A note from your Parish Council:

Dear friends,

Many of you have contacted us over the past several weeks, wondering about the future of St. Matthew’s. Try as we may, we cannot answer you with certainty, because God has not revealed His plan for us yet. Accordingly, we ask that everyone pray for patience and understanding in this time of transition. We appreciate that these are trying times for all of us, but if we rely on our faith and trust in God we will surely triumph in the end. Persevere in your love for our St. Matthew’s family and hold fast to our church while God’s plan is disclosed to us.

Bob Maceluch, Chairman, St. Matthew’s Parish Council

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WEEKEND COLLECTION: $4,096.00	EASTER FLOWERS: $1,243.00
THE SECOND COLLECTION this weekend is for Catholic Relief Services. The second collection next weekend will be for Maintenance and Repairs. Please be prayerfully generous to these collections.
CRS RICE BOWL: Calendars and bowls are available in the back of the church for your Lenten almsgiving. Please visit www.crsricebowl.org for more information.

Our Prayer List

Let us keep our Holy Father, Pope Francis in our daily prayers.

Terry Ankerson, Baby Donnie Wayne Butler, John Calogrides, Ella Comer, Bobbie Dansley, Ann Geisenheimer, Sharon Gibson, Flora Gilbert, Mark Grimes, Edward and Linda Harwell, Mary Howell, Robert Howell, Winston Jarvis, III, Edward Karam, Emma Koppersmith, Carol P. Kreis, John and Barbara Laurendine, Angie Leon, Bob Maceluch, Herbert McAtee, Geraldine McGlasker, Margie McKay, Sue Neely, Trinity Neno, Rena O’Connor, Cheryl Pierce, John Pownall, Fringella Preston, Doug Previto, Walter Haywood Prine, Dixie Pritchard, David Scott, Lucille Scott, James Sealy, Mary S. Seibert, Dell Sharbrough, Diana Sheppard, Carol Shepherd, Stephanie Smith, Allison Repoll Spillman, Paul C. Staley, Artemise N. Walker, Darlene and Norman Wilson.

REVISIONS TO OUR PRAYER LIST: Our prayer list will be purged and reconstructed at the beginning of each quarter. If you would like to include a name for the new quarter’s prayer list, please call the church office at (251)432-4784, email the office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or drop a note into the collection.

Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 5:00 PM
Stations of the Cross on Good Friday: 12:00, noon in the church
Good Friday, Celebration of the Lord’s Passion: 5:00 PM
Easter Vigil and Mass: 5:00 PM, Security Provided.
Easter Sunday: Mass at 8:00 and 10:00.

Participate fully in Jesus’s journey to the cross in the Paschal Triduum

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REIMAGINE YOUR LENTEN FAST

“During this Lenten season, I invite each of you to step beyond your comfort zones and embrace new and challenging forms of fasting.”
(Taken From Fr. Marcin’s Ash Wednesday homily)

Fast from impatience and be filled with understanding.
Fast from judgment and seek to understand others.
Fast from envy and be grateful for what you have.
Fast from gossip and speak words of encouragement.
Fast from revenge and choose forgiveness.
Fast from excessive screen time and spend time with loved ones.
Fast from noise and seek silence with God.
Fast from resentment and choose mercy.
Fast from complaining about the past and focus on the present.
Fast from isolation and seek community.
Fast from checking your phone constantly; spend that time in prayer.
Fast from buying things you don’t need; donate to someone in need instead.
Fast from binge-watching TV; read a spiritual book or the Bible.
Fast from hitting the snooze button; start your day with a morning offering.
Fast from negative self-talk; write down three things you’re grateful for each day.
Fast from holding grudges; make a call to reconcile with someone.
Fast from skipping Mass; attend a weekday Mass if possible.

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Why should I go to confession?

Lent is a season of grace, a sacred time to turn back to God with all our hearts. The Sacrament of Confession is a gift that allows us to experience His boundless mercy and unconditional love in a profound way. No sin is too great, no distance too far for the mercy of God. When we come to confession, we are not met with judgment but with the open arms of a Father who longs to forgive and restore us.

So often, we carry the weight of our sins and regrets, believing that we must fix ourselves before approaching God. But Jesus invites us to come as we are, with all our wounds and failures, and to place them into His healing hands. In confession, we speak our sins aloud and hear the words of absolution—a powerful reminder that we are never beyond God’s mercy.

This Lent, do not let fear, shame, or hesitation hold you back. Step into the confessional with trust, knowing that every confession is a homecoming, a chance to begin anew. Allow the light of God’s forgiveness to dispel the shadows in your heart and fill you with the peace that only He can give. Jesus is waiting for you—come and experience the freedom, healing, and joy that flow from His merciful heart.

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Join us for Stations of the Cross immediately following the 7:30 AM Mass on Friday in the Rectory Chapel.

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MASS INTENTIONS

Saturday, March 22	Barbara Laurendine (L)	Monday, March 24	Allen Parker (L)
Sunday, March 23	Rev. Joe Bolling (D)	Wednesday, March 26	George Petro (L)
	Saturday, March 29	Jeb Downing (D)

 

2025 SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

January 12	Living Faith Booklets	July 13	Missionary Co-op
January 26	Maintenance and Repairs	July 27	Maintenance and Repairs
February 23	Maintenance and Repairs	August 3	Church in Latin America
March 9	Black and Indian Missions	August 17	Home Missions
March 16	Easter Flowers	August 31	Maintenance and Repairs
March 23	Catholic Relief	September 21	Catholic University
March 30	Maintenance and Repairs	September 28	Maintenance and Repairs
April 13	Church in Central and Eastern Europe	October 19	Propagation of the Faith
April 18	Holy Land/ Good Friday	October 27	Maintenance and Repairs
April 27	Maintenance and Repairs	November 9	Archdiocese for the Armed Services
May 4	Catholic Week	November 23	Campaign for Human Dev.
May 25	Maintenance and Repairs	November 30	Maintenance and Repairs
June 8	Catholic Communications	December 7	Christmas Flowers
June 22	Peter’s Pence	December 14	Retired Religious
June 29	Maintenance & Repairs	December 28	Maintenance & Repairs