5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 7, 2021
"Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases." (Gospel Acclamation)
In this edition:
Annual Appeal 2021 Commitment Weekend
This Week's Events
Ash Wednesday & Lenten Retreat
What's New Online
Black History Month
Music in the Cathedral
We seek Jesus the healer and unite ourselves with the suffering Body of Christ as we pray for all those suffering the effects of the pandemic, and for those working to produce and deliver vaccines. As you go through the week, please remember all the sick of the parish, including 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,

As you know, this weekend is Commitment Weekend for the 2021 Annual Appeal. Thank you for supporting the ministries of our Archdiocese, which in many ways benefit our own parish community.

Your giving to the Annual Appeal also strengthens our local Church. Jesus lived in a particular place at a particular time, as did His apostles and their successors, as do we and all Christians. Our particular place is the Church of Washington, and, in this place, we are called to live and preach the Gospel to those within our reach. We extend that reach when we sustain and support the charitable works of our Archdiocese.
This year, you are encouraged to make your Annual Appeal gift online using the website give.adw.org - click here or on the image below, or scan the QR code below with your phone's camera to access the donation page.

Your gift will be credited toward our parish goal. Thank you in advance for helping us to meet this year’s goal. Please also pray for the success of the Annual Appeal that it may fulfill its mission to strengthen our local Church.

May God bless your generosity as a manifestation of His own sacrificial love.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Rev. Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson
Rector
Coming Up This Week
Watch for a video reflection by Fr. Hurley on St. Josephine Bakhita on Monday, February 8!


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 February.
Ash Wednesday
Look for our full Lenten schedule on Monday,
February 8, in the Rector's Lenten eletter.

New Silent Sprinkling of Ashes. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, is less than 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 Virtual Lenten retreat on Saturday, February 20, 10am to Noon, 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. 

What's New Online? Click to View

Cardinal Gregory's Reflection on the 2021 Annual Appeal
Msgr. Jameson, 10am Mass Homily
January 31, 2021
Fr. Benson, 1pm Mass Homily
January 31, 2021
Fr. Hurley, Reflection on the Feast of St. Brigid of Kildare
February 1, 2021
Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, St. Matthew’s Cathedral is excited to cohost with St. Augustine Catholic Church a virtual celebration of the Resilience of the Black Family, and the importance of art in spirituality, on Sunday, February 21 at 2:30pm. The featured speaker is Dr. Akili R. Anderson, a local African American artist and professor of visual art at Howard University. Contact Norma Canedo or Fr. John Benson for details.
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.
Your 2021 Annual Appeal donations benefit charitable works throughout the Archdiocese of Washington, including those of St. Matthew's Cathedral parish Social Justice Ministries. Please be generous, as you are able. Thank you, and God bless.