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July 26, 2020 · 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saint Matthew
Catholic Church
Welcome to the Catholic Church of Saint Matthew. Whether you are celebrating with us for the first time, vis-iting our community or have decided to make this your par-ish home, the Saint Matthew parish family welcomes you!
Father John Dietrich, Pastor Deacon Brian Armstrong
Sonia Shavel, Parish Secretary R. Greg Romans, Mary Pat Caputo,
Parish Trustees
ADDITIONAL SACRAMENTS For information on the Sacrament of Baptism, the Rite of
Christian Initiation for Adults, the Sacrament of Marriage and the Sacrament of the Sick (Anointing of the Sick) please con-
tact the Parish Office or go to our website.
SCHOOL • (860) 583-5214 33 Welch Dr. • Forestville, CT 06010-6790
Mrs. Helen Treacy, Principal Kate Ricci, Secretary
PARISH CENTER • (860) 583-7806 119 Church Ave. • Forestville, CT 06010-6799
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Maryann Wisniewski, DRE
YOUTH MINISTRY Amanda Binghi, Director
MUSIC MINISTRY William L Hively, Director
ACCOUNTING Deborah P. York, Finance Manager
120 Church Avenue • P.O. Box 9216, Forestville CT 06011-9216
Phone: 860-583-1833 • Fax: 860-582-6152 Email: [email protected]
Web: www.stmatthewrcc.com Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00AM-4PM
New Parishioner Registration: Census/Registration Forms at church entrance and
web page. MASS SCHEDULE
Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. Saturday: 8:30 a.m.
Saturday Vigil, 4p.m. Sunday 7:00 a.m.; 8:30 a.m.; 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
(5 p.m. Mass will resume in the fall)
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (Confession): Saturday 3:00 – 3:45 p.m. (* please remember to wear a
mask) or by appointment. Call the Parish Office.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes
and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Mt 13:44
Thus there is no cost too great to gain entrance into the everlasting riches of Heaven. We know this because Jesus pays the ultimate price of His own life to open the gates of Heaven to all who believe: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
The Parable of the Great Catch continues the imagery of the Kingdom, only now it is the Final Judgment illustrated by the mix of the good and bad fish. At first we note the indiscriminate collection of the catch itself, for the net is cast over a wide cross-section of fish. And as long as the fish remain in the net and therefore in the lake, they remain undifferentiated.
Furthermore we see how generous God is in that the net is not pulled from the lake until it is completely full, perhaps indicating that God does not want a premature separation of the good and the bad. But when the net finally does surface, of course there must be a final scrutiny. Some will be preserved and some will be destroyed. Yet we should note that all of this casting and drawing and sorting is God’s intention to draw as many as will respond into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Finally, Jesus “puts a period” on His trio of
parables with the saying about the householder who brings out the old and the new from the storeroom. The “storeroom” is Israel’s faith and tradition, and the “old” is the teaching of the Law and of the Prophets. And the “new” is Jesus, the revelation of the Father Who fulfills both Law and Prophets, thus becoming Himself the Living Tabernacle from Whom all graces flow.
In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus uses three
parables or stories from everyday life to illustrate the Kingdom of Heaven. Last Sunday’s Parable of the Tares and the Wheat showed God’s mercy in allowing the weeds to grow alongside the wheat until the final separation or Judgement. This Sunday’s three parables—The Parable of the Treasure in the Field, The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, and The Parable of the Great Catch—tell us of the unsurpassable value of the Kingdom of Heaven which is to be sought above all else.
The Parable of the Treasure in the Field. In 1st century Palestine, long before there was
a Bank of America or a Websters, people saved whatever coins they had by digging a hole in the ground on their property. This worked as long as you owned the property. However war was frequent between the Jewish people and her Arab neighbors, and as a result to the victors went the spoils. Sometimes a property owner had to flee quickly because the enemy was suddenly upon him, leaving him no choice but to leave behind both land and buried treasure. Or perhaps he stayed till the conflict ended, hoping his homestead was safe, only to have his property later confiscated. Or sometimes the treasure was simply stumbled upon by a wayfarer, who then sought to try and purchase the field. The point is that the joy in suddenly discovering great wealth is what Jesus likens to the faith-filled discovery of God’s promise of the Kingdom of Heaven.
The same is true in The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. Having found an impeccable pearl, the man would rather risk impoverishing himself to acquire something supremely beautiful. Recall that in the Book of Revelation the gates of Heaven are described as “ . . . twelve pearls; each
one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was
pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21). Though the man has found just one pearl, its value is the greatest he could imagine.
Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
Parable of the Great Catch
First Reading: 1Kgs 3:5, 7-12
“The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” Solomon answered: “O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?” The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request. So God said to him: “Because you have asked for this—not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right—I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.”” Responsorial Psalm: Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
“Lord, I love your commands.” Second Reading: Rom 8: 28-30
“Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.”
Gospel: Mt 13: 44 - 52
“Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time
end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grind-ing of teeth. “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”
THANK YOU TO OUR ST. MATTHEW PARISHIONERS WHO GAVE CASH DONATIONS FOR THIS WEEKEND’S VITAL CHARITY OUTREACH!
DATE: Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26 TIME: Saturday 4:00 p.m., Sunday 7-11:30 a.m. (or until supplies last) LOCATION: Church parking lot, right side of church. Parishioners who wish to give toward the next drive
may place their cash donation in a separate envelope marked FOOD in the weekly offertory baskets. You may also bring your gift to the parish rectory. PLEASE do not donate already purchased items, but save these items for our monthly St. Ann Food Pantry drive.
Thank you!
St. Matthew’s FREE Food
Archbishop’s Annual Appeal 2020 *
Growing in Faith, Giving in Love
Thank you to the 397 parish families who have made a gift or pledge commitment to the 2020 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. Our parish has already raised $87,240
out of our initial goal of $92,000 . If you have not yet had the opportunity, please consider prayerfully supporting the many Good Works of the Archdiocese. Every gift will be gratefully received and sincerely appreciated.
Mother Theresa Food Pantry Food collection every first Monday of each
month. Please leave your donation at the church’s foyer. Thank you for your support!
CRAFTERS WANTED
St. Ann Craft Fair is a “Handmade Crafters Only” Event. Saturday, November 21, 2020, 215 West St. Bristol, CT
For an application & event documents, please contact: Rachel at [email protected]
St. Matthew’ School 2020 / 2021
Schedule and General Information will soon be available.
Thank you for supporting our school!
St. Matthew’s Weekly Offertory Collection
We are very grateful for our parishioners who continue to make their weekly contribution to St. Matthew’s. Your generosity is vital to meet our
expenses and serve our parishioners. For your contributions please note that you can . .
Thank you very much for your faithful support during this
difficult time!
1) Mail your envelopes to the rectory office. 2) Use our Offertory “drop-off” window in the
rectory office entrance. 3) Use our online giving app. Registering is
easy! Just go to our webpage at www.stmatthewrcc.com and click WAYS TO GIVE.
R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initia-tion for Adults) is beginning this summer for those who wish to be-come Catholic or who were bap-tized Catholic but have not re-ceived all the Sacraments of Initia-tion (including First Eucharist and
Confirmation). Please call the parish office, 860-583-1833, to make an appointment with Fr. Dietrich and discuss your situation.
St. Matthew Bereavement
Support Group will meet on Monday, August 3rd from
6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Center.
Please call Rita Lagasse at 860-583-6674 to register.
Family Chalice For Vocations
Romano Family — 4:00 p.m.
will receive the Family Chalice for Voca-tions and pray for Vocations during the next week. If you would like to sign up to receive the Family Chalice for Vocations please contact Rich and Donna Slusz at (860) 589-4318.
.
Lord, we stand today as our forefathers once stood
before You, celebrating our history and rejoicing in
the favor with which You have graciously blessed
us.
We thank You for the blessings of liberty, for our
independence, for peace and for all those who have
bravely given their lives in the defense of freedom.
Yet as a nation and people we have not always
chosen the right way. We ask You to forgive us our
sins against Your love. On this day we commit
ourselves wholeheartedly to honor and serve You.
With everything that we are, we lay our lives before
You.
Make us a generous people, a holy nation,
a people set aside to love You forever,
for the sake of the land of the brave and free, and
all the peoples and nations of the world.
Today, we do not presume Your grace for our
country. Our land is in need of You,
Our people are in need of You.
May we look only to You, always dependent on
You.
St. Matthew Church will offer a Holy Hour,
PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Rosary for our Country; with patriotic instru-mental hymns between decades and reflections from our Founding Fathers
Benediction
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be availa-ble through the day starting right after the 7:30 a.m. Mass and concluding with Holy Hour.
As president of the Continental Congress, John Hancock was the first signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Having written his name in a fine, bold hand, the paradigm for signatures thereafter, he commented, “There, I guess King George will be able to read that.”
Prayer for Our Country
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love! Send forth workers into your
vineyard. Some of our parishioners may choose to serve you by becoming priests, brothers or sisters. Is the Lord calling you or someone you know? If so, call Fr. Michael Casey, Director of Vocations, Pastoral Center, Tel. 860-761-7456, e-mail [email protected] or visit the web at www.hartfordpriest.com.
PRAYER TO END THE PANDEMIC
Jesus of Nazareth, look upon the tribulations that have surrounded us on every side. I beg You with all my heart, contrite and humble and in the spirit of humility, to hear me about
this tribulation. I invoke You and call out to You, Alpha and Omega, Jesus Christ, Lord of all believers and all creatures, that just as You took on true flesh from Blessed Mary, so truly we might receive healing and strength from You. Amen.
Saturday July 25th St. James
8:30 a.m. † Rocco and Josephine Fiorente by their daughter, Jean and Richard Maynard 4:00 p.m. † Thomas R. Wojtusik by Dottie Sone
Sunday July 26th 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
7:00 a.m. † All living and deceased members of St. Matthew Parish
8:30 a.m. † Stella Tanski (5th anniversary) by family
10:00 a.m. † Verna and Lester Bouchard (Anniversary) by Mr. and Mrs. Norman Cyr
11:30 a.m. † Ann Ceneviva (birthday remembrance) by family
Monday July 27th
7:30 a.m. † Jeff Merrow by Nancy Merrow
Tuesday July 28th
7:30 a.m. Peace for a special friend by Joanne and Ron Wagner
Wednesday July 29th St. Martha
7:30 a.m. † Mollie and Joseph Broderick by their daughter, Pat
Thursday July 30th St. Peter Chrysologus
7:30 a.m. † Ray and Karen Beaucar by Ray Beaucar
Friday July 31st St. Ignatius of Loyola
7:30 a.m. † Elizabeth Brown Dumais (birthday remembrance) by her mother, Beverly and brother, Benjamin
Saturday August 1st St. Alphonsus Liguori
8:30 a.m. † Elizabeth Brown Dumais (3rd anniversary) by her mother, brother and children Reagan and Quinn
4:00 p.m. † Bertha Maroney by St. Matthew's Ladies Guild of the Blessed Sacrament
Sunday August 2nd 18h Sunday in Ordinary Time
7:00 a.m. † Thomas J. Ginty Jr. by family
8:30 a.m. † Jean-Yves Laprise by his wife, Judy 10:00 a.m. † Elizabeth Brown Dumais by cousin Judy 11:30 a.m. † Gerard Quintin Jr. by family
Dear Parishioners:
If you are interested in having the name of a loved one included in our prayer list, please, call the parish office during business hours. The prayer list is updated weekly.
Chelsea Rivard, Nicholas Del Mastro, Jill Synnott,
Rita Lagasse, Ann Conroy,
Kim Romano, Blanche Adamczyk, Ada Zoccoli ,
Donald Theriault , Ruth Barto, Daniel Murzin,
Marc Sullivan, Noah Steven Felix, Kenneth Roy and
Armand Roy.
The Parish Family of St. Matthew expresses its deepest sympathy and prayerful support to the families of :
Joseph C. Pardo , Ann Cichetti , Earl J. Dube Sr.
† May their souls rest in peace †
