How’s your relationship with Christ and his Church? Are you growing in faith? Do you have questions or doubts? Do you have a group in our parish where you can pray, learn, and discuss your spiritual life?
Lifelong formation complements our worship and thanksgiving that we offer Mass. By enriching and challenging our faith, we offer more authentic praise and gratitude to our Lord in the Eucharist.
Faith formation at St. Matthew is open to all. Adults of all ages (including teenagers) are welcome at our sessions. We do not charge fees for formation, nor is registration required. Contact [email protected] with questions, requests, or your ideas on any of our formation options.
The Hearts on Fire Bible Study meets each Sunday after the 9:00 a.m. mass until 11:30 a.m. to go deeper into the readings of the day. Through conversation, exploration of historical context of the readings, and study of connections with the Catechism, this group seeks to see how the Gospels speak into our lives and how we can more fully follow Jesus. Meetings take place in the school music room; childcare is provided in the gym.
Our parish potlucks take place once a month after the 5:30 p.m. Mass and are opportunities for fellowship, study and prayer. The evening begins with a potluck meal – the parish provides the main dish and all are asked to bring a side or dessert to share. Invited speakers present on different aspects of faith – past topics have included papal encyclicals, Church history, religious art, and the works of mercy. Childcare is provided during the presentation. The evening includes with night prayer at 7:45 p.m. See the bulletin for the next scheduled parish potluck.
FORMED is an online database of top-of-the-line Catholic catechetical materials. Through our parish subscriptions, all parishioners can set up an account to access study programs, Bible studies, audio books, saints movies, and more. To set up an account, go to www.FORMED.org. Our parish password is “4a1fd” (note the third character is the number “1″ rather than the letter “l”).
Join us anytime for intercessory prayer–we combine quite meditation based on Holy Scripture with optional faith sharing and conversational prayer. Anyone who is unable to attend, but would like to pray with us from home, may request to have weekly prayer services and anonymous prayer intentions e-mailed to them. Weekly meetings will resume in September. Email Patricia Druley for more info.
Trained instructors and mentor couples are available for individual consultation with engaged couples, married couples, or anyone else interested.
Below are some resources for ongoing growth in faith:
usccb.org – Daily Readings and News from the U.S. Catholic Bishops
vaticannews.va/en.html – News from the Vatican.
discernpriesthood.org – Resources for men to explore the vocation of priesthood.
wordonfire.org – Fr. Fr. Robert Barron’s website with commentaries on popular events, lectionary readings, and culture.
thesacredpage.com – Reflections on the readings and liturgical year provided by two former St. Matts parishioners.
catholiccatalogue.com – Meditations on many ways Catholicism can become a part of our everyday life.
praymorenovenas.com – A Novena reminder service that can help you pray different popular devotions.