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Come Join Us for Movie Night!
St, Matthias Racial Justice Initiative Hosts Movie Night
DATE: Saturday, May 27th
TIME: 6:00 pm Dinner / 6:30 pm Movie
WHERE: St. John XXIII Room
Please join us for a special Easter season movie night! We will be watching Lilies of the Field, starring Sidney Poitier. There will be sandwiches, beverages, cookies, and lots of fellowship. There will be a free-will offering for dinner and ALL are encouraged to attend!
Please RSVP to matthiasracialjustice@gmail.com by Thursday, May 25th so we can prepare accordingly.
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
St. Matthias Ministry Fair May 20th & 21st
St. Matthias is blessed with a host of ministries doing so much good for our community and beyond. Our Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) has initiated a “Ministry Fair” to let our parish community know more about our various wonderful ministries. It is our hope that many will be inspired to join one of the ministries. Here are the details:
The date/venue: the weekend of May 20 & 21, in the cafeteria
Format: Each ministry will have a table in the cafeteria to put up displays. You can prepare your own charts, and giveaways like flyers about the ministry, objects, or other attractions.
Invitation: Parishioners will be invited to come after each Mass to the cafeteria.
Manning the Table: Each ministry will have to make sure that one or more of your ministry team will be present at the table after each of the Masses, to speak about your ministry to our parishioners who come.
Food: Coffee, drinks and snacks will be provided.
Printing: Each Ministry can prepare flyers and get them printed here in the office. Kindly contact Fr. Abraham for any help with that – at least by May 8th.
Contact person from PPC: Rose Peng email: rosepeng@optonline.net (Phone: 908-285-5921) will be the contact person to coordinate this. Kindly email her for any questions you have on this matter. If any Ministry is left out due to incorrect emails, change of leaders, etc, please inform Rose Peng or Fr. Abraham.
HOLY WEEK/EASTER 2023 SCHEDULE
Dear Friends,
What is the proof of the Resurrection of Jesus? Is the empty tomb all we can show as proof? Searching for his body, the disciples were told: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:6). Then, he appeared to so many! He is alive! He is risen! He is with us! He is our light and hope! We too have come into light now that we have practically come out of our prolonged pandemic struggles. I invite us all to attend our Holy Week services and celebrate the good news of the Resurrection!
Happy Easter!
Fr. Abraham
Saturday, April 1st
Sacrament of Reconciliation (Individual confessions)
3:00 – 4:30 PM
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Vigil Mass—5:00 PM
Sunday, April 2nd
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 Noon
Parish Reconciliation Service—6:00 PM
Tuesday, April 4th
Chrism Mass at St. Francis Cathedral—4:00 PM
HOLY THURSDAY, APRIL 6th
Solemn Mass of the Lord’s Supper—7:30 PM
Combined Choir
Procession and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
(Cafeteria)
Night Prayer (Cafeteria) – 10:45 PM
GOOD FRIDAY, April 7th
Morning Prayer (Church) – 8:30 AM
Outdoor Stations (SMS parking lot) – 2:00 PM
Children’s Choir
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion—7:30 PM
Combined Choir
HOLY SATURDAY, April 8th
Morning Prayer (Church) – 8:30 AM
Blessing of Food (Cafeteria) – 12:00 Noon
Great Easter Vigil – 8:00 PM
Combined Choir
EASTER SUNDAY, April 9th
Mass Schedule
8:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 12:00 Noon
Combined Choir at 10:00 AM
Handbell Choir at 12:00 PM
EASTER MONDAY, April 10th
No Mass
All Are Welcome to Attend an April 22nd Diocesan-Wide Morning of Reflection Here at St. Matthias
The Diocese of Metuchen’s Office of Multicultural Ministry is holding a Day of Reflection for Black Catholics on Saturday, April 22, 2023, in preparation for the National Black Catholic Congress to be held July 20-23, 2023. The theme is “Write the Vision: A Prophetic Call to Thrive”. Representatives from the different Black Catholic Communities are invited to attend the Day of Reflection on April 22nd which will be held at St. Matthias Parish in Somerset, NJ from 8:30 am to 12 pm.
Please note that registration for the April 22nd Day of Reflection is open to all, not just Black Catholics, although the topics will be focused on issues most relevant to Black Catholics in preparation for the Congress.
There will be no charge to attend, but registration is required please visit: www.diometuchen.org/2023nbc
To learn more about the National Black Catholic Congress 2023, please visit the National Black Catholic Congress website: nbccongress.org.
St. Matthias is a Proud Sponsor of Empty Bowls
The Catholic Community of St. Matthias is proud to be a sponsor of the 5th annual Empty Bowls being held on March 26, 2023, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center located at 200 Atrium Drive, Somerset, New Jersey. All are welcome to attend, this is a family-friendly event!
Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort to raise both money and awareness in the fight to end hunger, personalized by artists and art organizations on a community level.
With your ticket purchase, guests choose a handmade bowl to keep and enjoy food from local restaurants.
All proceeds are given to the Franklin Food Bank which provides groceries to our neighbors with dignity and respect.
For more information or to register for this event, visit: https://franklinfoodbank.org/empty-bowls-2023/
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Join us on Fridays during Lent in Church at 7:00 PM. The Stations are a devotion intended to help us follow Jesus on his way to Calvary.
By accompanying him on the Way of the Cross, we see ourselves mirrored in him, gain his courageous patience, & learn to trust God who is with us no matter what we have to go through. Each Friday we have a different theme with beautiful reflections, led by our different ministries. Welcome to pray this ancient devotion of the church.
St. Matthias School HSA is organizing its first Blood Drive!
Did you know that 1 blood donation saves THREE LIVES?!
February was American Heart Month and the St. Matthias School HSA is organizing its first Blood Drive! We have been asked to gather interest before booking a date and time, so please let us know if you would be interested in donating.
SMS families receive 1 hour toward their 4-hour commitment.
To register to let us know you’re interested, please click here.
Sign up now for the third and last module of the Faith and Racial Justice series – Changing Systems and Structures.
8 Sessions – Saturdays from February 25, 2023 (Retreat) until June 10, 2023 (Session 8).
Books available for loan.
February 25; March 4, 18; April 1, 22; May 6, 20; June 3, 10
(Makeup sessions available for missed sessions)
9:00 – 11:30 AM
(Sessions on Zoom)
Contact program facilitators for more information or email matthiasracialjustice@gmail.com
Neil Purcell Kerry Millan Phyllis Stone
neil.purcell.nj@gmail.com kerrytheinterim@gmail.com phylliswstone@aol.com
In Celebration of 60 Years: A Fundraiser for the Future of Our Church
As you know, the 60th Anniversary celebration of our church began in May 2022. We had various celebrations including two special Masses, a parish picnic, and a Music Ministry concert. To make this anniversary a special event, we are planning to make much-needed improvements to our wonderful church. The initial projects we selected were based on the results of a parish survey in which so many of our parishioners participated.
To fund these projects, we are launching the “In Celebration of 60 Years, A Fundraiser For The Future of Our Church”, with the modest goal to raise at least $200,000. (This fundraiser is distinct from the Building, Repair, and Replacement Fund quarterly collection we had begun last year, which is intended for smaller routine maintenance needs.). This being our 60th Anniversary, please consider donating $60, or any multiple of 60, or whatever you can give to this cause. All the parishioners will be getting a letter with more details about this fundraiser.
Thank you.
Fr. Abraham Orapankal Joan Pritchard, Dolores Christmas, Edna Arguello-Hitchner
Pastor Co-Chairs
Donate in one of two ways:
1. Make check payable to “St. Matthias Church” and write “60th Fundraiser” in the memo line and mail to the Parish Office or drop in the collection basket.
2. Pay via ParishGiving.