The death toll in Maui is 114 as of 8/21 but over 800 people are still missing. The wall of flames that ravaged this beautiful island has left survivors with nothing in their hands. Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is actively doing relief work on the ground. For those who wish to contribute to the relief effort, donations can be made online directly to CCUSA. www.diometuchen.org/mauirelief
Dear Friends,
Today I wish to share with you some miscellaneous items:
Outside the Church:
Sprucing up the front and sides of the church was done recently, and thank you to the many who appreciated the new look with assorted evergreen shrubs including goldthread cypress, green velvet boxwood, and blue junipers, besides assorted deer-resistant perennials including Russian sage, coreopsis, and ornamental grasses.
Inside the Church:
1) Floor cleaning: A thorough cleaning of the floor was done with the help of a new machine that we bought and so the floor looks as clean as it can be.
2) Two adoring angels on either side of the Tabernacle. These beautiful statues are cast in fiberglass and come from Italy. It is a very visible way to make the Tabernacle more noticeable as the presence of Jesus is what makes a Catholic church unique and different from other churches. Bible testifies to the role of angels in worshipping God: “Angels glorify God…. Bless the Lord O you his angels…” (Psalm 103:20). The seraphim continually praise God for his holiness (Isaiah 6:2–3), and so do the four living creatures (Revelation 4:8). Also in Isaiah chapter six, we see that angels worship not only with a sense of humility but also with a deep sense of reverence. They chanted before God’s throne (in Isaiah 6 and later on in Revelation 4), “Holy, holy, holy”. Having two adoring angels is a visible sign to evoke a sense of reverence for the Lord in the Tabernacle. Let us give due reverence to Jesus in our midst by respecting that area around the Tabernacle as a sanctuary, by bowing or genuflecting to the Lord whenever we pass the Tabernacle, and by avoiding socializing there.
Feeding on God’s Word: The Word Among Us is a respectable Catholic publication promoting evangelization and faith formation. Their monthly publication features uplifting and thought-provoking meditations based on the daily Mass readings. The September issue is on seeking to do the Father’s will, and the title is “I Must Be in My Father’s House.” Next week please pick up a copy for your personal use to feed on God’s Word each day of the month.
The commissioning of our new Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) is today at the 10 a.m. Mass. The PPC has been meeting regularly to discuss and give recommendations to the pastor on matters concerning the well-being of the whole parish. PPC has a three-year rotation term of membership, with one-third retiring and one-third joining each year. Thus Anne Marie Francis, Rose Peng, and John Taylor are retiring while Sheila Tartaglia, Didi Molano, and Al Drabnis have joined as new members. Those who are continuing are Frank Rees, Marilyn Wegg, Stephan Busono, and William Isele. I am grateful to each of them for giving their time and talent to the good of our parish.
In today’s gospel, we see Peter confessing Jesus as the Messiah in response to that personal question Jesus asked: “Who do you say that I am?” Whatever we do here at St. Matthias is meant to be an expression of our faith in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
“Fully Alive – National Catholic Youth Conference – November 16-19th – NCYC 2023
In our second reading from St. Paul, we hear “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
If you are in high school reading this, or know someone who is, I have the perfect opportunity for any high-school teen to “be transformed”!
In November, the National Catholic Youth Conference will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana from November 16-19th. The theme for NCYC 2023 is *Fully Alive*
The estimated cost is $1,100 which includes airfare, event fee, hotel (4 teens/room), meals, transportation, and T-shirts. (Students will miss 2 days of school).
If you’re interested in learning more about this exciting trip, please send an email to SMYLE@stmatthias.net by September 10th. The total cost is $1,100.00.
Each student will only have to pay 50% ($550) in two installments. To reserve a spot, the first payment ($275) is due Sept 10th. The final payment ($275) is due Sept 17th which is when we’ll actually book the airline, hotel, and pay the conference fee. We’ll be traveling with 8 youth and 2 chaperones from St. Joseph parish in Hillsborough.
The remaining $550 per person will be paid through fundraising (bake sales, etc.) and any donations offered by our generous parishioners.
I encourage you to support our youth through your monetary donations and/or prayers.
If we have enough replies, we’ll let you know next steps – including fundraising possibilities, and a required pre-travel meeting for teens and parents.
If anyone really wants to attend, but has financial concerns, please still email SMYLE@stmatthias.net
Deacon John
For a preview:
Dear Friends,
Today we are very happy to welcome Deacon Enock Berluche Sr. to our parish for the Mission Appeal, as part of the Missionary Cooperation Plan assigned from the Mission Office of our Diocese. He is a permanent deacon serving at the Parish of Sts. Philip and James in Phillipsburg in various roles: spiritual director for the Legion of Mary, moderator for the charismatic prayer group, coordinator of the Eucharistic adoration, and other pastoral apostolates. He is co-coordinator of African-American, Black and Caribbean Apostolate. He preaches Mission Appeal for Franciscans in Action and Source de Vie organizations for Haiti Missions. We warmly welcome him to our community.
This Tuesday is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary – a Holy Day of Obligation. Catholics are questioned probably more about our devotion to Mary than any other matter of our faith. Referring to the historical development of this dogma both in the East and the West, St. John Paul II has said: “The first trace of belief in the Virgin’s Assumption can be found in the apocryphal accounts entitled Transitus Mariae [Latin, “The Crossing Over of Mary”], whose origin dates to the second and third centuries. There was a long period of growing reflection on Mary’s destiny in the next world. This gradually led the faithful to believe in the glorious raising of the Mother of Jesus, in body and soul, and to the institution in the East of the liturgical feasts of the Dormition [“falling asleep”—i.e., death] and Assumption of Mary. Although the New Testament does not explicitly affirm Mary’s Assumption, it offers a basis for it because it strongly emphasized the Blessed Virgin’s perfect union with Jesus’ destiny. There are, thus, passages in Scripture that resonate with the Assumption, even though they do not spell it out.”
We need to be convinced of a couple of points about our relationship to Mary:
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Dear Friends,
The World Youth Day celebrations (August 1-6, 2023) are concluding today. More than 28,600 young adults from 1,300 U.S. groups travelled to Lisbon, Portugal, to participate in this global event for young people that takes place about every three years, offering a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ through liturgical celebrations, networking, faith sharing, catechetical sessions, and prayer with the Holy Father. We are happy that our parishioners Emily Chavez, Mary-Frances Chavez and Jasmine DeLeon are there attending this spectacular event. I hope you have been watching some of the exciting and inspiring WYD programs.
“Mary arose and went with haste” (Luke 1:39) is the theme chosen by Pope Francis for the World Youth Day. This quote from the Gospel of St. Luke opens the account of the Visitation (Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth), a biblical episode following the Annunciation (the angel’s announcement to Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God). During their conversation of the Annunciation, the angel also tells Mary that her older cousin, thought to be sterile, is pregnant. It is then that Mary sets out for Ain Karim, a village near Jerusalem, where Elizabeth lived and was awaiting the birth of John, who would become St John the Baptist.
This week we keep the feast of St. Lawrence (August 10th ). The esteem in which the Church holds Lawrence is seen in the fact that his memorial day ranks as a feast. He is one of those whose martyrdom made a deep and lasting impression on the early Church. Celebration of his feast day spread rapidly. He was a Roman deacon under Pope Saint Sixtus II. Four days after this pope was put to death, Deacon Lawrence and four clerics suffered martyrdom, probably during the persecution of the Emperor Valerian. The church built over his tomb became one of the seven principal churches in Rome and a favorite place for Roman pilgrimages.
The feast of Deacon Lawrence naturally reminds us of our own wonderful deacons – John Radvanski, Russ Demkovitz and Ron Caimi – who have been ministering us for years.
The word deacon derives from the Greek diakonia, meaning “service,” thereby indicating that a deacon is called like Christ to be a servant. The Church teaching clearly states that the Order of Deacon has three essential functions: the proclamation of the Gospel, the service of the liturgy, and the administration of charitable works. Deacons may baptize, witness the exchange of vows and bless marriages, distribute Holy Communion, impart benediction with the Blessed Sacrament, bring Viaticum to the dying, read Sacred Scripture to the faithful and especially proclaim the Gospel, preach, officiate at funerals and burials, and administer the sacramentals. Besides, they should dedicate themselves to other charitable works, particularly within the parish community. (Confer the Catechism, No. 1569-70, and the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, No 29).
This feast is a wonderful opportunity for our community to thank our beloved deacons for their selfless ministry to us all. Their life should be an inspiration for the men of our parish to consider taking their place as deacons. I invite our men to pray about it and speak with one of our deacons.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Dear Friends,
Did you notice the refurbished Stations of the Cross around our church? Those who noticed spoke of their joy and appreciation. It was a worthy project that our Knights of Columbus undertook. Sam Fallivene, Frank Rees, Bill Isele, Dave Ryden, and Peter Kostik, with the engineering skills of Sean Smith, worked hard to repair the various stations and made them look beautiful and sturdy. I wish to thank the Knights in the name of our community of St. Matthias for volunteering to do this good work.
Speaking about volunteering, many of our parishioners do so much good in and around our church. The Statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was given a thorough wash and the area was beautified – thanks to the goodwill of Alma and Jaime Valdez. The music ministers planted flower plants that you see blooming in front of the church. The bell that you hear rung before Mass was donated by Anne Marie Francis. Enhancing our worship environment is something that parishioners Claudette Gaspard, Emile Capuno, and others are doing in collaboration with our Sacristan Mike Lanyi. Every Monday, we have one of the two teams of committed volunteers counting the Sunday collections: Annie Dupras, Margaret Varela, Nanzy Inzano, Marge Richards, Peg Joyce, John Galat, and Tom Fullerton, coordinated by Vinnie Natale. The regular live-streaming of the 10 AM Sunday Mass by Joe and Eileen Mancuso, bringing their own equipment, is another example for which they deserve our gratitude. Yanick Andre is to be commended for consistently sharing the sacristy duties for specific days of the week alternating with Deacon Ron. Last weekend you saw Pat Cullen and Jo-Ann Piagentini promoting our “Spread the Light Christmas Trees” with great enthusiasm.
The list is long and there are still many more names that could be mentioned if not for the space limit. But there are many other volunteers who work behind the scenes not receiving any applause. Those preparing the schedule for Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers and other liturgical ministers who help us all to have a smooth experience of the Holy Eucharist, dozens of ministries and committees that are actively giving of themselves for the good of our parish – all these faithful disciples of Jesus are what make our Catholic Community of St. Matthias very unique.
Like the numerous parishioners who volunteer, we all give our time off to our families and friends, to our work and duties, to school and scouts, to other institutions and good causes because of the “treasure” we have found in Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:44) – as Deacon Russ reminds us in his reflection elsewhere in this bulletin. May our hearts grow more into communion with Jesus our treasure, the “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:45-46).
With a grateful heart, praying for God’s blessings upon all of us,
Your brother in Christ
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Dear Friends,
Hearty Welcome to Fr. Lancelot McGrath! Many of you have asked me if I was getting another priest in the place of Msgr. Brennan who retired and moved out. I am happy to share the good news that Bishop Checchio has appointed Fr. Lancelot McGrath as the Parochial Vicar at St. Matthias Church.
Fr. McGrath has been serving as Parochial Vicar at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Monroe Township, for the past four years. I am happy to welcome him to our parish, though his appointment will be effective from September 1, 2023.
In the meanwhile, I am happy that we can avail the services of different priests. I am happy that Fr. Nick Gengaro, who is so familiar to us all, Fr. Tom Lanza, the Vocations Director of the Diocese and Fr. Jose Lim, the newly ordained priest of our Diocese, have been the presiders at different Masses these past weekends. The Consolata Missionaries, who have helped us in the past, will also be helping us whenever possible. These opportunities give us an exposure to different priests who give us a different taste of priestly ministry, especially in preaching.
Today is World Day for Grandparents and Elderly. This day was established by Pope Francis to be celebrated on the fourth Sunday, closer to July 26, the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. The goal is “to draw attention to a category all too often placed on the margins, remembering instead their value and encouraging actions in their favor.” The Pope is celebrating the Mass for and with the grandparents and the elderly today (Sunday, July 23) in St. Peter’s Square.
“His mercy is from age to age” (Lk 1:50) is the theme chosen for this year. This choice was intended to connect the Rome event to the great celebration of the World Youth Day in Lisbon (Aug. 1-6), to ideally put young and old ‘in dialogue’, as the Pope has always desired. The theme was chosen to be in tune with that of World Youth Day in Lisbon: “Mary arose and went with haste,” taken from Luke’s Gospel. Even the short passage “His mercy from age to age” is taken from Luke’s Gospel and is the end of the first part of the Magnificat, when Mary immediately goes to meet her elderly cousin Elizabeth after the Angel’s annunciation. Thus, it is a theme that highlights the importance of dialogue between generations. Indeed, dialogue between the elderly and the young helps to obtain a more complete vision of the way in which a more humane and fraternal society can be built.
As we celebrate the grandparents and the elderly of our parish, let us remember that they have a thing or two to teach us about enduring change and handling life’s adversity. Respecting them can be the most gratuitous return for their selfless efforts that benefited us in different ways. Bible is very clear on this: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. (Ephesians 6:1-3). “Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. …. Treat older women as you would your mother….” (Timothy 5:1-3).
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Dear Friends,
Summer is a time for growing vegetables in your garden. Glad to hear that many of our parishioners are growing tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, eggplant, beans, peppers, melons, squash, kale, carrots etc. July-August is the best time to grow these heat-loving crops. Jesus used many stories related to farm life to teach his listeners about the kingdom of God. Today’s Gospel is all about what a farmer does. Jesus takes the whole process of sowing seeds and uses it as a metaphor for sowing the Word of God in our hearts. If the seed has to yield a rich harvest, it has to grow in a soil that is tilled, fertilized and watered. So also, if the Word of God should produce good fruits in our lives, our hearts and minds should be open and prepared to receive God’s Word. Thank God that all of us, in our own way, are making efforts to welcome the Word in our hearts, and our own family garden is a very real symbol of that!
Recently I had taken some visitors to my previous parish of St. John Neumann, Califon, to show them the parish and especially the parish gardens. Both the “Project Earth Garden” and the “Gift of Good Land Community Garden” are lush with all kinds of vegetables and flowers. Many large trays of ripe strawberries, blueberries, asparagus and other produce were donated to food pantries and soup kitchens. The lettuces, celeries, varieties of squashes, tomatoes, potatoes, peas – and what not – are almost ready, for harvest. The greatness of this garden is not only because we get some good produce, but also because it creates community and fellowship. In addition, it is the way St. John’s community puts into practice the invitation of Pope Francis in his landmark document on creation, Laudato Si. Here are two paragraphs worth reflecting on from that great document:
“In the Judaeo-Christian tradition, the word “creation” has a broader meaning than “nature”, for it has to do with God’s loving plan in which every creature has its own value and significance. Nature is usually seen as a system which can be studied, understood and controlled, whereas creation can only be understood as a gift from the outstretched hand of the Father of all, and as a reality illuminated by the love which calls us together into universal communion.”
“It must be said that some committed and prayerful Christians, with the excuse of realism and pragmatism, tend to ridicule expressions of concern for the environment. Others are passive; they choose not to change their habits and thus become inconsistent. So what they all need is an “ecological conversion”, whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship with the world around them. Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.”
Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus who literally walked on this earth was very much aware of creation? That’s why he spoke of the sun, rain, birds, animals, flowers, cultivation and harvesting. As we reflect today on the most notable parable of Jesus, “The Sower and the Seed” (Mt 13:1ff), we are invited to plant and nurture the seeds of our relationship with Jesus.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Dear Friends,
Pride is a word that can be confusing. There is a positive sense in which we can be proud of many things. Last week we all celebrated July 4th with great pride. We can be proud of our parents, achievements, faith, friends etc. St. Paul could say: “I have reason to be proud of my work for God” (Rom. 15:17). But there is a negative sense in which some people can be “puffed up” or “full of themselves” exhibiting a haughty attitude. C.S. Lewis, whose influence on Christianity is long lasting, wrote: “According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind…… it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began” (Mere Christianity, p.111).
But our culture seems to celebrate pride as a virtue whereas humility is seen as a weakness! Thus we see pride and arrogance among many rich and powerful, celebrities and stars, and even among some religious leaders. What does Bible say? “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). Pride leads to over-confidence and arrogance in one’s own abilities. But it will eventually backfire on the proud because they are unable to see fault in themselves. We all are familiar with stories of “fall from grace” of many contemporary famous personalities.
No wonder, Jesus condemns intellectual pride in today’s gospel and says that the mysteries of the Kingdom are “hidden from the wise and the understanding, but revealed to little children” (Matthew 11:26). He knows that ordinary people with large, sensitive hearts can accept the “Good News” he preaches, while proud intellectuals cannot. Even the learned rabbis of Jesus’ time recognized that the simplest people were often nearer to God than the wisest. They composed stories to show that ordinary people often practiced great love and compassion, for instance, the story of the man who lent his tools to someone in need, or the woman who helped her neighbors. Jesus says that such people will inherit Heaven rather than the learned and the wise who pride themselves on their intellectual achievements but do not love. This is why spiritual masters of all persuasions insist that pride is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool! Let us take to heart what Jesus tells us today: “learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29)
Our Monday adoration is an opportunity to learn many things from Jesus. One gift we can learn from him is silence. Jesus welcomes us with a listening heart. Prayer is a dialog of talking and listening. We can speak to him in silence. But he will talk to us only when we have quieted our hearts and are completely silent. The more time we spend being with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in silence, the more we will begin to hear God’s voice. Let us use the Monday adoration for cultivating this gift of silence.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP MEETS IN PERSON, ON 7/12 AT 2 PM! LET’S CELEBRATE SUMMER AND ENJOY EACH OTHER’S COMPANY AND SOME FOOD!
The Alzheimer’s Association and Saint Matthias Catholic Church are co-hosting a monthly Support Group for people living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and their care partners. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, July 12th, from 2 pm-3:30 pm in the dePorres room in the Parish Office building at St. Matthias Church in Somerset. Registration is required. To register, call 800-272-3900 and mention the St. Matthias group.
The Group provides a safe and supportive environment and offers dementia-related education, emotional support, and connections with resources so that the group members may enhance their lives in the midst of the journey. For more information, visit alz.org/NJ.