The Township of Franklin is offering free Covid-19 PCR testing on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Testing will be at Franklin Middle School- Hamilton Street Campus, 415 Francis Street, Somerset, NJ 08873.
Individuals under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
Social distancing and masks required. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Dear Friends, Happy New Year!
Did you begin the New Year in the right spirit? St. Paul gives an excellent piece of advice he practiced himself: “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13). Basically, Paul is telling us to be forward-looking at the possibilities that we have in the call of God in Christ Jesus. This is something that we can apply at the beginning of this New Year.
“Forgetting what lies behind” is an invitation to not dwell on the past failures, hurts and wrong choices but to learn from them in the light that Jesus brings into our lives. No doubt, our desire is to be better persons, to live better lives, to make more healthy choices and to live with all in harmony and peace. “Straining forward to what lies ahead” is the promise of the fulfillment of our longings in Jesus. As we begin this First Sunday of the New Year together, let us remember that it truly is a New Beginning for all of us here in the Catholic Community of St. Matthias where Jesus is the center. What is our New Year gift to Jesus? We have the answer in the 19th century English carol, Christina Rosetti’s A Christmas Carol, which begins, “In the bleak midwinter.” The carol sums up, in its last stanza, the nature of” giving to the Christ Child.”
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I could give a Lamb.
If I were a wise man, I could do my part.
What I can I give Him? Give Him my heart!”
Today’s feast of the Epiphany reminds us of the manifestation of the Christ Child to the whole world. Luke’s gospel in a special way stresses this universal salvific plan of God who came to save everyone. There is a place for everyone in the family of God – no matter how different a person is. “Unity in Diversity” is another way of stating who we are as Christians. Today’s 12 noon Mass is a celebration of our diversity as the Catholic Community of St. Matthias.
I plan to take my vacation this month and God willing, I hope to reach home (in the southern state of Kerala, India), this coming Sunday. I commend myself to your prayers. Many of you know that I could not attend my father’s funeral last January. My hope is to be with my mother and family to celebrate his first death anniversary on January 11. I am so very happy that Msgr. Brennan who has vast pastoral experience and wisdom is with us and will oversee all the parish needs. At the moment, he is having a short but well-deserved vacation to Ireland to be with his sister and other family members.
May the Blessings of Baby Jesus stay with us and with our dear ones for the whole of 2022 and beyond!
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas!
Interestingly, this year, the Feast of Christmas and the Feast of the Holy Family occur back to back on Saturday and Sunday! I do hope you all had a happy time with your families for Christmas dinner. But it takes more than a festive Christmas dinner for many families to really have a great time with each other. Bringing a family together requires the patience to listen, the selflessness to forgive, the commitment to heal and mend. To be a family is to seek out and bring back whoever is lost, to look beyond behavior to understand what is prompting such anger, bitterness or disaffection, to put aside one’s own expectations to respect another’s perspective.
It may come as a surprise to many when I say that the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus – whose feast we celebrate today – was not an ideal family as we have been brought up to believe! This family understood all too well the struggles and challenges of staying together as a family in their situation because they too had their share of challenges of communication between spouses and between parents and the teenage Jesus. Gospel vignettes give us inklings to their struggles: Matthew, the Evangelist, says: “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.” (Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23). Why? They had to escape Herod’s murderous wrath. As is clear from the infancy narratives (from Luke and Matthew), Jesus, Mary and Joseph as a family experienced heartache, fear, misunderstanding and doubt, but together they created a family of love and compassion, of nurture and acceptance. That is how the Holy Family becomes a model for us to deal with our own family’s challenges.
One easy way to make every family member feel accepted and loved is to express words of appreciation. I don’t mean that you simply say “you look great” or “you did wonderful.” Instead, think of some way each member is contributing to your happiness. Say, for instance, “Oh Brad, when I see you playing with your sister I feel so happy and grateful that you and your sister are enjoying each other.” “I wanted to tell you Erin, how much I enjoyed the funny stories you say at the dinner table!” Even if you think it is difficult, take a moment to think about what this person brings to your life that you wouldn’t have without him or her. It may be joy, laughter, spontaneity, support, fun, play, peace, etc.
Merry Christmas and a happy Feast of the Holy Family! We raise up all parents and children in prayer, especially those who experience the pain of separation and single parent families who heroically face the challenges of life. As we will soon ring in the New Year 2022, may we all experience more unity, love and peace in our families and communities!
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Christmas Season Schedule:
December 24th 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 6:30 pm
December 25th Midnight, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm
December 26th 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm
Feast of the Holy Family
December 31st 5:00 pm
Solemnity of Mary (Vigil)
January 1st 10:00 am
Solemnity of Mary
January 2nd 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm
Epiphany
January 8th 5:00 pm
Baptism of Jesus (Vigil)
January 9th 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm
Baptism of Jesus
Dear Friends,
How wonderful to see so many lights all around us! The shining lights are a symbol of joy and hope in darkness. Jesus claimed that he is the light of the world (John 8:12). “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:15). We all have gone through periods of darkness in our life, especially these past two years, but the light of Christ has sustained us thus far. May his light continue to shine in us, especially when we experience darkness in our life, and may the blessings 0f the baby in the manger stay with you and your dear ones now and for the whole of the New Year.
~ Fr. Abraham
Dear Friends,
Have you thought of inviting someone to our Church this Christmas? Dr. Thom Rainer who conducted a national research “The Unchurched Next Door” says: “Eighty-two percent of the unchurched are at least somewhat likely to attend church if invited.” But the problem is that “only two percent of church members invite an unchurched person to church. Ninety-eight percent of church-goers never extend an invitation in a given year.” Thankfully, that is not fully true about our parish! I have heard a number of stories of our parishioners joining us because of the invitation of another parishioner. Two weeks ago, I mentioned in my homily about a parishioner who expressed her joy and gratitude that she joined our parish following the suggestion of her friend, and she felt that was the right decision she made. Another parishioner told me that after getting discouraged with ‘parish-shopping,’ a neighbor suggested that he try St. Matthias and his family felt very much at home here and continues to feel so.
Many are looking for some good news, some hope, because they are hurting in so many ways: families experience conflicts, devastating test results, and a host of other problems that make people scared at the thought of a bleak future. Yet on the first Christmas, those who were frightened and in desperate need of good news and great joy were addressed directly by the angel: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born…” (Luke 2:10-11) Isn’t that a good enough reason for us to invite someone to church this Christmas?
Christmas is a time of giving gifts – to families, to charities, to church. But giving an invitation to church could be the best gift you can give to someone who really needs God’s presence in their lives. In my previous parish, I had a banner fixed at the entrance: “Every Member A Minister.” Seeing it every time the parishioners came to Church, it helped them realize that each of them is a minister of Jesus and so taking ownership of the message of Jesus means to become a disciple who will bring others to Jesus. You are acting as a disciple of Jesus when you invite someone to come to our church. You are introducing to our Savior those who need his healing and comfort especially if they are hurting.
The Mission Statement of our parish has this line: “As a diverse people, journeying together in faith, we are growing in awareness of the pain and joy of our brothers and sisters ….” Our Church is that place for the kind of support and fellowship where they can meet the God who loves them, understands their greatest fears, sees their deepest longings, and who sent His Son to save us. From the testimonies of those joining us, we can be certain that, true to our mission statement, we are a very inclusive and welcoming community. So, see you at Christmas with your invited guests, family and friends.
As we celebrate Christmas in a few days, my prayer is that your Christmas will be filled with the wonder of “Emmanuel” (Matthew.1:23: God-with-us). May his light shine upon you; may his peace and joy fill your hearts and your homes.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Dear Friends,
A friend of mine recently warned me about an ‘Advent Virus’ going around! Here is more info:
Be on the alert for symptoms of inner Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. The hearts of a great many are already exposed to this virus and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world. Some signs and symptoms of The Advent Virus:
Please send this warning out to all your friends. This virus can and has affected many systems. Some systems have been completely cleaned out because of it.
How wonderful it will be if all of us were infected with this Advent Virus!! For many of us, cutting Christmas chaos can be a dream come true as this warning about the Advent Virus reminds us. But it is possible with planning, intention and lots of prayer. If you feel stressed or rushed, try this or similar prayer:
Loving God, help me focus on a peaceful pace rather than a harried one. I will keep moving forward gently, not frantically. Help me let go of my need to be anxious, upset, and harried. Help me replace it with a need to be at peace and in harmony.
As we enter the frenzy-phase of Christmas rush, I invite us to focus on the theme of Mercy that Jesus came to proclaim. I’m very happy that many have already made use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the Saturdays of Advent when both Msgr. Brennan and myself have been making ourselves available in the Confessional with an extra half hour, from 3 – 4:30 pm.
Like Jesus our Master who went after and cared for the stray sheep, Pope Francis has been reminding us that the church is a “field hospital” for injured souls, where the wounded are welcomed and loved, not judged. If we hesitate to go for Confession or doubt the grace of this sacrament, listen to the words of Pope Francis:
“It is not easy to entrust oneself to God’s mercy, because it is an abyss beyond our comprehension. But we must! … “Oh, I am a great sinner!” “All the better! Go to Jesus: He likes you to tell him these things!” He forgets, He has a very special capacity for forgetting. He forgets, He kisses you, He embraces you and He simply says to you: “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more” (Jn 8:11).”
Happy Advent!
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Dear Friends,
With our Christmas Trees lighting and Manger blessing this weekend, we are making our festival season more visible and charming. Thanks to the good will of 259 families/individuals who sponsored the Christmas trees. They will be pleased to see the names of their dear ones memorialized with a laminated plaque on each tree. As it happened last year, I’m sure that this year too we will see numerous people – parishioners and visitors alike – stopping by to enjoy the enchanting sight especially at night, reminding all what these trees surrounding the manger symbolize: the love of God manifested at the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
This huge project became a reality due to the hard work of so many. The parish staff, especially Vinnie Natale, Trish Stumper, Nathalie Godet & Ana Kelly, followed the lead that Msgr. Curry had done last year by an advance planning. Many volunteer groups like members of the Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts, Teens from our parish and from St. Joe’s High School gave their time and energy on two Saturdays, enduring the cold and windy weather. We are glad that Patrick Gianotto from Franklin Electric is providing us with the electrical services. Numerous other volunteers – too many to name here – gave their time to make this happen. These efforts were lead by Mary Pat Burke-Grospin, Deacon John Radvanski, Julio Montero and others. We were blessed to receive a substantial amount as seed money for this endeavor from Bill Gleason of the Gleason Funeral Home. In the name of the parish community, I am truly grateful to all people of good will who helped in one way or other with this wonderful project that lights up, not only our church compound, but also our hearts.
Tomorrow, December 6, is the feast of St. Nicholas, better known as Santa Claus due to the gift-giving nature of the saint. Often people forget that Santa Claus and St. Nicholas are the same person as the saint’s name shifted from St. Nicholas to Santa Claus—a natural phonetic alteration from the German Sankt Niklaus as well as from the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas. Please read more about him in this bulletin so that we can enlighten our children about the truth of Santa Claus.
This Wednesday, December 8, is the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This dogma proclaims that our Blessed Mother was conceived without original sin. It refers to the conception of Mary in the womb of her mother Anne, even though the gospel we hear at Mass this day is about the conception of Jesus. The relevance of this feast for us is to see in Mary an example of what God can do in a person and what we can do, if we put ourselves in God’s hands and at God’s service as Mary did. It will enable us to remain free from sin as much as humanly possible with God’s grace. It is the patronal feast of the USA and a Day of Obligation, I invite you to attend any of the Masses that day: 8 am, 12:10pm or 7:30 pm.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Thank you to everyone who has donated to our GivingTuesday “Spirit Tech Connect” campaign to help us purchase video/live-streaming equipment for our church community. For those who may not have had a chance to donate and would like to do so, we will continue to accept donations.
Watch our video and listen to our volunteers. Then DONATE at: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/st-matthias-church-school/givingtuesday-spiritual-tech-connect-campaign.
You may donate:
Know that we are very grateful for your participation. Every donation counts and brings us closer to our goal! Thank you for your generosity!
Dear Friends,
Before even recovering from the Thanksgiving busy-ness, Advent season is upon us! Advent invites us to pay attention to the special music, prayers, reflections and church environment calling us to slow down and ponder this epoch-making event in history – the birth of Christ. Though a very special time for spiritual preparation for Christmas, Advent can pass us by as we get lost in the bright lights and hectic holiday rush. So, what should we do, not to lose the fruits of this important season?
One way to be living the spirit of Advent is to have some Advent devotion. A daily short reflection on an advent theme or Scripture will help us tremendously. Many resources are available online. A few years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to read that the LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention published Advent devotional books. According to Stan Norman, a Church historian and provost of Oklahoma Baptist University, Baptists have begun to see the usefulness of traditions once viewed as too liturgical or high church as these practices “seem to provide a bit of structure in a tradition that has maybe gone too far without structure.” This shift is also seen with other Christian Churches that have begun to offer tips about having Advent wreaths, candles and calendars for observing this holy season.
The popular and traditional practice of Advent wreath reminds us certain aspects of this sacred season. There are various explanations for each candle on the evergreen. Here’s how one tradition thinks of the four candles: The first purple candle is called ‘Prophecy Candle’ in remembrance of the prophets, primarily Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ (Isaiah 7:14). This first candle represents hope or expectation in anticipation of the coming Messiah. The second purple candle is the ‘Bethlehem Candle’ symbolizing the manger of Baby Jesus (Luke 2:12) representing love. The pink or rose-colored candle on the third Sunday is the ‘Shepherd’s Candle,’ symbolizing joy (Luke 2:8-11). The fourth candle, purple in color, is the ‘Angel’s Candle,’ representing peace (Luke 2:13-14). Here at St. Matthias, a family or an individual from our community will light these candles at each of our weekend Masses. Let us take to heart its meaning and symbolism and live them.
But there is another excellent practice that is often overlooked or taken lightly: the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Advent and Lent are traditional liturgical seasons when Catholics make an extra effort to cleanse their souls. A good confession can be one of the best ways to welcome the Lord Jesus into our hearts and thus enter into the joy of Christmas. Both of us priests plan to be available for confessions during the whole season of Advent: weekdays after the 8 am Mass, and Saturdays from 3:00 – 4:30 pm. If these times are not convenient, you can call any of us and make an appointment. I would encourage you to plan early to take advantage of this Sacrament that brings so much peace of heart.
Happy Advent.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Congratulations to Irving Leong, winner of the Super 50/50 Raffle in the amount of $12,481.50!
This yearly fundraiser helps to fund the many vital ministries of our parish. Thank you to all who purchased tickets and supported this important effort to help our parish.