Rejoice!
Rejoice, be glad, and give thanks! Our Lord is come. That’s unusual grammar, but it points to a religious reality. God came in person two thousand years ago. God continues to come into our lives.
That reality leads us to say again, Merry Christmas! According to our religious calendar, we’re in the Christmas season until January 12, the Baptism of Our Lord. (After that, we’re in Ordinary Time until Lent.) I don’t know what music the malls are now playing; we’ll sing our Christmas songs for two more weeks.
Our community’s Christmas joy is tempered by the loss of our long-time pastor, Fr. Steve Adrian. As one parishioner said to me, it’s been a very poignant time. Indeed.
Fr. Steve’s funeral is now behind us, but his stories are still with us. You’re invited to share your Fr. Steve stories at two “Soup and Story” gatherings we’re hosting next month. (Fr. Steve really liked soup.) One gathering will be after the 4:15 p.m. Mass on January 25; the other will be after the 10:15 a.m. Mass on January 26. All are welcome.
Here’s an additional opportunity: feel free to write up your memories of Fr. Steve and send them to Angela in our office. We’re thinking you or someone else could read them aloud on January 25-26—and perhaps we’ll be able to gather them into a memory booklet.
You can also send photos to Angela (arakow@st-matts.org).
Stewardship
Special thanks for your generosity during the Christmas season. Our Christmas collections are a boost to our budget, helping us to continue feeding the poor, sheltering the homeless, ministering to the sick, and more.
Please note that if you want your contributions to St. Matt’s to be counted in 2024, we must receive them by Tuesday, December 31. (Our office will be open until 1:00 p.m. on the 31st.) Any contributions received on Wednesday, January 1 (or later), will be recorded as 2025 contributions. Either way, thank you for your support!
Have a great week! Happy New Year!
Phil Grant, Administrator
Safe Environment Coordinator
651-224-9793
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