October 11, 2020

...a community of faith and love

Mission Statement With the Word of God as our foundation, the people of St. Matthew Catholic Parish strive to be the presence of God in our community. We do so through joyful worship, fellowship among our members, a welcoming spirit to visitors and seekers, an increasing willingness to give our time, talent and treasure to serve God’s people and a desire to spread our faith through ongoing spiritual sharing.

Saint Matthew Catholic Church

Our Parish Family

We welcome into our parish community all visitors, new members, old friends and those returning Home to us.

Mass Times Saturday Vigil: 4:00pm

Sunday:7:30am, 9:00am and 11:00am

Holy Days: Will be announced Monday—Saturday 8:30am

Rosary: Monday—Saturday 8:00am

Sacrament of Penance Saturdays 3:00pm—3:45pm

or by appointment through the parish office.

Pastor Very Reverend

Thomas J. Anastasia, V.F.

Priests Assisting: Rev. Terry Fleming Rev. Tony Fortunato

Deacon

Deacon Tony Quattrocki

St. Matthew Catholic Church 9111 90th Avenue Largo, FL 33777

Phone (727) 393-1288 Fax (727) 398-2683

Website www.stmat.org E-Mail: Info@stmat.org

Parish Office Hours

Monday-Thursday 9:30am-4:00pm Friday 9:30am-12:00pm

COURAGEOUSLY Living the Gospel

Pastor's Column Dear Friends in Christ, 10/11/20 The first reading for this weekend is of-ten chosen for funeral liturgies as it congers up images of mountain top experiences and dreams of the heavenly kingdom. Every now and then I get the sense that when people come to honor a loved one at a funeral mass from a different or no religious tradition, they will mistakenly take part in holy communion. Sometimes I blame myself for not being clear or giving no instruc-tions prior to communion time. Whatever the particulars I never get the sense that there is mal-ice involved.

The gospel emphasizes the inclusiveness of the invitation to the “kingdom of heaven” as if it were a “wedding feast” for the son of the king. What is striking is the harsh treatment of those not properly out-fitted for such an occasion. The casual dress issue is a cultural reality that goes far beyond our worship setting. Previous generations dressed up to attend sporting events. Now it’s common to see people dress in T-shirts at Broadway plays. While I don’t like to set rules of dressing in a certain way for Mass, I must admit that it’s nice to see families dress up in their Sunday best. In my training of Altar Servers, I would al-ways tell the kids to “look holy” as that exterior disposition might just reflect our interior state of God’s grace working within us. That indeed is the point. The reception of God’s grace does not depend upon a well-dressed fashionista but a disposition of the heart that is open to receive that grace and a willingness to follow His Word.

The balance struck in the second reading is marvelous. Are you so grounded in your faith that it really doesn’t matter if your circum-stances change from abundance to being in need or vice versa? Can you enjoy feasting days and endure fasting days with the same amount of focus on the central purpose of such days? Every year, I save a week of my vacation time for October because I enjoy the Fall in New Eng-land. This week I will am simultaneously looking forward to a week in cooler weather and regretting that I will be missing the variety of activi-ties that are happening here at home. I don’t know if that makes me more perfectly balanced or unstable but there you have it. Next week-end is World Mission Sunday.

Peace in Christ,

Fr. Tom J. Anastasia Pastor

Readings for the Week of October 11, 2020 Sunday, Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 25:6-10a; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Phil 4:12-14, 19-20; Mt 22:1-14 or Mt 22:1-10 Monday Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31—5:1; Ps 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5a and 6-7 Lk 11:29-32 Tuesday Gal 5:1-6; Ps 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48; Lk 11:37-41 Wednesday, Saint Callistus I, Pope and Martyr Gal 5:18-25; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6; Lk 11:42-46 Thursday, Memorial of Saint Te-resa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church Eph 1:1-10; Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6; Lk 11:47-54 Friday, Saint Hedwig, Religious; Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin Eph 1:11-14; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 12-13; Lk 12:1-7 Saturday, Memorial of Saint Ig-natius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr Eph 1:15-23; Ps 8:2-3ab, 4-5, 6-7; Lk 12:8-12 Sunday, Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 45:1, 4-6; Ps 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10; 1 Thes 1:1-5b; Mt 22:15-21

The Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mass Intentions Saturday, October 10 4:00pm Medieros & Braga Families Sunday, October 11 7:30am People of the Parish 9:00am Amelia Gannon † 11:00am Richard Dennis † Monday, October 12 8:30am Donald Otte † Tuesday, October 13 8:30am Richard Mura † Wednesday, October 14 8:30am Hillary Marder † Thursday, October 15 8:30am Sean Tocarz † Friday, October 16 8:30am Anthony and Della Suarez † Saturday, October 17 8:30am Rhoda Hux † 4:00pm John Walker † Sunday, October 18 7:30am Richie Meyer † 9:00am People of the Parish 11:00am Krista Froncillo †

The Deacon’s Corner Although October is called Respect Life Month in all actuality we are all called by God to celebrate life and support each other as we journey throughout our entire life. Faithful Catholics should be dedicated to the sanc-tity of human life, in all its stages and in each person, regardless of their ethnicity, nationality or social stand-ing. We are all Children of God, each with an innate dignity that comes from the hand of God, from every child, beginning from the very moment of their concep-tion in their mothers’ womb waiting to be born into this world, to those who live on the fringes of society, such as the imprisoned, or who sit on “death row”, to those who have outlived their families and friends, who wait each day for the call from Christ to come home…all walk the sacred path of life given them by God, and we are called to support them in that sacred walk of life.

Our society is battling the darkness and evil where one person takes advantage of another and treats others as mere objects, imposing forced labor on them or enslaving them to pay their debts. Domestic Violence, prejudices, verbal or physical abuse should not be ac-cepted any longer. The same kind of evil thinking leads to the sexual exploitation of children and aban-donment of the elderly who no longer serve societies interests. During October, as we focus and publicly pray and witness for life, please don’t leave it up to a “few” of us but let us ALL pray and support life, fairness and justice. Please meditate and then act upon the meaning words of Sacred Scripture. Let us DO… MORE… FOR… OTHERS! PHIL 2:1-11

God Bless!

Deacon Tony

Under Construction

We are currently in the process of updating our fire alarm system. The sanctuary is closed after morning Mass during the week and not available for private prayer until the installation of the new system is complete, about October 21st. Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for the inconven-ience.

The beautiful flowers in front of the Altar this weekend,

have been donated in loving memory of Hillary Marder.

Prayer for Priests & Future Priests Eternal Father, We lift up to you these and all the priests of the world. Sanctify them, heal and guide them. Mold them into the likeness and holi-ness of your Son Jesus, the Eternal High Priest. May their lives be pleas-ing to you. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

10/12 Rev. Greg Tottle

10/13 Zachary Brasseur, Seminarian

10/14 For Vocations to Priesthood & Religious Life

10/15 Rev. Allan C. Tupa

10/16 Rev. Garry A. Welsh

10/17 For All Retired Priests

10/18 Rev. Augustine J. Mailadiyil

www.stmat.org † Building a caring community that serves others.

Parish Sacrificial Giving Summary

In gratitude for the gifts we re-ceived from God, we thank all Pa-rishioners and visitors who made a joyful return to the Lord this week-end.

October 4, 2020

Offertory $ 8,879 Online Giving $ 4,971 Total $13,850

Sign up for Online Giving! It’s simple and convenient.

Go to stmat.org, and click on the Online Giving link for more info

on how to sign up.

St. Vincent de Paul In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus say: “Many are in-vited, but few are chosen.”

To give thanks for all that God has given to you, have you considered answering the call to help serve the poor by joining the Society of St. Vin-cent de Paul?

Pray the Rosary With Us

Join us Sundays at 10:10 am in the church sanctuary to pray the Rosary. We will be praying for an end to the pandemic, our country, and for peace. The Rosary is a powerful prayer! Pray from home if you can't join us in person. Our prayers can make a difference in the world.

APA October 4, 2020 Goal $84,971.44 Pledges $88,433.00 Paid $80,816.86

# of Pledges 284 # of Families 669 Average Gift $ 311.38

Thank you for your generosity!

Gift Nook Update Our church’s Gift Nook is offered on an honor sys-tem for the convenience of our parishioners. During the last 3 months, $190 worth of items were taken without being paid for. Please make sure to put your payment in the mail slot in the wall, follow the signs. Remember the 7th Commandment: “Thou shalt not steal.”

October 11, 2020

SEASONS This coming Monday, Oct. 12th, SEASONS, Sis-ters Encouraging And Sharing ON Scriptures, will meet at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary for an evening on "Finding Peace in These Troubled Times." All safety provisions will be in place. Our masks may cover our noses and mouths, but

that doesn't prevent our hearts from being touched, so all women are en-couraged to join us!

Sign Up to Find Out...

We Send a Flocknote Friday Newsletter and Emergency Updates Just text "STMAT" to 84576

Click the confirmation link to complete your registration & select the groups you're interested in learning more about!

40 Days For Life

September 23—November 1

Prayer and Fasting ♥ Community Outreach ♥

Peaceful Vigil Sign-Up….Stand-Up….Pray and Witness for Life! Last Friday members of St Mat-thew Parish Stood up for life and

in prayer. Our next assigned day is Friday, October 23. More infor-mation and Sign-up sheets will be

at the entrances of the Church in a few weeks. Join us for at least 1 hour of Public Prayer to end Abor-tion.

October is Respect Life Month and we are going to spotlight dif-ferent ways we can be more re-spectful about the sanctity of Life……

"Caring for Loved Ones at

Life's End" "Those who are

dying remain in need of the

tenderness of personal human

contact. Ask if you might gen-

tly brush your loved one's hair,

apply lotion to her hands or

feet, or simply hold his hand.

Tell stories, laugh, and share

memories to reassure the per-

son he or she is a cherished gift,

not a burden in any way."

Congratulations to Deacon Tony and Jill Quattrocki renewing their vows of marriage in celebration of their wedding anniversary. God bless them always!

St. Matthew parish celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi yesterday with a blessing of the animals by Deacon Tony Quattrocki. Thank you to everyone who

came out with their pets.

BAPTISM of INFANTS: The Sacrament of Baptism celebrates God’s love and initiates us into the com-munity of believers called

the Church. We are the Church, and each baptism we perform or witness is a sign of our faith in Christ’s power to renew the face of the earth. Baptisms are celebrated during the Mass. For Baptism preparation classes for par-ents, contact the parish office: (727) 393-1288. We recommend attending before the birth of your child.

SACRAMENT OF THE SICK: Call the office at any time in case of seri-ous sickness. If you are hospitalized, the priest assigned to the hospital will administer the sacrament.

SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE: Call the office a minimum of six months in advance. Participation in Journey to Matrimony or Pre-Cana program is required.

VOCATIONS: Contact Fr. Chuck Dornquast for more information at (727) 345-3452 or spvocation@dosp.org.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: Assistance to the needy. Calls are monitored and returned dai-ly. Phone 592-1960.

PROJECT HUNGER: On the third Sunday of every month, donations of food for our food pantry are collected.

SACRAMENTS FOR ADULTS: R.C.I.A. is for adults and unbaptized teens wanting to be Catholic Chris-tians. Please contact the office of Faith Formation at (727) 393-1288, ext. 204.

WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Meet at 7:00pm the third Tuesday of every month—August through May. New members are always welcome!

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The Knights of Columbus St. Mat-thew Council #11226, extends an invitation to all Catholic men to join our council. The

council meets the First Monday of the month. If you are interested in hearing more about the Knights of Columbus, please contact Thaddeus Freeman at 727-394-2000.

Parish Staff

Clergy:

Very Rev. Tom Anastasia, V.F.

(ext. 205)

Deacon Tony Quattrocki (ext. 203)

Deacon.Tony@stmat.org

Director of Evangelization and

Mission: Phil Coit (ext. 204) Phil.Coit@StMat.org

Coordinator of Faith Formation:

Marissa Miranda (ext. 207) Marissa.Miranda@StMat.org

Youth Ministries:

Lisa Limberger (ext 206) Lisa.Limberger@StMat.org

Music Ministry: Chantal Ward

Office Manager:

Mandy Rose (ext. 201) Mandy.Rose@StMat.org

Maintenance Staff:

Joe LaFrazia

Don Koster

myparishapp.com / Sacraments and Ministries

CENTERING PRAYER: Centering Prayer is a form of silent contemplation practiced both as a part of a group and in our daily lives. We meet Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm for approximately one and a half hour. Please feel free to come join us. Call Judi Valori at 727-399-2306 or jvalori@tampabay.rr.com if you have any questions.

SICK OR INCAPACITATED:

Please contact the parish office if you, or a family member, would like to be included in our monthly prayer list. If you are unable to attend Mass, let us know if you would like to schedule a visit from an Eucharistic Minister. SACRAMENTS FOR TEENS:

CONFIRMATION for baptized teens

wanting to complete their Sacraments.

Please contact Youth Ministry, Lisa

Limberger at (727) 393-1288, ext. 206.

SACRAMENTS FOR CHILDREN: First Communion and Reconciliation for baptized

children ages 7 and old-

er. Please contact Maris-

sa Miranda at (727) 393-

1288, ext. 207.

Consider becoming a member of

St Matthew Parish. To register as a member: 1. Online at www.stmat.org

2. New Member Info Packets are

in North & South Narthex or ask a Greeter to help you locate a packet.

3. Come to the Parish Office, weekdays and fill out a form.

As a convenience for our parishioners, we have a notary public available to you in the

parish office. There is no charge for this service.

Dr. Lori Puterbaugh Dr. Lori Puterbaugh, www.drloriputerbaugh.com, is a licensed Mental Health Counselor and Marriage & Family Therapist, with 20+ years’ working with individuals, couples and families. She has spent 12 years as a guidance counselor in Catholic schools, was commissioned by the Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute in our diocese, and has been involved in other ministries including grief, faith formation, Spirit FM, and diocesan minis-tries. She is available to meet with individuals, couples and families at St. Matthew Catholic Church on Wednesdays and Thursdays. A sliding scale fee is available. For an appointment or information, please email drlori-puterbaugh@earthlink.net or call 727-559-0863.