The LeDGeR Issue 7 August 2017

St. Matthew the Apostle Church

❖ One ❖ Parish ❖ One ❖ Family ❖ One ❖ Journey ❖

Pastoral Reflection:The start of the school year usually acts as a new beginning for us. I haven’t been in school for decades and yet my brain and my body recognize this time of year with a renewed desire for structure, schedules, and strong commitments.

As we begin the 2017-2018 school year, there is a structure I’d like to bring to our St. Matthew community. You may recall last year that we had a theme for the parish based on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This year, the theme is based on the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are the lived realities that show we have accepted God’s invitation to a life of love with Him. This relationship has transformed our hearts and made us capable of living like Jesus in our words, thoughts and actions. In my own life, when I notice my behavior toward God, my neighbor, or myself becomes increasingly mean, impatient, stubborn, unforgiving, etc., I am confronted with the reality that my prayer life is probably suffering, too. I want to encourage all of us, as we “begin again” this school year, to go back to our roots of prayer and Sacraments and watch for the fruit it bears.

We will look for the different fruits in our lives one month at a time: September is love, October is joy, November is peace, December is patience, January is kindness, February is goodness, March is faithfulness, April is gentleness, and May is self-control. The effort we put into our relationship with God and the miracles of the grace He freely gives us through the Holy Spirit will be the only things that will produce these life-giving fruits in our lives. I look forward to this journey with you all and am excited for all that God has planned for St. Matthew this year.

Father Ted

Another Successful Summer Festival!By Stephanie and TC Couhig, Festival Co-Chairs 2017

Another wonderful St. Matthew Parish Summer Festival weekend is in the books. The Summer Festival serves many purposes. It raises funds for the school and religious education programs as well as providing fellowship and a place for friends old and new to visit. Lastly, it connects the parish to our neighborhood and community. On all accounts, the 2017 Summer Festival was a great success!

This year’s Festival brought back some old favorites – fantastic rides for the kids, Carfagna’s spaghetti and meatballs for Saturday dinner, the charity poker tournament, and the Cake Wheel. We also had some new surprises, including make your own tie-dye St. Matthew shirts, a battle of St. Matthew Coaches in the dunk tank, and the Knights of Columbus famous, hand-beer-battered Alaskan Cod dinner on Friday night. Each night, visitors to the Festival enjoyed delicious food, refreshing drinks, as well as music from talented bands. From Kiddieland to Monte Carlo, there were games and entertainment for all ages. The squeals of delight coming from the rides, to the laughter coming from the dining room and beer garden were confirmation that everyone had a wonderful time.

As always, the Festival’s success is directly attributable to a large number of dedicated volunteers and sponsors, and to each one of you who sold raffle tickets, baked cakes, and visited the Festival. We thank you all and look forward to seeing you next year!

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Calling, All Women of the Parish! By Father Sill

Women Walking With Purpose, a women’s intentional Bible Study begins in October, Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“How I wish I could…tell you how much you are loved and treasured by God. You might already know that, or you might doubt it with every fiber of your being. Regardless of where you are at, God will meet you right where you are. He doesn’t ask you to clean up first or hustle to prove your worth. He just says come.”

Lisa Brenninkmeyer, Founder & Chief Purpose Officer of Walking with Purpose.

I repeat these words of Lisa Brenninkmeyer. I want so badly for all of my spiritual daughters to know how much you are loved and treasured by God. I have been working with Jenna Zins, Director of Evangelization, to form a team of women in the parish who will coordinate and run this Bible Study. Our hope is that through the unique beauty of femininity, the Lord will build up our community of Catholics here at St. Matthew. I encourage all female parishioners (including all the single women, all the mothers, all the widows, all the busy women, all the frightened women, all the skeptical women) to participate in Women Walking With Purpose. This Bible Study meets every week either on Wednesday mornings or Thursday evenings for an hour and a half and childcare is provided. The first meeting will be the week of October 2, and the final meeting will be the week of March 12 (with breaks for holidays). Please look for promotional materials in the coming weeks. Know that I am praying for an openness in each of your hearts.

Calling, All Men! By Steve Davis

It seems today that all of us men have very busy personal and professional lives. Do we take time for ourselves to grow spiritually so that we can lead our families in these very secular times?

Statistics show a higher divorce rate and more single parent families. This has been the attack of our culture and the evil one for years. As men, we need to take responsibility and make sure this doesn’t happen to our own family. Growing spiritually is a labor of love and an investment in the future. We all want the best for our families, and there is no better way than to get involved in the Church. Attending Mass as a family, finding a ministry to get involved with, and shining the light on others by actively living our Catholic faith are all good ways to do this. Did you know there are forty-nine ministries in the Parish? Get plugged into one of them!

Starting on the morning of September 9th, and the evening of September 10th, we will start a new season of TMIY. (What does this stand for?) Join us on either of these times and be with like-minded Catholic men and grow in your faith to be the husband and father God intended you to be. Lead the domestic church (your family) in growing together and showing the world that we, as Catholic men, are standing up to the culture of divorce and working to preserve our families and to promote the idea that marriage is truly sacred. It is a sacrament that we need to take more seriously in order to leave a legacy of living faith for the next generation.

My challenge to all men of the St. Matthew Parish is…to prayerfully consider stepping out of your comfort zone to attend one of the TMIY programs to grow in your Catholic faith. God bless; we pray that we will fill the rooms for each of these programs.

An Extra Visit to the Chapel by Kathy Martin

I am a regularly scheduled Adorer. On January 15, following the 8:00 a.m. Mass, I decided to make an extra visit to

the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. My husband, Jim, had been in the hospital the previous week and he had just been moved to a nursing facility for an anticipated one-week stay.

My Eucharistic Chapel visit that morning was a short one because I was anxious to visit my husband. My

prayer was equally short. I simply asked God to give me the grace to accept whatever His will was for Jim. Whether it was to let Jim get better, be confined to a nursing home or to take Jim home with Him.

I arrived at the nursing facility just as my husband was going into cardiac arrest. By 12:00 noon, Jim was on his

way to his eternal home. Even though his death was very difficult to accept, our loving Father did indeed give me the

grace to handle it, and continues to do that daily. My daily prayers are now prayers of thanksgiving.

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Catholic Kids Camp 2017 Sacred Heart Squadron: Saints in Training by Julie Ratliff and Katie Ryzenga

At this summer’s St. Matthew Catholic Kids Camp, we spent a week of faith and fun learning about the Sacred Heart of Jesus at our Sacred Heart Squadron Camp! Each day our saints-in-training visited with St Catherine of Sienna, Blessed Pier Giorgio, St. John Vianney, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Therese’s Parents Saints Louis and Zelie Martin. We followed their example of loving Jesus and bringing His love to our families, friends and church. We also explored ways to grow closer to Jesus: prayer, the Mass, making a spiritual communion, consoling Jesus’ heart and making a holy hour!

Kids Rooted in Christ by Travis Burtch

This July, 60 middle school students chose to spend a week at Saint Matthew for Camp KRIC (Kids Rooted In Christ). They partook in community and team-building activities, played games, served those less fortunate than themselves and heard a selection from the Gospel of Luke. Throughout this week of fun with small group discussions and a trip to Cedar Point, the students learned the importance of prayer, constant conversion, and a genuine relationship with God. The 15 high school counselors, six college Counselor Directors and the Youth Minister, Travis Burtch, would like to thank Saint Matthew’s parishioners for prayers and support!

We had a great week and look forward to the year ahead with these middle and high school students!

Squadron leaders lead music and prayer.

Every morning campers filled our fuel tank with their acts of love.

Joining our hearts to the Sacred Heart of

Jesus in Adoration.

At Friday’s closing Prayer Service,

Fr. Ogurchock blessed the icons

created by our campers.

The final mission was to create

a prayer space at home

Each day

campers went

home with

a mission.

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My Life Decision. Entering into a Relationship with God by Malena Norasing

When I began RCIA in September, I dreaded the duration. If I wanted to convert to Catholicism after being raised Buddhist, why could I just not get on with it? I learned on the first day that becoming Catholic is not just something you check off on your social media profile. It is a life decision; a relationship that you are entering with God. What I love about RCIA is that no one tries to force your hand. This program is purely about educating you on this monumental decision you are going to make. If in the end, you decide that you are not ready, then no harm no foul.

Being raised Buddhist, with no Christian background whatsoever has presented its challenges. What initially began as a mere thought a few years ago while dating my now husband, has evolved into something I want to do. All I needed was a little time, and what I now know was to embrace the Holy Spirit. God had His plan laid out for me and was just waiting until I was ready. Sadly, it was not until my father passed away that I began seeking answers and solace on my own that I was not getting from my current religion. Receiving my father’s blessing of converting before he even fell ill and passed away let me be able to join RCIA with a clear mind and open heart.

Being a part of St. Matthew Parish and having an incredible Sponsor (Anne Porter), has made my journey that much more enjoyable. Everyone has been very welcoming, forthcoming, and has sincerely shown the spirit of community and Jesus Christ especially, Fr. Sill, Fr. Swartz, and Fr. Ogurchock. Receiving the Sacrament of Baptism during the Easter Vigil was something I had been anticipating for quite some time. To say that I was not the least bit nervous or intimidated would be a falsehood. My comfort is that the almighty God is good and forgiving. I am thrilled to finally become closer to the community and a member of this parish. I am even more excited to deepen my relationship with God in being able to finally receive the Eucharist. I know that He has been calling this entire time and I am finally willing to answer.

Doing Little Things with Great Love by Monica Kowalski, Ph.D.,and St. Matthew School Mom

As a faculty member for ACE (Alliance for Catholic Education), it is important to me to stay connected to K-12 Catholic school classrooms. I like to stay up-to-date on current best practices by visiting schools to observe and conduct research. I also love volunteering in my own children’s classrooms to help facilitate group work, monitor centers, and assist with journal writing. But this year, the teacher did not have any classroom volunteer opportunities, so I decided to fulfill my school volunteer obligation in another way – by signing up to spend a few hours a month in lunch lady land!

With my hair pulled back and latex gloves covering my freshly washed hands, I began to fill trays with pepperoni calzones and scoops of green beans and mandarin oranges. I smiled at each child as most remembered to utter “thanks” before grabbing their chocolate milk and heading to their tables.

This isn’t so bad, I thought to myself. Then the children began to finish their meals and bring their trays back up to the kitchen window, and I was directed to my next duty area: drying lunch trays. I had no idea how tedious and thankless this job would be. It seems like such a simple task to dry a tray, but believe me – it was grueling work. Somewhere around the time I was drying the millionth red lunch tray with my aching fingers, with the loud whirring of the dish sanitation machine behind me, I began to pray.

I prayed in gratitude for the adults, both cafeteria employees and daily volunteers, who made it possible for my children and their friends to purchase healthy meals in their school each day and ensured that no child in the building went hungry. I prayed in acknowledgment of the new perspective I gained about how much effort is involved in the daily lunch process at the school and vowed to never take it for granted. And, I thought of one of my favorite saints, St. Therese, the Little Flower, whose example teaches me to always do small things with great love.

Pray a little...serve a little...and remember why you are there in the first place.

I dried those last trays with all of the love in my heart. Our days are busy and filled with many important tasks, but sometimes it is the smallest deeds that most require our endless zeal. As teachers and school leaders, there are many opportunities to exude zeal in the ways you deal with the big and exciting responsibilities of our work. But there are just as many times when your inbox never gets to zero, the voicemail light is blinking on your phone, there is a line of people standing outside your office door, and a mountain of paperwork threatens to suck the zeal out of you.

If you get a chance, I recommend you roll up your sleeves, put on a hairnet, and spend some time in the school cafeteria. Pray a little...serve a little...and remember why you are there in the first place. Find your zeal in the little things, and do them with great love.

This article was previously printed at https://ace.nd.edu/blog/doing-little-things-with-great-love, where Monica is a regular contributor.

Interested in RCIA? Have questions or want to learn more? Please contact Jen Cabe and jcabe@stmatthew.net.

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For the First Time, I Met Jesus. He Met Me. By Bernadette Buzenski

At the end of my senior year of high school, I was looking for anything fun and new to do that would distract me from leaving for college. A close friend told me to be a counselor for a week at CYSC. Then, I found out my cousin was doing it too. I was convinced: built-in friends and a great place to get a tan. That was twelve years ago and I cannot believe how one summer of wanting to have something fun to do turned into one of the biggest blessings God has placed on my life. Catholic Youth Summer Camp, CYSC, is a week-long overnight camp that engages kids in our high adventure faith through high adventure activities. CYSC is an exciting and wonderful ministry that brings kids in grades 6-12 together from across the country and even some international campers! I don’t know that I could ever adequately express what CYSC has meant to me and my faith formation.

I started my first year in 2005 as a volunteer Counselor and have been a part of the life of the camp ever since. I was simply in awe that summer as Jesus came to be real to me for the first time in my life. I have wonderful parents who have constantly taught and fed my faith life, but for the first time, I met Jesus. He met me. True and real, no one else’s Jesus, but mine… MY Savior. Each week at CYSC, campers attend Mass, participate in wild activities, pray at Adoration, receive Jesus’ forgiveness through confession and are immersed in a culture so vastly different than what the world offers.

After that year, I served another year as a Counselor, Head Counselor, then as the ministry’s Director of Counselors. Seeing camp from the administrative side was such a blessing. I was equipped, formed, and encouraged to teach and form others as disciples who would lead their campers to Jesus in a true and authentic way. I have taught counselors to see that every moment we work for Jesus we are building His Kingdom. We are, in a small way, healing the brokenness of our world by feeding a generation that hungers for Truth. Working for camp and serving Jesus in this way has helped me to grow in my faith and share my gifts and talents. I have a loving community through CYSC. I could honestly speak of the fruit of camp for hours. I cannot call to mind a ministry more authentic, sincere, and fun that shares the Truth of the Gospel in a more tangible way!

To learn more about Catholic Youth Summer Camp, visit cysc.com.

Zach Ratliff, first-time Counselor and fellow parishioner,

is working at CYSC this summer. Here he is presenting a monologue

of St. Thomas the Apostle.

Divine Mercy for Moms by Abbey Morante

On Sunday, July 16th, the Ladies of St. Jude hosted a talk and meet-and-greet with Michele Faehnle and Emily Jaminet, authors of the book “Divine Mercy for Moms.” The women are local to Columbus and have been best friends for years before deciding to write their first book together.

They told stories of life, love, tragedy, and grace. They shared how Divine Mercy has shaped their lives and how we can live it day-to-day. They discussed Saint Faustina Kowalska, her life, and how she has inspired them to live a life of mercy and grace. They spoke to women in the parish about their real life challenges and how God uses those to shape our testimonies all for the glory of His kingdom.

Books were available for purchase at the event with both authors personally signing copies for the women present.

Michele and Emily will be back again this fall to discuss their new book, “The Friendship Project.” Keep an eye out for more details!

Additionally, On August 19th and 20th, the Ladies of St. Jude will be taking donations for the Columbus branch of the Women’s Care Center. Last year, the St. Matthew parish raised over $8,000.00 and donated over 8,000 diapers to the center, making this the largest single donation they have ever received. We are trying to beat that this year. Please be generous in your support of this great cause. More details will be announced closer to the date.

For more information on Ladies of St. Jude events or to learn how to become a member, please visit http://www.stmatthew.net/ladies-of-st-jude, or email an officer at ladiesofst.jude@gmail.com!

Back Row: Joan Hess, Heather Bernard, Beth Aaron, Jeeyoung Gebhart, Melissa Mackey, Annie Miller,

Abbey Morante and Sue Gernetzke. Front Row: Sue Stovall and Kim Kurth

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Welcome Back to School!!PSR Students and Families,

The 2016-2017 PSR year is in the books. The theme for last year was the “Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ignited by Love.” Hopefully, each of you experienced that fire, that desire, that passion to follow and love Jesus, as we spent time in class, attended family nights, enjoyed fellowship and prayed with each other. Each of us is a year older, each of us has grown a little in our faith, and hopefully each of us has learned to share that faith with those around us, which is what we have been called to do by our Baptism.

We, as a Staff, have taken the summer months to reflect, recharge and regroup. A few needed changes have been made in the PSR Office, so please stop by to check it out and say hello. We are looking forward to the return of our children and their families on Sunday nights. Classes start Sunday, September 10, 2017. On that night, we will be reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. At the parent meeting on that first night in the Hutta Gym, we will be taking the time to discuss expectations for the year and also give you a chance to explore a few Catholic topics in breakout sessions.

We will again continue to expand our knowledge and love of Jesus this school year. This year’s theme is “Fruits of the Holy Spirit,” evidence that God is at work in your life. Your children will be looking at the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Each of your children will be asked to recognize these gifts in themselves, in their family, in the classroom, in the parish and in their community. Let us as parents and educators join them in recognizing these gifts in ourselves. Let us show others these gifts by our example in our daily interactions with those around us.

Welcome Back, we have missed you!

Sherry Schoenstein

Dear St. Matthew Students,

Welcome back!

It is that time of year again. Why do summers go by so quickly? Many of you shared your vacation plans with me before we left in June. I am anxious to hear about them when you return.

We have exciting things planned for the 2017-2018 school year. One event is a school assembly in the P.A.C. before the end of our first week. We will introduce our new students and teachers in the beginning of it. I better stop there, or it won’t be a surprise!

Please keep Father Daniel in your prayers as he begins a new parish assignment. We were so fortunate to have him with us last year. At the same time, please pray for Fr. Peter as he joins the St. Matthew Family (another blessing God has provided us). I also ask that you remember Fr. Sill and our entire faculty and staff in your daily prayers as we prepare for another year. We are so blessed to have such awesome students!

Enjoy your last few weeks of summer!

I cannot wait to see your smiling faces when school begins,

Mrs. Maloy, Principal

Congratulations to Grace Ettenhoffer and Jack Lindemann

(pictured with Father Sill and Bishop Campbell) for being awarded the 2017 Serra Award for their Service as Altar Servers.

The LeDGeRaugust 2017 Issue 7 ❖ Page 7

Knights of Columbus Smoker BBQ Event by Steve Davis

If you haven’t heard, the Knights of Columbus St. Jude Council 5801 has purchased a portable smoker. Some of you may have seen this pink object around the Parish grounds and wondered what it was. This is our smoker that is wood fired by (apple, oak, hickory wood) to enhance the flavor of the meat being smoked. This is a slow process of cooking the meat to retain the juices and adding the wood flavor. If you have never had smoked meats before, then you are in for a treat!

This past July 16th was the first time we put the new smoker to use. Our first event included a menu of smoked pulled pork, Arkansas green beans, and coleslaw. The event was a sellout and many of our customers told us the food was delicious. It was such a success that we will be holding similar events each third Sunday of the month (August 20, September 17, and October 15) at the entrance of St. Matthew School under the tent after the 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon Masses.

This is a preorder event and you can either fill out an order form and place the order in the Knights Station in the gathering place or by going online to KofCSmoker5801@gmail.com to order. It’s that easy! If you don’t place an order, we will have some extra food available, but on a limited basis, at each Mass time. What an easy way to have Sunday lunch ready to go after Mass to take home, and the prices are very reasonable!

All proceeds will go toward Charitable Works Ministries. Thank you for your patronage, support, and God bless!

Power or Prayer By Carolyn Ehlen

In July of 2013, I was a new Catholic having entered the Church at Easter that year. It was also the month that I found out that I had kidney cancer.

It would take two months to get me into surgery. There was nothing else to do but wait and worry about the outcome. From the time that I heard the word “cancer,” I felt that I was certainly going to die. Isn’t that what people with cancer did? The Church and my family were my only sources of comfort now. My one prayer was that I could face whatever came my way with courage. I asked God for the strength to face it all with good grace.

Being a new Catholic, I didn’t think that I had any right to ask God to heal me. I had pretty much ignored Him for the last thirty years, and it seemed a little much to come back and immediately ask Him to grant me that large a favor. For weeks, I just prayed for strength and courage but eventually the stress of waiting and an unknown outcome became too much for me. That day, kneeling before taking Communion, I prayed for God to heal me, if it was His will to do so. In my distress, I called out to God and asked what I had never intended to ask. I was praying very hard and, suddenly, I was not in the church anymore. The church had faded away and I was someplace else. I had a sense that it was gray and I was by myself but I wasn’t frightened. Then a voice was saying, “I will heal your soul.”

Slowly, I came back to the Church again and noticed that everyone in my aisle was waiting for me to stand so that they could go up to the altar for Communion. I had a sense of coming back from someplace far away and, in a daze; I got up and went to take the Eucharist. What had just happened? The only thing that I knew was that I had heard the voice of God…but what did His words mean? I had asked Him to heal my body, and He said that He would heal my soul. It seemed to me that if I had a choice between healing my soul or my body, it was better to heal my soul. That might mean that I could enter heaven when I died and, certainly, that was the greatest gift I could have ever wished for.

That was almost four years ago, and I am still cancer free. It appears that God saw fit to heal my body as well. In the years since I heard His voice, I have pondered what happened that day. I have decided that, on that day, God gave me not what I wanted, but what I needed. He comforted me and gave me hope of salvation and Heaven. Why did He decide to talk to me? There are others who are much more deserving of such a gift than I am. I think that God spoke to me, not because my faith was greater, but rather because my faith was less. After hearing His voice, I have not been the same. It has changed me and made my faith stronger. Maybe that was His goal, as well.

Golden Mustangs by JoEllen VickersIn May, Mayor Kneeland was kind enough to install officers of our Golden Mustangs. Our Chaplin is Fr. Ogurchock. Our President is JoEllen Vickers. Our Vice President is Paul Rovnak. Our Secretary is Ann Federer. Want to learn more about the Golden Mustangs and the activities they have planned? Please contact JoEllen Vickers at jfancellivickers@yahoo.com.

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Congratulations to all of those who have joined the Church through the Sacrament of Baptism:

Poppy Ann Rush, Enzo Francis Rillo, Charles Cavanaugh Allbritain, Cayden Viel Caballero Dacalos, Claire Elizabeth Sicairos, Ruby Ann Eckstein, Tate Jordan Susil, Leo Alexander Bernard, Alana Mairwen Godfrey, Jackson Xavier Hunter, William Arthur McCoy IV, Brianna Marie Stephens, Cole Edward Barlage, Alexander Robert Dempsey, Molly Elizabeth Zeller, Jameson Douglas Byers and Emily Elizabeth Pabilona.

Congratulations to All Those Who Received the Sacrament of First Communion in the Spring:

Ayden Akemati, Connor Anderson, Aeva Bacome, Kira Bailey, Anne Baileys, Jack Basten, William Blake, Luke Bricker, Dylan Callam, Lia Campanelli, Dakota Carney, Abigail Carter, Zachary Case, Colin Chalfant, Ava Ciampa, Lauren Conway, Josephina Cotterman, Olivia Crowder, Gabrielle Dages, Lana DiGiacomo, Matthew Donahue, Benedict Dougherty, Natalie Esterly, Carson Eversole, Reagan Fackler, Nolan Feeney, Isabelle Flaherty, Emma Foulk, Angelina Fuentes, Anthony Garreffa, Logan Geig, Owen Gibson, Carson Goettel, Tyler Gunsorek, Samantha Haines, Brooklyn Hall, Layla Hamad, Kian Harr, Samantha Heffernan, Emmerson Hessler, Erin Jenkinson, Julia Kahwash, Zofia Kane, Mason Kessel, Kaleb Kitzmiller, Reaghan Kiwala, Justin Kowalski, Carter Lantz, Isaiah Letzelter, Isabella Mahoney, Jeffrey McAdam, Amaya McClain, Matthew McKee, Luke Michaels, Kerrington Miller, Landon Miller, Bridget Moriarty, James Murray, Molly Neugebauer, Hudson O’Reilly, Kate Oswalt, Kaya Patterson, Maxwell Payer, Camden Peck, Thomas Perkins, Colin Perone, Connor Piatt, Randolf Porter, Jr., Katelyn Ray, Zachary Reeves, Eleanor Ricciardo, Ethan Robinson, Eli Roehrenbeck, Nicolas Sanders, Annabelle Schmidt, Chase Schmidt, Allison Schmitt, Molly See, Rebecca Shope, Lauren Stets, Aaron Szerensci, Lennox Tabern, Gavin Thoen, Zoey Thompson, Stephen Tooker, Dillon Triplett, Breanne Vargo, Luke Vu, Logan Walz, Allison Weisbrod, Jack Whitlatch, Lavon Wilborn, Jr., Aaron Williams, Joseph Williams, Paxton Yates, Luke Zalimas, Vincent Zappa, and Emerson Zielinski.

Congratulations to Our Recent Confirmandi(The Saint name is in parenthesis): Robert Abbey (Raphael), Gabby Abraham (Elizabeth), Audrey Alloto (Ethelreda), Kevin Arent (Michael), Carter Barnes (Matthew), Thomas Bateman (Luke), Colton Beatty (Michael), Diego Benitez (Juan Diego), Abby Beyer (Bl Chiara Badano), Eva Boeckl, Patrick Booker (Denis), Logan Burrell (Thomas Aquinas), Breanna Callahan (Elizabeth), Aiden Cannon (Michael), Samuel Carey (Peter), Dylan Craig (Julia), Gabriella D’Alberto (Michael), Grace Ettenhofer (Elizabeth), Bella Ferrante (Francis), Kaeden Fox (Ambrose), Luke Frankhauser (Adjutor), Matthew Franz (Lawrence), Todd Geis (Peter), Kaleigh Golden (Maria), Kieran Gorospe (Nicholas), Ashi Gunawardena, Campbell Gwin (Michael), Delaney Harmon (Bridget), Will Hast (Francis), Ian Houze, Barbara Jeffries (Clare of Assisi), Samantha Jolley (Maria Goretti), Meredith Jones (Catherine), Jacob Jones (Nicholas), Arman Karimy (Francis), Sam Killebrew, Jackie Kirkland (Gianna Molla), Sohmer Lawrence (Teresa of Avila), Lily Lindemann (Hildegard of Bingen), Jack Lindemann (George), Alex Lofton (Elizabeth), Rachel Maas (Rose Philippine Duchesne), Melina McSweeny (Theresa of Calcutta), Will Miller (Christopher), Joseph Moloney (Joseph), Corey Moriarty (Patrick), Dominic Motter (Francis), Kim Noggle (Dymphna), Grace Nordmoe (Catherine of Siena), Akaolisa Nwokolo (Teresa of Calcutta), Thomas O’Reilly (Christopher), Claire Oliver (Joseph Cupertino), Sydney Onega (Sebastian), Amanda Pancake (Joan of Arc), Caitlyn Perito (Catherine of Siena), Emma Powell (Cecilia), Bryn Power (Teresa of Calcutta), Colton Ramsey (Sebastian), Dominic Ratliff (Genesius), Allison Reeg (Sophia), Michael Roach (Brendan), Blake Roller (Lawrence), Nate Rowling (Michael), John Sands (Sebastian), Hannah Sauer (Therese of Liseaux), Ethan Scharver (Michael), Claire Schuler (Elizabeth), Nicole Schumacher (Anne), Emily Schweitzer (Teresa of Calcutta), Leo Sears (Francis), Ethan Seewald (Gregory), Luke Serraglio (Longinus), Luciano Serraglio (Luke), Riley Sheehan (John Bosco), Lauren Snyder (Victoria), Sara Staheli (Gemma), Nicholas Stasson (Francis), Jack Tomlinson (Sebastian), Dean Vitale (Vincent), McKenna Weber (Faustina), Cameron Weldon (Bernadette), Ben Workman (Augustine), and Rosemarie Zarcone (Mary).

The LeDGeRaugust 2017 Issue 7 ❖ Page 9

Where in the World Did You Go To Mass?Are you traveling in the next few months?

Share a photo of where your family went to Mass! Send it to Karen Lackey at klackey@stmatthew.net.

Joe and Sam Couhig at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Johns Island, SC

The Aaron Family at Holy Family in Hilton Head

The Aaron Family at St. Thomas Parish in Thomas, WV

Bella and Landon Miller at St. John the Baptist Cathedral

in Savannah GA

Bella and Landon Miller at Church of the Ascension in Ft. Myers Beach, FL

The Lackey kids went to the Closing Ceremony Mass for

Catholic Youth Summer Camp (CYSC). Seen here with the Celebrant, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan of

Waterford & Lismore, Ireland.

The LeDGeRPage 10 ❖ Issue 7 august 2017

Go to Mary By Fr. OEarly in my priestly years, I called my mother and asked if she would prepare lunch for me and some of my priest friends. She gasped and said: “O, I couldn’t do that!” I asked why, and she replied, “Because they’re priests!” I said, “Well, what do you think I am?” Her response, “You’re just Jimmy!” Mom was 91 when she died and that’s how I stayed right up until the end, just her youngest kid! I always cherished that relationship. To the rest of the world I was “Father,” but to Mom, I would always be her son!

I wonder if Mary felt that way, too. Remember, at Cana, when she told Jesus about the wine running out and His reply was: “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” Almost seemed like a rebuff, but Mary simply turned to the Servers and confidently said: “Do whatever he tells you.”

You just had to believe that somehow Mary knew that Jesus would honor her request and He did! That particular event tells us so much about the relationship between Jesus and His mother, and also encourages us to “go to Mary” when we need help! After all, though she had a deep respect for Jesus, “He was still her Son!”

Thanks for a great year, Father Daniel!You will remain in our prayers and our hearts.

Prayer of Sir Francis DrakeDisturb us, Lord, when We are too pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true Because we dreamed too little, When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when With the abundance of things we possess We have lost our thirst For the waters of life; Having fallen in love with life, We have ceased to dream of eternity And in our efforts to build a new earth, We have allowed our vision Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wilder seas Where storms will show Your mastery; Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars.

We ask you to push back The horizons of our hopes; And to push back the future In strength, courage, hope, and love.

This we ask in the name of our Captain, Who is Jesus Christ.

The LeDGeRaugust 2017 Issue 7 ❖ Page 11

Staff Spotlight: Fr. Peter Asantebwana

Dear family members and all friends of St. Matthew Community,

I greet you all in the name of Our Lord Jesus. I am so glad to join this wonderful and loving community. I have heard some people talking about an old movie named “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.” Guess what? I am from Kilimanjaro, the highest Mountain in Africa. Many people do not know Tanzania, the country to which the mountain belongs. It is a blessed country with many natural resources. There are many national parks and reserves where people go for Safari. You have heard of Ngorongoro, Serengeti Manyara and Ruaha? I can talk a lot about my country, but that is not the goal of assignment of this paragraph in our newsletter. (Ask me in person)

My name is Fr. Peter Asantebwana from the Catholic Diocese of Moshi in Tanzania. My Diocese is situated along the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. At home they call me Padre Asantebwana (Swahili) or MopiaPeti (Tribal language). So here I can go with any of the two, Fr. Asantebwana or Fr. Peter.

I come from the north Eastern Part of the Country, a place liked by many people from all over the world who enjoy its moderate weather. Not cold and not warm as it is in the tropical area. They enjoy the view of Mount Kilimanjaro that is snow capped throughout the year.

Before coming to St. Matthew, I was in Tuscarawas-Holmes-Coshocton Deanery, residing at St. Francis de Sales Church in Newcomerstown. I was working with the Priests and assisting in the three schools namely TCCES, Immaculate Conception and TCC High School. I was ordained a priest on July 14, 2001, in Moshi, Tanzania. As a priest, I have experienced different assignments. First, I was an associate Pastor for seven months. Then, a Teacher in the Junior Seminary for six years. I was also Vice-Rector and Dean of Students. I attended Walsh University and obtained two Degrees: Masters of Arts in Education and an MBA. I graduated from Duquesne University with Doctor of Education (Ed D).

I have a lot to share about me and my experience as a priest. I am here to serve God and His people (the community of St. Matthew).

“It is by your Love they will know that you are my disciples” (John 13:35).

Let us follow our Lord Jesus Christ by serving one another with love.

August 23: First Day of School for St. Matthew Students

August 26 Blood Drive 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

August 28 Protecting God’s Children Workshop, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

September 10 First Day of School for PSR Students

September 21 Feast of St. Matthew

October 21 Main Event

Please refer to the website or bulletins for further details on times and locations.

Upcoming Events

Our Parish Mission...

St. Matthew Mission Statement:In Baptism,

we are committed to follow and imitate Jesus Christ, to hear and proclaim the Word of God,

to participate in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church,

to nurture a life of prayer, to hunger and thirst for justice, and to practice the commandment of Love.

One Parish. One Family. One Journey. One parish committed to Jesus Christ,

His teachings, His Church. One family seeking to support each other

in faith, hope, and love. One journey towards eternal life in heaven.

St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Church

807 Havens Corners Road, Gahanna, OH 43230614-471-0212

www.stmatthew.net

Social Media Updates:Follow the Parish, School and PSR Programs

on Facebook by liking:St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic ChurchSt. Matthew Catholic SchoolSt. Matthew Parish School of Religion

Parish Office and Clergy: 614-471-0212, http://www.stmatthew.net/about-us/our-staff

Fr. Theodore K. Sill, PastorFr. Peter Asantebwana, Parochial VicarFr. Michael Nimocks, In Holy ServiceFr. James Ogurchock, In Holy ServiceDeacons:Rev. Mr. Joseph MeyerRev. Mr. Larry Koebel

Parish Staff: 614-471-0212Business Manager, Leo GrimesDirector of Evangelization, Jenna ZinsDirector of Athletics, Eileen Buzenski 614-478-8533Director of Information, Robert BuzenskiDirector of Music, Dawn Shininger ext. 1117Parish Administrative Assistant,

Darlene RotellaParish Administrative Associate,

Hillarie MichaelsParish Secretary, Mary OttingPastoral Associate, Mary ThompsonRCIA, Jennifer CabeStewardship and Safe Environment Coordinator,

Karen LackeySchool Principal, Susan Maloy 614-471-4930Parish School Of Religion, Coordinator: Sherry Schoenstein 614-471-2067Secretary, Malinda MoloneyPreschool Coordinator, Julie RatliffCharitable Works: 614-471-5320Wedding Coordinator, Laura Wilson

Next Issue InformationNext Issue information. Thank you to all our contributors, as well as our Amy Zalimas and Jacki Kiwala. If you would like to help edit upcoming issues of The Ledger, please contact Karen Lackey at klackey@stmatthew.net. We hope to have the 8th issue available Mid-November 2017.

Please send any ideas and articles to Karen Lackey. Try to keep articles to less than 300 words. All articles will be reviewed by staff for inclusion and may be edited. Thank you!