October 4th is the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. On October 4, 1965 Pope Paul VI visited the United States and spoke at the United Nations calling for an end to the rage of war. Pope Paul: “War, never again. Never again war!” This was the first time a Pope set foot on the […]

Next Saturday, October 1st, following the 4:15 PM Mass, a blessing of animals will take place in the square outside the church, around the Saint Matthew statue. This blessing has been a practice here and is being re-established in honor of the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi – whose feast is October 4th. Pope […]

On the weekend of September 24 and 25 we will celebrate the Feast of Saint Matthew, Patron of our Parish Community. In 1886 The Church of Saint Matthew was established as a Daughter church of the Mother church of German Catholics – The Assumption. Other Daughter churches also sprang from the Assumption – Saint Bernard, […]

On September 11, 2001, at 8:45 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people […]

Thursday, September 1st was the beginning of meteorological Fall; and this weekend – Labor Day weekend – is the beginning of the Fall routine. Labor Day is time to recognize the power and work of organized labor in the betterment of social life. Since 1891 the Catholic Church has affirmed the value of collective bargaining […]

What about this Latin Mass? The Latin Mass is not about Latin. One could celebrate the Vatican II Mass in Latin if one wanted to. It is not the Latin Mass, it is the “Old Mass”. The “Old Mass” is not just another way of celebrating Mass, but an expression of a pre-Vatican II mentality […]

In the 27th chapter of the rule Saint Benedict wrote for his monks, he writes about the need for the Abbot to care for the weakest. He wrote: “They (Church leaders) are to imitate the loving example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd who left the ninety-nine sheep in the mountains and went in search of […]

Next Saturday, August 13th, is the Annual Saint Matt’s Mass in the Park with Buffet following. This annual event usually takes place on the weekend closest to the Feast of the Assumption, August 15th. The relaxed atmosphere of the park provides a different experience of prayer and liturgy as well as an opportunity to visit […]

If you or your son were students at Cretin High School in the 1960s you may have taken a course from Brother James Miller or Brother Jim Miller may have coached you in football. He was known for his ability to fix almost anything. He oversaw the maintenance work at Cretin. Students called him “Brother […]

Pope Francis warns against hypocrisy, it jeopardizes the unity of the Church. Francis says: “Hypocrisy can be called the fear of the truth, that it is better to pretend than to be yourself. It can suffocate the courage to openly say what is true.” He warned: “hypocrisy flourishes in the environment where interpersonal relations are […]

By this time the annual array of graduation parties and receptions are over, or mostly over. I write this reflection as an open letter to 2022 graduates. You have been through two years of a totally unexpected life – no one was prepared for it. COVID-19 turned everything upside down. You have been through it, […]

This weekend we celebrate our citizenship, our independence. Pundits, politicians, commentators and Monday morning quarterbacks all seek to grab our attention and tell us what this day is all about. It is pretty simple. Today we commemorate that moment in July of 1776 when a rag-tag group of people took a stand and declared they […]

Are you a follower of Jesus? How do you become a follower of Jesus? Fr. Gerhard Lofink says “there is no New Testament noun for followers of Jesus.” The word used is disciple. Disciple means student; and to be a disciple means that you are under the tutelage of a teacher. Jews had many opportunities […]

June 5, 70 AD was the day Titus breached the middle wall of the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple – a date and event that would forever alter the religious life of Jews. The Temple and temple worship was at the very heart of Jewish religious life. Three times a year a Jew […]

May 29, 2022 Seventh Sunday of Easter Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of their country. It’s difficult to prove the origins of this day as over two dozen towns and cities lay claim to be the birthplace. Regardless of the location of […]

May 22, 2022 Sixth Sunday of Easter The month of May is traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. May is a month of growth, when nature is reborn. This month is a fitting time to reflect on the Virgin Mary’s role in salvation and to honor her as the Mother of God. The tradition […]

May 15, 2022 Fifth Sunday of Easter This is the 131st anniversary of Rerum Novarum. May 15, 1891 Pope Leo XIII defends workers’ rights and property rights in the encyclical letter Rerum Novarum, the beginning of modern Catholic social teaching. Rerum Novarum is the Latin opening words and the title of the letter and means […]