Effective June 20, 2022 the St. Matthias Parish Office summer hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30AM-4:00PM and Friday, 8:30AM-12:30 PM.
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Finance Council Update to the Parish – June 2022
Our Parish Finance Council has been giving us periodic updates about our financial health. Please read the letter from the Finance Council to all parishioners on this matter below.
Dear Parishioners,
This letter is to continue our commitment to keeping you, our fellow parishioners, informed regarding the activities of our council and the financial health of our beloved parish. First, our thanks to all who continue to support our church and school with their generous giving of their time, treasure and talent. Your Parish Finance Council feels blessed to be just one of many ministries along with parish and school staff that work diligently to create the caring community of Saint Matthias led by Father Abraham, Monsignor Brennan, and Principal Mary Lynch.
Some updates:
- Parish Giving On Line – We are told St Matthias has the most on line contributors in the Diocese which helps solidify our revenue projections. We invite others to consider Parish Giving on line (parishgiving.org) if appropriate for them.
- Parish Financial Status Improved – Our revenues have stabilized after our difficult Covid times and our expenses have decreased, resulting in current net gains for both the church and school. We will be providing another annual financial report to you in the fall.
- Facility Improvements – The upcoming Parish 60th Anniversary is an opportunity for us to consider facility improvements, many that are long overdue. Along with Father Abraham, the Pastoral Council, Property Management Committee, and others we can plan together. We will need your help, fellow parishioners, completing improvements by running a fund raiser. Parishioner input will be solicited.
- Financial Audit – The Diocese recently had an independent firm audit our prior fiscal year and we look forward to the report which should help us going forward.
- In House Finance Review – Currently we have a CPA firm reviewing our financial books. The purpose is to assure that we are observing the best accounting practices and procedures.
Much still needs to be done but together we can plan and move forward as a thriving Catholic Community. Any questions may be directed to us at financecouncil@stmatthias.net.
Sincerely,
Saint Matthias Finance Council
Kester Hector, Chair, Carmen Driz-Melilli, Barry Dusault, Audrey Francis, Mary Pat Burke-Grospin, Gwen Orlowski, Joan Pritchard, Joe Porter, Fr. Abraham, Pastor.
Golden Jubilee of Msgr. Brennan
Congratulations to our Msgr. Seamus Brennan on the golden jubilee of his ordination! He was ordained as a priest on June 4, 1972. He has served the people of God in many different parishes of our diocese in various capacities. Pope St. John Paul II elevated him to the rank of Papal Chamberlain, with the title Monsignor, in 1991. We are very fortunate to have his priestly ministry with us here at St. Matthias. We will celebrate his golden jubilee on June 4 – this Saturday – at the 5 pm Mass with him as the presider. Msgr. Brennan asks that we respect his wish not to have any other celebration here. Instead, he is inviting us to join him for the Jubilee Mass he will celebrate at 3:30 pm on this Sunday, June 5th at his former parish of Immaculate Conception, 35 Mountain Ave, Somerville. Light refreshments will be served in the Immaculate Conception School cafeteria after the Mass. All are welcome.
HELP WANTED
St. Matthias Church is looking for part-time summer janitorial help.
This position is perfect for a responsible high school or college student. Please contact Mary Pat Burke-Grospin at 732-828-1400 ext. 121 or mpburke-grospin@stmatthias.net.
St. Matthias Celebrates Its 60th Anniversary
The Masses during the weekend of May 14th and May 15th celebrated the Feast of St. Matthias. Light receptions took place after the Masses.
St. Matthias Cookbook – 60th Anniversary Edition
In honor of St. Matthias’ 60th Anniversary, the cookbook that was created by the Altar Rosary Society 25-30 years ago is going back to print! There are more than 270 delicious recipes to choose from. The book should be released sometime in July of 2022.
On June 8th, 2022 a 60th Anniversary Mass was celebrated by St. Matthias School
60th Anniversary Proclamation
On June 14, 2022, the Franklin Township Council has made a Proclamation, sponsored by Councilman Jim Vassanella, our parishioner, and Mayor Phillip Kramer and supported by Councilman Charles Oneijiaka, also our parishioner. It was presented to Fr. Abraham .
60th Anniversary Mass
We celebrate our 60th Anniversary Mass presided by Bishop Checchio on June 26th at the 12 PM Mass. We have invited all the priests, deacons, religious and lay men and women who have served our parish and school. Some of them have gladly agreed to join us. It will give the parishioners a wonderful opportunity to connect with those who ministered to us. We will have a reception in the cafeteria after this Mass for the legacy/founding families.
Future Upcoming Events & Spiritual Activities (Dates to be Announced):
- September – Parish picnic celebrating the 60th Anniversary.
- November 18th there will be a concert highlighting each of the choirs at St. Matthias.
- Parish Mission (Father Abraham and Monsignor Brennan)
- Retreat with service for Youth (SMYLE & Committee)
- Youth Prayer Service (SMYLE & Committee)
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Dear Friends,
Biblically, Ascension took place 40 days after the Resurrection and so the actual Ascension Day falls on a Thursday – which is what we used to celebrate every year. Recently the bishops of New Jersey met and after discussing the pros and cons of this practice have discerned that the Solemnity of the Ascension be permanently transferred from Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter to the following Sunday. The bishops’ discernment included a great desire for more of the faithful to participate in this integral dimension of the completion of Our Lord’s paschal mystery by the Ascension observed on a Sunday – which will be next Sunday.
This year, Thursday, May 26 will be observed as Thursday of the Sixth week of Easter and the Memorial of St. Philip Neri (1515-1595) who is known as the founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. We have Oratorian priests and brothers in our diocese and so it is their feast in a special way. As a layman, Philip spent several years in Rome performing all kinds of good works – especially in ministering to the sick, in catechizing the youth, and in providing for pilgrims. Under constant advice and persuasion from his spiritual director, he decided to be a priest and was ordained in 1551. He was almost 36 years old, a “delayed vocation” in the extreme by the standards of the day, but without the least difference in priestly zeal and vigor.
St. Philip Neri is commonly known as the “patron saint of joy,” and the “humorous saint.” He wasn’t exactly a comedian, but he did enjoy poking fun at himself, using humor to maintain his humility. For example, according to author Shaun McAfee, “Neri was known to show up to important events with half his beard shaved, give incorrect walking directions to his disciples, read a book of jokes … When he did each of these things he caused a mix of emotions in others, but it always ended up producing the same end state: increased humility, and increased patience.” St. Philip Neri hung this sign on his door: “The House of Christian Mirth.” He used to say: “A heart filled with joy is more easily made perfect than one that is sad.”
Holiness is related to humor. That is why many saints laughed at themselves; they knew that this earthly life is only a stop on our journey to heaven and so to take this world seriously is utter foolishness. Bishop Sheen once said, “A divine sense of humor belongs to poets and saints because they have been richly endowed with a sense of the invisible, and can look out upon the same phenomena that other mortals take seriously and see in them something of the divine.”
This is what Pope Francis has been reminding us when he said, to be a Christian doesn’t mean being “gloomy-faced,” but being filled with a levity of heart that recognizes the beauty and joy of Christian life. Humor in the right context can be a good thing, and even a pathway to holiness. St. Philip Neri practiced it. His joyful spirit was one of the reasons why many were attracted to him. They saw the joy he had and wanted to know the source of that joy. They realized that the source was Jesus who said: “I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22).
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Catholic Church’s Stand on Life Issues
Through the sacrificial efforts of faithful Catholics, the Church serves millions through diocesan ministries and agencies, Catholic hospitals and healthcare systems, immigration clinics, shelters, and Catholic schools and parishes. Read more about the Catholic Church’s stand on life issues and the threat to them and what can be done.
CALL TO ACTION
In response to the leak of a draft opinion in the Supreme Court case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, majority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer has scheduled another Senate vote to try to enshrine abortion on demand in federal law through the so-called Women’s Health Protection Act, S. 4132. The vote will be held next Wednesday (May 11) and is the second time this year that a vote on the bill will take place. The Senate held a vote on February 28 to advance this bill, and that vote failed.
This deceptively-named, extreme bill would impose abortion on demand nationwide at any stage of pregnancy through federal statute. Even worse, it would eliminate modest and widely supported pro-life laws at every level of government — the federal, state, and local level — including parental notification for minor girls, informed consent, and health or safety protections specific to abortion facilities. It would force all Americans to support abortions here and abroad with their tax dollars. It would also likely force health care providers and professionals to perform, assist in, and/or refer for abortion against their deeply-held beliefs, as well as force employers and insurers to cover or pay for abortion.
We need to send an unmistakable message to the Senate that this horrible bill must never be enacted. Join Archbishop Lori, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities and Cardinal Dolan, chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty in urging the Senate to oppose S. 4132
Check out the chairmen’s letter and this fact sheet to learn more about this radical bill. Please also check out and amplify this statement, issued by Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and chairmen of USCCB committees serving women and families, in anticipation of the Supreme Court of the United States issuing its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/_49onmNb3BrnaxL_S-n2OQ
St. Matthias Cookbook – 60th Anniversary Edition
The 60th Anniversary Edition of the St. Matthias Cookbook.
Calling all ‘Foodies’!!
Have you been struggling on what to cook that’s a tasty and proven recipe? We have a solution for you! In honor of St. Matthias’ 60th Anniversary, the cookbook that was created by the Altar Rosary Society 25-30 years ago is going back to print! There are more than 270 delicious recipes to choose from.
We are pleasantly surprised by the volume of requests that have already come in for our cookbook and we want to be certain to order enough. To reserve your copies, download the Advance Sales Coupons from the website and hand in, with complete payment, to the Parish Office. You may also pay online via Parish Giving. To make an online payment, please click here. Orders must be in by June 1st.
The book will go to print in June and will be here sometime in July for $20 each.
If you have any questions, please email Pat Cullen at: fitpro436@gmail.com, and put “Cookbook” in the subject line!
St. Matthias School & Parish YARD SALE
St. Matthias School & Parish YARD SALE
St. Matthias School and Parish will be hosting a huge multi-family yard sale on Saturday, April 30th, 2022, from 10 am to 2 pm in the rear school parking lot located at 170 John F. Kennedy Blvd. in Somerset. Rain or Shine. Hot Dog and Ice Cream Food Trucks will be on the premises. Raffle tickets will be available, and the winner need not be present to win.
Many school families and parishioners will be selling items during the event. In addition, the School will be selling older tech equipment that we no longer have use or space for, at bargain prices: Apple iPads (4th gen), Hitachi projectors, Dell 22 in LCD monitors, Dell monochrome Laser Printers, and other computer accessories and freebies. All items are out-of-warranty but in working condition, and priced to sell ($20 to $40).
Help support our school and community by attending this fun event and by spreading the word to family, friends, and social media accounts. Thank you for your support.
Early Stage Support Group Series for People Living With Alzheimer’s and Dementia
The Alzheimer’s Association and St. Matthias Catholic Church are co-hosting an Early Stage Support Group series for people living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and their care partners. The group will meet Wednesday, May 11th from 2pm-3:30pm in the dePorres room in the Parish Office. We are also offering a Zoom link for those who cannot attend face to face. Registration is required. To register, call 800-272-3900. The Alzheimer’s Support Group meets every second Wednesday of the month!
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.
Alzheimer’s Association support groups provide emotional, educational and social support through regularly scheduled meetings where strict confidentiality is maintained. Support groups help participants develop coping methods and encourage the maintenance of their personal, physical and emotional health, as well as optimal care for the person living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
Early-Stage groups offer social, educational and/or support components and are facilitated by trained volunteers. For more information visit alz.org/NJ.