Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Friends,

We, the priests of the Diocese of Metuchen, will gather in Spring Lakes, NJ, for the annual convocation this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It is a special time for the priests and bishop to pray together, reflect on our priesthood, share the challenges we face and enjoy priestly fellowship. This is a great opportunity for us to come together and experience a sense of unity, even though we’re all different. There will be enrichment sessions with a guest speaker. We will participate in many other events such as Holy Hour, Mass, Vespers, socials, dinner, etc.

Both Msgr. Seamus Brennan and I will be attending this gathering of priests. That means there will be no Mass in our church this coming Wednesday and Thursday. Thank you to our senior Deacon Ron Caimi who has graciously agreed to conduct a Communion Service at 8 am on these two days. This can be a reminder to us about the pastoral reality of priests’ shortage that we are facing as a nation.

During my nationwide travels as a presenter for RENEW International to promote small groups of faith sharing, I have come across many priests who were pastors of two or more parishes. The highest percentages of such multiple parish pastoring are found in states like Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, where over 50% of the priests serve more than one parish. The lowest percentages (less than 10%) were in New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Nevada. Multi-pastoring parishes will not be having weekday Masses on a regular basis. Here at St. Matthias, and in New Jersey in general, we have been very blessed to have the gift of daily Mass for those who wish to attend. We thank God for this blessing.

But we, as a Catholic Community, have to address the problem of the priest shortage. How are we going to continue our sacramental availability? Who is going to take responsibility? It cannot be just left in the hands of church authorities. Or it just can’t be left to mere prayers for an increase in vocations to priesthood, diaconate and religious life, though prayer is essential as Jesus himself said: “ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:38). We need to do more, especially to help our people in the pews understand what is happening, challenging them to fully live out their baptismal call, and providing formation for them to participate more fully in the church’s mission.

I am very happy that our parish lay leadership has initiated the St. Matthias Vocations Ministry. Its leaders have been making efforts to bring to us the understanding that the primary vocation for us all is to be holy. As we respond to that call to holiness in our own calling, we need to be on the lookout for young men whom we could encourage to consider vocations to the priesthood. As you must have already heard or read in the bulletin, our Vocations ministry is planning a retreat on November 13. We will have reflections from a priest, deacon, nun, married and single persons. I invite us all to consider spending this half-day to enrich our own vocation to be holy and encourage one another as we need to heed the call of Jesus.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Friends,

We Catholics are pretty much aware that October is Respect Life Month. The Catholic Church is rock solid in its pro-Life doctrine which is consistent with the gospel mandate to respect every human being – both born and unborn. We have heard bishops, priests, deacons and lay leaders preaching vigorously about the sanctity of life and the evil of abortion. So many Catholics, together with other Christians of different denominations, have been witnessing to and promoting the same truth. Every Pope has spoken out clearly in defense of the unborn, including Pope Francis who has repeated: “Every child who, rather than being born, is condemned unjustly to being aborted, bears the face of Jesus Christ, bears the face of the Lord, who even before he was born, and then just after birth, experienced the world’s rejection.”

The National Life Chain is a very visible way of witnessing to the truth of our pro-life stand as people of all ages and denominations. Last weekend, Msgr. Brennan and myself had announced that the National Life Chain in Somerset County will be held today (Sunday) in Somerville, along Somerset St. and Mountain Ave., from 2 to 3:30 pm. Msgr. Brennan added that the location is right in front of Immaculate Conception Church.

The Pro-Life ministry of our parish is actively promoting awareness of the sanctity of life at all stages. They are speaking at every Mass this weekend about one of their projects to distribute baby feet magnets as part of the NJ Pro-Life movement’s Project 20-20. Our parish has been blessed last year when the Diocese of Metuchen chose two of our parishioners as the Diocesan recipients of the prestigious ‘Pro Vitae’ Award: Fran Johnson and Frank McMann. Their involvement was detailed both in the Catholic Spirit and in our parish bulletin. Fran and Frank will be thrilled to have you join this ministry. Contact her at: tfxj@msn.com.

And yet, why do some not appreciate the Pro-Life movement? Why do some Catholics seem to ignore the Pro-Life issues that are so central to Catholic faith? The answer can be found, as pointed out by Pope Francis, in the mistake of limiting the pro-Life movement to just one issue of abortion, relegating or even ignoring other life issues. Pope Francis continues to proclaim the consistent teaching of the church that “a pro-life stance cannot be only concerned with life before birth. Our defense of the innocent unborn…needs to be clear, firm and passionate. Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged.” He clarified further: “Unfortunately, what is thrown away is not only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves, who are discarded as ‘unnecessary.’ For example, it is frightful even to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see the light of day; children being used as soldiers, abused and killed in armed conflicts; and children being bought and sold in that terrible form of modern slavery which is human trafficking, which is a crime against humanity.”

So how do we keep October as the Respect Life month? By going beyond the narrow vision of promoting life, by listening to our Pope who strongly opposes abortion, but has also elevated what he calls an “economy of exclusion and inequality that kills,” the death penalty, care for the elderly, the treatment of immigrants, etc., as central pro-life concerns. Yes, we are truly a pro-life Catholic Community.

Your brother in Christ

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

All Are Welcome at the St. Matthias School Open House

We warmly invite interested students and families to attend our annual Fall Open House on Friday, October 15, 2021. Stop by our beautiful campus at 170 John F. Kennedy Blvd. in Somerset, NJ between the hours of 9 a.m. and 12 noon.

This is a great opportunity to tour the campus, speak with student and parent ambassadors, see the classrooms in action, and ask questions. Hear from our Principal and Admissions Office how St. Matthias School could be just the place you’ve been looking for.

Visit www.stmatthias.info to sign up and to learn more about the Open House. To request more information or to schedule a separate tour or Student Shadow Day, call 1-732-828-1402 or email mkosty@stmatthiasnj.org. So, stop by “Our Open House”. The welcome mat is out. We can’t wait to meet you!

Join Us for the SMS Cornhole Tournament!

All Adults Are Invited to Join Us for the SMS Cornhole Tournament!

Next Saturday, October 9, 12 pm to 4 pm in the school back parking lot

The tournament is open to all adults (18 and over; no children). Double elimination. Feel free to bring your own coolers with drinks! No glass please! Donated prize for top winner! Sign up your team (2 persons) today! $50 per team. 100% of proceeds go directly to St. Matthias School.  Click here to sign up.

Pay through HSA Pay Pal or make checks payable to SMS HSA. Come out, have some fun and support SMS! Open to all parishioners, family and friends!

Helping Migrants & Refugees

Sunday, September 26 is the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Read Pope Francis’ timely message, Towards an Ever Wider ‘We’.

Local Catholic Charities play a major role in helping migrants and refugees who come to the U.S. In New Jersey, Catholic Charities in Trenton is coordinating the Catholic response for all dioceses in New Jersey to help the many Afghan refugees who are temporarily living at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

In Texas, Catholic Charities in Laredo is expecting to help a very large number of migrants from Haiti and other countries starting next week. See the local news story  Also in Texas, Catholic Charities in Rio Grande Valley continues to help many thousands of migrants that cross the border into the U.S.

Come Pray With Us! Fall Into Faith 2021

Fall Into Faith 2021 groups begin the week of October 10th.  If you have not experienced small group sharing yet, you are most welcome to join us. There will be weekly sessions for 6 weeks this fall!  Please complete this form if you are new to this wonderful Bible sharing experience. If you are part of an existing group, please check with your current facilitator to clarify the day and time of your group for the fall session.

For more information about our Small Groups please visit https://www.stmatthias.net/faith-formation/

Don’t Miss the Mariachi (Outdoor) Bilingual Mass

St. Matthias will celebrate Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month
Come Prepared for a Lively Celebration With a Mariachi Band — Prelude at 4:30 PM, followed by the 5:00 PM Mass, Saturday, September 18th.
BYOC – BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR
WEAR CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE ETHNIC ATTIRE

Worship Aid – Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month 9_18_2021

(Spain, Mexico, South America, Central America & the Caribbean)

 

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Friends,

We are excited to celebrate the Hispanic Heritage during our 5 pm Mass this weekend, on Saturday the 18th. I’m very happy to welcome Rev. Ron Machado, Pastor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Perth Amboy, as our presider for this outdoor Mass. We are arranging for a traditional Mariachi band to augment the celebratory mood. This Mass is part of the National Hispanic Heritage Month observed from September 15 to October 15, celebrating the contributions and importance of Hispanics and Latinos to the United States and those American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

The theme for this year is “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope.” According to the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM), this year’s theme “invites us to celebrate Hispanic Heritage and to reflect on how great our tomorrow can be if we hold onto our resilience and hope. It encourages us to reflect on all of the contributions Hispanics have made in the past, and will continue to make in the future. It is also a reminder that we are stronger together.”

Hispanic Americans have been integral to the prosperity of the U.S. Their contributions to the nation’s economy and culture are praiseworthy. But the most important gift that our Hispanic/Latino Catholics bring to the Church in the U.S. is the faith and popular piety. Bishop Arturo Cepeda, chairman of the US Bishops Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, says: “We celebrate our faith within our Church, in our communities. We celebrate our faith with our families, and we want to continue to celebrate our faith in the larger context of our society.” Bishop Cepeda elaborated further in these words:

“One of the greatest gifts is the sense of community…that sense of being together, of solidarity, of being united with our own planet, celebrating and respecting life, our own Catholic traditions, our great love for Our Lady and the celebration of our faith through the sacraments. This is a sign of hope in a society divided by racism that is also grappling with Covid. We find strength within our families and I think that’s one of the greatest gifts – and that openness to talk to one another, to listen to one another and to be able to encounter one another.”

Such values are extremely important for us all. We join our Hispanic/Latino parishioners to welcome everyone for this Mass and celebrate our diversity. We are happy and proud that our tradition of welcoming and celebrating cultural diversity is one of the significant and meaningful ways to bring about the Kingdom of God more fully here at St. Matthias.

Sr. Marie Therese is the coordinator of our St. Matthias Cultural Diversity Council that has been organizing diversity events, especially during the feast of the Epiphany. She feels that this important Council can be strengthened further by having new members. If any of you feel called to this colorful ministry, kindly contact Sr. Marie Therese at msherwood@stmatthias.net

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

A Beautiful Tribute

Dear Friends,

A couple of Sundays ago, our sanctuary was decorated with some exquisite flower arrangements. People loved to see such beautiful flowers and commented on them. Those were more than the usual for a Sunday. That was thanks to the good will of Ed and Marcia Santucci who had a Sunday Mass offered in memory of Marlene and Anthony Volpe who were long-time parishioners of St. Matthias until their passing away last year. Mr. Volpe was a committed Catholic who used his career as a dentist and his compassionate heart to do so much good together with his wife Marlene. A few years ago he was honored by the Oral Health Alliance of USA for his many achievements in international research in science and his involvement with “Bridges to Peace” in the middle east, particularly in Israel and Palestine.

Ed and Marcia Santucci’s gesture of bringing those lovely flower arrangements on the Sunday for the Mass for the Volpe’s was their way of honoring the memories of this wonderful couple who made a difference in the lives of many people. It made me realize that it would be something that many of our parishioners may want to emulate. Every Sunday Mass is usually offered in memory of a beloved departed family member. Will the family like to honor that person by coming to attend that particular Mass? Yes many do that. Will the family like to honor that person by getting two flower arrangements in the sanctuary as the Santucci’s did? Maybe. In any case, I wanted to share this idea with you. If anyone wishes to do that, kindly contact the Parish Office and you will be directed on how to go about it. If more than one family likes to do it, the expenses can be shared. The names of those who sponsor such flower arrangements can be announced in the bulletin.

Quite a few of you have told me that you are happy to hear the intention for each Mass (weekdays and Sundays) announced and prayed for. I am happy to do so, as it brings a special focus on that family member whose memory is important for the family who asked for that prayer intention. I am told that this practice was discontinued a few years ago due to complaints about mispronouncing some of the names when announced during Mass. I’m sure all of us will agree that certain names are difficult to pronounce in the way it should be pronounced. I was happy that I myself was corrected a couple of times when I pronounced the intention names wrongly. Therefore I request you to let me and Msgr. Brennan know the specific pronunciation of a difficult or uncommon name so that any unpleasant feeling, though unintended, can be avoided. And if it does happen, I am taking an anticipatory bail through this column.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal