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Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 21, 2024
"Beloved, we are God's children now." (1 John 3:2)
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In this edition:
Earth Day Lessons & Carols
Easter Mission in Dupont Circle
Creation Care Event on Peoples of the Amazon Rainforest
Cathedral † Young Adults update
New series on Letter to the Romans
May Book Club & more
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Jesus, Gate to Abundant Joy
"The life of the Resurrection is a divine life of joy and savoring, like the way one enjoys a good meal with family and friends, with laughter and cheer. Jesus is the way into this joy. It is the Crucified and Risen Jesus who is the gate into this abundant life of knowing God in joy." Read the full reflection, and check out the Mystical Word archive.
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Let us pray:
—for the sick, especially Dan Evans, Maria da Silva, Paul Fry, Francisca Granados Flores, Soila Manchame, Margaret Judy, Sofía Valero, Dorianne Alvarado, Donald Klawiter, Simona, Halina Mielnik, Camilia Juber Carmona, John Guerriero, Elsa Henderson, Yvette Romero, Enmanuel Del Valle, Patricia Castro, Michael Harrill, Eileen Elvin, Geralda Masi, Katie Roland, Peter Tan, Mary & Carl Milewski, Therese Fergo, Maria Gianino, Yolanda Mendez Acevedo, Anne Rader, Robyn Nishimi, Paul Gruber, Sick of Mufide Rende Family, and Blanca Rose Juarez; and
—for the recently deceased, especially Mary Latka and Paul Durrett.
This Sunday's Meetups & more—
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If you missed St. Matthew's inaugural Earth Day Lessons & Carols in 2023, join us Sunday for this year's vibrant and moving presentation. Through carols, chants and choral music, coupled with meditative readings of poetry and scripture, we call to mind the gifts of creation and explore the current threats to the fragile health of the earth. | |
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St. Matthew's brings two meaningful opportunities to celebrate Earth Day—Lessons & Carols for Earth Day and a presentation by leaders of the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network on the environment and human rights in the Amazon region.
Earth Day Lessons & Carols
Join us in the Cathedral on Sunday, April 21 at 3:30pm for our second annual Earth Day Lessons & Carols featuring the Cathedral Schola Cantorum in cooperation with St. Matthew's Creation Care Green Team.
Music includes works of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, contemporary Scottish composer Chris Hutchings, as well as a French carol, a Welsh hymn, two Shaker tunes, a 9th century Gregorian chant, and a 12th century chant of Hildegard of Bingen.
Admission is free and all are welcome. Penn Parking Garage is open 8:30am to 7pm.
The service will be livestreamed on the Cathedral YouTube channel, but we hope to see you there!
READ MORE
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Hear the Cry of Earth and the Cry of the Poor in the Amazon Rainforest
The Creation Care Green Team of St. Matthew's Social Justice Committee hosts the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network on Monday, April 22, 7pm in the North Conference Room. Come and hear REPAM leaders speak about their past 10 years of accompanying the region's peoples through experiences of environmental devastation and human rights abuses.
Kingman Island Cleanup
We look forward to a report from our Creation Care Team on their work this Saturday, April 20 at beautiful Kingman Island in Northeast DC (volunteer registration closed). Good luck to our St. Matthew's volunteers!
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Easter Mission
Fr. Benson gives an Easter Mission Sunday afternoons in Dupont Circle, through May 5. Come out and enjoy it in the spring weather this Sunday at 2:30pm!
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What a great lakeside spot for retreat! Fr. Benson, Fatima Aybar, and Ricardo Tobar led St. Matthew's youth on an Easter Retreat among the hills and trails of Needmore, PA. Here's a group shot on the cabin porch. | |
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The Cathedral Young Adult ministry (C†YA) serves the community of Catholic adults ages 21 - 39 who live and work in DC, supporting them in the continued growth of their faith, discernment of their vocations, and development as stewards of the Church through opportunities for socializing, community service and spiritual reflection.
Sunday Night with C†YA
Join us Sunday nights at 6:30pm, following the 5:30pm Mass, in the North Conference Room. Meet other Catholics, talk about the faith, and build friendships!
Tuesday Happy Hour
Come for a C†YA Happy Hour at 6:30pm on Tuesday, April 30 at Zorba’s Café in Dupont Circle, and every other Tuesday through the summer. Grab a drink and get to know the group!
C†YA Book Club
The C†YA Book Club meets Tuesday, April 23 to discuss two short stories: A Good Man is Hard to Find and A Temple of the Holy Ghost by Flannery O'Connor. Join our Book Club WhatsApp Group for location and future dates.
Let's Stay Connected
C†YA uses a WhatsApp Community to plan future events, post updates, and stay in touch! You can join using this link.
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Eventos
- Clase de Bautismo en español – el domingo 21 de abril a las 9am en el salón de conferencias del este (para inscribirse, envíe un email a Fátima Aybar)
- Grupo de oración en español – martes 23 de abril a la 7pm en el salón de conferencias del norte
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Clases de Confirmación para Adultos
A partir de abril se ofrecerá clases en español de preparación para recibir el sacramento de la Confirmación, para adultos católicos activos y bautizados que ya han recibido su Primera Comunión. Las clases serán los domingos 21 y 28 de abril y 5 de mayo. Las personas interesadas deben enviar un email a Fátima Aybar y deben acudir a una entrevista.
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St. Paul's Letter to the Romans
Join us for a NEW Tuesday evening series of classes on St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, taught by L.J. Milone - begun just this week! Meet next in the East Conference Room on April 23 at 7pm. READ MORE
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May Book Club Selection, Let's get reading
Join the Cathedral Book Club on Thursday, May 23 in the West Conference Room, 7 - 8pm, to discuss "Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America," by Boston College Professor of History Heather Cox Richardson. Fr. Jack Hurley leads the discussion. (Happy Birthday, Fr. Jack!)
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Christian Meditation
Drop in for a meditation session with instruction and practice, offered by L.J. Milone twice a week on Zoom (Sunday afternoons at 1:30pm and Wednesday evenings at 8pm), and in-person in the St. Francis Chapel (Mondays & Wednesdays at 12:45pm).
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National Eucharistic Revival
This year, the U.S. bishops are sponsoring a National Eucharistic Revival. The aim is to kindle love for the Risen Jesus in the Eucharist and revitalize the Catholic people’s participation in Sunday Mass. To this end, we present brief weekly meditations on the Eucharist until the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, June 2, 2024.
From the writings of David Fagerberger
David Fagerberg, “Why do we need the Mass? Asceticism, Sanctification, and the Glory of God”
Each sacrament in which we participate is an act of worship because it is an exercise of dependence. Pope Pius XII says, “It should be clear to all, then, that God cannot be honored worthily unless the mind and heart turn to Him in quest of the perfect life, and that the worship rendered to God by the Church in union with her divine Head is the most efficacious means of achieving sanctity.”[29] Take his thought in three steps. First, the virtue of religion is an experience of reverence for God, and subjection to his transcendent majesty. Second, turning to God in religion is the daughter of asceticism, because we must turn away from glorifying ourselves if we are to give glory to God. And third, when do we turn to God in such a fashion, relying upon him instead of upon ourselves, receiving grace from his own hand instead of grasping the fruit of knowledge with our own? In the sacraments. There we rely upon him, and so thereby worship him. “Worship” comes from weordship, which is ascribing value, dignity, honor (weord, worthy). When we receive a sacrament, we are confessing to whom we turn for life, upon whom we ultimately rely, in whom we place our faith and fear.
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Regular Events & Reminders | |
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Rectory Office Holidays
The rectory office will be closed on the following dates:
- Saturday & Sunday, April 20/21
- Saturday & Sunday, April 27/28
RCIA Inquiry: Exploring the Catholic Faith
Wednesdays at 7pm
St. Matthew's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) Inquiry meets Wednesday, April 24 and most Wednesday evenings. FIND MORE INFORMATION
Celebration of the Word
Wednesdays at 7:30pm
Join us Wednesday evenings (next gathering, April 24) at 7:30pm in the East Conference Room for a simple liturgy: readings, a homily, and prayers.
SJC Meeting
St. Matthew's Social Justice Committee meets Monday, April 29 at 6:15pm in the North Conference Room. Interested parishioners are welcome to attend.
Prayer List
To add a name to the prayer list of the sick or the recently deceased, email Msgr. Jameson. If asking for prayers for a person who is sick, please first get their permission.
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See you 'round the Cathedral! | | | | |
