July 3, 2022: Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
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Dear friends in Christ,Happy Fourth of July Weekend! I am so blessed to have been your pastor now for one whole year. The only problem is I can no longer use the excuse that I am new and don’t know anything. I have learned a lot. Personally, I have grown spiritually, and have been stretched in ways that I feel have increased my compassion and sensitivity in good and holy ways. Thank you so much for your kindness, patience, and welcome!I also feel like I have a much better sense of the many strengths of our Pastorate and the exciting opportunities for continued growth and mission. However, it feels like the world and its myriad of brokenness and problems continue to dampen not only our motivation, but our ability to act on new endeavors. The constant reminders of the struggles and violence in the city we love weighs us down. Also, it can diminish our desire to make our “Share a Meal” efforts at Blessed Sacrament a thriving ministry to provide for the material and spiritual needs of our neighborhood. How can we talk about developing and forming small Christian communities of missionary Disciples when we experience such confusion and division over abortion? The news about the shooting in Uvalde, TX and the massacre of young school children sucks the life out of us as we try to form a ministry to help make Cardinal Shehan the best school it can be. The most recent news of 51 immigrants dying so tragically in a tractor trailer on the U.S. border rips my heart out and rends my soul. Yet, we feel a call to support the amazing work of the Immigration Outreach and Service Center here at our Parish.These things might slow us down, but they cannot and should not stop us! In fact, we can look at the brokenness in our world around us as a clarion call to act! I just listed four of my top priorities for this coming year: Share A Meal; service and support for Cardinal Shehan School; developing and forming small Christian communities; and the expansion of the great work of the IOSC. Let’s not get discouraged, but rather be active and enthusiastic.This Summer, we are launching a special campaign to “Care for Our Convent.” The IOSC is moving into our convent building, and in doing so, they hope to expand their wonderful ministry to immigrants and refugee. The hope for the future is to be able to give a safe place for women and their children to live in, along with their adult service, legal help, and tutoring. However, our convent building is in serious need of repair work. If we could raise $50,000 as a Parish together, we could repoint the bricks, which are in bad shape, do some needed gutter and roof repairs, and do some interior changes and painting required to use that space well. More information will come about this important campaign, but one thing is clear, in the face of challenges around us it is time to act!God bless,Fr. Matt
Are you someone or do you know someone who- Has expressed an interest in becoming Catholic?
- Was baptized Catholic as a child, but has not become a full member of the Church through the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist?
- Baptized into another religion but never received any formal religious education.
At Saint Matthew, we offer an opportunity to come together in person to learn more about our faith journey. The sessions focus on the experience and teachings of the Church, personal prayer, and deepening our personal relationship with the Lord. This process is called The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A). I look forward to hearing from you soon. Don’t delay! Call Sr. Andre at 850-207-4679. The sessions will begin in September!
Calling all high school men!
Quo Vadis: July 11-14, 2022
Call 410-547-5426 or email [email protected] for more information. Registration opens soon.
When: July 11-14, 2022Who: High school boys (those finishing 8th grade to those finishing senior year in 2022)Where: Saint Mary’s Seminary in Roland ParkCost: $225 per student; $125 for additional siblingsWhat is Quo Vadis? Quo Vadis is a four-day camp hosted by the seminarians of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.Who is it for? It is open to any young man of high-school-age (eighth-grade grads through recent high-school-grads) who wants Christ and the Church to be a part of his life.Click here for more info.!
Please continue to make your Offertory contributions during the Summer. Even though many Parishioners take vacations, our bills do not, and we need to be able to keep a steady source of income on a weekly basis.
St. Matthew Catholic Church, located in Baltimore, is rich in tradition, united in mission and blessed with diversity! Our welcoming church home is seeking a Parish Secretary to provide administrative support to the Pastor, staff and ministries.Find more details here:
Over the Summer, we will try changing Monday and Wednesday Daily Mass to 12 noon to allow anyone who works during the day to attend. Tuesday and Thursday will remain at 7 AM. This change will take effect on Monday, July 4th. We will evaluate and get feedback on this and decide if it will become permanent beginning in the Fall!
