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4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 31, 2021
"The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." (Mk 1: 22)
In this edition:
Annual Appeal 2021
Upcoming week's events
Ash Wednesday & Lenten Retreat
Cardinal Gregory's Mass for Life homily
February & March organ recitals
After all the extraordinary events of the Advent and Christmas seasons, Ordinary Time continues to deliver the extraordinary. We see Jesus among the people teaching, healing, praying, and calling people to follow him, just as he calls and invites us to participate in building up the kingdom of God in our world.

As you go through the week, please remember Gloria Harrington and Bill Largess, who have asked for our prayers, and pray for the repose of the souls of Mary Lou Commiso, Michael Spindler, and Rita Emilia Campos.
Sunday Masses

7am (English) | 10am (English) 
1pm (Spanish) | *5:30pm (English)
*5:30pm Mass interpreted for the deaf
Masses are open to the public, with maximum capacity of 150 persons.
Reservations not taken
Livestreamed Masses
10am (English) 
Msgr. Jameson, celebrant
1pm (Spanish)
Fr. John Benson, celebrant
Online Offertory options:
Dear Friends in Christ,

Soon, the calendar will turn to February, which means Lent is just around the corner. This also means it is the time of year when I will ask you to make a gift to the Annual Appeal in support of the many charitable works of our Archdiocese.

You have been generous in providing for our parish needs this past year. Your support of the Annual Appeal is in many ways an extension of your parish support. It is a critical source of funding for everything from seminarian formation to pro-life and family ministries to pastoral and social outreach, all of which directly or indirectly impacts our parish and local community.

At the same time that the Annual Appeal strengthens our parish life, it also unifies us as the Church of Washington in caring for the spiritual and other needs of those beyond our parish boundaries. We are able to accomplish together what we couldn’t do on our own.

As in every year, 100% of your gift to the Annual Appeal will be restricted to the ministries that are a part of the Annual Appeal and will not be used for any other purpose. Furthermore, your gift will be credited towards our parish goal. Learn more about the 2021 Annual Appeal at appeal.adw.org.

Thank you in advance for your prayerful commitment to the 2021 Annual Appeal. Your steadfast generosity during this time of hardship is not only a source of inspiration for me but also a force for good in a world that is searching for Christ. I pray that God will continue to bless you and bring you peace and joy.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Rev. Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson
Rector
Coming Up This Week
Watch for a video reflection by Fr. Hurley on St. Brigid of Kildare on Monday, February 1!


For information on more upcoming events, including a virtual discussion of the Cathedral Book Club selection for February (time to get reading!) visit our website calendar for next month.
Ash Wednesday

New Silent Sprinkling of Ashes. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, is just over two weeks away―February 17. Given the continuing pandemic, ashes will be distributed at the Cathedral according to new Vatican instructions calling for a silent sprinkling of ashes on the head rather than imposition on the forehead. Read Deacon Bart Merella's article, "Ashes Symbolizing Lent," for a look at how ashes came to signal the beginning of our Lenten journey, and in particular, the historical development of the "sprinkling" of ashes similar to that now called for by the Vatican.

Five Masses on Ash Wednesday. On February 17, Masses with the distribution of ashes will be offered at 7am, 9:30am, 12:10pm (Cardinal Gregory, with cantor; interpreted for the deaf), 5:30pm (with cantor), and 7:30pm (Spanish, with cantor). All Masses will be open to the public (150-person capacity), and the 12:10pm Mass will be livestreamed. Distribution of Ashes will not be available outside of Mass. 

Stations of the Cross on YouTube. This year Stations of the Cross will be videotaped in the Cathedral and made available on the Cathedral You Tube channel to watch on Ash Wednesday, Fridays of Lent, or whenever you wish to make this devotion.

Lenten Confessions. Confessions continue to be heard by appointment in the North Conference Room. Call the rectory office at 202-347-3215 to make an appointment, leaving your phone number, and one of our priests will return your call. Social distancing is maintained for Confession. 
Lenten Retreat

St. Matthew's Lenten retreat will focus on the many ways we continue to experience darkness in our lives, and the invitation and opportunity presented by the season of Lent to name that darkness and develop habits of moving into the life and light of resurrection even now. This two-hour virtual retreat will include prayer, preaching, music, time for reflecting on Scripture, and group sharing, led by Redemptorist Fathers James Wallace, Francis Gargani, and Philip Dabney. Read more about the retreat and our leaders. 

Look for our full Lenten schedule in an upcoming letter from the Rector.
What's New Online? Click to View
Cardinal Gregory, Mass for Life Homily
January 29, 2021
Msgr. Jameson, 10am Mass Homily
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Benson, 1pm Mass Homily
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Hurley, Reflection on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul
January 25, 2021
Great Organ Music
“To my eyes and ears the organ will ever be the King of Instruments.” 
– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Winter Recitals. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for two Sunday afternoon organ recitals before spring. These events are free and open to the public, and will be livestreamed on the Cathedral YouTube channel.

  • Sunday, February 21 at 3:30pm - David Lang | The Reston Chorale, St. Dunstan’s (Episcopal) Church (McLean, VA), Theological College
  • Sunday, March 7 at 3:30pm - Lynn Trapp | St. Joseph Church (Cockeysville (Baltimore) MD), Liturgical Organist Consortium

Contact Thomas Stehle, Pastoral Associate for Liturgy and Director of Music Ministries, for more information.
We welcome Paulist seminarians Zach Turner and Luke Heffernan, assigned to minister at St. Matthew's, to our Monday Morning Sidewalk Ministry team!