Parish Administrator Notes

CHURCH What comes to mind when you hear the word, “church”? When I was a child, I’d think of the Catholic church building where I attended Mass. Years later, with the benefit of theology courses at St. Thomas, I learned the word church could refer to more than a building. Indeed, church can refer to an institution or to a community, among other possibilities. How we refer to church—how we think about church—influences our planning, budgeting and ministries. When I think of our church as a community, I tend to think of people’s names and faces. I offer support to other people, and I feel … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – February 19, 2023

ISAIAH’S WORDS FOR ST. MATT’S Who else noticed how the Prophet Isaiah’s words last weekend (58:7-10) were a remarkable survey of our parish missions? I mean, c’mon: • Share your bread with the hungry (Loaves & Fishes; Food Shelf) • Shelter the oppressed and the homeless (Casa Guadalupana) • Clothe the naked (Isaac’s Blessing Bags) • Do not turn your back on your own (Mutual support, prayer, Faith Formation, St. Mary’s Clinic, AA, GAB) I first noticed these words on Saturday morning (Feb. 4), at our Lector Training Workshop. Then, at the 4:15 p.m. Mass, guest presider Fr. Leo … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – February 12, 2023

PARISH COUNCIL At our January 26 Parish Council meeting, someone suggested we start putting Capital Needs donation envelopes in the back of the church. I think that’s a good idea. (Not everyone receives the bi-monthly envelope packet, which includes Capital Needs envelopes.) We’re planning some major capital projects this year, such as replacement of the main electric panel and roof work on the school building. To pay for them, we’ll need a combination of fundraising and financing tools. One fundraising tool is the envelope system. We’re also planning on online effort—more on that in a few … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – February 5, 2023

“I BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU’RE DOING HERE” Pop quiz: what comes to mind when I say, “What is St. Matt’s about?” Take a moment. I’ll wait. Ready? OK, for me, several things come to mind. First, we have a strong emphasis on social justice. That’s apparent when you start naming our ministries, such as Loaves & Fishes, Casa Guadalupana, St. Mary’s Free Clinic, Gifted and Belonging, and AA support groups. Another part of our identity is that “we’re a Vatican II parish.” Among other things, that means we take seriously the Second Vatican Council’s teachings on the importance of all the baptized. … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – January 29, 2023

WHERE WE WORSHIP: A HOUSE OF WELCOME “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.” (Hebrews 13:1-2) Hospitality. It’s one of the many things I’ve appreciated about St. Matt’s since I began work here in 2021. I notice it when greeters by our entry doors offer a smile, hymnal and list of music for each Mass. Hospitality is also apparent in the way people socialize before and after Mass, and at Coffee Sunday, or when office staff and volunteers help visitors. I could go on, but I expect you get the idea. Let us welcome … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – January 22, 2023

WHERE WE WORSHIP: A HOUSE OF PRAYER I recently ran across a great line from the prophet Isaiah (56:7): “For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” There are two main reasons I like the line. The first is that Isaiah clearly supports wide ranging hospitality. That works for me. And it certainly fits with St. Matt’s tradition of hospitality to all peoples. The other reason is more prosaic. It’s that the bricks, mortar, and other concrete aspects of our house of prayer need constant attention. Buildings are expensive. We have to take care of them, however, so that we can … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – January 15, 2023

WHERE WE WORSHIP I was delighted to see so many people at Mass during the Christmas season! I like the feeling of solidarity with fellow believers. We’re strengthened by everyone’s presence. It also helped that our church building, where we worship together, was wonderfully beautiful during the past few weeks. Many thanks to all those who decorated the church for the season--especially Mary and Bob Bejblik. Thanks also to our younger volunteers from our parish Faith Formation program, coordinated by Janelle Rohr. 2023 – IT’S AN ODD YEAR Retired Pope Benedict recently died. It was very … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – January 8, 2023

HAPPY NEW YEAR! (AND CONTINUED CHRISTMAS WISHES) I hope your Christmas season has been splendid, with many opportunities for time with loved ones. I know I’ve enjoyed worshipping at St. Matt’s, spending time with friends and family, and having my daughter in town for Christmas vacation. Special thanks to music director Jill Kilzer, our choir members, and all the musicians who’ve enhanced our worship during this season. I’ve heard many compliments! My hope for 2023 is that all of us are a light for others, as Fr. Steve said in a recent homily. In my short time here, I’ve repeatedly seen St. … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – January 1, 2023

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Welcome, one and all, to St. Matt’s for Christmas 2022. We’re glad you’re here, celebrating Christ’s birth with us! Christmas is a season that involves the giving of gifts. I’ve often been reminded of that lately, every time I see the many gifts this community has given to Isaac’s Blessing Bags. There’s another type of gift I notice every time we gather for worship: your presence, here in church or online. It is good to be together. Thanks(?) to the pandemic, I’ve grown to appreciate togetherness ever more. One more thought on gifts: I see St. Matt’s as a gift to the West … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – December 25, 2022

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE WORLD? One of the hallmarks of our parish is our respect for people as they are. I see evidence of that on a regular basis. Visitors and new members often comment on our hospitality, and our willingness to accommodate requests for sacraments. We also offer opportunities for change and growth. I’m reminded of John the Baptist, challenged his listeners to repent, to change, to see the world in new ways. Fr. Steve often preaches on such themes, e.g., by recalling Vatican II’s teachings on respect for conscience. That was a change from pre-Vatican II approaches. It’s been … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – December 18, 2022

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR RETIRED RELIGIOUS Our second collection today supports religious sisters, brothers and order priests. They devoted their lives to prayer, service, and works of mercy. Most ministered for little or no pay. Their religious communities do not have enough retirement savings. Your gift helps to furnish medications, nursing care, and other necessities. Please use the special envelopes for this collection. Make checks out to the Church of St. Matthew and put “Religious Retirement Fund” in the memo line.  You may also contribute to the Religious Retirement Fund next weekend, if … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – December 11, 2022

HAVE A BLESSED ADVENT Happy New Liturgical Year! The season of Advent starts our church calendar anew; sorry I missed greeting you in last week’s bulletin. One reason I look forward to Advent each year is that we have the opportunity to sing special hymns of the season: Advent season, that is—with its hymns of anticipation and longing. I also like Advent’s gradual build up to the full glory of Christmas, as opposed to skipping straight from Thanksgiving to Dec. 24-25. In that spirit: if you stop by the parish office in the next couple of weeks, please admire the Advent wreaths, among other … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – December 4, 2022

SIGNS OF THE TIMES In a recent homily, Fr. Steve talked about the signs of the times. As he said, it is wise to pay attention to them. It is prudent to act on them. He went on to compare the early 1960s with today. In response to the signs of the times in the 60s, Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council into session. He knew that our Church needed to engage—not retreat—from everything that was happening. How might we read today’s signs? How can we respond, locally and beyond? I’m glad that part of our parish’s continuing response involves feeding the hungry (Loaves & Fishes), … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – November 27, 2022

ON SYNODS AND SYNODALITY Perhaps you’ve heard of the worldwide synod process initiated by Pope Francis? Or not? After all, most media don’t pay much attention to synods, admittedly a somewhat obscure topic. So, let’s review. In Roman Catholicism, a synod is basically a type of meeting, or a series of meetings. Our local Archdiocese actually began its synod process before Pope Francis did. You may be among those who attended various sorts of local synod meetings over the past three years, whether here at St. Matt’s or regionally. Those meetings involved listening, preparation and engagement … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – November 20, 2022

WAIT, WHAT, WHICH COLLECTION? I occasionally imagine Old Testament religious leaders saying something like this: “This week’s special collection of goats supports the poor people living on the north end of Jerusalem. Please be generous.” More to the point, our faith tradition from ancient times has asked for support through prayer, time, and treasure—whether our treasure be in goats or dollars. I trust that everyone prays for our parish on a regular basis. I also know that we have many and great volunteers donating their time and talent. (For example: thank you, Men’s Club, for an enjoyable … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – November 13, 2022

THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE It’s November. Traditionally, this is the month when we Catholics collectively remember our deceased family and friends. How do we do that here at St. Matt’s? One of our traditions is to write their names in our Book of Remembrance. Look for that book near the front entrance of the church, before Mass begins. Who comes to mind? Write their names in the book. Throughout this month, we’ll place the book in the sanctuary. (The Book of Intentions is placed there for the other 11 months of the year.) The Book of Remembrance tangibly reminds us of an important reality: … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – November 6, 2022

DATA, DATA, DATA Have you ever heard the saying, that to a person with a hammer, everything looks like a nail? I sometimes feel that way with regard to requests for data. That is, to a person with a computer, everything looks like data. Such is our modern world. For example, we fill out a Parish Survey every October. We send that data to the Archdiocese. Much of it is compiled and sent on to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Part of the survey asks for basic contact info, such as staff members. Another part asks for counts of Mass attendees during the month of … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – October 30, 2022

VATICAN II, 1962-1965 The Second Vatican Council opened its first session in October of 1962. If you’re old enough to remember it, what comes to mind? (If you’re not old enough for personal memories, I’m still interested in what comes to mind. How has the Council affected your faith journey?) The first thing that comes to my mind is a “good news, bad news” type of story. In fourth grade, I was trained to be an altar server—in Latin. When I returned for 5th grade, the nuns had news: we had to retrain as servers—in English. Fr. Steve’s homily from last weekend triggered my memories, when he … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – October 23, 2022

LOCAL SUPPORT (1)  . . . comes in several forms, such as prayer, volunteering, and financial. As I mentioned last week, we’re not sending out a general stewardship letter this fall. Rather, we simply ask you to continue supporting our faith community as best you can.  Start with prayer. If you can volunteer and/or contribute financially, great! It all helps. It all makes a difference. We do have a specific fundraising effort this month, however. That’s our 3rd Annual November Giving Thanks Fundraiser. It’s like a raffle: for every $20 donation, you have 30 chances to win a cash prize, one … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – October 16, 2022

CAPITAL NEEDS Many thanks to all who attended last Saturday’s Fix-It Dinner! Together, we raised $2,000 towards installing safety equipment such as cameras. It was also a great social event for our community. Special thanks to chefs Greg, Steve and Greg for the delicious food! Speaking of safety equipment and other capital needs, you might notice a change in the next batch of contribution envelopes you receive. We’ve replaced the Maintenance envelope with one called the St. Matthew Capital Needs Fund. It’s a broader category, more useful for planning and accounting purposes. Capital needs, … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – October 2, 2022

UP ON THE ROOFTOP Last week, Englund Roofing began needed maintenance on the roofs of our Parish Center (PC). During the bidding process, their inspectors praised whoever installed the PC roof years ago. That was nice to hear. Because of that past work of good quality, Englund recommended only maintenance work, e.g., caulking and scupper repair. That saves us money, compared to replacing the roofs. In addition to the PC roof work, Englund will replace the scupper on the sloped part of the church roof (on the parking lot side). They’ll also install a new downspout there. That should stop the … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – September 25, 2022

STORIES AND FOOD I don’t think there’s any coincidence that stories and food are at the core of our Catholic faith life. What do I mean by that? I’m referring to several connected realities. One of them happens at Mass, which always features Scripture stories, followed by a ritual meal. More formally, we speak of Mass as having two main parts: “The Liturgy of the Word” and “The Liturgy of the Eucharist.” Whichever words you use, Mass is central to our Catholic identity. Another reality happens when we meet with family, friends and St. Matt’s community members to eat and tell stories. This … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – September 18, 2022

QSA Update I’m pleased to report that Quantum STEAM Academy (QSA), the charter public school leasing our school building, has increased its enrollment yet again. Classes began August 29, and I recently visited the school to talk with its director and teachers. Now heading into its third year, QSA expects over one hundred students for the 2022-2023 school year. This compares with about 60 students in their first year, and about 90 last year. This growth is good news for QSA, of course. I believe it’s a credit to their leadership, teachers, and curriculum. (STEAM = Science, Technology, … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – September 11, 2022

GRATITUDE I’ve heard it said that we should express gratitude every day. With that in mind, I want to thank everyone who helped out with last Saturday’s Mass in the Park. I know it’s a lot of extra work for musicians, sacristans, food preparers, and others. That extra work contributed to our special tradition in the St. Matt’s faith community. It’s much appreciated! I’m also grateful for friends and family, including opportunities to see them in person. For example, I recently flew to Portland, Oregon, to visit my oldest brother, Dick, and his family. Dick has ALS, so it was a poignant … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – August 21, 2022

FINANCE COUNCIL, BUDGET Our Finance Council meets 11 times a year, always seeking to manage our parish finances as well as possible. At our most recent meeting on July 28, for example, we reviewed the status of our million-dollar mortgage loan with Catholic Finance Corporation (CFC). A little history: In May of 2016, St. Matt’s took out that CFC loan in order to install an elevator in the school building. An elevator was necessary to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which covers any institution receiving public money—such as the charter public school renting … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – August 7, 2022

AIR CONDITIONING AND ELECTRIC WORK Well! I’m sure glad to have the air conditioning working again. That’s a good thing for all of us. Because of supply chain issues, it took several weeks to get all the AC parts needed. Both inside and outside components needed work. Soon, we’ll get a bill for the AC repair—for parts and for labor. I learned in the course of the AC repair that one of our major church electric panels needs replacement. That panel is located in the boiler room, and it dates to the 1968-70 construction of the church. That panel is well past its expected service life! Steve … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – July 24, 2022

Welcome Dinner Have you recently joined or rejoined St. Matt’s? I ask because we’re having our first post-pandemic Welcome Dinner on Tuesday, July 26. We’ve mailed out invitations to new and returning members, based on available information in our parish database. It’s possible we missed people. If you’re new or have returned to St. Matt’s in the last 15 months or so—and you didn’t receive an invitation in the mail—please call the parish office at 651-224-9793. Let Angela know, so she can update our records—and let her know if you want to come to the July 26 dinner. And welcome! Parish … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – July 17, 2022

CAMP, COOPERATION, AND COMMUNITY Last week, I wrote a bit about one of my favorite weeks of the year: Danebod Family Camp. I’ve attended since 1981, enjoying my hobbies of singing, dancing, crafts, conversation, and more. As I mentioned, one of our camp discussions drew on Oliver Burkeman’s 2021 book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. Besides promoting hobbies, Burkeman also highlighted how important it is to engage with others: “Almost everything worth doing . . . depends on cooperating with others, and therefore on exposing yourself to the emotional uncertainties of … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – July 10, 2022

ON VACATION AND MORTALITY “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.” At least that’s what George Gershwin et al wrote back in the 1930s, in the opera Porgy and Bess. Friends and I sang that song a couple of weeks ago. I was on vacation at a place called Danebod Family Camp, in Tyler, Minnesota. We also sang dozens of other songs, in addition to other activities such as folk dancing, crafts, games, and discussion. It was a great week! I led one of the camp discussions, guided by Oliver Burkeman’s 2021 book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. Burkeman calculates that if a person … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – July 3, 2022

SUPPORT YOUR PARISH - EFTs Some parishes need to ask their members for extra contributions to finish their fiscal year in the black. (Our fiscal year ends June 30, along with all other Catholic churches and schools in the Archdiocese.) Fortunately, we don’t have to do that at St. Matt’s this year. That’s because of the consistent, solid operating support many parishioners provide. Thank you! Electronic Fund Transfers (EFTs) are a convenient way to contribute regularly. Over the phone or in person, I can set up an EFT for you. I’ll need your bank’s name, routing number, and your bank account … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – June 26, 2022

SUPPORT YOUR PARISH I’m continually impressed at everyone’s generous support of St. Matt’s mission, whether it be through gifts of time, treasure or talent—or some combination of the three. Mary Leibl’s column regularly addresses time and talent, so I won’t go into those here. Rather, I want to continue talking about money. Last week, I reported that contributions per month are ahead of what we projected last summer. We are on track to finish our fiscal year in the black. We’ve paid all of our regular bills. We’ve even managed a few small, overdue building projects. Monetary contributions … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – June 19, 2022

PARISH FINANCES I’ve been promising to provide more financial reporting for a few months. Here’s a start, based on our monthly financial reports from our accountant at PASC (Parish Accounting Service Center). Total April contributions were $40,646.56. That’s well over our monthly budget projection of $20,133.33, largely because of Easter season contributions. Compare those results* with the other months since the beginning of the calendar year, January 1: Month Contributions ($) Budgeted ($)** April … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – June 12, 2022

SYNOD AND SYNODALITY Synod is a word derived from synodus, a Greek word meaning assembly. In our Catholic tradition, it’s used to refer to special assemblies—such as the consultative series of gatherings currently underway in our Archdiocese. You might recall kickoff meetings about three years ago, dialed back during the start of the pandemic, and resuming last fall with parish-based events. This weekend—Pentecost, the “birthday of the Church”—marks the latest stage in our local synod process. Over 500 people from throughout the Archdiocese are gathering at Cretin-Derham Hall for lengthy … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – June 5, 2022

APBA, etc. There are several ways St. Matt’s stays connected to the larger church of which we’re a part, i.e., the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. For example, we’ve been participating as a parish in the current synod process—the next step being next weekend, June 3-5. More on that in next week’s bulletin. For my part, I meet regularly with my administrator colleagues—sometimes online, sometimes for breakfast. Back on May 19, I traveled to St. Gerard Majella in Brooklyn Park, for an APBA meeting and lunch. (APBA = Association of Parish Business Administrators) I find these … [Read more...] about Parish Administrator’s Note – May 29, 2022