Christmas Season Mass Schedule 2024-2025

 

Tuesday, December 24
Feast of the Holy Family
Wednesday, January 1
Christmas Eve 
   Saturday, December 28
Solemnity of Mary Mother of God
4:00 pm (church)
5:00 pm (Vigil Mass)
10:00 am
4:00 pm (cafeteria)
6:30 pm (church)
Sunday, December 29
Epiphany of the Lord 
11:15 pm Christmas Carols (church)
8:00 am, 10:00 am & 12:00 noon
Saturday, January 4
12:00 Midnight (church)
5:00 pm (Vigil Mass)
 
Wednesday, December 25
 
Sunday, January 5
Christmas Day
 
8:00 am, 10:00 am & 12:00 noon
10:00 am and 12:00 Noon

 

All Are Welcome to Come Visit Our Nativity & Christmas Trees on Display

St. Matthias is again celebrating the Christmas Season by illuminating our church and school property with beautiful, personalized, freshly-cut Christmas trees, decorated with white lights.

The Nativity and trees will remain lit every night from 6:00 PM until midnight, through the Feast of the Epiphany on January 5, 2025. People are welcome to visit the trees and read the plaques throughout this time.  Everyone driving by on JFK Boulevard will be reminded of the hope and peace that breaks into our darkness at Christmas time.

To find a specific tree, visit https://www.stmatthias.net/treedirectory/.

Giving Tuesday 2024

GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people to give back in many different ways: through acts of kindness, gifts of voice, time, talent, or treasure. Our parish of St. Matthias has been blessed with generous parishioners who always responded joyfully to every need of our community. Please consider donating to St. Matthias Church as one of your GivingTuesday contributions. Every contribution no matter how small goes towards making improvements to our church. Thank you for your goodness.

To donate to St. Matthias Church, please click here.

 

The Giving Tree is Back! Please consider donating to someone in need.

 

GIVING TREE 2024

The Giving Tree will be at the front of the Church beginning Tuesday, November 26th, and remain there until Sunday, December 15th.  During this time you will have the opportunity to take ornaments (gift tags) off the tree and purchase some or all of the items listed.

Gifts/gift cards should be dropped off at the Church on the weekends of December 7th/8th and December 14th/15th. PLEASE if you take a gift tag, return the gift.  ALL GIFTS ARE DUE BACK DECEMBER 15th.

St. Matthias parishioners and friends have been very generous in the past.  Your kindness is truly appreciated by the recipients at YES Early Learning Centers, Great Expectations, Ozanam Family and Men’s Shelter,  Naomi’s Way, Pregnancy Aid, Elijah’s Promise, and other local families. Thank you in advance for your continued support.

As always, we can use more elves before and after Sunday Masses and need drivers for deliveries the mornings of December 9th and 16th, after the 8:00 AM Mass.  If you can volunteer a bit of time, please contact: Joanne Diana at (732)322-6270 or j-diana@comcast.net.  Thank you.

 

CANCELLED – The Racial Justice Initiative Hosts ADVENT MOVIE NIGHT

Unfortunately, our special Advent movie night has been cancelled.

   

Please join us for a special Advent movie night!  We will be watching Black Nativity, a musical based on the Langston Hughes play.  There will be refreshments and lots of fellowship.   We will have a free-will offering for dinner and ALL are encouraged to attend!

DATE:       Saturday, December 7th

TIME:        6:00 pm Dinner / 6:30 pm Movie

WHERE:   St. John XXIII Room

RSVP to matthiasracialjustice@gmail.com by Thursday, December 5th so we can be prepared.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

 

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SPREAD THE LIGHT!

As our Spread The Light campaign grows closer please know, that there are still a number of trees that can be sponsored. To sponsor a tree, click here, get a form in the back of church, or see a staff member in the parish office.

 We will be in need of help on two Saturdays, November 23rd and the 30th.  On the 23rd we will need help taking the trees off of the truck at delivery.  The time has not yet been determined.  If you can help that day please email your phone number to Jo-Ann at mrspiag@aol.com, or Pat at fitpro436@gmail.com. In that way we can call you as soon as we have a delivery time to avoid a wait at the church.

On the 30th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we need MANY volunteers to decorate the trees with lights. We start at 9AM and will need at least 40 people. Lots of you are veterans at this project but we could use some new faces.  Many hands make quick work so please make every effort to join your fellow parishioners as we kick off this most joyous and sacred season as a family of St. Matthias!

Visit www.stmatthias.net/trees to sponsor a tree.

 

Opening of our Book of Mass Intentions

Our 2025 Book of Mass Intentions will be opened on Monday, November 11, 2024, 8:30 AM in the Parish Office. To accommodate all our parishioners, we will continue the limit of four (4) Masses, that is, two (2) weekday Masses and a maximum of two (2) Weekend Masses. You can return on or after December 10 for additional Mass requests. It is good for us all to know of the different kinds of Mass intentions:

 

  • Announced Weekday Mass Intentions: The suggested stipend for weekday Mass remains the same: $10.00. The intention will be printed in the bulletin and announced during Mass. Please be sure to indicate if the person for whom the Mass requested is living (L) or deceased (D).
  • Announced Weekend Mass Intentions: The suggested stipend for Weekend Mass is $15.00. The intention will be printed in the bulletin and announced at Mass. Please be sure to indicate if the person for whom the Mass requested is living (L) or deceased (D).
  • Multiple Intentions: With increasing requests for additional Mass intentions during unforeseen special occasions such as death, month’s mind, etc., it is a pastoral practice to better accommodate such needs of our parishioners by allowing additional intentions with the existing intention for the Mass. In such cases, we will be accepting only one additional intention, which will be announced in the Universal Prayers (Prayers of the Faithful) but not necessarily in the bulletin. Please know that the stipend for this additional intention ($10 for weekdays and $15 for Weekends) will be sent to the Mission Office of our Diocese or to missionary priests.
  • Unannounced Mass Intentions: There will be no limit on unannounced Mass requests. These Masses are available at any time and are sent either to the Office of Missions of the Diocese of Metuchen or to missionary priests. The suggested stipend remains the same: $10.00.
  • Mass for the People (Missa Pro Populo): One Sunday Mass per weekend is offered for the intention of the living and deceased parishioners of St. Matthias.

SmyleWithBraces teens with the Franklin Township Mental Health Stigma-Free Council invite you to…

Our Turn To Talk – Documentary & Discussion

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

7:00 P.M. – 8:30 P.M.

Franklin Township Community Senior Center

505 Demott Lane, Somerset, NJ 

From Skyrocketing rates of anxiety and depression to the impacts of racism, social media, and the pandemic, teenagers are putting an end to mental health stigma by telling their own powerful stories of struggles and triumph.

Teens, please join us for “Our Turn to Talk,” a movie and candid conversation about critical topics in your life and the lives of those you love.  Storytelling SAVES lives.

Discussion moderated by Sheila Gillin, MSS, LCSW

Refreshments will be served. Pre-Registration appreciated, but not required at stigmafree@franklinnj.gov

Students & Adults welcomed. Content is appropriate for ages Middle School and Above.

Join Us for a Fun-Filled Day to the Sight & Sound Theater to See Noah Live on Stage

The Senior Ministry and St. Martin DePorres Society will once again host a trip to Lancaster, PA to see Sight & Sound “NOAH LIVE ON STAGE” on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

PRICING:
Adults (Age 13+): $175
Children (under 13): $105

***Tickets, Bus, and Theater seatings will be assigned on a first-come first-serve basis! So Reserve Early!***

PRICE INCLUDES:
– Roundtrip Transportation
– Light Breakfast on the Bus
– Ticket to “NOAH” Live on Stage  (SHOWTIME – 11:00am)
– Lunch Buffet after the show at Miller’s Restaurant

TO SECURE TICKETS:
$75 deposit/ticket due by December 15th
Final payment due by March 15th

(Note: After April 1st, Tickets are Non-Refundable)

Make checks payable to:
“St. Martin De Porres Society” with “Sight and Sound”, an email/phone# in the memo and mail or drop check off at the Parish Office.

TRANSPORTATION:
BUS DEPARTS at 7:15 AM Sharp!
From The Catholic Community of St. Matthias, 168 John F Kennedy Boulevard, Somerset, NJ 08873
BUS RETURNS at approximately 7:30 PM

For More Information and To Purchase Tickets Contact:
Pearl Scottpearlkscott12@gmail.com or Dolores Christmasdeechristmas@aol.com

Please Join the Diocese of Metuchen Office for Multicultural Ministry for a Black Catholic Gathering

Faith and Fellowship on Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM at St. Peter the Apostle University & Community Parish Hall in New Brunswick.  The Black Catholic Committee is a multi-ethnic committee of passionate Catholics working to implement the Pastoral Plan of Action recommended by the National Black Catholic Congress last year in July.  Registration is $10 to cover lunch.  You can sign up now on the Diocese of Metuchen website on the Office of Multicultural Ministry home page or contact Sr. Miriam Perez or Deacon Rick Fortune at the Diocesan Office.