fourteenth sunday in ordinary time › connect › sites › default › files › july 5 2020...
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For all Parish emails, add @stmatthias.net
Pastor: Rev Abraham Orapankal, abraham
Parochial Vicar: Rev. Msgr. Joseph Curry, jcurry
Pastoral Staff
Deacon Russell Demkovitz, rdemkovitz
Ana V Kelly, Marketing & Development, akelly
Dolores R. Nann, Faith Formation, dnann
Mary Beth Oria, Business Administrator, moria
Deacon John Radvanski, deaconjohn
Joan Best Seamon, Music Ministry jseamon
Sr Marie Therese Sherwood, OSF, Social Concerns,
msherwood
Phyllis Stone, Liturgy/RCIA and Administrative Assistant to the Pastor, pstone
St. Matthias School (add @stmatthiasnj.org)
Elena Malinconico, Principal
Joseph Gidaro, Vice Principal, jgidaro
Parish Office Staff
Kelly Counts, Day Receptionist
Nathalie Godet, Formation/Parish Support Sec.
Leslie Guillen Evening Receptionist/Bulletin Editor
Amy Hanna, Parish Support Secretary
Joan Jones, Evening Receptionist
Vinnie Natale, Bookkeeper
Denise Sawicki, Accountant
Trish Stumper, Parish Support Secretary
Maintenance Staff
Julio Montero, Maintenance Supervisor
Mario Brown, Custodian
Conroy Davis, Custodian
Juan Diaz Flores, Custodian
Silvia Nizama, Housekeeper
St. Matthias Parish Office:
Open (8:30-4 Mon-Thurs; 8:30-1 Fri) 168 JFK Boulevard, Somerset, NJ 08873,
732-828-1400, fax: 732-828-0866,
www.stmatthias.net
Parish Office Building: use emails below . Our
office phone is now fully staffed during the
day.
Mass Schedule: Every Sunday on our YouTube
channel: (Private masses are also being cele-
brated)
St. Matthias School (SMS): 170 JFK Boulevard, Somerset, NJ 08873
732-828-1402; www.stmatthias.info
The Catholic Community of St. Matthias Sunday, Jul 5, 2020 –
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Weekend and Two Weekday
Masses (Tue/Thurs) now in
person (see below)
All Masses will be live-
streamed at:
www.youtube.com/c/
StMatthiasSomersetNJ and also
available on demand.
Registration is Now Open for St.
Matthias School. Call the
school office at 732-828-1402
to schedule a tour or learn
more information.
Volunteers Needed!
As we welcome people back into our church building, we find ourselves in
need of a greater number of volunteers. We especially need Hospitality
Ministers (to help guide people to the pews, to Communion, etc.), and
volunteers to help with Sanctuary Safety (e.g., wiping down the pews and
other surfaces after each Mass). Training will be provided. We need
many volunteers for both ministries and each one only takes a very short
amount of time to do. Please contact Phyllis Stone,
[email protected], with questions or to volunteer. THANK YOU!
Weekend & Weekday Mass with a Congregation
Are Mass schedule (with YOU present in the church) is now as follows:
Tuesday & Thursday 8AM Mass
Sat. 5:00PM Mass
Sunday 10:00AM & 1200PM Mass
If you are able to join us in person, please follow all safety guidelines, in-
cluding wearing a mask and staying at least 6 feet away from others. We
are able to accommodate up to 100 people at each mass (overflow for
the weekend masses will be in the cafeteria; if the cafeteria is full, addi-
tional overflow will be in your car via livestream.)
Weekday masses and a weekend mass (beginning at 5 pm Saturday) will
continue to be available on our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/c/
stmatthiassomersetnj.
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This Week at St. Matthias From the Pastor & the Pastoral Staff
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Bulletin Article Requests: Please email proposed bulletin articles to
[email protected] by 6 pm, Wednesday, 10 days
before the intended issue (earlier for holiday weekends).
Happy July 4th! Yes, we commemorate the fact
that in 1776, the Continental Congress, represent-
ing the 13 colonies, approved the Declaration of
Independence. But that was only the first step on
the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. Many
other steps followed - trials, tribulations, discussions,
debates, violence, tragedies, hunger, sickness,
deaths - to make the contents of that document a reality for us
to enjoy that freedom given to us by those who went before us.
Where are we today? We see how that freedom is abused and
how our “pursuit of happiness” is hindered in the midst of the pre-
sent political, racial, economic and religious polarization even as
we are in the throes of the continuing pandemic. We need to
revisit the most famous words from the Declaration and make a
self-examination to see how we can make a difference in our
world by living the spirit of this great document:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these
rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed, That
whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive
of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abol-
ish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation
on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as
to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and
Happiness.
The last few words from that Declaration, “…to effect their safety
and happiness” is something that we are immediately con-
cerned with as we are cautiously re-opening our church back to
public worship. Last week you read the letter from our Task Force
giving us all the details as we welcomed our parishioners back –
even though in limited numbers which is now 100 as per the Gov-
ernor’s latest order. It was so wonderful for us priests, deacons
and other ministers to see and welcome so many of you in the
church. We are planning to resume all the sacramental celebra-
tions, especially First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Anoth-
er important event to plan is a Memorial Mass for all those who
departed in the past months, for the sake of the grieving family
and friends who need a sense of healing and closure. Details will
be communicated in the coming weeks.
The work that “The St. Matthias Pastoral Council Task Force for
the Restoration of Mass with a Congregation” did is incredible.
The entire Task Force - Joe Percoco, Phyllis Stone, Tom Phalen,
Ann Richards, Liz Kiesche, MaryBeth Vetter Purcell, Msgr. Joe Cur-
ry, and Bill Grippo - deserves our heartfelt gratitude. I personally
am grateful to God for them and for the many wonderful volun-
teers who have been helping us in this matter. Their work is not
over as we are returning to normalcy slowly and cautiously, mak-
ing sure of everyone’s safety and happiness.
We are in this together. Happy Independence Day!
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Abraham Orapankal
Pastor
Sunday, Jul 5, 2020 Mass Online @ youtube.com/c/
StMatthiasSomersetNJ
10:00AM Mass in the church (100 people max; overflow in
the cafeteria)
12:00PM Mass in the church (100 people max; overflow in
the cafeteria)
Monday, Jul 6, 2020
6:30PM Dee’s Small Grp. Mtg. via ZOOM
Tuesday, Jul 7, 2020
8:00AM Daily Mass in Church (100 people max; overflow,
in the cafeteria)
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2020
7:00PM SMDP Mtg. de Porres Rm
Thursday, Jul 9, 2020
8:00AM Daily Mass in Church (100 people max; overflow,
in the cafeteria)
1:00PM “Matthias Matters” - on Facebook and later on
YouTube. Send questions to [email protected]
Friday, Jul 10, 2020
No Events Scheduled
Saturday, Jul 11, 2020 5:00PM Mass online
5:00PM Mass in Church(100 people max; overflow,
in the cafeteria)
Sunday, Jul 12, 2020 Mass online @youtube.com/c/
StMatthiasSomersetNJ
10:00AM Mass in the church (100 people max; overflow in
the cafeteria)
11:15AM Praying of the Rosary (ends at 11:45AM)
Church
12:00PM Mass in the church (100 people max; overflow in
the cafeteria)
6:00PM Junior High Youth Group online
7:00PM High School Youth Group online
View Our Online Parish Calendar:
for the most up-to-date schedule of events/times — www.stmatthias.net/connect/calendar
Read Our Bulletin Online Each Week: www.stmatthias.net/connect/bulletin
Visit our “UPLIFT” Facebook Group
Go to: www.stmatthias.net/connect/node/3644
Listen to Our Music Ministers
Enjoy listening to music sung by our music ministers from
their home, by visiting: www.youtube.com/channel/UCwhok3XnxutxyCq5E1LLJGA
Parish Office is open (8:30-4 Mon-Thurs; 8:30-1 Fri)
We encourage you to reach us via email or by phone.
If you need to come to the Parish Office, please follow
all safety guidelines including social distancing and
wearing a mask.
School Office is open (9 AM-1 PM Mon-Thurs;
Friday- closed (or by appointment).
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Monday: Hos 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22; Ps 145:2-3, 4-
5, 6-7, 8-9; Mt 9:18-26
Tuesday: Hos 8:4-7, 11-13; Ps 115:3-4, 5-6, 7ab-8,
9-10; Mt 9:32-38
Wednesday: Hos 10:1-3, 7-8, 12; Ps 105:2-3, 4-5,
6-7; Mt 10:1-7
Thursday: Hos 11:1-4, 8e-9; Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15
-16; Mt 10:7-15
Friday: Hos 14:2-10; Ps 51:3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14 and
17; Mt 10:16-23
Saturday: Is 6:1-8; Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5; Mt 10:24-
33
Sunday: Is 55:10-11; Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14; Rom
8:18-23; Mt 13:1-23 or Mt 13:1-9
Readings for the Week
Pray for those who are sick... If you or a family member are sick, please email Kelly Counts at [email protected] to add the name to this list. Names will be listed
in the bulletin for 6 weeks. Please let us know if this time period needs to be extended. We want to know how you are doing and want
to offer you the support of our prayers.
Pray for those who have died...
Kimberly Hancoviz—wife of Jacob -”His mercy endures forever.” Chronicles
Elbren, Sr. & Natalia Agdeppo
Rosemary Albaugh
Lourdes Banaag
Genevieve Bonk
Clement Bottone
Dylan Braunstein
Timothy Brennan
Marie Brody
Baby Isla-Rose Callahan
Tara Capatosto
Ellen Catalina
Frank Catalina
Daria Cergnul
Merna Chambers
Darrie Christmas
Charles Connellly
Lisa DeFeo
Mary Ellen Delaney
Nancy Diaz
Vanessa DiRocco
Mary Dolan
Dorothy Domenici
Jaclyn, Ariana & Thomas
Donlon
Anthony Driz & Family
Mary Eads
Briana Edwards
Jim G.
Emma Gergely
Rose Gessner
Mary Gidaro
Jeanne Gita
John Gross
Michael Haagerty
Emma A. Himey
Merla Isabelo
Pamela Kannaire
Michael Kirugi
Milicent Kraft
Herman Krueger
Taylor LaCort
Alexander LiCausi
The Litrakis Family
Monique Marie Mageot
Patrick Mahoney
Michelina Malafonte
Lourdes Maniego
Elizabeth Miller
Marius Moran
Ursula Morgenberger
Dave Moynihan
Julianne Opydike
Pace
Elsa Pesigan
Jim Pettit
Samantha Renaud
Angie & David Rind
Maria Schwenzer Sr. Jessy, OSF
Sr. Mary Amata Shina, OSF
Sr. Rosaria Shina, OSF
Dorothy Smith
Encarnacion (Gina) So
Dennis Stuewe
Roseann Szani
Juan Ulerio
Denise Urquhart
Luzminda Villarica
Mona Wilson
Mark T. Worthington
Edward Yeager
Everyone who is ill with Covid-19
...and for all who are
homebound, elderly, in nursing
care, or living with chronic illness
Mass Intentions for the Week*
*The Mass intentions will be fulfilled by Fr. Abraham and Fr. Joe as they celebrate private masses for these intentions, when we don’t
have a public mass scheduled. Everyone is welcome to join us in spirit as we pray for these intentions.
Saturday, Jul 4 5:00PM William Oberlander, by Vinnie
Sunday, Jul 5 8:00AM Msgr. Joseph Penna, by The Penna Family
10:00AM Floyd Krebs, Jr., by The Steltenkamp Family
12:00PM Louis Taraborelli, by Lisa DeCenzo
5:30PM Intention of Parishioners
Monday, Jul 6 8:00AM Sr. Maria Dereola, Feast Day Blessings, by OSF
Community
Tuesday, Jul 7 8:00AM Concepcion Prodon-Calaunan, by Purita Aligaen
Wednesday, Jul 8 8:00AM Birthday Blessings for Mary Gidaro, by son, Joseph
Gidaro
Thursday, Jul 9 8:00AM Nicandro Ventura, by Menchie
Friday, Jul 10 8:00AM James Mulcahy, by Barb Garabrant & family
Saturday, Jul 11 5:00PM Joseph Gidaro, by Mary, Doreen & Joseph
Sunday, Jul 12 8:00AM Rose Jeffers, by The Seiwert Family
10:00AM Bill Murphy, by St. Matthias Handbell Choir
12:00PM Intention of Parishioners
5:30PM Marty Engelhardt, by The Enright Family
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Smile with Your Family
Father William, the old priest, made it a practice to visit
the parish school one day a week. He walked into the 4th
grade class, where the children were studying the states,
and asked them how many states they could name. They
came up with about 40 names. Father William jokingly
told them: “When I was your age, I knew the names of all
the states. How come you don’t?” One smart boy raised
his hand and said, 'Yes Father, but in those days there
were only 13 states.” ☺
Mark Twain: "It is by the goodness of God that in our
country we have those three unspeakably precious
things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and
the prudence never to practice either of them." ☺
Alvin: My great-grandfather fought with Napoleon, my
grandfather fought with the French and my father fought
with the Americans.
Alex: Your relatives couldn’t get along with anyone,
could they? ☺
Q: What did one flag say to the other flag?
A: Nothing. It just waved! ☺
Marriage Tune-Up
Independence is an important step on the
journey to adulthood, but marriage also
requires dependence. I depend on you to keep your word,
to be there when I'm feeling hurt, to watch the kids so I
can have a break. How do you depend on one another?
Parenting Tune-Up "...although you have hidden these things from
the wise and the learned, you have revealed
them to little ones." (Mt 11:25) What have you
recently learned from your child?
Sunday Reflections
Disturbing Statistics on Stress
A few years ago, The Comprehensive
Care Corporation of Tampa, Florida pub-
lished a booklet about stress in our mod-
ern world. The facts are disturbing. (1)
One out of four (that’s 25% of Americans) suffers from mild
to moderate depression, anxiety, loneliness and other pain-
ful symptoms which are attributed mainly to stress. (2) Four
out of five adult family members see a need for less stress in
their daily lives. (3) Approximately half of all diseases can
be linked to stress-related origins, including ulcers, colitis,
bronchial asthma, high blood pressure and some forms of
cancer. (4) Unmanaged stress is a leading factor in homi-
cides, suicides, child abuse, spouse abuse and other ag-
gravated assaults. (5) The problem of stress is taking a tre-
mendous toll economically, also. Americans are now
spending 64.9 billion dollars a year trying to deal with the
issue of stress.
That is why Jesus shared the “Good News” with us a long
time ago when He said: “Come to me all of you who labor
and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Mt 11: 28).
What should we do to experience the rest that Jesus prom-
ises? We need to unload our burdens on the Lord. This is the
main purpose of our personal and family prayers and one
of the functions of Divine Worship in the Church. During our
daily prayers in the evening we ask God’s forgiveness for
the sins and failures of day and receive the consoling as-
surance that we are reconciled with God and our fellow
human beings. During the Holy Mass in our parish church,
we place our stress-filled lives on the altar and allow Jesus
to cool down the overheated radiators of our hectic
lives. We also unload the burdens of our sins and worries
on the altar and offer them and ourselves to God during the
Holy Mass.
“If I Keep My Bow Always Stretched,
It Will Break!”
Once, St. Anthony the hermit
was relaxing with his disciples
outside his hut when a hunter
came by. The hunter was surprised and mildly shocked to
see the saint taking it easy. This was not his idea of what a
monk should be doing, and he rebuked the saint. But An-
thony said, "Bend your bow and shoot an arrow." The
hunter did so. "Bend it again and shoot another," said An-
thony. The hunter did so-- again and again. At last the
hunter said, ”Father Anthony, if I keep my bow always
stretched, it will break." "So it is with a monk," replied Antho-
ny. "If we push ourselves beyond measure, we will break; it
is right from time to time to relax our efforts." Jesus gives us
the same message in today’s Gospel.
Jesus’ claim: "My burden is light" does not mean that the
burden is easy to carry, but that it is laid on us in love. This
burden is meant to be carried in love, and love makes
even the heaviest burden light. When we remember the
love of God, when we know that our burden is to love, both
directly and by loving others, the God Who loves us, then
the burden becomes easy. Jesus is returning to the simplic-
ity of God's original Covenant and Law, giving people what
they need to guide them on their path easily. By following
Jesus, a man will find peace, rest, and refreshment. Alt-
hough we are not overburdened by the Jewish laws, we
are burdened by many other things: business, concerns
about jobs, marriage, money, health, children, security, old
age and a thousand other things. Jesus' concern for our
burdens is as real as his concern for the law-burdened
Jews of his day. "Come to me, all you that are weary and
are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest" (11:
28). Jesus still gives us rest! Is Jesus calling on those who
are carrying heavy loads to come and add a yoke to their
burden? Doesn’t that sound like adding affliction to the af-
flicted? No; Jesus is asking us to cast away our burdens
and take on his yoke. This is because, unlike the burdens
we bear, his yoke is easy and his burden light. The yoke of
Jesus is the love of God. By telling us: "Take my yoke . . .
and you will find rest" (11:29), Christ is asking us to do things
the Christian way. When we center in God, when we follow
God’s commandments, we have no heavy burdens.
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Sunday Reflections Worriers or Warriors?
Author Stephanie Stokes Oliver in her book, Daily
Cornbread, asks whether we are worriers or warri-
ors. Chronic worriers let their anxiety and fear inter-
fere with living their life to the fullest. They manifest
their worry in physical symptoms like headaches
and knotted muscles. Worriers seem unable to
take control of their situation and make a positive
change for themselves.
Warriors, on the other hand,
find healthy ways to deal with
their fears. They don't auto-
matically shut down and go
into crisis mode. They trust
that God will sustain them.
Warriors take positive action
to change a negative situa-
tion. (Stephanie Stokes Oliver, New York: Double-
day, 1999). Astronaut Jim Lovell is a warrior. In a
news conference, he was asked about Apollo 13.
He was in command of that spacecraft when it
experienced an explosion on its way to the moon.
With their oxygen almost gone, their electrical sys-
tem out, their spaceship plunging toward lunar
orbit, it appeared Lovell and his crew would be
marooned hundreds of thousands of miles from
Earth. Lovell was asked, "Were you worried?" Such
as obvious question drew snickers. But then Lovell
gave a surprising answer. "No, not really." he said.
"You see, worry is a useless emotion. I was too busy
fixing the problem to worry about it. As long as I
had one card left to play, I played it." [Second
Thoughts--One Hundred Upbeat Messages for Beat
-up Americans by Mort Crim (Health Communica-
tion, Inc., Deerfield Beach, Florida, 1997), p. 154].
Jim Lovell is a warrior.
Pope Francis’ Words of
Encouragement
Weep not for what you have lost,
fight for what you have.
Weep not for what is dead,
fight for what was born in you.
Weep not for the one who abandoned you,
fight for who is with you.
Weep not for those who hate you,
fight for those who want you.
Weep not for your past,
fight for your present struggle.
Weep not for your suffering,
fight for your happiness.
With things that are happening to us, we begin
to learn that nothing is impossible to solve, just
move forward.
The Sweetest Sound
There is a story that Hebrew families tell their children to help
them understand the fourth commandment. The fourth com-
mandment reads, "Six days you shall labor but on the seventh you
shall rest." The story is called, "The Sweetest Sound." The main
character in the story is King Ruben. It goes something like
this. The king asked his royal subjects, "What is the sweetest melo-
dy of all?" Early the next morning they gathered all sorts of musi-
cians. The sound awoke the king and all morning he listened to
their tunes. But, after listening to all of them he could not tell
which was the sweetest sound. Finally, one subject suggested
they all play together. It was so noisy the king couldn't
think. About that moment a woman, dressed in her Sunday best,
pushed to the front of the crowd and stepped forward. "O, king,"
she said, "I have the answer to your question." The king was sur-
prised since she had no instrument. "Why didn't you come earli-
er?" he asked. She replied, "I had to wait until the setting of the
sun." The musicians were still playing and the king told them all to
stop. The woman then took two candles and placed them on
the king's balcony rail. She lit them just as the sun continued to
set. The flames glowed in the evening darkness. She then lifted
her voice and said, "Blessed art thou, O Lord, Our God, King of
the universe, who sanctified us with the commandments and
commanded us to kindle the Sabbath lights." She then said, "He
who has an ear, let him hear." Everyone was completely still.
"What is that?" asked the king." He could not hear a sound. The
woman then replied, "What you hear is the sound of rest, the
sweetest melody of all."
Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest." This is also the sweetest sound any of us can
hear. Jesus is interested in lifting off our backs the burdens that
suck the life out of us, so that he can place around our necks his
own yoke that brings to us and to others through us, new life, new
energy, and new joy. We are called, not only to find peace, re-
freshment and rest for ourselves, but also to live the kind of life
through which others, too, may find God's peace, God's refresh-
ing grace, and the joy of placing their lives in God's hands.
Some Quotes on Freedom
"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent
we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter."
--George Washington
"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in
a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."
--Nelson Mandela
"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the
death your right to say it." --Voltaire
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Sunday Reflections
We Continue to Live-Stream Our Masses 5 pm Saturdays (orafterwards on demand)
If you are unable to physically join us for Mass in the
church, please know that we will continue to
livestream our Masses on our YouTube Channel:
www.youtube.com/c/
StMatthiasSomersetNJ
Celebrating Our Faith: Liturgy
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St. Matthias Music Ministry Riddles
— It’s Puzzling?
Here are some “titles” of favorite hymns
or songs that we sing at St. Matthias.
What do we usually call them?
Amidst All Eras
Immediately let us express gratitude to
Our Creator
Musically proclaim a recently developed
religious organization
Sense the flavor and observe
Jesus you have arrived on the beach
Don’t worry
On the pinions of our national mascot
The dinner of Jesus
Got any new ones for us? Send them to
Look for the answers at the bottom of
page 8.
Are You Planning to Come to Mass
this Week? If not, why not?
We want to hear from YOU!
Please help us understand your feelings
and concerns about returning to Mass, by
completing this very short
survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/
e/1FAIpQLSesD7emv3zkeBiiJSTTpsv5mujtvoFM4Z1wDak-UzE0zOXK7Q/
viewform
The survey is sponsored by our Pastoral Council's "Restoration of Mass" Task
Force. Don't miss these important opportunities to share your opinion!
Be Freed from Unnecessary Burdens
Life's greatest burden is not having too much to do, nor having too much to
care. Some of the happiest folk are the busiest and those who care the
most. Rather, the greatest burden we have is our constant engagement
with the trivial and the unimportant, with the temporary and the passing and
with the ultimately uncontrollable and unpredictable. The issue in life is not
whether we shall be burdened, but with what we shall be burdened. The
question is not “Shall we be yoked?” but “To what and with whom shall we
be yoked?” Jesus has no interest in unburdening us from our exaggerated
self-esteem and from other modern infatuations (which are themselves debili-
tating burdens), in order to leave us with nothing to carry, no work to do. In-
stead, Jesus is interested in lifting off our backs the burdens that drain us and
suck the life out of us, so that he can place around our necks his own yoke,
his burden, that brings to us and to others through us, new life, new energy,
new joy. God's incomparable, compassionate forgiveness is a gift that releas-
es us into life with God as responsible human beings who want to grow deep-
er in love and joyful obedience.
We are called not only to find peace, refreshment and rest for ourselves, but
also to live the kind of life through which others, too, may find God's peace,
God's refreshing grace, and the joy of placing their lives in God's hands.
A Blow to Intellectual Pride
“…hiding from the learned and wise, and
revealing them to the simple” (Mt 11:25)
Jesus is condemning intellectual pride. He
knows that ordinary people with large,
sensitive hearts can accept the “Good
News” he preaches, while proud intellectu-
als cannot. Even the learned rabbis of Je-
sus’ time recognized that the simplest peo-
ple were often nearer to God than the
wisest. They composed stories to show
that ordinary people often practiced
great love and compassion, for instance,
the story of the man who lent his tools to
someone in need, or the woman who
helped her neighbors. Jesus says that such
people will inherit Heaven rather than the
learned and the wise who pride them-
selves on their intellectual achievements
but do not love.
Except from Pope Francis’ Angelus Reflection on King David (June 24, 2020)
...David’s story begins on the hills surrounding Bethlehem, where he grazes the flock of his father, Jesse. He is still a boy, the
last of many brothers. So much so that when the prophet Samuel, acting on God’s order, goes in search of the new king,
it almost seems that his father has forgotten about his youngest son (see 1 Sam 16:1-13). He worked in the open air: we
can think of him as a friend of the wind, of the sounds of nature, of the sun’s rays. He has only one companion to comfort
his soul: his harp; and during those long days spent in solitude, he loves to play and to sing to his God. He also played with
the slingshot. (cont’d on next page)
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Poet’s Corner:
Spiritual Direction Prayers/Poems by Pat Leposa
Simple Pleasures
This morning
A Hummingbird
Of muted colors
Stopped by to visit.
Landed on my
Frosted glass
Stayed for a second,
Flew away.
The tiniest of the
Bird kingdom
Awakens my senses..
Brightens up
A world full of
Loss, fear.
The pandemic is here.
In my field of vision
A majestic Sorghum tree
Stretches its lush greenery
To reach the cloudless sky,
Is pleasing to the eye.
Fresh, sugar sweet
Strawberries tickle my palate.
Aromatic Rosemary bushes
Permeate the air,
Fill my nostrils.
3 p.m. each day
A chorus of surround sound
Birds are music to my ears.
( how do they know the
time)?
Lightening bugs do their job,
Pinpoints of light
Brightening a world
Enveloped in darkness.
No touching, no hugs
The Pandemic Prevails.
For simple pleasures,
Mother Nature's gift
I am thankful.
Questions
1 Look around you, wherever you
may be. What are your simple
pleasures?
2 Spend time thanking the Giver of
all gifts.
Celebrating Our Faith: Liturgy Discovering God: Formation
Except from Pope Francis’ Angelus Reflection on King David
(cont’d from previous page)
David is, therefore, first of all a shepherd: a man who takes care of animals, who
defends them from oncoming danger, who provides for their sustenance. When by
God’s will David will have to care for his people, the things he will do will not be very
different. This is why the image of the shepherd frequently occurs in the Bible. Even
Jesus defined Himself as “the good shepherd”, whose behaviour is different than
that of the mercenary; He offers His life on behalf of the sheep, He guides them, He
knows each one by name (see Jn 10:11-18).
David had learned a lot from his previous job. So, when the prophet Nathan re-
proves him for his very serious sin (see 2 Sam 12:1-15), David understands right away
that he had been a bad shepherd, that he had despoiled another man of his only
sheep that he loved, that he was no longer a humble servant, but a man who was
crazy for power, a poacher who looted and preyed on others.
A second characteristic trait present in David’s vocation is his poet’s soul. From this
small observation, we can deduce that David was not a vulgar man, as is often the
case with individuals who are forced to live for long periods in isolation from society.
He is, instead, a sensitive person who loves music and singing. His harp would ac-
company him always: sometimes to raise a hymn of joy to God (see 2 Sam 6:16),
other times to express a lament, or to confess his own sin (see Ps 51:3).
The world that presented itself before his eyes was not a silent scene: as things un-
raveled before his gaze he observed a greater mystery. That is exactly where prayer
arises: from the conviction that life is not something that takes us by surprise, but a
stupefying mystery that inspires poetry, music, gratitude, praise, even lament and
supplication in us. When a person lacks that poetic dimension, let’s say, when poet-
ry is missing, his or her soul limps. Thus, tradition has it that David is the great artist be-
hind the composition of the Psalms. Many of them at the beginning bear an explicit
reference to the king of Israel, and to some of the more or less noble events of his life.
David, therefore, has a dream: that of being a good shepherd. Sometimes he will
live up that task, other times less so; what is important, however, in the context of
the history of salvation, is that he is a prophecy of another King, whom he merely
announces and prefigures.
Look at David, think about David. Holy and sinful, persecuted and persecutor, vic-
tim and murderer, which is a contradiction. David was all of this, together. And we
too have recorded events in our lives that are often opposed to each other; in the
drama of life, all people often sin because of inconsistency. There is one single gold-
en thread running through David’s life, that gave unity to everything that hap-
pened: his prayer. That is the voice that was never extinguished. David the saint
prays: David the sinner prays; David, persecuted, prays; David the persecutor prays.
Even David the murderer prays. This is the golden thread running through his life. A
man of prayer. That is the voice that is never silenced. Whether it assumed tones of
jubilation or lament, it is always the same prayer, it is only the melody that changes.
In so doing, David teaches us to let everything enter into dialogue with God: joy as
well as guilt, love as well as suffering, friendship as much as sickness. Everything can
become a word spoken to the “You” who always listens to us.
David, who knew solitude, was in reality never alone! In the end, this is the power of
prayer in all those who make space for it in their lives. Prayer gives you nobility, and
David is noble because he prays. But he is a murderer who prays; he repents and his
nobility returns thanks to prayer. Prayer gives us nobility. it is capable of securing
their relationship with God who is the true Companion on the journey of every man
and woman, in the midst of life’s thousand adversities, good or bad: but always
prayer. Thank you, Lord. I am afraid, Lord. Help me, Lord. Forgive me, Lord. David’s
trust is so great that, when he was persecuted and had to flee, he did not let any-
one defend him: “If my God humiliates me thus, He knows what He is doing”, be-
cause the nobility of prayer leaves us in God’s hands. Those hands wounded by
love: the only sure hands we have.
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Discovering God: Formation
2020-2021 GIFT
Registration
Online Now (for K-8 Religious Educa-
tion)
Please Complete as soon as possi-
ble.
We are happy to invite all parents/families
with children in K-8, who are not attending
a Catholic school, to register their children
for our wonderful religious education/
formation program for 2020-2021.
We have made appropriate adjustments
due to COVID-19 restrictions. We are
planning to have onsite sessions, but will
adapt if required by the State of New Jer-
sey or the Diocese.
The 2020-2021 registration form for our K-8
family-based parish program of religious
formation, G.I.F.T. [Growing In Faith To-
gether], is currently available to complete
online at www.stmatthias.net/connect/
GIFT
Please register your family/children in
grades K-8. This year we are planning to
offer 3 sessions each month: on Tuesday
and Wednesday evenings at 6:30PM with-
out a meal because of the COVID-19 pre-
cautions; and on Sunday afternoons at
1PM, again without a meal. You choose
which one of the three sessions to attend.
Other changes because of COVID likely
will also be in place. The fees for the pro-
gram are noted on the registration form.
Please register online and send in your
payment to the parish office as possible.
Please note: GIFT is required for all chil-
dren in grades 1-8 who are not attending
a Catholic school; it is optional for kinder-
garten students.
Attention 2nd
graders:
First Eucharist
Preparation
2020-2021
For all families in
GIFT and for those who are students
at St. Matthias School who have
(baptized) children who are in 2nd
grade [fall 2020] or older who desire
to receive the Sacraments of First
Reconciliation/First Eucharist, sacra-
mental preparation is required. Typi-
cally, classes are held for all children
and at least one parent on certain
Sunday mornings in the cafeteria
from 10:30AM -11:30AM. Because of
COVID 19, our scheduling and plans
may need to be revised. We will let
you know of any changes, but please
go ahead and register.
The sacramental preparation fee for
this program is $70. The 2020-2021
Registration forms for First Eucharist/
First Reconciliation are available
online at www.stmatthias.net/
connect/FirstEucharist
Questions? Please email Dee Nann at
[email protected], or call or email
Faith Formation Assistant, Nathalie
Godet at 732-828-1400 or ngo-
Participation in GIFT program is also
required, along with this family sacra-
mental preparation [for those not at-
tending St. Matthias School].
Attention 7th &
8th Graders:
Confirmation
Preparation 2020
-2021
Register for Confirmation
Preparation
as soon as possible.
Families who have a 7th or 8th
grader in either St. Matthias
School or the GIFT program and
desire to prepare for the sacra-
ment of Confirmation need to
complete the 2020-2021 Confir-
mation registration form online,
available at:
www.stmatthias.net/connect/
Confirmation
A parent meeting for 7th grade
parents is held in October.
Questions? Please email Dee
Nann at [email protected],
call, or contact Faith Formation
Assistant, Nathalie Godet at 732-
828-1400 or
Substitute Teachers
Needed for SMS
Saint Matthias School is looking to augment
the teacher substitute list for the 2020-2021
school year beginning this September. A
minimum of sixty college credits required for
all candidates. If you or someone you know
is available Monday through Friday from 7:45
to 2:45 please contact Joseph Gidaro jgida-
[email protected] or Diane Flanagan
[email protected] at the school.
St. Matthias School
Summer Office Hours
MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY: 9 AM TO 1 PM;
FRIDAY: CLOSED OR BY APPOINTMENT
If you would like to tour our the school or learn what a difference a faith-
filled, academically excellent school can make in the life of your child,
please call the school at 732-828-1402, or email Maria Kosty at
More information is available at www.stmatthias.info
Music Ministry Answers:
In Every Age
Now Thank We All Our God
Sing a New Church
Taste and See
Lord You Have Come to the Sea-
shore
Be Not Afraid
On Eagle’s Wings
The Supper of the Lord
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Sign up on the new user-friendly webpage:
https://www.parishgiving.org/index?e=0740DF6212A3A840460F81F43F516842EF35963AEE3BE292
(If you are reading this bulletin online, just hold down the CTRL key and click on the above link to be taken to the page.)
If you have any questions or difficulties, call Parish Giving at 866-307-7140 and they will happily stay on the phone with you
and verbally guide you as you enter the information online. Thank you!
Join Our PARISHIONERS who have registered for Parish Giving!
Being Good Stewards Stewardship Reflection Jul 5, 2020
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew
11:30)
When we think of being good stewards, we may think
that God is asking too much of us when He calls us to
generously share our time, talent, and treasure. Howev-
er, we must remember that we are not “owners” of any-
thing, we are merely “stewards” of the gifts God has
given us. All He is asking is that we give back a small por-
tion, in gratitude, of what He has already given to us.
Reflexiónes — 5 de julio de 2020
14º domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
"Porque mi yugo es suave, y mi carga ligera". - (MATEO 11:30)
Cuando pensamos en ser buenos administradores, podemos
pensar que Dios nos está pidiendo demasiado cuando nos
llama a compartir generosamente nuestro tiempo, talento y
tesoro. Sin embargo, debemos recordar que no somos
"dueños" de nada, somos simplemente "administradores" de los
dones que Dios nos ha dado. Todo lo que está pidiendo es
que le devolvamos una pequeña porción, en agradecimiento,
de lo que ya nos ha dado.
Discovering God: Formation
Are You between 8 and 100+ Years
Old?
If you answered “YES”, we need YOUR input!
Please take 3 minutes now to complete this short
survey. It will ask you to select the most im-
portant need our parish should address next. We
will use your responses to select a parish-wide
project. This will be coordinated by our Next Lev-
el youth, and will involve the entire parish com-
munity. The link for the survey is: http://bit.ly/
nextlevelparish Thank you!
P.S. This survey should be completed by every
individual in your family who is at least 8 years
old!
Stewardship Totals for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 2019-Last Year's
Current Month Checks Parish Giving Weekly Total Weekly Total
June 7, 2020 $9,099.50 $13,249.63 $22,349.13 $27,115.79
June 14, 2020 $15,050.00 $13,149.63 $28,199.63 $26,898.79
June 21, 2020 $10,224.00 $13,064.63 $23,288.63 $30,307.79
June 28, 2020* $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $25,359.79
Month-to-date Total Monthly Total
$73,837.39 $109,682.16
Current Year-to-date Total Year-to-date Total
$1,294,636.18 $1,554,140.17
*Please Note: This bulletin was due at the printer before the June 28 weekend due to the 4th of July holiday. We will update the col-lection information in next week’s bulletin.
Youth Groups — Update
The Youth Groups will take a break
over the 4th of July weekend, and
will start back up next Sunday.
The schedule for this month will be:
Sundays — July 12, 19, and 26
Junior High Youth Group — 6 PM
High School Youth Group — 7 PM
All gatherings will be online. Please contact Fr. Joe for online
access: [email protected]
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Parish Registration — Welcome new members! Please register by calling the Parish
Baptism — Baptismal Preparation Sessions are
held four times a year for registered parishioners.
Please contact the parish office before the baby is
born. The sacrament of Baptism is celebrated on
the second and fourth Sunday of each month,
except during Lent.
Marriage — Registered parishioners should
contact the parish office a year before the desired
wedding date.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults The RCIA process is an opportunity for instruction
and spiritual transformation for any adult seeking a
deeper understanding of the Catholic tradition or
full incorporation into the Catholic Church. If you
are interested in becoming a Catholic or
completing the Sacraments of Initiation-- Baptism/
Confirmation/Eucharist, please call the Parish Office.
Stewardship Stewardship is a way of life, a way of thanking God
for all our blessings by returning a portion of the
time, talent and treasure allotted to us. Whether it
is clothes for the poor, food for the hungry,
outreach to youth, in education, in worship, or
simply arms stretched out to someone who is
lonely, the Catholic Community of St. Matthias
encourages everyone to become stewards of the
gifts they have been given by God, returning a
portion in gratitude to God for the work of ministry
here at St. Matthias and beyond our local
community.
St. Matthias School is a PreK3
through 8th grade school rooted in
faith, inspired by love, and
dedicated to academic
excellence. Before and After School Care
Programs are available. Come visit! Contact 732-
828-1402 to schedule a tour.
Bulletin Article Requests
Please email proposed bulletin articles to
[email protected] by 6 pm, Wednesday, 10
days before the intended issue (earlier for holiday
weekends).
Parish Leadership
About St. Matthias (please contact the staff members on the cover for up-to-date information)
Parish Pastoral Council,
Co-Chairs:
Tom Phalen, thomase [email protected]
Nick Grippo [email protected]
Tom Aussem
Denise Brown
Anthony Ekhelar
Lorraine Farr
Gursam Felix
Anne Marie Francis
Liz Kiesche
Jeanne Kollmer
Claudine Langrin
Deborah Lesky
Joe Percoco
Marybeth Purcell
Wina Reyes-Bruce
Lisa Robinson
Ana Kelly, Ex-Officio
Fr. Abraham, Ex-Officio
Parish Finance Council:
Joe Porter, Chair financecouncil
@stmatthias.net
Joe Porter, Chair
Susan Klimcsak
Barry Dusault
Gwen Orlowski
Audrey Francis
Kester Hector
Denise Sawicki, Ex-Officio
Fr. Abraham, Ex-Officio
Trustees:
Isaac Peng
Marge Richards
ST. FRANCIS CENTER FOR RENEWAL
Star Struck Quilt 2020
Created and donated by Sharon Rehrig. Valued at $1000, this stunning masterpiece fits a King Size bed!
Tickets are available: $5 per ticket, 5 tickets for $20.
Draw for quilt will take place on August 29, 2020, at the 10th ANNUAL STAR STRUCK GALA.
Ticket holders do not have to be present at Gala to win. To purchase raffle tickets: Send check made out to St. Francis
Center for Renewal to:
St. Francis Center for Renewal, Attention JAN GOUGH
395 Bridle Path Road, Bethlehem PA, 18017
Please indicate on memo line of check: Star Struck Quilt Raffle. www.StFrancisCtr.org, 610.867.8890
“Matthias Matters”
Join Fr. Joe every Thursday afternoon
on our St. Matthias
Facebook (Uplift) group page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/
StMattthiasUplift08873
Please email questions to: Matthi-
[email protected] by Wednesday.
Building Community:
Stay Connected!
Don’t Miss the Latest
News
Sign up to receive our e-
letter,
St. Matthias Family Connect (SMFC). Go to
www.stmatthias.net/connect/SMFC, view
Caring for Others:
Do You Need Help? Can You Offer Help?
Visit our parish website: www.stmatthias.net/connect/NeedHelpandOfferHelp
Connecting with Our Local Community