Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, A blessed Fourth Sunday of Advent to you. This Christmas 2022 is my first Christmas with you as your pastor. On January 19, 2023, it will be one year since I came to St. Matthias the Apostle parish. In this short time, we have accomplished quite a lot together.
I arrived at the parish during two major renovation projects: the heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)system for the church and the flat roof for the school and the Hughes center. Both projects required the patience of Job and the struggle of Jacob on everyone’s part. However, we got through it and now we have a new HVAC system and leak-free flat roof. I thank all of you again for your generous donations to the Capital Campaign that made it all possible.
In March of this year, we added a Spanish Mass on Sunday at 1:30 pm, thereby opening our parish doors wider to the Spanish-speaking community within our parish boundaries. For many years they had to travel to adjacent parishes to attend a Mass in which they could fully participate. This addition has blessed our parish community by strengthening our unity and diversity and Christian solidarity.
Thankfully, the numbers of parishioners returning to the parish after being away due to the Covid pandemic continues to slowly increase. Although, we are still only at 71% of pre-pandemic levels.
Finally, I am glad to inform you that our school is doing very well. We currently have 198 students, the greatest number in many years. We continue to improve the school facilities as well as strengthen the academic growth and spiritual formation of our students and help to prepare them for the future.
In all this with the Psalmist we “give thanks to God, bless his name for good indeed is the Lord, whose love endures forever; whose faithfulness lasts through every age” (Ps 100: 4-5).
May the Lord Jesus bring joy and peace to you and your family in this Christmas season of heightened faith, hope and love.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year, Fr. Avelino A. Gonzalez, Pastor