Welcome to the Church of Saint Matthew, a faith-filled community located in Tolland, Connecticut. We are a Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich.
We extend a warm welcome to all who attend our church. We hope that you will find our parish community a place where your life of faith will be nourished. We also hope that you will share your special talents within the community.
Your prayers, your presence and your talents are most welcome. Please introduce yourself after Mass.
May God bless all of us.
PASTOR'S REFLECTIONS
December 18, 2011
My Dear Friends in Christ:
Next weekend St. Matthew Church will be filled with worshippers as we celebrate the Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a very special time of the year for all Christians as we gather in great numbers in our respective churches to welcome the Christ Child into our midst. Here at St. Matthew's the Christmas Eve Masses on Saturday will be the most crowded, especially the 4:00PM. As we have done in the past, we close off the main church when this Mass is full and invite people to attend the overflow Mass in the parish hall at 4:15PM. We also have a 6:00PM and 10:00PM Mass on Christmas Eve that are less crowded than the 4:00PM. On Christmas Morning we have our usual 8:30AM and 10:30AM Masses.
A gentle reminder - be especially welcoming and gracious to one another at these Christmas Masses. Many people who are not always with us on a weekly basis will join us. Christmas is a time to show our hospitality and love in welcoming them home. I know that you will make room for one another in your pew as you arrive for Mass and be kind to each other in the parking lot. May we all enjoy a very Blessed and Holy Christmas together. God bless you!
Sincerely,
NEW ROMAN MISSAL Q&A
Q. Last weekend when we started using the new translation of the Roman Missal, I noticed that many of us still responded, "And also with you," when the priest or deacon said, "The Lord be with you." I know that the correct response now is "And with your spirit," but why can't we just keep the old one? It's going to be hard to change something that we've been saying automatically for over 40 years.
Besides, what's wrong with the old response?
A. We need to give ourselves time to adjust to the new translation. Because we have been responding in one way for so many years, we can't expect to get it right immediately. There is nothing wrong with the old, it is just that the new translation more closely follows the Latin text, which is the foundational and official text for the liturgy in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church on which all translations are based. The text in Latin is "Et cum spiritu tuo," so the new translation is a more exact reflection of the original words, literally "and with your spirit." Here is some background on this phrase from the great Jesuit liturgist, Joseph A. Jungmann.
"Both the greeting and the reply are ancient, their origins hid in pre-Christian times. In the Book of Ruth (2:4) Booz greets his reapers with Dominus Vobiscum. The salutation was thus part of everyday life. It is met with several times in Holy Scripture (Luke 1:28, cf. Judges 6:12, 2 Chronicles 15:2, 2 Thessalonians 3:16). The reply of the reapers to Booz's greeting was: Benedicat tibi Dominus. [May the Lord bless you.] We employ a phrase which means almost the same thing: Et cum spiritu tuo, a formula which betrays its Hebrew origin and has many parallels in St. Paul (2 Timothy 4:22, cf. Philemon 25; Galations 6:18; also Philippians 4:23). (The Mass of the Roman Rite, Vol. 1, p.363).
St. Matthew Preschool
St. Matthews Preschool will be accepting applications for our 3 and 4 year old preschool classes for the 2012-2013 school year. Your child is eligible for these programs if he/she turns 3 or 4 prior to January 1, 2013.
Registration for Parish members begins on Monday, December 19, 2011, and on Monday, January 12, 2012 for non-Parish members. Application forms can be picked up in the Parish Office or downloaded here.
If you have any questions, please contact the Preschool Director, AnnMarie Galdau, by email or by phone at (860) 872-0200.
For the immediate and desperate needs of the people of Haiti, we recommend direct donations be made online, by mail or by phone to either the Haitian Ministries for the Diocese of Norwich or to Catholic Relief Services by clicking one of the buttons below:
For one-time or recurring donations directly through St. Matthew to St. Pierre Parish and School, please click the link below and choose "Haiti Fund":
Haiti Mission Help a Child in Haiti The St. Matthew Underwriting Campaign for Haiti Mission gives parishioners the opportunity to help a child go to school. Parishioners who would like to support our mission to St. Pierre School in Ganthier may pick up a flyer on our windowsills or at the entrance to the Parish Center, or download a contribution form here. While these are tough economic times in our country, many children in Haiti have no opportunity for an education and don’t know where their next meal will come from. Help us help them! Now!!
The 3 ½ Stories of Christmas
Youth Ministry Benefit for
Habitat for Humanity - Norwich
Last Saturday, December 17th, the St. Matthew Youth Ministry hosted a wonderful family presentation of 3 1/2 Stories of Christmas! It was so much fun!
The Youth Ministry hosted this show in order to raise money for the Habitat for Humanity - Norwich. Habitat for Humanity is planning on building the first home in the city of Norwich since 1992! The ground breaking is scheduled to begin in May of 2012.
If you were unable to attend this performance of
3 1/2 Stories of Christmas there is still time to support our Youth Ministry's effort of raising money for this project. If you would like to donate to the Habitat for Humanity - Norwich please send your donation to:
St. Matthew Youth Ministry
P.O. Box 100
Tolland, CT 06084
For more information please feel free to contact Bridget Thurston at 860-872-0200 x321.
Thank you for supporting St. Matthew's Youth Ministry in their service efforts.
Christmas Season Services CHRISTMAS CONFESSIONS
Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Matthew's before Christmas.
Confessions are heard: Saturdays from 4:00 – 4:30pm
Other special times will be: -Saturday, December 17 from 3:30-4:30pm -Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
December 19, 20 & 21
7:00 – 8:00pm
If these times are not convenient please call for an appointment (860-872-0200). ____________________________
CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE
Christmas Eve
Saturday, December 24th 4:00pm, 6:00pm
10:00pm
Choir begins at 9:30
(Replaces Midnight Mass) _______________
Christmas Day
Sunday, December 25th
Morning Masses 8:30am & 10:30am _______________
Feast of Mary, Mother of God
(New Year's Day)
Sunday, January 1, 2012 5:00pm Vigil (Saturday) 8:30am & 10:30am _______________
Feast of the Epiphany
Sunday, January 8, 2012 5:00pm Vigil (Saturday) 8:30am & 10:30am
2011 Annual Collection
Every parish family should have received a letter from Father this week asking for a contribution to our Annual Collection to help balance our budget and save for future improvement projects.
The participation of ALL parishioners is essential for the success of this effort.
Many Catholics have inherited their faith without a conscious choice. Many of us have never been exposed to the solid faith formation provided by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Why Catholic? uses small faith community sharing (or individual study) to reference, read, pray and treasure our rich Catholic heritage. Together we explore the rich history of our Catholic Faith and share out own experiences. You will find you are not the only one who is curious and who wants to explore their Faith.
During our third session of Christian Prayer we will explore the Apostles Creed, which is often referred to as the first catechism. The small Why Catholic? faith sharing groups will be deepening their understanding of these basic essential tenants of our faith. Share your faith experience, meet new friends! Sign up to participate in one of these groups and watch the life in your parish grow!
We currently have sessions on Tuesday evenings, Thursday mornings, and Thursday evenings. If you would like to register for a session, please contact Brenda Falusi at (860) 871-4494.
Thoughts on Stewardship 4th Sunday of Advent
Dec. 18, 2011
"Do not be afraid, Mary." – Luke 1:30
It can be a little scary to do as God asks – to give Him the first fruits of our time, talent and treasure. The comforting words the angel spoke to Mary can comfort us, too, when we strive to be good Christian stewards – "Do not be afraid."
St. Matthews Preschool will be accepting applications for our 3 and 4 year old preschool classes for the 2012-2013 school year. Your child is eligible for these programs if he/she turns 3 or 4 prior to January 1, 2013.
