Saint Matthew the Apostle Parish

This Week at St. Matthew’s

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:40:07 +0000

Welcome! Learn about the Welcome Ministry

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:05:42 +0000

In recent years beginning with Pope John Paul II’s call to a New Evangelization in the Church our Diocese of Paterson has set evangelization as one of our major priorities in this time of the Church.

Evangelization literally means to “share the Good News” to invite men and women to welcome the good news of the message and person of Jesus Christ. Statistics tell us that the second largest religious group in the USA is “fallen away” Catholics. This is a challenge for all of us who are passionate about our faith and Christ and committed to His Church.

One of the ways the parishioners of St. Matthew’s can be about this “new evangelization” is to reach out to our visitors and to Catholics on the fringe as we strive to become a more welcoming and engaging community. To begin to formulate a process, we recently started a new Welcome Ministry for St. Matthew’s, comprised of several parishioners dedicated to sharing the Good News of the welcoming spirit and people of our Parish.

As a new ministry, our goal is to warmly welcome visitors on their very first visit and to continue to genuinely encourage them throughout their journey as disciples within our community. We want to more consistently demonstrate the vibrant stewardship and welcoming spirit of the people at St. Matthews while encouraging current parishioners to become more active members of our Parish.

We have also developed a Mission statement to guide our way:

The St. Matthew’s Welcome Ministry is dedicated to warmly welcoming visitors to our Church and to Catholics returning to their faith. We do this by being sensitive to the needs of each individual or family by meeting them “where they are” in their journey. We want to genuinely encourage and invite people to share their time, talents and treasures of stewardship within our Parish and in the larger community. We practice evangelization every time that we welcome the stranger among us by sharing the all embracing love of Christ through and with the people of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish.

The Welcome process includes:

Warmly welcoming visitors at the beginning, during and end of each Mass.
Asking interested people to introduce themselves to Fr. Dan or to one of our Deacons.
Inviting people who wish to join us as parishioners to come to a “Welcome Meeting” to become better acquainted with the life, people and enthusiasm of our Parish.
Each year, approximately 50 families and individuals decide to join our Parish. The Welcome meeting will support and educate families about the services, ministries and people of St. Matthew’s. We will invite and encourage these new parishioners to begin to share their gifts and talents with our community just as soon as they are comfortable.
Our first Welcome meeting for new families and individuals is scheduled for Sunday, August 1^st in Heritage Hall at 10:45 am. Light refreshments will be served.
Additional meetings will take place approximately once every two to three months and will be listed in the bulletin.

If you would like to become a member of the Welcome Ministry or if you have any ideas or feedback about how to better welcome all of our visitors at St. Matthew’s, please speak with Fr. Dan or contact Erin Travers Ferraiuolo at erin_travers [a-t] msn [dot] com or 973.895.8920.

Prayer for the Gulf

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:00:06 +0000

Lord, we pray that the waters of the Gulf of Mexico may be kept pure as you created them. We pray for all who work on the waters that they be safe from harm; for all who have been injured, for all who have died, and for all who mourn; for all who receive their livelihood from the harvest of the waters, and for their families and communities. For all in authority in the government of our nation, our states and communities, that they may serve your will for the common good. For all who work to preserve us from the dangers of this present calamity, that they may be blessed with success and kept safe from all harm. For our deliverance from fear, anxiety, and anger. For Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

A Family Perspective

admin — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 14:06:53 +0000

The gospel today is clear: Peace comes to a “household if a peaceful person lives there.” Peace starts with your ability to forgive, to correct without attacking, to accept the ways of others and to recognize a different opinion is not a personal rejection. It is actually your own peace which you give to your family.

Baptism Preparation Program Announced

admin — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 14:04:33 +0000

St Matthew’s has recently instituted a Baptism Preparation Program. This program has been established to ensure a greater outreach and opportunity for evangelization of our young parents. A team of very faithful and committed young couples welcomes Baptism parents into their homes in a two-hour session to better grasp the authentic meaning of the sacrament and their role as Catholic parents. This program is the beginning of the child’s journey towards full initiation into the Catholic Church. The overall focus of the program is to offer the opportunity to deepen one’s faith commitment, to better understand the gift and challenge of Christian parenting and to come together to find support in knowing other young couples of our parish

The Team Coordinators are Deacon Jim and Lisa Hackett. The Team Couples involved are Joe and Stephanie Chan, Mike and Jen McDonough and Stan and Marie Morgievich.

The process is as follows:

When new parents call the parish office to schedule a Baptism they will provide the Baptismal information and set the date for the Baptism (they will have a choice of having their child Baptized during a weekend Mass or after Mass on Sunday afternoon).
The Team Coordinators will next contact the parents and let them know that a member of the team will be calling them to schedule a time and date for the meeting. The coordinators will then contact one of the teams and pass the information on to them and they will then contact the parents.
The meeting will take place at the home of one of the team couples. Parents are encouraged to bring their children with them. The meeting will include the shared experiences of the team couple related to Baptism, the importance of naming the child, the roles of the parents and godparents in Baptism, a short video presentation, refreshments and discussion.

Participation in the Baptism Preparation program is the first step in the spiritual development of their child by becoming a part of St. Matthews’s community. The birth and Baptism of a child is often a point in married couples’ lives when they are seeking a reconnection with or a greater participation in the Church.

Following this meeting the Baptism couple will be contacted by Fr. Dan or one of the Deacons to schedule a brief meeting, either at the couples’ home or at St. Matthew’s, which will further explain the actual Rite of Baptism to be held at the church.

We welcome this new important ministry and encourage anyone with questions or with an interest in becoming a Team Couple to please contact the office.

The Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 13:56:39 +0000

From the Mass of the Lord’s Supper to Corpus Christi

The institution of the Eucharist has a special memorial the mass of the Lord’s Supper, when Christ the Lord shared a meal with his disciples and gave them the sacrament of his Body and Blood to be celebrated in the church. The solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) further proposes the honoring of the Blessed Sacrament to the faithful so that they may celebrate the wonderful works of God, signified by the sacrament and accomplished by the paschal mystery of Christ. This solemnity is also intended to teach the faithful how to share in the Eucharistic sacrifice and to have it more profoundly influence their life, to revere the presence of Christ the Lord in this sacrament, and to offer the thanks due to God’s gifts.

Corpus Christi procession

In its devotion the Church has handed down as a distinctive feature of the celebration of this solemnity a procession in which the Eucharist is carried solemnly and with dignity outside the church and the Christian people give public witness to their belief in the sacrament of the Eucharist and to their devotion.

It is therefore desirable to continue this procession where circumstances permit and when it can truly be a sign of common faith and adoration.

-Ceremonial of Bishops (1984), nn. 385-386

The procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is, so to speak, the “typical form” of a Eucharistic procession. It constitutes, in fact, a prolongation of the celebration of the Eucharist: immediately after Mass, the Host, which was consecrated at that Mass, is carried outside of the church, so that the Christian people might “give public witness” to its faith and devotion regarding the Most Blessed Sacrament” (170).

The faithful understand an appreciate the values inherent in the Corpus Christi procession: they are aware of being “the People of God” that walks with its Lord, proclaiming faith in him who has become truly “God-with-us”.

The Eucharistic procession is ordinarily concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. In the specific case of the Corpus Christi procession, the blessing constitutes the solemn conclusion of the entire celebration: the usual priestly blessing is replaced by the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament.

Haiti Relief Update

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:10:16 +0000

A camp has been established in the town of Fond Parisien, West Department along the Haiti–Dominican Republic border, to accommodate the repatriation of an estimated 14,000 Haitians who crossed the border following the earthquake. WHO notes the need for additional humanitarian services at the site.
On January 30, the Government of Haiti’s National Direction for Potable Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) communicated a plan for transitioning from water tankering to increased on-site water access, including through utilization of boreholes in low-lying to areas and support for water storage and disinfection. DINEPA also recommended that the WASH Cluster provide funding to re-establish water distribution by local vendors, with a conversion to market prices over time.
Relief agencies recently commenced food distributions in Port-au-Prince under the new fixed distribution point system. As a part of the new Government of Haiti-led effort, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) provided commodities, non-governmental organizations managed distributions, and the U.S. Military and U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) provided security escorts. On January 31, food distributions were successfully implemented in nine of the 16 sites [one of which CRS completed; see below], with additional distributions planned in the coming days.
The large downtown rice distribution began on Jan. 31 in one of the three CRS-designated camps (Palace/Champ de Mars). This site is the most problematic in terms of security but the distribution went well and was relatively orderly. To date, CRS/Caritas Haiti has provided food to 113,978 people, and nonfood items to more than 20,000 people.
On Jan 31, the CRS/Caritas Haiti medical team hired a public health specialist who will work closely with the water and sanitation team at the St. Francois de la Sale Hospital. Key objectives include implementing a one-month plan for health messaging (signs), managing the solid waste and medical waste, dealing with the sewage water that is backing up, and clearing debris from the drainage, etc.
Water and sanitation materials for thousands of people arrived over the weekend, and include large water bladders, water treatment packs, building materials, tools, and other sanitation and construction supplies.
Major water and sanitation efforts are underway at the St. Francois de la Sale Hospital, where CRS/Caritas Haiti is carrying out a full sanitation plan. The CRS/Caritas Haiti team delivered cleaning supplies and buckets on Jan. 31 and started putting up screens around the operating room to protect patients from the flies. The full package of water and sanitation activities will take place at the hospital, including the construction of more latrines and showers, hand washing stations, clearing of drainage, management of waste, etc. The CRS/Caritas Haiti team also selected camps downtown where today the team will start installing latrines. CRS/Caritas Haiti is identifying a local NGO with which to partner on participatory camp planning for water and sanitation in camps. The local NGO will help CRS/Caritas Haiti work with the camp committees to identify the locations for latrines, hand washing stations, showers, etc. In areas where digging is possible, latrines can be built within two days. For many of the urban camps set on concrete, CRS/Caritas Haiti is contracting companies that rent portable latrines, and then will de-sludge the port-a-potties on a regular basis to maintain sanitation.
The CRS team has started recruitment for technical engineers and field technical staff.
The last of the materials for shelter kits for 180,000 people were due to arrive on February 1.
The distribution of shelter kits at Pétionville Club and in other camps is set to start this week.

For more information about CRS’s efforts in Haiti go to http://crs.org/.

New Singles Ministry – Solo

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:07:47 +0000

St Matthew’s Solo Ministry is a faith based singles group. The ministry is open to adult singles, unmarried, separated, divorced or widowed. Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month starting at 7:30 PM. Our next meeting is scheduled for February 23^rd. Be assured that this ministry is not a dating or counseling service. The meetings and activities provide a way to meet new friends that are just like us and opportunities to share in social and church activities in a relaxed and meaningful way. Upcoming events are announced at each meeting along with activities such as guest speakers and social outings. New members are most welcome.

Exciting News: We recently started working with St. Therese’s Adult Singles Ministry which was founded approximately ten years ago. They have an energetic membership and offer a wide variety of opportunities for us to engage in. We look forward to partnering with them on various future events. If you would like more information or have any questions, please call or e-mail Shirley Kraft 973-252-7393 kraconcept [a-t] aol [dot] com.

Welcome to New Families

admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:13:21 +0000

“For I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (mt 25:35)

Several families have recently joined The St. Matthew’s parish community. We extend our warmest welcome to the Conti family, the Forward family, the George family, the Kneafsey family, the Luke family, the O’Donnell family, the Olive family, the Podell family and the Padula family. If you are new to St. Matthew’s and want to learn more about becoming a parishioner, we invite you to introduce yourself to Fr. Dan or to one of our Deacons. You can also contact the parish office staff during the week by stopping by, calling 973-584-1101, or emailing Fr. Dan at www [dot] fr [dot] dan [a-t] stmatthewsrandolph [dot] org. Also, please plan on attending a Welcome Reception in Heritage Hall on August 1st at 9:45 a.m. We invite you and your children to join others like you and enjoy refreshments while learning more about what St. Matthew’s can do for you and your family.

Parish Committees

admin — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 23:26:55 +0000

In the last year we have established a number of new parish committees to help us respond to the greater needs of our community. We are thankful for the great input and experience people bring to these committees. We do hope that others might come forth to offer their gifts, talents and perspective to direct our parish community. If anyone feels he/she has a particular interest, expertise or background in a certain area of parish life please email Fr. Dan at fr [dot] dan [a-t] stmatthewsrandolph [dot] org with your ideas, interest and background to be of service to any new committees needed at St. Matthew’s.