May Prayers & Preparations

May 17, 2020

6th Sunday of Easter

Honoring Our Lady

Our May celebrations of Mary have taken on the character of the times as we ask for Our Lady's help and intercession during the pandemic.

On May 1, the U. S. and Canada were reconsecrated to Mary's maternal care by bishops throughout the countries ( watch Archbishop Gregory's prayer at the Basilica). On May 13 the world celebrated Our Lady of Fatima, without the presence of pilgrims. (Watch Fr. Jack Hurley's video on this feast.) May 14 became an interreligious day of prayer, fasting and acts of charity to overcome the pandemic, celebrated at St. Matthew's with a Holy Hour with adoration and bilingual Rosary in Our Lady's Chapel. And Pope Francis asks us to pray the Rosary throughout the month to end the pandemic, including two special prayers given to us for this intention.

St. Matthew’s Mother's Day drive on behalf of The Northwest Center, a pregnancy resource center and maternity home in Adams Morgan, continues through Saturday, May 16. If you are able to donate, please help us to support their good works!

Sunday Livestream Masses

St. Matthew's livestreams two Masses from the St. Anthony Chapel on Sundays - 11:30am in English and 1:00pm in Spanish. Click below to watch Masses for the 6th Sunday of Easter, May 17, live or later, or watch on our YouTube channel or our Facebook page. Videos of previous Masses can be found on our Parish Mass Livestream webpage. To prepare for Mass or simply to be uplifted, visit Choral Highlights for a taste of the music that the Schola Cantorum had planned for Sunday. (Check out the 2nd Choral Highlights video, a version of "If Ye Love Me" from a royal wedding!)

Livestream of 11:30am Mass | English

Worship aid for 11:30am Mass

Livestream of 1pm Mass | Spanish

Worship aid for 1pm Mass

Living out our Baptismal Call

On these Sundays of Easter we have celebrated our baptisms with a Renewal of our Baptismal Promises and the Sprinkling Rite at Mass. In his homily for last Sunday, Msgr. Jameson explores the "titles of honor" that applied in the Old Testament to the Jewish people, and that in the New Testament apply to all the baptized: “ Chosen race ... royal priesthood … holy nation ... God’s own people.”

In illustrating the call of our baptism to preach and to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, Msgr. reminds us of Pope St. John Paul II's writings on "the Gos pel of Life, the gospel that deeply values and honors each and every human life without exception —beginning with God’s precious gift of life in the womb and ending with God’s call at death. "

It includes "life on death row, the life of the poor and homeless, the life of the mentally ill and the frail elderly, the life of immigrants and refugees, the life of those with the coronavirus, and, yes, the life of our planet. ... Pope Francis puts it this way, 'All life has inestimable value. The sick, the old, the unborn and the poor are all masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.'”

How do we preach the Gospel of Life? "... by carefully informing ourselves about the Church’s teaching on all the issues, using our voices to advocate on behalf of human life whether in casual conversation or in communications with legislators. We must always reflect a strong and unwavering commitment to life, to justice, and to peace."

Read the full text of the homily.

Read "Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching," USCCB.

Read "Bishop Chairmen Urge FDA to Develop Ethical Vaccine for COVID-19," USCCB.

New Online Baptism Preparation

During this time of closure, baptisms at the Cathedral are still being scheduled, and baptism preparation can be completed online. St. Matthew’s has introduced Baptism MATTERS , an online baptism preparation program for parents and godparents. See the brochure .

To receive the baptism application and information on signing up for the online preparation, parents may email the Baptism Coordinator, currently Theresa Prymuszewski. Godparents in need of preparation also may email the Baptism Coordinator to sign up.

Sunday Study Celebrating Laudato Si' Week

Pope Francis has invited Catholic communities around the world to celebrate Laudato Si’ Week , May 16 - 24. He calls for us to take an honest look at our progress in the five years since Laudato Si’ was released and to consider the next steps in our “ecological conversion.” St. Matthew's Creation Care team responded to his invitation by hosting our Laudato Si' Zoom series that continues to meet virtually on Sundays from 3 to 4:30pm.

Join our small, friendly Zoom group for the Ch. 5 discussion on Sunday, May 17 on Zoom (video or call in). Having "attempted to take stock of our present situation," in the first 4 chapters of Laudato Si', Pope Francis turns to outlining "the major paths of dialogue which can help us escape the spiral of self-destruction which currently engulfs us." (163) Email co-coordinators Phil Downey or Simone Seym to receive the meeting number and password to join us on Zoom.

Young Adult Coffeehouse

Look at those smiling faces from last Sunday's virtual Coffeehouse (a little light due to Mother's Day!) The Cathedral Young Adults is a peer ministry for those in their 20s and 30s. Want to join in this conversation and Gospel sharing on Sundays at 6:30pm? Download and join their Slack group - you will receive a link via Slack each Sunday to join the Zoom call. Next Coffeehouse is this Sunday, May 17.

Sidewalk Ministry

Are you interested in St. Matthew's Sidewalk Ministry? We need bagged lunch donors and servers for Monday mornings. Monetary donations also are greatly appreciated as we continue distributing clothing and toiletries along with lunches in front of the Cathedral at our weekly sessions. You also may give to our Emergency Assistance Program that helps parish families in need with outstanding bills. Contact Norma Canedo or Fr. John Benson.

Ordination Anniversaries

Let us remember in prayer our rectory priests as they look forward to celebrating their anniversaries of ordination to the priesthood.

Msgr. Ron Jameson – May 18, 1968

Fr. Jack Hurley – May 29, 1982

Fr. John Benson – June 18, 2019

Fr. Martino Choi – June 20, 2015

Preparing for Pentecost

The New Testament teaches that, following Jesus' Ascension, “all … joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers” (Acts 1: 14) while they awaited being “clothed with the power from on high.” (Luke 24:29) We, too, can prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit by praying the Pentecost Novena to the Holy Spirit beginning on Friday, May 22 and concluding on Saturday, May 30, the Vigil of Pentecost. In this prayer, we ask for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, piety, fortitude and fear of the Lord). It is a powerful plea for the light, strength and love that we all need! Download a copy of the Novena.

Prayers for the Sick

Please pray for all our parishioners who are ill , including Celina Mendez, and for Farris Hanna, father of parishioner Eric Hanna.

If you would like the parish to pray for a parishioner who is ill, please email your request to Msgr. Jameson . Please be sure that you have permission before you send us their name.

Offertory Giving

While public Masses are suspended, we ask that you please continue to make an offertory gift to support our parish. If you haven’t yet enrolled in FaithDirect, our electronic giving program, you may do so at St. Matthew's Faith Direct page (Church code DC284) (or click on the Faith Direct icon). FaithDirect is the best way to help, as sustained giving is the key to our survival as a parish.

To make an online gift now using PayPal or your credit or debit card, click here or on the icon below. For those who have used the QR code in our music leaflet to make a donation, the PayPal and debit/credit options are the same payment options offered via the QR code.