the rest of the world follow the Gregorian calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII’s 1582. This will avoid the confusion that happens every time when we hear about the Orthodox churches celebrating Easter much later than our date of Easter.

This convergence has reopened discussions that all the Christian denominations must agree on a common date for Easter and Christmas. Earlier this year, Pope Francis used this year’s coincidence to bring the topic up in remarks at an ecumenical prayer service marking the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: “I renew my appeal that this coincidence may serve as an appeal to all Christians to take a decisive step forward towards unity around a common date for Easter. The Catholic Church is open to accepting the date that everyone wants: a date of unity.” This hope and wish have been expressed also by the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who is the archbishop of Constantinople and 270th successor of St. Andrew the Apostle. But will it happen, since it is beset with so many procedural hurdles? Time will tell.

But let us rejoice and celebrate this Easter as one people of God: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!” (Psalm 118:24). Today we celebrate the completion of the sacred Triduum in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. These “Great Three Days” form the centerpiece of God’s salvific work in Christ. While it still remains a mystery, the grief and agony of the cross from Good Friday and Holy Saturday is now tempered and balanced with the joy of Easter Sunday.

Haven’t you wondered why the Church insists that Easter is the most important feast of the year while the secular world gives so much importance to Christmas? The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian faith and foundation of church. St. Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your faith is in vain.” (I Corinthians 15: 14). We are in the Holy Year 2025 with its theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” Easter is the guarantee of our hope for our own resurrection. Jesus assured Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me will live even though he dies” (John 11: 25-26).

We have every reason to be an “Easter People” and to sing Halleluiah loud and clear.

Easter Blessings!

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Pastor

Dear Friends,

Last month, we had a number of events that helped different segments of our parish experience God’s grace and blessings. Let me make a comment on some of those:

Youth Lock-in/Retreat: Our Teen Leadership held an overnight Lock-in/Retreat on March 21-22. There were some 25 young people and adult supervisors. The theme for this lock-in/retreat was ‘Food insecurity.’ Local leaders from the Franklin Food Bank came and shared with them about food insecurity in our own area, and how so many generous people are giving their time, treasure, and talent to remedy this situation. They had many spiritually enriching sessions and fun activities throughout the night, without much sleep. This lock-in/retreat would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our Deacon John Radvanski who is truly a tireless advocate for our youth. He, together with Sue Lenczewski, our Youth Coordinator, will give us all a fuller report of this event and acknowledge the many who deserve our gratitude.

Mass of Anointing: This annual Mass with Anointing of the Sick was held on March 22nd. Some 75 people attended and they had a truly positive experience of God’s anointing and healing. This Sacrament is often misunderstood or undervalued by many. The Biblical basis for this sacrament is James 5: 14-15: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” But this original practice of anointing the sick fell into disuse and was used only when a sick person was close to death. That’s why we hear this sacrament misnamed as “Last Rite.” But the Second Vatican Council restored it to its original intent. Hence, we can use this Sacrament any time we are sick, or before going for any procedure or surgery. Let us have a proper understanding of this Sacrament of Anointing for the healing of the sick.

40 Hour Adoration: Our Parish just completed a  40-Hour Adoration during this final year of the Eucharistic Revival – thanks to a very dedicated group of men and women of our parish who organized this first ever event in our church so meticulously. The 40-hour devotion has been observed in the Catholic Church for many years. The response to the sign up to adore for each of the 40 Hours was tremendous. One participant emailed me: “It was my first time to experience serving as a guardian during the Eucharistic Adoration late last night. It was an experience like no other. Thank you for bringing it to St Matthias.” So many others joined to pray without signing up – a clear sign of the thirst many have to experience Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

The culmination of all such devotions and liturgical services is experiencing the Holy Week. Beginning with Palm Sunday, we will be entering into days of solemn celebration of the most significant events of our salvation. Our music ministry has been preparing for these annual celebrations, in particular for the Easter Vigil. The exceptional way we celebrate the Saturday night service is something that many of our parishioners look forward to. Though some may feel that the length of the Easter Vigil is challenging, the reality is what so many attendees have expressed: “It flowed so beautifully that I didn’t feel the length;” “It was not as long as I had thought;” “The music and the ceremonies were so heart-warming that the time just went by;” I invite you to make a special effort to attend the Easter Vigil this year, especially if you have not experienced it. You are in for a treat for your soul– no doubt ☺

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Dear Friends,

If you were present at the 10 am Mass on the first Sunday of Lent, you noticed the “Rite of Sending” four of our Catechumen to the Cathedral and acknowledging 13 Candidates – all preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter Vigil this year through our OCIA (RCIA) process. This Sunday at the 10 am Mass, we have “Scrutiny” for the Catechumen. Are all these terms strange for us? I think we will all remember that RCIA stood for the “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults,” though few 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 OCIA, and ‘Candidate’ is the term used for a baptized person who did not receive Eucharist or Confirmation. This year we are privileged to have what is probably the largest class in our OCIA process.

So, what is the rite called ‘scrutiny’? “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 over-indulgence 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.

I had done a 10 part bulletin series on the Jubilee Year 2025. Now I wish to begin another series on our Homebound Ministry – a wonderful ministry that benefits our parishioners who are homebound or in nursing homes. This is a ministry that is not so visible to the rest of us. How lucky we are that we have a dedicated number of parishioners who do this ministry joyfully but quietly, away from the limelight. We are very grateful to those who did this ministry in the past and are no longer with us or had to stop due to reasons of health or mobility. But there are a good number of our parishioners who bring Jesus and His Word to the homebound. (see their names on page 4). Read their personal experiences and reflections from next Sunday onwards in our bulletin. If you are inspired by their stories, you are welcome to join this wonderful ministry. Please contact Doreen Panick, our Coordinator, at: dsp999@aol.com

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal