Author: rubinski

St. Matthew’s R.C. Parish
16079 88th Avenue, Surrey, B.C. V4N 1G3
Tel: 604-589-2448 Fax: 604-589-2344
Website: www.saintmatthews.ca.
School: www.stmatthewselementary.ca
St. Matthew’s Preschool Tel: (604) 589-1222

July 29, 2018 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. Jn 6: 9-11

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REGULAR MASS TIMES
SUNDAY: English Masses - 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM,
12:30 PM, 7:30 PM; Vietnamese Mass 5 PM
SATURDAY: 9:00 AM / Anticipated Mass at 5:30 PM
WEEKDAYS: Monday to Friday (except TUESDAY) 8:00 AM
Tuesday 7:00 PM
Friday Night—Mass at 7:00 PM (Vietnamese)
***except First Friday (in English)
CONFESSIONS
Weekend & Daily Masses: half an hour before each Mass

PARISH OFFICE
Rev. Tien Tran, Pastor ttran@rcav.org; frtran@hotmail.com
Rev. Nixon D’Silva, Asst. Pastor nixsil2007@gmail.com
604-589-2083 Rectory
Office Hours: Tuesday to Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
604-589-2448 office@saintmatthews.ca
Parish Admin: Mrs. Letty Regis
Ms. Caroline Mrazek
Mrs. Stephanie Chessell
Bookkeeper: Mrs. Melanie A. Narvaez
P.R.E.P. Mrs. Trish Van Vliet prep@saintmatthews.ca
Maintenance Mr. Lorne Ward lorne@saintmatthews.ca
OFFICE AND CHURCH CLOSED MONDAYS FOR CLEANING.

Regular Devotions
Holy Rosary
20 minutes before daily Mass
Divine Mercy
Tuesday after the 7 PM Mass
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Saturday after the 9 AM Mass
First Friday
After the 8 AM Mass -
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
12:00 noon Benediction
6:25 PM—Holy Rosary

UPCOMING EVENTS
Aug. 1 Kick-off of the Parish Raffle
Aug. 15 All day Altar Servers Excursion—Cultus Lake
Sept. 7-8 All day Youth Post-Confirmation Retreat Gym/JH
Sept. 16 All day International Brunch Gym/JH
Sept. 22 9:30 AM RCIA starts Rm 129
Dec. 2 12 Noon Raffle Draw Gym
The 2018 Cash Raffle
The tickets are ready in the Fireside Room. Please take the time to pick up your envelope—they are alphabetically
arranged. We can start selling on August 1st!
Monday 7:30 PM St. Matthew’s Prayer Group Jubilee Hall
Tuesday 1 to 4 PM Fifty Plus Social Jubilee Hall
2nd Tuesday 7:30 PM Knights of Columbus Jubilee Hall
3rd Tuesday 7:30 PM CWL Jubilee Hall
Wednesday 9 AM St. Matthew’s Soup Kitchen Kitchen
Thursday 10 AM Legion of Mary Upper Room
Thursday 4:30 PM Junior Legion of Mary Fireside Room
Thursday 6:30 PM Alpha Gym
Every 2nd Friday 9 AM St. Vincent de Paul Meeting Upper Room
Saturday 9:30 AM RCIA Room 129

BAPTISM:
MARRIAGE:
FUNERALS:

By appointment with a minimum of 2 months’ notice (during pregnancy) so that instructions can be given to parents and godparents about the duties and responsibilities assumed in this Sacrament.
A minimum of 6 months’ notice with one of the parties registered in the parish and practicing his/her faith. The Marriage Preparation course is mandatory. Please ask for “Guidelines for the Celebration of Marriage”.
Please call the parish office before making arrangements.

Have you ever wanted to be part of something bigger? Even the most independent among us likes to make changes and have an impact on others. In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus demonstrates one of His most iconic miracles—the multiplication of the loaves. It is a sign of the institution of the Eucharist, when we are fed not by bread but by the Body of Christ.
In the stories of ancient pagan gods, mighty deeds were done entirely under the gods’ own power. Mortals may have offered sacrifices to start the chain of events, but they played little role in the miraculous works themselves. Jesus is entirely different. The multiplication of the loaves is a prime example not only of Jesus’ power over nature, but of the way He equips His disciples.
First, Jesus asks Philip a question “to test him.” Jesus has seen the crowds and “he himself knew what he was going to do,” but He wants His disciples to start thinking about the problem and its solution. Andrew offers a suggestion, though he isn’t confident in it. “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many.” Jesus honours Andrew’s suggestion, takes the offered loaves, and delegates the apostles to bring order to the crowd. When the crowd has been fed, the apostles “gather the fragments left over.” In the process, they discover with wonder that bread has been produced in abundance.
In the sacraments, God works through simple matter to make grace real in our lives. He works in and through us as well. Are you facing problems that could have spiritual solutions? Is there a need in your parish or community that you could meet? Whatever our hesitancies, Jesus honours our simple loaves and fishes. He invites us to participate in His generous work of redemption, just as we are.

This week we celebrate a spiritual master! Not only is St. Ignatius Loyola the founder of the Jesuits, but the legacy of his life of prayer inspired believers the world over. Injured as a young soldier, Ignatius spent his time in recovery reading the lives of the saints. They inspired his soul to holy heroism, changing his life forever. He gathered a group of friends who also desired to be “contemplatives in action”, finding God in all circumstances. This became the Jesuits—a great missionary and teaching order. Ignatius himself was constantly attuned to his own inner promptings. This self-knowledge—open to the movements of the Holy Spirit—led him to be an incredibly astute spiritual director. For Ignatius, recognizing God as the first principle of one’s life determined everything. How has God changed you?

PREP (Parish Religious Education Program)
Confirmation Certificates: are available at the counter by the parish office. If there are any discrepancies please notify the PREP office.
Catechists are needed in the following grades 1, 3, 4 and a team teacher for Grade 2. If you love working with children and sharing your knowledge of the faith please contact the PREP office for details.
Catechist & Assistant Application forms are available by the PREP folder behind counter by the parish office. Once forms have been received you will be contacted to complete reference forms and Criminal Records check (18 +).
Registration forms are available by the PREP folder behind counter by the Parish office.
Trish Van Vliet—prep@saintmatthews.ca or call 604-589-2448 ext. 233
Trish Van Vliet – prep@saintmatthews.ca or call 604-589-2448 ext.233

“50” Plus Social
Every Tuesday, 1 to 4 PM
Jubilee Hall

CWL Corner
How are you all holding up in this warm, sunny weather? We have so many reasons to be thankful. Yet, we often forget to count our blessings. One way to show that we are mindful of this, is to share of our bounty. I would like to thank those who remembered to bring an item for the food bank It was so good to send them four big boxes last Wednesday. And they were grateful for the many juice boxes. Those are so appreciated and have made many children happy. It is clear that our members remember what Jesus said: What you do to the least of your brothers or sisters, you do to Me. Ria Ling

ALL OF EUROPE TOUR: 10 COUNTRIES IN 19 DAYS
Italy, Vatican, France, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland,
Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain
All inclusive (air fare, hotels, all meals) - $5,400.00
Pick up a brochure from St. Matthew’s Parish Office.

LIVE THE LITURGY
Living the Gospel does not require much. In fact, less is sometimes more. Simple gestures of random acts of kindness can have unimaginable results and change lives. It is easy to believe that we do not have what it takes to make a difference, but we do! The key is to learn how to be grateful for the little gifts you possess and share them freely and abundantly. It does not take much to satisfy the hungers of the human heart or mend the wounds of sorrow and pain. All we need to know is that God is with us. All people need to know is that we are with them. God provides the rest. Truly be present to those you meet this week and offer them your most precious gift, yourself.

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: Oct. 29 to Nov. 9, 2018, for the very good price of $4,398 CAD, departing from Vancouver. You are invited to join Fr. Dennis Flores and follow in “The Footsteps of Jesus”. We will experience Scripture from the Old and New Testament come alive from the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Nazareth, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Jordan River and other significant places. This first class all-inclusive pilgrimage will be escorted by Liz Schachtay who has been bringing pilgrims to the Holy Land for more than 28 years. For more information or a brochure, call Liz at Emerald Travel 604-273-0808 or 604-277-5303.

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CONFIRMATION CLASS OF 2018: You are invited to attend our upcoming Post-Confirmation Retreat taking place on the evening of Friday, September 7 and all day on Saturday, September 8, in the Gym. The retreat will help new high school students make a successful transition to High School and aid them in making good choices. For registration and more information, please visit saintmatthews.ca/events. Register by August 31 for the Early Bird rate.

RCIA—Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
Do you know someone who would like to deepen his/her knowledge of the faith? Have you thought of becoming Catholic and discovering the faith? Then, we invite all to participate in the RCIA program at Matthew’s Parish and become a part of the Catholic community. Starts Sept. 22, 2018. Call the parish office to register.

Stewardship:
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” John 6:9 The miracle of the Loaves and Fishes is the only miracle which is recorded six times in the Gospel. It carries two important messages. First, no matter how little we have, we always have enough to share. Second, Christ can take our humble gifts and do great things with them if we are just willing to let Him. No gift is too small or insignificant!

Feast of Our Lady of Madhu (Sri Lanka)
Join us to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Madhu on Saturday, August 11, at St. Matthew’s Parish Surrey. Rosary and prayers begin at 7 PM followed by Holy Mass at 7:30 PM. Readings and hymns will be in Sinhala and Tamil, and Holy Mass will be celebrated in English. A potluck dinner will be held after Mass in the church hall. Families are encouraged to bring food for fellowship. ALL ARE WELCOME! For more information, please contact: Ajith: 604-290-6344, Dcn Peter Thilina: 604-537-1665.

Sunday Coffee: HELP is needed with serving coffee after the 10:30 AM Mass on Sundays. If you can help, call Ron Fournier at 604-589-2932 or see him after the Mass any Sunday.

Knitters Needed to knit baby items for October 6 Baby Shower for the Spiritually Adopted Baby Program. We have plenty of wool to use. Call Genevieve @ 778-956-7348.

FOOD BANK: Dear Parishioners: Summer vacation puts a special strain on the food bank. With the children at home, it is very hard for some parents to have enough snacks and drinks available. Can we help out? We will have bins for your kid-friendly donations from now until August 31.

MONTH SIX—Developing Baby
Your spiritually adopted baby is developing quite beautifully now. His/her weight is approaching 2 pounds. Babies born prematurely at this time have a very good chance of surviving. The medical advances in caring for extremely small newborn infants are extraordinary indeed. Justice O’Connor has remarked that the Roe vs. Wade decision is on a collision course with itself. Each passing year, we witness medical advances that allow medical professionals to save younger and younger premature infants.

Marriage Encounter: Bukas Loob sa Diyos (BLD Vancouver District) will be conducting a Marriage Encounter on August 10, 11 and 12, 2018. We invite married couples to come and join us for a wonderful weekend with our Lord. For details, please call Rene and Cecille Diguangco (604) 581-6526.

Domestic Abuse Services: Help a working mom with 4 children find accommodation for September 1st or sooner. Please send information about the rental cost, size, location, and contact information to Domestic Abuse Services (info@domesticabuseservices.ca) or call our office 604-585-6688 (leave a message). She is willing to move anywhere in the Lower Mainland.

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Marie Hamann; Desiree Pino; Ryker Slaney; Veronica Wong; Julian Kawalilak; Carol Ward; Liz Da Costa; Annemarie Belgardt, Tommy Contreras; Richard Ciezki; Pasculito Seminiano; Anacleto Bellosillo; Aquilina Faustino; Willy Wailand; Erika Ross; Manuel Alidio; Cathie Sullivan; Amelia Real; John Rossi; Dominic Celio; Noemi Masi; Ester Maceda, Walter Slaney; Cita Pastor; Martin Sask; Pinky Castillo; Ennet Zalamea; Bob Chessell; Nenita Cabilan; Genoveva Lactao; Patrick Youngberg; Perla De Peralta; David Thomas, Victor Miller; Gerry Della Mattia; Dennis Carranza, Marin & Virginia Alvarez; Maria Jean Pereira
If you submit a name to the Prayer List, it is your responsibility to inform the office should his/her circumstances change. Priority on this list given to parishioners and families, as space permits.

Please include in your prayers:
Mary Josephine Griffith
Maria Pereira
Gertrude Roosilawati
May the Lord open the gates of heaven to them and grant them eternal rest.

Were you married outside the Catholic Church?
If you are married, but were not married in the Catholic church, we would like to offer you an opportunity to have your marriage regularized with the Church. Please make an appointment with our priest to discuss having your marriage convalidated or “blessed”.
Sacrament of the Sick. What was referred to as “Last Rites” is now called “Anointing of the Sick” administered by a priest when one is “in danger” due to sickness or old age. Please call the Parish Office to arrange.
Hospital/Care Home Communion Visits. Please remember to let the Parish Office know whenever you or a loved one is hospitalized or moved into a Fleetwood area care home. The Parish has a dedicated group of people who will bring Holy Communion weekly to you or yours. Please phone Deacon Raul Abella 778-512-9163 for a visit and to receive Holy Communion.

CONTACT LIST—ST. MATTHEW’S PARISH MINISTRIES
African Community Ms. Tina Obiwumma aneledom@hotmail.ca
Altar Servers Mrs. Sandi Luongo 604-530-1893
BLD Community Mr. Nilo Diguangco 604-591-2301
Bible Study Mrs. Gail Estrada bible_study@live.com
Catholic Women’s League Mrs. Ria Ling ria_ling@hotmail.com
Choirs: Fri 7 PM Mr. Hahn Nguyen henryq.nguyen@yahoo.ca
Sat 5:30 PM Mr. Danilo Bernabe 604-710-5407
Sun 8:30 AM Mrs. Kathleen Grosjean 604-510-1250
10:30 AM Mr. Peter Luongo 604-530-1890 12:30 PM Mr. Homer Garcia askmymusic@rocketmail.com
12:30 PM (last Sunday) Ms. Tina Obiwuma aneledom@hotmail.ca
5 PM Mr. Vincent Nguyen vien4cdsurrey@gmail.com
7:30 PM Ms. Nannette Lenoue-Guze 778-836-9501
Couples for Christ Mr. & Mrs. Jon Javier jon2ejavier@yahoo.com
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Mrs. Germana Brotto 604-583-1488
Fifty Plus Group Mr. Claude Poirier 604-589-6007
Greeters & Gift Bearers Mrs. Stella Lemos 604-338-5070
Hospitality Committee Mrs. Maureen Fadum 604-589-9679
Knights of Columbus Mr. Richard Thompson 604-597-7288
Lectors Mr. Jon Javier 778-846-2586
Legion of Mary Mrs. Carmen Caballero 604-576-5735
Liturgy of the Word for Children Mrs. Nenita Capili 604-951-0830
Pro-Life Ministry Mrs. Genevieve Perchotte 778-956-7348
Parish Education Committee Mrs. Katrina Bellosillo 604-644-7686
Parish Pastoral Council Mr. Bill Bouwman 604-581-9316
Preschool Enquiries Pre-school Office 604-589-1222
Principal Miss Deborah Welsh 604-589-7545
R.C.I.A. Fr. Nixon D’Silva nixsil2007@gmail.com
St. Matthew’s Prayer Group Ms. Josephine Copon 604-723-2535
Mr. Steve Potusek 604-597-8202
St. Matthew’s Soup Kitchen Mrs. Belle Carson 604-588-0690
St. Vincent de Paul Mr. Eric Andres 604-589-2448
Sports Ministry Mr. Marlowe Billedo 604-715-5484
Ushers Mr. Doug Thomas 604-218-2722
Vietnamese Community Mr. Hoang Minh Nguyen 778-708-0506
Young Catholic Family Group Mrs. Pam Abramski ycfg@saintmatthews.ca
Youth Ministry Mr. Matthew Furtado 778-898-6317

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