Church of St. Matthew – Bulletin Insert
October 27, 2024
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our Budget
We’ve posted our current budget on our website. By current, I mean Fiscal Year 2025 (F25), which began July 1, 2024, and ends June 30, 2025.
In addition to the notes on the budget summary itself, please note the following:
- We have adopted a budget with a slight surplus. This is our usual practice.
- Regular collections have been stable for the past few years. Thank you for your support!
- Our budgets have some major revenue variables—such as our multiple tenants—which make forecasting more complicated. Chief among these is Quantum STEAM Academy (QSA), now in its 5th year leasing our school building. The rent they pay is largely determined by how many students they have, and that number can fluctuate. Fortunately, their enrollment has grown each year. That means their rent has gone up— which has enabled us to continue payments on our 2016 elevator loan and maintain the building.
- Our Archdiocesan assessment for F25 reflects a one-time increase because of Harry Selken’s $562,000 bequest a couple of years ago. In F25, our assessment will decrease by $45,000.
- Assessments are calculated for all parishes, based on each parish’s Annual Parish Financial Report (APFR) to the Archdiocese. The APFR is an important measure of financial accountability. We submit ours this week.
- For more information, feel free to ask me or any Finance Council member. If we don’t have an immediate answer, we’ll look it up!
To find our budget, go to https://st-matts-archive.org/parish-pastoral-council and scroll down to the bottom, under Financial Reports.
Phil Grant
Pastoral Administrator
Baptism Preparation for Children 6 years and younger
At St. Matthew, Baptism Preparation meetings are offered on a regular basis — usually the third week of every month.
The next meetings are on:
- Tuesday, November 12 at 7:00 PM
- Saturday, November 16 at 10:30 AM
Preparation meetings are required for parents and guardians with children aged six or younger. If you have had a child baptized at St. Matt’s in the last five years, you may waive this requirement — but you’re invited to attend a meeting if you wish.
Registration is required, at least one week in advance. To register — or for more information —please contact Cristina Czaia () or call the Parish Office (651-224-9793).
Baptism Preparation for Children 7-13 Years Old
Baptism Preparation for children age 7-13 and their parents will involve three classes over the months of November through January, on the following dates:
- Wednesday, November 13 at 5:00 PM
- Wednesday, December 18 at 5:00 PM
- Wednesday, January 15 at 5:00 PM
Attendance is required for parents/guardians, and their children.
Baptisms for older children will occur in February, before Lent so that these children are prepared to make their First Communion during the Easter season with their peers.
First Communion formation is done through our Faith Formation program. Please email Janelle Rohr () for more information on First Communion preparation.
Registration for the baptism preparation classes is required by Thursday, November 7. To register – or for more information – please contact Cristina Czaia () or call the Parish Office (651-224-9793).
The Sounds and Sights of Saint Matthew
The Bells of Saint Matthew will ring on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 for Greg and Vicki Baker’s 48th wedding anniversary.
If you would like to schedule a day to ring the bells or a week to light the sanctuary lamp for your special memory, person or event, please contact the parish office at 651-224-9793 by 1:00 PM, Monday – Thursday.
ECFFF Leader Training
St. Matthew is starting an ECFFF (Early Childhood Family Faith Formation) program in January 2025 for families with children birth to five years old.
To help our program succeed, we need:
- Parent Leaders, to facilitate parent conversations. Parent leaders are expected to attend training sessions*.
- Early Childhood Leaders, to facilitate parent/ child group time, circle time, and children’s play. Early Childhood Leaders are also expected to attend training sessions*.
- Early Childhood Assistants, to assist the leaders. Assistants must be age 12 or older.
Training will take place at St. Matthew on Saturday, December 14 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Training is free and sponsored by St. Matt’s and run through the Early Catholic Family Life (ECFL) program. There is no cost to you.
For more information or to sign up, please contact Cristina Czaia at
Cristina Czaia
Director of Music and Liturgy
Prayers of the Faithful
Our parish has several ways in which we can pray for others:
- We include names of those who need prayers in the weekly bulletin.
- We include names of those who need prayers in the Prayers of the Faithful during Mass.
- You can include names in the Book of Intentions, found in the back of the church.
When requesting to add a name to the Prayers of the Faithful, we kindly ask you to obtain the individual’s permission for bulletin publication and inclusion in the weekend Prayers of the Faithful.
Due to a long list of names on our prayer list, the names of sick for weekend Prayers of the Faithful are divided into groups and rotated weekly. The name will remain on the list for two months after which time it will be removed.
To keep the name on the Prayers of the Faithful and weekly bulletin for an additional times, call the parish office (651-224-9793) or email Angela ().
We ask that you contact the parish office to keep the list up to date with any changes.
Attention Parents – ECFFF
Are you interested in an opportunity to connect with other parents in our community? Would you like to deepen your relationship with your child through playful worship and faith sharing? How about helpful discussions on parenting and early childhood?
If so, consider ECFFF: Early Childhood Family Faith Formation. St. Matt’s is starting an ECFFF program, and it welcomes families with children birth to five years old.
We plan to start the program beginning in January 2025. For more information or to sign up, please contact Cristina Czaia at
Boy Scout Wreath and Popcorn Sale
Boy Scout Troop 288, chartered by the Community of Saints Regional Catholic School, will be taking orders for their annual Wreath and Popcorn Sale from now through THIS Sunday, October 27, 2024.
Your order will be distributed before and after each Mass the weekend of November 23 and 24. Payments will be collected at distribution.
You can find the order forms and contact information at the back of the church. Please see flyers in the church for pictures of the wreaths.
New Ministry Schedule
We will be writing the new ministry schedule the week of November 4. This schedule will begin Thanksgiving Day, November 28, and run through Sunday, March 2, 2025. It will include the 4:15 PM Christmas Vigil Mass and the 10:15 AM Christmas Day Mass.
Please let Mary Leibl () know by Monday, November 4, which days you would be available, and/or which Masses you cannot serve. Thank you for your continuing service to St. Matthew’s Parish!
Gluten-free host available beginning this weekend – October 26 and 27
If you have Celiac disease or another condition that does not allow you to receive a regular host, please inform an usher or greeter before the beginning of Mass.
At the end of Communion, one of the ministers will be at spot 5 near the tabernacle to distribute gluten free Communion to you. Gluten Free hosts will be in an individual pix so that there is no cross contamination.
Community of Saints Regional Catholic School in West St. Paul serves students PreK-8th Grade. We are committed to providing a sense of belonging rooted in faith, inclusivity, and love.
Join us for our monthly tours and lunch with the 2nd graders! Tours are the first Tuesday of every month.
Please contact Natalie Hartung to register at 651-457-2510 or .
Turkey Bingo
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Mark your calendar for Men’s Club’s annual Turkey Bingo on Saturday, November 9 in the Social Hall after the 4:15 PM Mass.
Doors open at 5:00 PM and bingo starts at 5:30 PM. There will be 12 games for turkeys (cash if there are multiple winners in a game), 3 games for cash prizes and a raffle for turkeys. Children, accompanied by an adult, are eligible to play bingo. Food, beer, wine and pop are available for purchase. Featured meal will be Turkey Wild Rice Hot Dish. Burgers and hotdogs will also available.
Community of Saints School Collection
Next weekend’s second collection will be in support of Community of Saints Regional Catholic School. Thank you for your generous support!
Election Day: November 5, 2024
Once again, St. Matthew Parish Center is a polling site on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Please keep this in mind when you are coming to the Parish Center as parking may be limited.
Gifted and Belonging Meeting
Gifted and Belonging will hold their next meeting at St. Matthew on Sunday, October 27 from 6:30 – 8:00 PM in the Social Hall.
Gifted and Belonging aims to provide Catholic fellowship for young adults with disabilities, seen and unseen. The group invites you to get together to share a brief time of prayer and reflection followed by games and social activities. Contact Megan at for more information.
Community Band – First Fridays
Next St. Matt’s Community Band session is on Friday, November 1 at 6:30 PM (after Mass) in the Social Hall.
All levels and instruments are welcome, from beginning musicians on up. Children 12 or younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Those aged 13-17 may come on their own. However, they must bring a signed permission slip from a parent or guardian.
For more information, please email Phil Grant () or call the office.
Preparing for Heaven Workshop – Postponed
I regret to inform you that our Preparing for Heaven workshop has been postponed. It had been scheduled for November 7.
We rely on the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota to line up most of the speakers for this event. They were unable to get the ones they most needed, so they’re now looking to the spring. We’ll keep you posted.
Phil Grant
The Seniors Blue Book: Resources for Aging Well
The Rosary Society has obtained free copies of The Seniors Blue Book: Resources for Aging Well and is offering them to parishioners. Please take one for yourself and/or a friend or family member who may be caring for an older person. They can be found on tables at the back of Church and also in the Parish Center.
Book of Remembrance
During November, a book will be placed at the front entrance to the church where you may write the names of deceased family and friends. This book will then be moved to the sanctuary at the beginning of each Mass throughout the month of November.
Volunteering with Loaves & Fishes
Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit organization with a mission to serve free, healthy meals to Minnesotans where the need is greatest. Loaves & Fishes has been serving free community meals from the St. Matthew Social Hall since 2006. Currently, St. Matthew hosts one of the largest free community meals for the organization.
Volunteers work with a Site Coordinator to chop fruits/veggies, complete salads, and finish entrees during the Preparation/Package shift. Throughout the Service Shift, volunteers pass out meals and greet guests in drive-up or walk-up service. They also assist with keeping service materials organized and light cleanup.
Loaves & Fishes is in need of more volunteers! To volunteer at St. Matthew, go to https://app.initlive.com:443/JE/sn85yp14q9vcal to sign up.
For youth participation guidelines, contact Loaves & Fishes Director of Volunteer & Outreach at .
See bulletins and inserts for additional news and events at the Church of Saint Matthew.
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