Watch four videos of parishioners speaking about vocation in their lives here at St. Matthias.
Author: Nathalie Godet
Pope Francis and the Covid Vaccine
Listen to Pope Francis and bishops from around the America’s as they speak about the Covid vaccine. This short video released by the Vatican is in Spanish with English subtitles.
We Invite You to Join Us for the 9/11 20th Anniversary Memorial Service
On Saturday, September 11, 2021, we will gather at 2 pm in the church and then move to the 9/11 Memorial in front of the school to remember our fallen heroes from 9/11. Please read Fr. Abraham’s column on page 2 of the Sept. 5 bulletin, and also read the article on page 7. We especially encourage parents to bring their older children to this service.
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Friends,
The 20th anniversary of 9/11 is upon us. Last year when our parishioners joined hands with the Firefighters and the local law enforcement agencies and organized our annual 9/11 memorial day ceremony here in our church, only a few people showed up. That was disappointing to me and to others. The experience of 9/11 is fresh in the minds of those in their 30’s and above. They can never forget the trauma we underwent as a nation, and so we cannot allow the anniversary to be erased from our memories as the years pass by. We need to be more enthusiastic about it and make every effort to keep those memories alive in gratitude to those fallen heroes, including our fellow parishioner John Collins, and family members and friends of many in our community.
But the younger generation, especially those in their teens and early twenties, will have no idea of 9/11 except as a history lesson that could become folklore with the passage of time. That is all the more reason for us to keep this anniversary as an opportunity to enlighten our younger generation about this historic tragedy that struck our nation. They need to be present at the anniversary ceremonies so that they can understand the pain and agony – physical and emotional – of those who suffered and continue to suffer.
I am asking our parents to bring their children who are in the higher grades here at St. Matthias School to this year’s 9/11 Memorial Service in our church this coming Saturday at 2 pm. I am grateful to Bill Cullen, a former fire Chief and John Hauss, Director of the Fire Prevention Office of Franklin Township and others who are taking the lead in organizing this important event.
Desmond Tutu, the famous Anglican theologian from South Africa, said: “As human beings we have the most extraordinary capacity for evil. We can perpetrate some of the most horrendous atrocities.” 9/11 anniversary is a somber time to remind ourselves not only the truth of that statement but also that we are capable of the opposite: that we have infinite capacity to do good. We can build up instead of tear down, because we are created in God’s own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27). Hence we are capable of bringing about conditions for living in harmony and peace with all as St. Paul reminds us:
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone…, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:16-21)
God bless America!
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Friends,
The summer season is coming to an end. Most people, especially young families, have been busy with preparations for back to school and work. Here at St. Matthias, our students return to school this Thursday, starting with higher grades. It will be a joy for us all to see our campus more alive with the presence of our students and faculty. We are excited to welcome everyone back to school, but in a special way we welcome the new members in the faculty and staff as well as over fifty new students who have enrolled this year.
There are feelings of stress and anxiety among parents and kids about being back to school. On the one hand, there is excitement about the benefits of in-person learning which we, here at St. Matthias, have been having practically for the whole of the pandemic times. On the other hand families have concerns about potential disruption of studies in the event their child or a classmate tests Covid positive.
Such mixed feelings are very normal and so we have been planning to have measures in place to make the parents and students feel comfortable and confident. Mrs. Mary Lynch, our new Principal, has prepared a comprehensive “Return to School Plan” for reopening the school, putting in place all the health guidelines and safety measures, taking into consideration all possible scenarios. Certainly, such detailed planning gives us, especially all the parents, a sense of confidence that our students are welcomed into a safe learning environment.
It is important for us to spread this confidence in safety measures and speak positively about the care and love with which we, the teachers, aides, faculty, office staff, administration, and maintenance staff, welcome each child to our campus. We take it as a sacred responsibility that the parents have entrusted to us to become co-parents for their children for a good chunk of the school days. Parents are also partners in this. Students will experience fear and anxiety OR safety and confidence depending on what they hear the parents discuss about politics and policies about the pandemic response to face masks, social distancing, stay-at-home orders, etc.
It is here the importance of trusting in God must be underlined. I always have this line to sign off my email correspondence: “Let us keep taking all precautions and keep praying, because though we do not know what the future holds for us, the good news is that we know who holds our future!”
These uncertain times are the best chance that God has provided us to instill into our children the sense of dependence on a loving God who will protect us always if we turn to Him and make Him part of our daily life. After all, His promise is true: I will be with you always, even to the end of times.” (Matthew 28:20).
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
It’s time to *SMYLE* – Join us Sunday August 29, 2021 – 6:00 pm -7:30 pm
Join us for our SMYLE Kickoff event on Sunday evening August 29th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm behind St. Matthias School.
It will be a time for us to gather outside as we prepare for our new year.
There will be *ICE*CREAM* – *FUN* – *GAMES* – *REFLECTION*!
***The event will be held rain or shine.***
Bring a beach chair or a blanket to sit on outside and a mask in case we have to go inside.
RSVP if you plan to attend by August 25th to SMYLE@stmatthias.net so we can plan for an ice cream treat.
Blessings,
Mrs. Lenczewski & Deacon John
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Friends,
The Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, leading a Spanish expedition, reached the Philippines on March 16, 1521 and planted Christianity there. 2021 marks the 500th anniversary of this event. Pope Francis kicked off the yearlong celebration with a festive Mass in the Vatican last March. The entrance procession of the papal Mass was led by a young woman carrying a statue of the Holy Child of Cebu and a young man holding a replica of the Magellan Cross that was first planted on Filipino soil, accompanied by Filipino women dancers, followed by the ministers, clergy, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, other cardinals and the Pope.
The Filipino Apostolate of our Diocese, headed by Rev. Gerry Paderon, pastor of Queenship of Mary Church, Plainsboro, arranged to have a novena of Masses at different churches.
The venue for one Mass was here at St. Matthias, on Sunday, August 1, at 5 pm., and it was organized by Don & Gondee Tibay, Aida Santos, Emile Capuno, Jerry Tiongson, Carlo Hermino, Alma Valdez, and Menchie Ventura. They gave me the honor of presiding and preaching. Rev. Roberto Coruna, Pastor of the Annunciation Church in Bloomsbury, and our Msgr. Seamus Brennan concelebrated the Mass, assisted by Deacon Joey Perlas of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Port Reading and Deacon Roger Ladao of St. Francis Cabrini Church in Piscataway. We congratulate all the Filipino friends of our parish for organizing it and making it a meaningful celebration with beautiful singing in Tagalog and having a special 10-foot replica of the Magellan cross for the procession.
For the Philippines nation, the Catholic faith is part of the ethos of the people, etched deeply in their cultural and religious life. The Filipinos have carried their faith wherever they have immigrated. It was quite amusing to hear the comment of Pope Francis that the Filipino women were “smugglers of the faith,” meaning they carried with them the “torch of faith” wherever they went. He encouraged all Filipinos to continue being “smugglers of faith.”
One recent evidence of the Filipino witness to Catholicism was when the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, manifested her faith and devotion to Holy Mary for the whole world to see. Diaz’s triumph came in the women’s 55-kilogram weightlifting event on July 26. After completing her final lift in a very close competition, Diaz held her hands to her face, burst into tears and clutched at her Miraculous Medal of the Blessed Virgin Mary hanging from her neck. Later at the medals ceremony on the podium, Diaz pointed heavenward after singing the Philippine national anthem, then made the Sign of the Cross before stepping down and shouting “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” (“Long live the Philippines!”)
As we appreciate our Filipino community who have the fire of the Faith in Jesus Christ and a great commitment to the Catholic Church, we pray that their example will continue to inspire us and make us greater witnesses of the Lord.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Dear Friends,
It was a joy to have our Confirmandi students present at the Sunday 10 am Mass on August 1st, as they were beginning their week-long “ServiceWorX” program. For the next five days, they were bused to different locations for experiencing a variety of community services. They went to various sites such as CAC Somerset County in New Brunswick, Middlesex County Conservation area, Grow a Row at Milford Farm, Raritan Valley YMCA and Ronald Mc Donald House in New Brunswick.
Each day they would return and process their experiences in the light of the Social Teachings of the church based on the Bible and the life of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. Here’s one of the emails we received after our students did a day of harvesting corn at the Milford farm (an hour by bus from here):
“Hello Awesome Volunteers,
I want to thank you again for joining us at our Milford farm this morning to harvest corn. In the couple of hours you spent in the fields, your team harvested more than 8,000 pounds of corn. This will provide nearly 32,000 servings of fresh produce for so many of our neighbors struggling with food insecurity. We couldn’t have done it without all your help! We hope you had a great time and we look forward to seeing you back in the fields.”
This is the kind of immersion experiences that our students had, followed by reflection on them each day for a whole week. It was supervised by Dee Nann, our Parish Faith Formation Director, and conducted by leaders and volunteers from the Center for Faith Justice (CFJ), with whom St. Matthias has a long-standing partnership. I am very grateful to Arien Yeddanapally, a parishioner and SMS alumnus and sophomore at Seton Hall University working with CFJ for the summer, Liam Myers from Milwaukee area and an M. Div candidate at Union Theological Seminary in NY, Lauren Borowick, a staff at CFJ, and Liz, a recent graduate of Sacred Heart University, also with CFJ for the summer.
On their concluding day, the students and the organizers came to our church, and conducted a prayer service. Eight of our youth shared their experiences. It was a testimony that touched me as well as the parents of the Confirmandi who too were present. Their testimony showed me clearly that real life experience and processing that experience are vital for forming one’s faith. I am very grateful to the parents who supported and willingly paid for the expenses for this project which was partially subsidized by the parish.
I have asked our young people to write down their testimonies so that the rest of our parishioners can read about what they gained and feel happy and confident that these vibrant youth will carry forward our precious Faith and Tradition here at St. Matthias.
Happy Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Homily on Sunday, August 8, 2021
About a month ago, a parishioner told me she found a host under the seat … she was very sad to see that; being a Eucharistic Minister, she knew what to do, and she consumed it …. She asked me “Father, how could someone just drop it there?” I told her that most probably, it might be done by some non-Catholic visitors who must have come for a wedding or for a funeral. Even though I announce who can receive Holy Communion, when all got up for communion, they too must have come, but didn’t know what it was, didn’t want to consume it, and so must have just dropped it!
I thought of sharing that incident with you, because we all need to understand the truth about the Holy Communion: it is the body of Jesus Christ – not a symbol. That’s why the Catholic church gives reverence and adoration to the Blessed Sacrament. The church is very careful about handling the host, and that’s why the church makes it clear that the Holy Communion is for Catholics only…not because we want to exclude anyone … (though some think so, even Catholics have told me the same: what’s wrong about sharing; it is a sign of fellowship….???…) If you don’t know what it is, if you don’t believe what we believe it to be, is there any point of receiving/sharing it? (But even those who do not wish to receive Holy Communion can come forward and receive a blessing; just cross your hands on the chest, so we know that you are coming for a blessing. Also parents, please make sure that your little children also a get a blessing and not the Communion)
To those of you who think, “it is just a symbol of fellowship, so what’s a big deal in giving it to non-Catholics,” listen to the answer from Jesus who tells us NO, it is my body; it is my blood. That is what upset the audience of Jesus as we hear in today’s gospel. They murmured/complained about this teaching: How can he give his body to eat!!?? Who’s this?!! Is this not the son of Joseph …Mary…? We know him…….” Etc.
What did Jesus do? Did he soften his stand? No he was in fact doubling down on this truth: Read the rest of chapter John 6: “Amen/Truly I tell you … unless you eat the flesh of the son of man …. No eternal life..”
Very strong teaching; what was the result? Many of them left following him!! “Hard saying/who can follow this” The Catholic Church has consistently stood by this teaching, because it came from the mouth of Jesus himself. Just read John 6, and you will see that he did not mean it in a symbolic way but certainly in its literal sense.
Some may say, but there are also other ways in which Jesus is present to us. Like in the poor! Yes, the Church teaches that and more: there are 4 ways of His presence in the Mass.
- In the Assembly: “where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, I am there in your midst” = that is the promise of Jesus. So when you gather here, Jesus is here n the assembly. When you gather at home or elsewhere in His name, then he is there.
- In the Presider: A priest is ordained in his name or “in persona Christi” (in the person of Christ) and for doing His actions. That’s why we stand when the presider begins the entrance procession with the deacons and other ministers.
- In the Word proclaimed: God is present in the Word. Did you notice that our church has the altar and the ambo at equal distance. Most churches have the altar at the center. Why this difference in our church? To show that Jesus is present in the Word Proclaimed and at the altar. That is why the first half of the Mass is called the Liturgy of the Word and the second half is called the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Or Breaking of the Word and the Breaking of the Bread. He is present in both.
- In Holy Communion: the Real Presence. Jesus is fully present – whether we can intellectually grasp this mystery or not. That is why we adore him at the altar and in the Blessed Sacrament kept in the Tabernacle. This First Friday we had the Holy Hour/Adoration. If you have not experienced a Holy Hour, or wonder how we spend an hour in adoration, have a look at our St. Matthias Youtube channel for this First Friday Holy Hour.
If we understand this truth ….then we will know that what we receive is truly body of Christ. Then we will come up with a sense of prayerfulness/reverence to receive the Lord; then after receiving him, we will spend a few moments in silence, speaking with the Lord in our heart. That’s why I keep requesting you to read John 6 & meditate it.