The Simbang Gabi Masses begin at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi on Friday, December 15th at 7:00 PM. The Mass at St. Matthias will be on December 19th at 6:00 PM. All Are Welcome!
Category: Latest News
AN INVITATION FROM THE PASTORAL COUNCIL
Dear Parishioners,
This year is the 40th anniversary of the ordination of Fr. Abraham. Many of you may already know this from the July issue of the Catholic Spirit that covered this year’s significant anniversaries of the priests of our diocese. Father is not interested in any extravagant celebration. So the plan is to have a simple and modest celebration on Sunday, December 17, 2023 (the actual date of his ordination). We, the Parish Pastoral Council members, cordially invite you to attend the Jubilee Mass that Sunday at 12 noon and afterward join a fellowship meal in the cafeteria.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Wegg and Frank Rees
For the Parish Pastoral Council
Spread The Light! Come Visit Our Beautiful Christmas Trees.
On SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2023, following the 5:00 PM Mass, our beautiful Christmas trees will be blessed and lit. The trees will remain lit every night from 4:30 PM until 11:00 PM, through the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, 2024. People are welcome to come 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.
For a directory of the Christmas trees, please click here or visit www.stmatthias.net/treedirectory.
A Note of Thanks…
A HUGE Thank You to all of our parishioners who volunteered to set up the 300 trees for our Spread the Light Campaign. Almost 40 people, adults, teens, and kids came out to help. With three men starting at 8 AM, including Fr. Lancelot, lashing trees to poles, joined by many more at 9 AM testing lights and lighting the trees, the work was completed by noon! The old saying, many hands make light work, is certainly true!
So, from all of us on the planning committee to all who came out to help, THANK YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Pat and Jo-Ann
Giving Tuesday – “Works of Mercy”
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. Thank you. This year, instead of focusing on any particular project, we wish to highlight the “Works of Mercy” to further the God-given mission of our parish and help those in need. Thank you for your goodness.
- To donate to St. Matthias Church, please click here.
- To donate to St. Matthias School, please click here.
Alzheimer’s Support Group Meets in Person on December 13th at 2 PM
The Alzheimer’s Association and St. Matthias Catholic Church are co-hosting a monthly Support Group for individuals living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia, their care partners, and others dealing with the disease. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, December 13th, from 2:00 PM -3:00 PM in the Parish Office at St. Matthias. 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.
Letter From the Present Synod to All the People of God
Letter of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to the People of God
World Mission Sunday: Bishop Checchio’s Letter
October 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On October 22, as we observe World Mission Sunday, we stand in solidarity with the Missions of the Church in this annual worldwide Eucharistic celebration.
Pope Francis reflected on this year’s theme: “Hearts on fire, feet on the move.” The Holy Father invites us to kindle the fire of Christ’s love in our hearts and to actively share this warmth with the world around us. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, we go forth and bring the Good News to all corners of the world.
Founded by French laywoman Blessed Pauline Jaricot in 1822, the Society for the Propagation of the Faith is an essential source of aid for the Church’s missionary work. In the United States, we benefited from these donations: up until 1908, we received close to 7 million dollars, the equivalent of over 250 million today. Those dioceses in our country, considered mission territories, continued to receive subsidies. Fairbanks, Alaska, was the last of those dioceses and received its final subsidy payment this year!
The World Mission Sunday collection assists the Holy Father meet his Petrine obligation to build up the Church in over 1,100 dioceses and territories that are too young and/or too poor to sustain themselves. Offerings support the formation of seminarians and religious men and women, assist in the construction of schools and orphanages and enables missionaries to build churches in remote and resource-limited areas, and to meet essential works to proclaim the Gospel and celebrate the Sacraments.
Embodying this year’s theme, I urge you to keep your hearts aflame and your feet moving this World Mission Sunday. Your prayers are invaluable, and your financial support provides life giving aid to our brothers and sisters in the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Gratefully in the Lord,
MostReverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA
Bishop of Metuchen
For additional resources about World Mission Sunday, please visit onefamilyinmission.org/resources
To download a copy of the letter and the form to donate, please click the link below.
The St. Matthias 2024 Mass Book is Open!
There are NEW Mass Intentions Guidelines this year.
Mass Intentions: It is an ancient and noble practice to pray for the living and the dead during Mass. The greatest and most powerful prayer we have is the Mass, since the fruits of the Mass are the very fruits of Jesus’ redemption made present to us. Therefore, so many of us seek to book a Mass intention for our loved ones, living or deceased.
A Mass intention may be requested for: a deceased loved one; a living person who is sick or suffering; a living person who is celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or other special moment in their life; in thanksgiving to God (including the Lord Jesus or the Holy Spirit); in thanksgiving for a favor received through the intercession of a Blessed or a Saint; or for a prayer intention (so long as the intention does not contradict Church teaching).
In our parish, there are many requests for scheduling Mass intentions. Our 2024 Book of Mass Intentions will be opened on Monday, October 16, 2023, at 8:30 AM in the Parish Office. To accommodate our parishioners, we will continue the limit of four (4) Masses – two (2) weekday Masses and a maximum of two (2) Weekend Masses. You can return on or after November 15 for additional Mass requests. Here are the details 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 two (2) additional intentions, which will be announced in the Universal Prayers (Prayers of the Faithful) but not in the bulletin. Please know that the stipend for these additional intentions ($10 for weekdays and $15 for Weekends) will be sent to the Mission Office of our Diocese.
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.
SIGHT AND SOUND THEATRE in Lancaster, PA are now SOLD OUT!
Join us for a fun-filled day at the SIGHT AND SOUND THEATRE in Lancaster, PA!
To See
“DANIEL Live on Stage”
Saturday, April 20, 2024
TRIP HOSTED BY:
Senior Ministry and St. Martin De Porres Society, of The Catholic Community of St. Matthias
TO SECURE TICKETS:
$70 deposit/ticket due by November 1st
Final payment due by Feb 16th
(Note: After March 1st, Tickets are Non-Refundable)
Make checks payable to:
“St. Martin De Porres Society” with “Sight and Sound” in the memo and mail to the Parish Office.
PRICE INCLUDES:
– Roundtrip Transportation
– Light Breakfast on the Bus
– Ticket to “DANIEL” Live on Stage
SHOWTIME – 11:00am
– Lunch Buffet after the show at “Bird-In-Hand” Restaurant
TRANSPORTATION:
BUS DEPARTS 7:30am Sharp!
From The Catholic Community of St. Matthias, 168 JFK Blvd, Somerset 08873
BUS RETURNS approximately 6:30pm
For More Information and To Purchase Tickets Contact:
Pearl Scott – pearlkscott12@gmail.com or Dolores Christmas – deechristmas@aol.com