Category: Uncategorized

 

Tuesday, December 24

Christmas Eve   

4:00 pm (church)

4:00 pm (cafeteria)

6:30 pm (church)

11:15 pm Christmas Carols (church)

12:00 Midnight (church)

 

 

Wednesday, December 25

Christmas Day

10:00 am and 12:00 Noon

 

 

Feast of the Holy Family

Saturday, December 28

5:00 pm (Vigil Mass)

 

Sunday, December 29

8:00 am, 10:00 am & 12:00 noon

 

 

Wednesday, January 1

Solemnity of Mary Mother of God

10:00 am

 

 

Epiphany of the Lord 

Saturday, January 4

5:00 pm (Vigil Mass)

 

Sunday, January 5

8:00 am, 10:00 am & 12:00 noon

 

New Year’s Blessings!

 

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 7^th/8^th and December 14^th/15^th. PLEASE if you take a gift tag, return the gift.  ALL GIFTS ARE DUE BACK DECEMBER 15^th.

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 9^th and 16^th, 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.

 

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.

 

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 Scott – pearlkscott12@gmail.com or Dolores Christmas – deechristmas@aol.com

                                         ELECTION 2024 REFLECTION SERIES

                                                                                         SAVE THE DATES

                                        Thursday, September 19                                  Thursday, October 10

                                        Thursday, October 3                                          Thursday, October 17

                               All sessions are from 7 – 8:30 pm in the John XXIII room at St. Matthias.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) say in Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, “As a nation, we share many blessings and strengths, including a tradition of religious freedom and political participation.  However, as a people, we face serious challenges that are both political and moral.  This has always been so, and as Catholics we are called to participate in public life in a manner consistent with the mission of our Lord, a mission that he has called us to share.”  The USCCB goes on to say, “Any politics of human dignity must seriously address issues of racism, poverty, hunger, employment, education, housing, and health care.” As the Racial Justice Initiative here at St. Matthias, we feel it necessary to open a dialogue on racial justice issues as they pertain to politics in America, with a focus on our responsibilities as dictated by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

This dialogue will take place over four weekly sessions, each one-and-one-half hour long, during which we will pray, discuss CST principles, watch informative videos on pertinent topics, reflect, and discuss. The topics will be broken out as per the USCCB Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship:

SESSION 1—HUMAN DIGNITY

• Topics discussed will be voting rights and criminal justice reform.

Human life is sacred. The dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Catholic teaching about the dignity of life calls us
to oppose torture, unjust war, and the indiscriminate use of drones for violent purposes: to prevent genocide and attacks against noncombatants; to oppose
racism; to oppose human trafficking; and to overcome poverty and suffering.

SESSION 2—THE COMMON GOOD

• Topics discussed will be healthcare equity and environmental justice.

Human dignity is respected and the common good is fostered only if human rights are protected and basic responsibilities are met. Every human being has a right to life, the fundamental right that makes all other rights possible, and a right to access those things required for human decency—food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing, freedom of religion and family life.

SESSION 3—SUBSIDIARITY

• Topics discussed will be education equality and economic justice.

The principle of subsidiarity reminds us that larger institutions in society should not overwhelm or interfere with smaller or local institutions, yet larger institutions have essential responsibilities when the more local institutions cannot adequately protect human dignity, meet human needs, and advance the common good.

SESSION 4—SOLIDARITY

• Topics discussed will be gun violence and Christian Nationalism.

It is important for our society to continue to combat any unjust discrimination, whether based on race, religion, sex, ethnicity, disabling condition, or age, as these are grave injustices and affronts to human dignity.  Where the effects of past discrimination persist, society has the obligation to take positive steps to overcome the legacy of injustice, including vigorous action to remove barriers to education, protect voting rights, support good policing in our communities, and ensure equal employment for women and minorities.

**PLEASE NOTE: These sessions will be strictly NON-PARTISAN and focused solely on issues as they pertain to RACIAL JUSTICE.

We hope you will join us as we thoughtfully and prayerfully prepare for the upcoming general election in November.  ALL  ARE  WELCOME.