Saint Matthias Parish
128 Bryn Mawr Avenue Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania 19004
W e b s i t e : w w w . s a i n t m a t t h i a s . o r g
E m a i l : m a t t h i a s @ s a i n t m a t t h i a s . o r g
Founded 1906
R e c t o r y : 6 1 0 - 6 6 4 - 0 2 0 7 F a x : 6 1 0 - 6 6 4 - 3 5 5 9 Parish Religious Education Office and Youth Office: 610-664-1942
Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 8:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m.
Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m.
Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confessions): Saturdays at 4:15 PM, also by appointment ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reverend Monsignor Gerard C. Mesure, Pastor Parish Business Manager: John Yura
Reverend John A. McGinnis, Retired Priest Director of Parish Outreach: Peggy Haley
Deacon Michael J. Kubiak Director of Liturgical Music: Berthilla Wiscount
Brandon M. Artman, Seminarian Coordinator of Religious Education: Peggy Haley
Director of Youth/Young Adult Ministry: Katie Bryson _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEW PARISHIONERS: Welcome to Saint Matthias Parish! Please see
Monsignor and register at the Rectory after any weekend Mass. Additional
information about registering at Saint Matthias Parish may be found on our
website.
RECTORY OFFICE HOURS: The office staff is available for business matters
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
APPOINTMENTS: You are asked to arrange an appointment in advance by
telephone with the Priest you wish to see.
SICK CALLS: Emergencies – Please call the Rectory. Hospital Visitation –
The Parish Priests will be happy to visit any Parishioner who is hospitalized.
Please contact the Rectory, since hospitals do not contact the Rectory.
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: The Sacrament of Baptism is administered most
Sundays at 11:30 a.m. Arrangements are made in advance at the Rectory.
Sponsors must provide proof of eligibility by a letter from their respective
Pastors. First time parents attend a Pre-Jordan Meeting prior to Baptism,
which is arranged at a mutually convenient time.
SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE: Arrangements must be made with the Pastor
at least six months before the date of the Wedding. Pre-Cana instructions are
required. Weddings may be scheduled on Saturdays between 10:00 a.m. and
2:00 p.m., or on Friday evenings.
A U G U S T 16 , 2015 – T W E N T I E T H S U N D A Y I N O R D I N A R Y T I M E
075 Saint Matthias - 2
August 16, 2015 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday, August 15, 2015 – Vigil, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time 5:00 Gertrude Keegan
Sunday, August 16, 2015 – Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:30 For Our Parishioners *10:30 Patricia Finn Thornton 7:00 Marian Mullahy
Monday, August 17, 2015 – Weekday
7:30 Bill DelGross
Tuesday, August 18, 2015 – Weekday 7:30 Agnes Campbell
Wednesday, August 19, 2015 – Weekday/St. John Eudes 7:30 Sr. Rita Powell – 75th Jubilee
Thursday, August 20, 2015 – St. Bernard 7:30 Chrystina Zydzik
Friday, August 21, 2015 – St. Pius X 7:30 Nicholas Chovanes
Saturday, August 22, 2015 – Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
8:00 Richard Bradley 5:00 Elizabeth Zsembik
Sunday, August 23, 2015 – Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time *8:30 The Lombardi Family 10:30 Thomas Hunt 7:00 Dr. Joseph Kariyil
*Extraordinary support through the Saint Matthias Day Program LIVING LIGHTS: On the side of the Sanctuary near the statue of the Sacred Heart is a place where three candles burn for special intentions. If you wish to have one of these candles burning for your intention, please bring your donation and intention to the sacristy or the rectory office. The Donation for these candles is $10. This week’s candles are lit for: Our Youth, Marriage & Family, and Special Intention.
Priest Celebrant Schedule: August 22/23
5:00 Msgr. Mesure
8:30 Fr. McGinnis
10:30 Msgr. Mesure
7:00 Fr. Quan Tran
H.O.P.E. – Helping Other People Enthusiastically H.O.P.E. volunteers assist fellow Parishioners by providing transportation to doctors’ offices, banks, and supermarkets. The Captain for August 17 – 23: Marisa Fusaro – 610-664-8564.
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK: Carmel Bane, Joseph Butler, Tom Hennessey, Jr., Marie D. Fratini, Martha Eckert, Richard Knorr, Stephen Williams, Ryan Williams, Wyn Marino, Thomas Liciardella, Jeanne Glick, Nita Dransfield, Anthony Massini, Louise Rascioli, Paul Snyder, Joe Casino, Irma Bates, Mary Takacs, John Lynch, Dorothy Rubincam, Eugene Scotti, Catherine O’Connor, Tom Klemick, Alec Boult, Frank Diebold, Louise Grato, Bernie, Katherine, Jordan Damas, John DiVivo, Baby Michael Anthony
Siniscalchi, Mary Rowland, Joan Grzeskowiak, Gerry Gregory, Roger & Lelene Lifleur, Josette Brun, Eleanor Kuhl, Joe Campopiano, Fran Cravereo, Jim Cassalia, Hannah D’Agosta, Jacqueline Gregory, Christine Ambrose, Lorraine Beaulieu, Dr. Joan Hurlock, Theresa Jandrositz, Raymond Sullivan, Rev. Thomas Wheeler, SJ, Thomas Melone, Maryhelen Hogan, Thomas O’Connor, Jr., Dante Scott, Gerard Hilard, Gabriel Minders, Chadd Kraus, Sr. Rita Powell, Elizabeth Ann Fergione, Bill Duffy, John Luciano, Carol Fautsch, and David Grahn. We also pray for those served by our Parish in Inglis House and Bala Nursing Home. If you
wish to have someone’s name added to our prayer list, please call the Rectory. Kindly notify the Rectory when a name should be removed from the Sick List.
MEMBERS OF THE PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL: Heidi Anderson, Pat Black, Ethan Boldt, Tom Bruner, Katherine Bryson (ex-officio), Maggie Duffy, Peggy Haley (ex-officio), Ross Holgado, Ray Nepomuceno, Mark Rooney, Peggy Saeger (Secretary), John Yura (ex-officio), H. Nelson Keyser III (Finance Council representative), Mike Utkus, Berthilla Wiscount (ex-officio).
Sacrificial Giving ~ Stewardship
Collection for August 8/9: $ 5,579
Thank you for your continued sacrificial generosity!
It’s not too late to make your
Catholic Charities Appeal donation!
Visit www.catholiccharitiesappeal.org, or place it in any
collection, marking it for Catholic Charities. Thanks to
your generosity, we were able to exceed this year’s
parish goal! But those in need still need our help…
075 Saint Matthias - 3
Dear Parishioners,
You would think that requiring a teacher in a Catholic school to teach what the Church teaches would be pretty much expected. You would think that when a teacher publically rejects an important doctrine of the Church, everyone would understand that person, no matter how “nice” they may otherwise appear, simply should not be teaching the Catholic Faith to our children. In fact, you would hope that such a teacher would see the conflict between their public stance and their professional responsibilities as a Catholic teacher and, if they were a person of integrity, they would step aside.
The media and outside advocacy groups have been in overdrive this summer attacking the Church for simply requiring that teachers in our Catholic schools uphold the teachings of the Church. Local State Senator Daylin Leach was reported as going so far as to suggest that Catholic schools should actually be forced by the state to accept teachers who oppose Church teachings -- so much for Freedom of Religion.
Under attack here is the teaching of the Church (and for that matter the natural understanding of virtually every civilization from the beginning of recorded history) that marriage is a unique relationship between a man and a women in which their committed love has the wonderful potential of producing a new human life in a setting that places that new life under the care of her mother and father.
In fact it is precisely the unique potential for producing new life in a setting that will best nurture that life that gives society and governments a reason for promoting marriage in the first place. The government simply has no reason to play Cupid in promoting other romantic relationships between any two (or more?) people.
The media is only giving one side of this important question. So, no matter where you think you stand on the topic, I recommend that you take time to read Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom by Ryan T. Anderson for a thoughtful look at the subject.
Our government now defines marriage in a way that subordinates the needs and rights of children to the desires of adults. The media and some powerful corporations have aggressively promoted this distorted view of marriage. It is already in the cultural air we all breathe. That is all the more reason why our Catholic schools need to stand for a healthy culture of marriage.
Father Mesure
Parish Bus for Papal Mass
We have reserved a bus to
take people to the Papal Mass
on Sunday, September 27th.
Those who signed up when
we first asked about interest
have already been given seats. We have about 25
additional seats available on the bus.
We still do not know where the buses will be
parking. In any case, a great deal of walking will still
be involved. We do not have a firm time for departure
but it could be as early as 10 AM for the 4 PM Mass.
The cost will be around $35 per person – but even that
amount does not cover the actual cost of the bus, so
any additional donations would be welcome.
If we have more people interested in the bus
than we have seats, we will use a lottery system.
So, if you are interested in reserving spots on
the bus please return the form below to the rectory by
next Sunday, August 23rd. We will give preference
to registered members of the parish. Please only
submit one form per household. Please only list the
number of people actually living in your home (not
extended family from elsewhere or visitors).
We will notify those who have seats by
August 27.
BUS FOR PAPAL MASS
NAME: ____________________________________
ADDRESS:_________________________________
PHONE: ___________________________________
NUMBER OF PEOPLE: ______________________
Congratulations to Jerry Francis, who was
recognized by RSVP for the many contributions he has made to the Lower Merion Community. Jerry was presented with both the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Gold Award.
As a volunteer, he has dedicated more than 14,000 hours of his time and has served as the President of the Lower Merion Historical Society for the last 16 years. Jerry spear-headed the restoration of the Cynwyd train station and the development of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail.
Jerry was also instrumental in the gathering of information and production of our parish’s centennial book and video in 2006, and continues to volunteer his time here at Saint Matthias.
RSVP is a non-profit organization serving and supporting the community through volunteerism.
075 Saint Matthias - 4
Parish Religious Education Program (PREP)
Classes resume Sunday, September 13th
Welcoming children who enter K in September
PREP continues through Grade 8
REGISTRATION FORMS AVAILABLE AT ALL CHURCH ENTRANCES
Any parish child (6th and 7th grade)
who has not received the
Sacrament of Confirmation
and attends
a private or Cathlic school please
contact Peggy at the Rectory ASAP.
The Sacrmanet of Confirmation takes
place in the child’s home parish.
Peggy Haley at 610-664-0207 or
DRIVER NEEDED
A parishioner is in need of a
ride to and from either the
Saturday, 5:00 PM Mass or
Sunday, 10:30 AM Mass. Currently lives at
Oakwyn House in Wynnewood. Please call Peggy
at the rectory if you are able to help. Thanks!
Andi Bauman, one of our cantors, is seeking elder care/companion work. She is available for at least 20 hours per week, and is available for overnight work. If you have any needs, and/or can pass this information along, Andi can be reached at 610-324-1739. Questions are welcome, and references are available.
World Meeting of Families Film Festival The World Meeting of Families Film Festival
will open September 22 and close on September 25, just before Pope Francis’ arrival in Philadelphia. It will be held at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, adding to the many cultural and family-friendly events being planned across the Philadelphia region for the week of the 2015 World Meeting of Families Congress (September 22 – 25) and Papal Visit (September 26 – 27).
Films set to be shown include, “The Mighty Macs,” the story of the NCAA Champion Immaculata College Women’s Basketball Team, and “Diary of a City Priest,” which tells the story of Father John McNamee and his work at St. Malachy Parish in North Philadelphia. “The Mighty Macs” and “Diary of a City Priest” star Philadelphia-born actors David Boreanaz and David Morse, respectively. Other films to be shown include “The Wizard of Oz,” “Invincible” and M. Night Shyamalan’s “Wide Awake.” The festival will also premiere “Urban Trinity,” a film chronicling the history of Catholicism in Philadelphia, produced by Sam Katz. This film will premiere on September 23 at 8 p.m.
All films will be shown in the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center, with the exception of two films. On September 24, 1,400 high school students from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the School District of Philadelphia will gather at Congregation Rodeph Shalom for a special screening of the Academy-Award winning film, “Schindler’s List.” On the evening of September 25, an outdoor screening of the popular Sing-a-Long version of “The Sound of Music” will be held at Dilworth Park. A final schedule will be released in August, and ticket information for all shows will be forthcoming. Updates: www.WorldMeeting2015.org.
Vatican Releases Schedule for Pope Francis’ Visit
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015 9:30 a.m.: Private arrival, PHL International Airport 10:30 a.m.: Mass with Pope Francis in the Cathedral
Afternoon: Seminarians of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary greet Pope Francis at the front steps of the seminary 4:45 p.m.: Address by Pope Francis, “We Hold These
Truths …” on the expected themes of religious liberty and immigration, outdoors at Independence Hall
7:30 p.m.: The Festival of Families (Ben Franklin Parkway) Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015
9:15 a.m.: Address to cardinals and bishops attending the World Meeting of Families at St. Martin’s Chapel
at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary 11 a.m.: Visit with prisoners and select families
at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility 4 p.m.: Papal Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
7 p.m.: Celebration of the World Meeting of Families for supporters and volunteers at PHL International Airport
7:45 p.m.: Official departure ceremony at airport
075 Saint Matthias - 5
CASSEROLES FOR SAINT JOHN’S HOSPICE
We are grateful to those who make a casserole, freeze it in a foil pan (pans & recipes available in the church vestibules), then place it in the gym lobby in the morning of the third Monday of each month. The next pickup will be tomorrow – Monday, August 17. Saint John's Hospice seeks to be a community grounded in faith and service where homeless persons find dignity, respect, nourishment, and opportunities for new beginning. Many thanks to those who exercise this Corporal Work of Mercy to ensure the homeless of Philadelphia have a hot meal at Saint John’s.
Second Collection Envelopes
This Weekend: Catholic Education Collection This collection is used to support the various educational projects of the Parish, in particular, it underwrites the costs of our PREP program and the subsidies we as a Parish provide for our children attending Catholic grade schools. Second collection envelopes should be placed in the main collection at the time of the offertory of the Mass. Next Weekend: Catholic University Collection
We invite our young adults in their 20s & 30s to
gather together to deepen their Catholic Faith,
develop friendships with other believers, strengthen
a sense of community, and find help to live our
Catholic faith through service and discipleship. The
Saint Matthias Young Professionals Group meets on
the third Wednesday of each month. The next
meeting is this Wednesday, August 19 at 7:30 PM at
the New Tavern, 261 Montgomery Ave. We will be
discussing Pope Francis’ new encyclical Laudato Si,
which you can read at vatican.va. For more
information please contact Katie Bryson at 610-664-
0207 or [email protected].
PREP (Parish Religious Education Program) Teachers needed! Volunteers are needed to be teachers and teachers’ aides at PREP/CCD classes this Fall. Classes take place on Sundays from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. If you are interested in sharing of your time and talent to help build the religious foundations of our young people, please call Peggy Haley at the Rectory for an interview: 610-664-0207.
“Urban Trinity” Film Screening
On September 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Wolfington Teletorium at St. Joseph University’s Mandeville Hall, guests will be able to get a sneak peek at one part of HMP’s three-part “Urban Trinity” documentary, which will premiere at the World Meeting of Families the following week. This part of the film focuses on The Bible Riots of 1844. After the screening, Executive Producer Sam Katz will moderate a discussion about the impact the riots had on Catholic Philadelphia – prompting the formation of the city’s parochial school system and the Philadelphia Police Department, among other developments.
Panelists will include Dr. Margaret McGuinness, Vice President of Mission at LaSalle University; Dr. Katie Oxx, Asst. Prof of Religious Studies at St. Joe’s; and Dr. Elizabeth Hayes Alvarez, Asst. Prof. in Temple University’s Department of Religion.
Admission is $65, but with the code “EARLYBIRD”, guests who register prior to September 1 will pay just $50. Information/tickets at www.philly.com/bibleriots; space is limited.
Helping hands needed
“Fall Kick Off”
Sunday, September 20th
Contact Peggy
075 Saint Matthias - 6
September 22-27, 2015
Visit
www.WorldMeeting2015.org See the conference line-up, including speakers,
sessions, and conference schedule, and register.
Read about the transportation plan.
Learn about the events taking place throughout the
week.
See prayers and learn about the WMOF saints.
Learn about volunteering. More than 10,000
volunteers are needed to help with this historic
event!
Host a family. You can open your home to host a
family or individual.
Learn more about the many WMOF-related events
for locals and visitors alike, such as the Vatican
Museums exhibit at the Franklin Institute, and a
large mural at St. Malachy’s School that is part of
Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program.
Shop for WMOF merchandise.
Those without internet access may call 215-587-3661. Merion Mercy Academy, an independent, all girls Catholic High School sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, is seeking to hire coaches for Field Hockey Head Varsity, JV and assistant coaches. Please contact Barbara Clarke, Athletic Director, at [email protected].
The Abbey Faith and Music Festival, at Daylesford
Abbey in Paoli on September 19th, is a response to
the repeated call of our Church for a “New
Evangelization”. This festival will be a day for
Catholics of all ages to celebrate the truth and beauty
of our faith and to experience the power of up-lifting,
Christ-centered music to unite us more closely with
God and one another. This extraordinary day will
include speakers, music, food, Holy Mass, the
Sacrament of Reconciliation, ending with candlelight
Eucharistic Adoration. Visit TheAbbeyFest.com!
August, 2015
Universal: That volunteers may give themselves generously to the service of the needy.
Evangelization: That, setting aside our very selves, we may learn to be neighbors to those who find themselves on the margins of human life and society.