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Dear friends in Christ,

I must confess (a good thing to do during Lent) that I have been feeling overwhelmed lately. I’m sure I am not the only one feeling that way. The lifting of the coronavirus restrictions is a good thing, but along with relief I feel a bit of angst. The war in the Ukraine is so sad and senseless. The threat of escalation is so real that I am almost numb to the horror of it all. The disregard for human life on the streets of our beloved city and in the statehouse is disheartening. The excitement of the Synod process seems to be waning and the weight of this herculean task is being felt. We are waiting for a facilities report about our 110-year-old beautiful Church of Blessed Sacrament. I think we are all worried about what needs to be done, just as we are worried about the HVAC system and other important work to be done at Saint Matthew. Our finances in both churches are keeping up with or exceeding last year, but last year was a pandemic year so it tempers our excitement and has us thinking about the future. With all the changes last year in the area, our NECC collaborative ministry is still in flux regarding our religious education and sacramental preparation. Personally, my work as the LGBTQ+ coordinator for the Archdiocese has been stretching my soul and time. The wedding season is about to begin for the year, and I have lots of them all over the country from my time in campus ministry. I have a lot more work to do in preparation for them. I feel like I have been failing in visiting our shut-in and sick Parishioners as well as having time to get to know and be responsive to the wonderful community of which I am blessed to be pastor. In response to all this, I seem to have turned to more coffee and crossword puzzles rather than more prayer.

There is a saying that when you are too busy to pray, you need to pray more. This is true. Along with turning to the Lord, I need to also turn to you. We are all co-responsible in the care of our pastorate. With the help of the Pastorate Council, I am looking to form an evangelization committee and a facilities committee. The details are not yet in place, but I think these groups would be a big help in caring for our campuses and reaching out to new and old Parishioners. Thank you for your prayers and your patience. Thank you for loving and caring for our Parish family and all we do. God bless!

Peace be with you,

Fr. Matt

News & Updates

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Rice Bowls are distributed on Ash Wednesday!  Don’t forget that Palm Sunday is the time to return your Rice Bowls.  You can also convert your donation to a check written to CRS, or donate online to CRS directly.  You can also make Rice Bowl donations on our GiveCentral page.
 

An important update for Parishioners with envelope boxes!

The envelope company made a mistake with the March 27^th, 2022 envelope.  It only says “Special Offering” on it, but it should also indicate that this collection is for Catholic Relief Services.  Please be generous in supporting the extremely important work of CRS!

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Statement from Archbishop Lori:

As the situation in Ukraine moves from tension to military action by Russia, we express our grave concern and pray for a peaceful resolution. This military incursion will result in no victories, only bloodshed and destruction. To the Ukrainian Catholics in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond, we support you and pray for the safety of your family, friends, and loved ones who may find themselves caught in the middle of this conflict. Let us join Pope Francis as he entrusts the intercession of the Virgin Mary and calls for prayer and peace.

Click the picture above to get to know our Pastoral Council members!

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Online Rosary – Saturdays at 10 AM:

As covid-19 and other challenges to our society continue to be with us, our prayers and our actions are still needed!  Therefore, you are invited to join us for a chat, share what you are experiencing, and share what you would like to pray for as we pray the Rosary together.

For this meeting we ask you to register, just for an added layer of security. To register click this link and follow the directions:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAvcumgqzIrG9NsuLmWWuw8OlW8ivNW9TM8

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the meeting.  You can register up until Saturday morning at 9:30 AM.

 

 

Weekly Bible Study with Deacon Paul from Blessed Sacrament – Thursdays from 8 to 9 PM:

This Bible Study is conducted by phone conference and the conversation concerns the Readings for the coming Sunday.  Anyone is welcome to call in and participate or simply listen.

The number to call is:  425-436-6356 

When asked for the code dial:  698937

 

You can also join the call by ZOOM!

Join Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86893786919

Meeting ID:  868 9378 6919
By phone with no video:  1-301-715-8592

The Readings for each week’s Bible Study can be found on the USCCB website at the following link:

https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar

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You can watch one weekend Mass LIVE on Facebook and on YouTube every Sunday!  See the schedule above for Mass online.  Visit our Facebook page or YouTube channel to watch recorded Masses from previous weeks.