FR. CLEM – Please continue to keep Fr. Clem in your thoughts and prayers.
MCB & RECTORY ROOF REPLACEMENT AND ADA RAMP FOR MCB UPDATE – Work has now finished on both the Roof Replacement Project and the ADA Ramp Project at the Western end of the Parish Center. We have received the final bills for these projects and they have been paid out of the Parish savings account. The total for both projects is $709,273 which has created a huge hole in our savings account. Financial help from our parishioners is desperately needed at this time. Only $137,432 has been donated to date for the $709,273 cost of these two projects. Special envelopes are located at all exits of the MCB and special collections have been planned, but your help is needed now . Please consider donating to these now completed, and desperately needed, repairs. We are losing hundreds of dollars of interest on the Savings account monies that were withdrawn to fund these projects.
SERRA CLUB – Saint Matthew Parish is proud to announce that the Serra Club will begin meeting monthly in the Parish Hall! Father Dan Dazza-Jaller, Serra Club Chaplain, will celebrate the first monthly Mass on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at 9 a.m. The Serrans will then have a breakfast meeting in the Parish Hall with a guest speaker. Breakfast will be prepared and served by the Men’s Club. Everyone is welcome to attend. Breakfast is served at $25 per person for non members. Please consider attending breakfast by emailing your rsvp to Kathy Reese at katereese@comcast.net.
CCW BAKE SALE – The Council of Catholic Women will have its first Bake Sale of the season the weekend of September 21st and 22nd in the Parish Center after all Masses. Please plan on stopping by to pick up a few of your favorite treats.
GIANT CRAFT & TAG SALE – Volunteers are needed for our 13th Anniversary Giant Craft & Tag Sale to be held on November 16, 2024. Put your talents to work helping raise money for St. Matthew Parish. A team of volunteers is needed in areas like:
*Doing advertising for vendors and shoppers
*Obtaining prizes for our raffle
*Setting up raffle prizes
*Organizing vendors …and much, much more
All are invited and welcome to help! It will be fun and rewarding, no matter how you contribute. Please call the Parish Office to sign up, or email cgutierrez@stmatthewchurch.org
CCD REGISTRATION – Registration for 2024-2025 CCD school year is now completed. The last day of registration was Friday, August 23. Late registration is still possible, but there is a $50 late fee. The required registration form, along with the final class schedule, can be found on the “Religious Education” tab of this website. Please download the form and bring it, along with the required documentation and payment, to the Parish Office during normal business hours. If your child was in the CCD program last year you should have received an email with registration information for the 2024-2025 year. Additional information about Sacramental Classes and the need for volunteer teachers can also be found on the same Tab. Classes begin the week of September 8. The 2024-2025 class schedule will be distributed at the first class, and is also available on the “Religious Education” Tab, as well as the Parish Calendar.
The Religious Education Ministry is on an URGENT recruiting mission to find prospective teachers for the upcoming school year, which will begin the week of September 8, 2024. Our classes are offered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning at 4:00 p.m, with additional classes on Monday at 5:30 p.m, as well as Confirmation classes which meet on Sunday from 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. Join a fabulous team of dedicated individuals from our parish who volunteer and live the example of Christ. Our Religious Education program strives to educate students with a faith-based curriculum that focuses on the teachings of the Catholic Church while encouraging service, social justice, and morality. Please call the Office of Religious Education for more information: 561- 966-1538.
CONGRATULATIONS! – The Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito has approved Brett Troskey and Dr. Felix Rodriguez to begin the Permanent Diaconate Formation Program of the Diocese of Palm Beach. Congratulations to Brett and Dr. Felix as they begin their 5-year journey to becoming permanent Deacons!
GIFT SHOP HAS MOVED! – The Parish Gift Shop is now located in the Parish Center (southwest corner). It will reopen this weekend on September 7-8. Please stop by and see what items are available for purchase.
ST. MATTHEW MOM’S GROUP –The Saint Matthew Mom’s Group (SMMG) provides opportunities for Catholic moms and their kids to build new friendships, support and pray for each other, and grow in faith.
We would love for you to join us!
Contact Stacey McCaffrey to join the mailing list:
SaintMatthewMomsGroup@gmail.com
Bring a friend and come to the St. Matthew Christmas Festival Paint Night on Wednesday, September 11th from 6-8 PM in the Parish Center. All proceeds will help fund the Christmas Festival.
**Limited space available
** $45/ticket until August 8th, $50/ticket after August 8th
Join an experienced local artist who will guide you step by step in transforming 2 simple wine glasses into cute snowmen candle holders, perfect as Christmas decorations for your home or a unique Christmas gift!
Tickets will be sold after all Masses August 24th and 25th in the Parish Center. Cash, check or credit card will be accepted. Tickets can also be purchased through the Parish Office during business hours until spots are sold out. Refreshments will be available for purchase during the event.
JUBILEE 2025 13 DAY SHRINES OF ITALY TOUR – Fr. Leonard is organizing a 13-Day Shrines of Italy Tour from September 15 – 27, 2025. The cost is $4,390.00 Per Person From Miami. This includes Roundtrip Air Transportation From Miami, First Class Hotels (Double Occupancy), 2 Meals A Day (Buffet Breakfast & Dinner), Daily Sightseeing With English Speaking Tour Guides, Entrance Fees, Airport Taxes, And Fuel Surcharges – (Which Might be Subject To Change). View of Venice, Padua, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Assisi, Loreto, Macerta, San Giovanni Rotondo and Rome. To register, come or call the Parish Office– Hours 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. (closed from 12 Noon to 1 P.M.) You will also receive a brochure with the details of the tour. Ofc number is 561-966-8878. Offered by Spiritual Director: Fr. Leonard Dim, St. Matthew Catholic Church – Lake Worth, FL.
CHILDREN’S CHOIR – St. Matthew’s Children’s Choir is taking a break during the summer months. When we begin practice again in the month of September, the choir is open to all students in first grade or above. Practice will be every Saturday from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. in the MCB. We will sing once per month at the 9:00 A.M. Children’s Mass. The Choir is a wonderful way to praise God and bring a new dimension to the Mass. Please come join us in September as we “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” (Psalm 100).
NEW TO THE PARISH OR NEVER REGISTERED?? – Are you registered in the Parish? Please do not assume that you are registered in the Parish just because you attend Mass here. If we have no record of your Parish membership it could be quite embarrassing to us, or to you or your family, when someone wishes to make wedding plans, have a baby baptized, or if you have been asked to act as a sponsor for baptism or confirmation. Please fill out the Registration Form below and mail it to the Parish office, or place it in the collection basket.
THE POPE VIDEOS – The Pope Videos is an official global initiative to disseminate the Holy Father’s monthly intentions. It is carried out by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer). Since the year 2016, The Pope Videos has had more than 150 million views across all its social networks, and is translated into more than 20 languages, receiving press coverage in 114 countries. The project is supported by Vatican Media. By clicking on the link below, you will be taken to a new tab on our website which will allow you to view content on The Pope Videos website. We have made it available in English and Spanish. It will be updated automatically, so be sure to check back regularly.
http://st-matthew-church.com/?page_id=2584
CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION TAX INFORMATION FOR DONATIONS – Contributions from an individual retirement account (IRA) pre-existed the stimulus bills and continue to be an attractive means for making a charitable gift. After being waived in 2020, required minimum distributions (RMDs) from IRAs resumed in 2021. Even though the age at which the RMD kicks in has been raised to 72, you can still make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) starting at age 70½. If you are aged 70½ or older, you may authorize your IRA administrator to transfer up to $100,000 per year (cumulatively) to one or more qualifying charities (St. Matthew qualifies as such). The amount you transfer will not be added to your taxable income, and it will count towards your mandatory distribution requirement. Whether you are required to make a minimum distribution or not, you can, at any age, designate St. Matthew Parish as the beneficiary of all, or a percentage, of your IRA. Completing a simple change of beneficiary form from your IRA administrator will allow funds to pass to St. Matthew’s tax-free after your lifetime.
2024 DIOCESAN SERVICES APPEAL (DSA) – The 2024 DSA Appeal has begun and our commitment for 2024 is $136,000. To date, we have received $77,701 toward our 2024 commitment, which leaves us $58,299 short of our commitment. Please keep in mind that once again in 2023 we were $38,705 short of our designated commitment. That shortfall had to be made up by taking money from the Parish Operating Fund to fulfill our commitment. Please make a monthly pledge to help us meet this year’s commitment. Envelopes are available at the exits of the MCB, and may be placed in the collection basket at weekend Masses.
BINGO IS BACK! – Bingo has started up again every Thursday in the Parish Center. Doors open at 5:30 and play begins at 6:30. Refreshments available. Appropriate sanitation measures will be observed. Bring a Friend and make friends too!
E-Mail Address Updates: The Parish is trying to update its database of e-mail addresses to facilitate communications in a more cost-effective manner. We can potentially save over $1500 by sending an e-mail versus mailing a letter to all our parishioners. ADDED NOTE: If you have disconnected a landline or changed cellphone numbers in the last few years, please call the Parish Office at 966-8878 and update your phone number and e-mail address. We thank you in advance for your help.
There is never a better time to enroll in Faith Direct, which will allow automatic donations without mail or postage. You can click on the Faith Direct eGiving icon link on the upper right of this page to begin the very simple enrollment process.
(Double click on the image to enlarge)
Please Note:
The Florida Catholic is now available in electronic format. Copy the link below into your web browser in order to access the latest edition (click on the icon in upper right of the page to download the latest edition):
https://digital.thefloridacatholic.org/Florida-Catholic-06052020-e-Edition/
PARISH CALENDAR – Have you checked out the Parish Calendar yet? Did you realize you can access the Calendar right here on the Parish Website? Just click on the Calendar Tab and you can see all the upcoming events in the Parish for the next year. Parish Ministry Schedules, CCD Class Schedules, CCW & Men’s Club events and schedules, Youth Ministry activities and schedules, and much more, are all found on the Calendar. CHECK IT OUT TODAY!
ST. MATTHEW MEN’S CLUB – Meets monthly at 7:30 P.M. every second Tuesday in the Parish Center. St. Matthew Men’s Club is a ministry of St. Matthew Parish, open to all adult male members of the Parish, that provides an atmosphere for fostering Christian fellowship and a sense of community among the men of the Parish aimed at strengthening family life in our Parish. We serve as a support group and provide a structure to assist with various Parish religious celebrations, social events and Parish service projects.
eGIVING (FAITH DIRECT) FOR PARISH OFFERTORY COLLECTIONS – 175 parishioners have taken the time to enroll in eGive with Faith Direct, the Parish’s direct debit program for Offertory giving. Enrollment is very easy and can be done either on-line or by filling out a color tri-fold form. This program will eliminate the need to write checks or search for cash at the last minute each weekend. You can personalize your giving with many available options. Enroll on-line using our Parish website link, or fill out one of the tri-fold enrollment forms at the MCB exits and mail it to Faith Direct directly. Further information can be obtained by calling Faith Direct at 1-866-507-8757 (toll free) or by e-mailing your questions to info@faithdirect.net. Faith Direct has also just introduced a mobile app for both Apple and Android, available in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.