FEBRUARY 24, 2019 ♥ SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

St. Gregory the Great

224 Brooklyn Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11213

Tel 718- 773-0100

Fax 718- 773-4198

Email: faithcommstgreg@aol.com

Mass Schedule:

Mon. –Fri 8:30am; Sat.Vigil-5pm

Sunday 11:30am

Saturday: Reconciliation-4:00 pm

Office Staff

Secretary: Rosanne Barber Ext.100

D.R.E: Monica Flemmings

Office Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8:00am-4:00pm

Saint Gregory the Great

Catholic Academy

Spiritual & Academic Excellence

2520 Church Ave.

Brooklyn N.Y.11226

Tel 718-282-2770;

Fax 718-774-3332

Principal: Mr. Rudolph Cyrus

St. Matthew

1123 Eastern Pkwy.,

Brooklyn, NY 11213

Tel 718- 774-6747;

Fax 718- 953-4895

Email: stmatthew1123@aol.com

Mass Schedule:

Monday-Friday 7:30am &

9:00am

Saturday 8:00am & 8:00pm

Saturday: Reconciliation-7:30 pm

or by appointment

Sunday:

English-7:30am & 11:30am

Spanish 9:30am; Kreyol 1:30pm

Office Staff

Secretary: Sharon Andrews

D.R.E.: Clare McCallan

Office Hours:

Monday:9:30am-4:00pm

Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday:

9:30am-7:00pm

Thursday: 9:30am-9:00pm

Saturday: 10:00am-7:00pm

Sunday: 9:00am-4:00pm

Our Lady Of Charity

1669 Dean St.,

Brooklyn, NY 11213

Tel 718- 774-5100;

Fax 718- 778-3335

Email: OlcharityRC@aol.com

Mass Schedule:

Sunday: Rosary 9:00am

9:30am-Praise & Worship

10am-Mass

Office Staff:

Secretary: Patricia Romain

D.R.E.: Ethel Andoh-Menson

Office Hours:

Monday-Friday:10am-6pm

Catholic Cemeteries–

80-01 Metropolitan Ave.

Middle Village, NY 11379

Tel:718 – 894-4888

Pastoral Staff Pastor

Fr. Frank Black

In Residence Bishop Guy Sansaricq

Priests

Fr. Jean–Augustin

Francois

Fr. Juan Luxama

Fr. Apollinaris Anyomi

Deacons

Roy George

Nickie Colon

Website: www.stmatthewrc.org

St. Matthew Parish

Seventh Sunday Ordinary Time: Forgiveness One measure of flour would be poured into the ladies’ outstretched aprons. Now, how much that measure really was would depend on the merchant. The best

measure would be one where there was no more room for any more flour. The measure with which your meas-ure will in return be measured to you means that if our forgiveness is limited, so also will be God’s mercy. If

our forgiveness is complete, so also will be God’s mercy.

So who is it that you and I still hold a grudge over? And why is it that we are allowing God’s mercy to be limited by our anger for another person? And why is it that we feel justified in adding our anger to the sum of hatred in the world? Does that mean that we are to forgive and

forget? Forgive, yes, but sometimes it is neither reason-able nor prudent to forget. We may need to remember for the sake of protecting ourselves or others from those who commit crimes against us. But we still need to for-give. Remember the story of the Prodigal Son. When he returned home, the Forgiving Father welcomed him back into his love, but he didn’t give him the farm. The

Prodigal Son had squandered his half of the farm. Whatever was left still belonged to the elder

brother. But, as the Forgiving Father told his faithful son, “All that I have is yours, but your brother who was lost has returned and we need to celebrate his presence in

our family.”

Our participation in the transformation of the world into the Kingdom of God is dependent on our de-

termination to put his love over our anger and our hatred no matter how justified we might feel. Anger and hatred only destroy, and they destroy the one who is angry, the

one who hates. God does not want us to be miser-able. He wants us to live and die in his love. We pray today for the courage to allow his forgiveness to trans-

form the world.

A prayer for forgiveness: Lord, I'm in that place again-On my knees

Laying my life out before You. Thank you that on the cross

you cried "It is finished." You have done it

Forgiveness is complete-I can live forever in Your grace

Forever in Your love. So I ask now for Your forgiveness

For the wrongs that I have done

And the things that I have neglected

I ask for Your forgiveness-For the people I have hurt

And those who I have failed to love as You love

I ask for Your forgiveness

I receive Your forgiveness. And resolve in my heart

That with Your strength I determine not to make these

errors again. I receive Your forgiveness

And by the power of Your Holy Spirit

I walk away from everything I know to be wrong

And embrace everything I know about You

For the kingdom, the power and the glory

Are always and forever Yours. Amen

I think that of all the things the Lord asks us to do in our following Him, nothing is more difficult that the dictates

of today’s Gospel. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the

one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” It is much easier to avoid sexual immorality than it is to avoid ha-tred, particularly when we have been hurt, but that is

what Jesus is calling us to do. It is much easier to sacri-fice our wants for the needs of others, then it is to avoid lashing out at someone who has attacked someone in

our family, but that is what Jesus is calling us to do.

Hatred is destroying the world. Jesus came to give the world life. To follow Him demands that we fight off hatred in the world, beginning with that anger that is

within us. So your children or your parents, your ex-wife or

ex husband, your boss or the people next door have made your lives difficult, even unpleasant. They have

tormented you. We can all say that there are those peo-ple whose lives have made our lives difficult. And we

think, life would be so much easier if they had never ex-isted. More than that, the very thought of the person makes our blood boil. And this nemesis is the person

we are called upon to forgive.

Is the Lord asking too much? Is he expecting too much of us? No, He is only telling us to be forgiving

so we can receive forgiveness. In the Gospel of Mat-thew, the Jewish people are told to be sincere or perfect

as their heavenly Father is sincere or perfect. In the Gospel of Luke, that we heard today, we are told to be compassionate as our Heavenly Father is Compas-

sionate.

That word compassionate means to be con-cerned with human welfare and the alleviation of suffer-ing by being charitable, sympathetic, and merciful. We all live under the mercy of God. We are all dependent on His care, His understanding. We are called to offer

that care, that understanding in the most difficult circum-stance, to offer compassion to those who have as-

saulted us in any way whatsoever. We are told: “"Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning

and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good

measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflow-ing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to

you." When the ladies of Jesus’ time went to the market

place they would have aprons on over their clothes. The last purchase they would make would usu-

ally be wheat or some other grain or possibly flour.

BREAD & WINE, CANDLE, BLESSINGS MASS INTENTIONS

ST. MATTHEW: MASS INTENTIONS

Saturday Feb. 23rd

8:00pm– Birthday blessings for Fr. Andy & Joan Guppy by Cita Ferguson

Sunday February

24

7th Sunday of Ordinary

Time

7:30am– In loving memory of Vergara & Argentine family by Nidia Vergara

9:30am– In loving memory of Alfonso Rochez by Marcelina Alvarez

11:30am– In remembrance of Julia & Leonard Williams by Edmund Williams

1:30pm– Birthday blessings for Rose Marie Blezin

Monday Feb. 25

7:30am– Repose of the soul of Wilfred Coppin & Aston Henry by

Paulette Coppin

9:00am– In loving memory of Leslie Thompson by Lima Thompson

Tuesday Feb.26

7:30am–Repose of the soul Viola Muller & Izona Hayes by Iona Decoteau

9:00am– Healing & blessings for Leon Hernandez

Wednesday Feb. 27

7:30am– Repose of the soul of Ashton Decoteau & Frank Hayes by

Iona Decoteau

9:00am– Birthday blessings for Giselda Lopez

Thursday Feb. 28

7:30am– That my children will receive the gifts of the Spirit

9:00am– For the children of the world

Friday Mar. 1

7:30am– For all priests especially those serving in our parish

9:00am–Thanksgiving to God by Bertha Content

Saturday Mar. 2

8:00am– God’s grace & mercy on the United States

WEEKLY READINGS

OUR LADY OF CHARITY: MASS INTENTIONS

Sun Feb 24 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9,12-13,22-23; 1 Cor 15:45-49; Lk 6:27-38

Mon Feb 25 Sir 1:1-10 ; Mk 9:14-29

Tue Feb 26 Sir 2: 1-11 ; Mk 9:30-37

Wed Feb 27 Sir 4: 11-19 ; Mt 9:38-40

Thu Feb 28 Sir 5: 1-8 ; Mt 9:41-50

Fri Mar 1 Sir 6: 5-17 ; Mt 10:1-12

Sat Mar 2 Sir 17: 1-15 ; Mt 10:13-16

BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS:

Anthony Holloway, Tytiana King, Nrak Boyd. Marie Huie, Enrique Taylor, Shonnell Sheppard, Dwayne Allard, James Framer, Bayyinah Clinton,

Elinor Roach, Destiny Kpaka, Burtel Batson, Michelle Thompson, Socia Romain, Mother Pearl Matthews,

Ayodele Mims,

We pray to the Lord.

TODAY’S MASS : For our parishioners

We pray to the Lord.

BREAD & WINE : Bread and Wine for the month of

February & March, is donated by Haynes family,

We pray to the Lord

Bread Wine & Candle : for the month of February is donated for Judy & Jennifer Antoine thanking God

for grace and mercy,

We pray to the Lord.

WEDDING ANNVERSARIES: For all married couples that God give them comfort and strength in each

other and joy in their children.

We pray to the Lord

PARISH PRAYER: For our parish, that the three communities of St. Matthew, St. Gregory the Great and Our Lady of Charity, learn how to merge and grow together spiritually and become financially

sound as three and yet one,

We pray to the Lord.

BREAD — Birthday blessings for Cecil Beard

Healing for the Church.

ST. MATTHEW-BREAD & WINE - FEBRUARY

CANDLE FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 2

Sunday, Feb. 24TH

11:30 AM Mass In Thanksgiving For The Jack Family

Requested by Gregory Jack

MASS INTENTIONS @ ST. GREGORY

WEEKLY MEETINGS REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS

For the homebound, hospitalized and sick

Carmen Allen, Armelle Amilcar, Michelle Bertrand, Patricia Bowen, Silvestre Brathwaite, Ismay Brewster,

Paulita Caberra, Yolande Cadet, Delcia Charles, Jemma & Charles Christian, Enide Clarke, Maurice Earl Cunningham, Mother Veronica Dale, Calvert Davis, Polly Davis, Catherine DeLeon, Eulalia Diaz, Dorothy Edwards, Yvonne Edwards, Stella Emmanuel, Mother Carrie Frasier, Cynthia Gairy, John Gale, Muriel Gomez, Trina Gonzalez, Jose Guerrero, Zita Hamilton, Gwendolyn Harding, Joan Hudson, Danielle Huie, Enid Huntley, Janice

Hutchings, Kerlyne Hyppolite, Serge Jaboui, Marie Rose Jabouin Fernando James, Ian Kellman, Albert Kirton, Deacon

James Lacy, Percival Lewis, Sampson Lewis, Barbara Manuel, Luis Manuel Lorenzo, Madelin Lorenzo, Jean Lubin, Barbara Manuel, Mother

Virginia Marcellin, Judith Matthew, Mother Pearl Matthews, Leticia McDowell, Vernita McDowell, , Kerry Mills, Marcelina & Roy Morales, Isai Munoz,

Marta Munoz, Nelson Munoz, Suzanna Neil, Mother Dolores Olff, Marie Pierre, Sonia Prescot, Clyde Pryce, Dorothy Irons Reid, Catherine Richards,

Carlos Rudas, Rita Salandy,Elizabeth Sampson, Lidia Saunders, Carl Serrette, Frances Smith,Pamela Smith, Lisa Scott Spencer, Javier Talango, Cynthia

Thomas, Edris Thomas, Irvine Thomas, Ethel Thompson, Mother Margaret Thompson, Lyonette

Tribie, Janet Throne, Carmen Valentine, Martel Vendryes, Audrey Williams, Elodia Zuniga,

SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR : Omari Ausby, Edna King, Vernice Chambers , Kerry Mills , Paul Hawker,

Cecil Bowen, Marcella De Sandies , Damien Thomas, Patricia & Dexter Marshall & family, Griffith families , all OLC Ministries , all families represented here

today.

All students, teachers and principals, President Don-ald Trump & family, our Government, prayers and

petitions in our prayer basket, for the all Priest espe-cially those who serve here at Charity, Religious Vo-cations, and an increase in Religious Vocations, all men and women serving our country, the elders, all

who are incarcerated, and unexpressed prayers, for immigrants, the DACA program, the mentally sick, and for world peace, mentally sick, and for world

peace,

We pray to the Lord.

WEEK OF SUNDAY 02/24/19 @ ST. GREGORY + 10 AM Senior Choir Rehearsal

+ 10:30 AM Rosary Recitation Every Sunday

+ 4 PM Black History Month Cultural Extravaganza @ St.

Matthew Parish Center

+ CREDIT UNION OPEN & GIFT SHOP OPEN

MONDAY 02/25/19

+ 7:30 PM Senior Choir Rehearsal

TUESDAY 02/26/19

+7:15 PM Bible Study – Rectory basement

WEDNESDAY 02/27/18

+ CLOSED – ARISE Creole

+CLOSED – ARISE English

THURSDAY 02/28/19

+ After Senior Bible Study & ARISE with Dolores Sykes

FIRST FRIDAY 03/01/19 + 10 AM Mass followed Eucharistic Adoration with

Disciples In Mission – Chapel

SATURDAY 03/02/19

+ 9 AM to 4 PM Recitation of One Thousand Hail Mary’s

+ 4 PM Vigil Choir Rehearsal-Choir Room

+ 6 PM- Light Fest – Church

WEEK OF SUNDAY 02/24/19 @ ST. MATTHEW + 11:45am Legion nidi de la Presentation

+ 1:30pm Youth Ministry

MONDAY 02/25/19

+ 7:00 pm Narcotics Anonymous

+ 7:00pm Haitian Charismatic Prayer Group

TUESDAY 02/26/19

+ 7:00pm The Bible in our lives

WEDNESDAY 02/27/19

+ 11am– Senior Group

FRIDAY 03/01/19

+ 7pm– Spanish Charismatic Prayer Group

SATURDAY 03/02/19

+ 4pm-Youth Choir Rehearsal

+4:15pm-Haitian Legion of Mary

OUR LADY OF CHARITY

+ 1st, 2nd & 3rd, Mondays A .A Group 6pm—9pm

+ 3rd Tuesdays 7pm

Liturgy Meeting 7pm

AA Group 6pm-9pm

Thursdays A. A. Group 6pm —9pm

NO Praise & Worship Team 7pm

+ Fridays -Feather Men 5pm

2nd, 3rd & 4th Saturdays

Bible & Culture 10am—noon

+ Every Saturday Prayer Group 8 am-10

2nd & 4th Saturdays Liturgical Dancers

Every Saturday Feathers Meeting 5pm

Every Sunday after Mass- Choir Rehearsal

+ 3rd Sunday-Baptism

+ 1st & 3rd Sunday -Apologetics

UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS—ST. MATTHEW

ENGLISH LENTEN MISSION

Tuesday March 19th - Our Lady of Charity 1669

Dean Street Brooklyn, NY 11213

*******

Wednesday March 20th - St Gregory the Great 224

Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213

*******

Thursday & Friday March 21st & 22nd -

St. Matthew Parish 1123 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn,

NY 11213

*******

Mission begins at 7:00 pm with the Rosary.

Fr. Brancker John from the Island of Dominica will be

the celebrant of the mission

MOTHERS’ DAY DINNER DANCE

St. Matthew Fundraising Committee will be celebrating Mother’s Day with a dinner dance at Afrika House on Sunday, May 19,2019.

Time: 5 PM—10 PM

Admission: 21 years and over

Price: $ 70 in advance; $80 after April 30th.

Live DJ, Best Dressed Mother, 50/50 Raffle,

Cash Bar

PALM BRANCHES

Please bring in your palm branches from last year’s

Palm Sunday. The palms will be burnt and ashes

used on Ash Wednesday ( March 6th)

ANNUAL SOUP DAY March 16th from 12PM —3:00 PM the English

Charismatic Group “Annual Take away Soup Day” in

the vestibule of the Church. Adults: $8.00;

Fish soup $10 .Proceeds go to aid the poor.

ST. GREGORY THE GREAT SCHOOL: Saint Gregory the Great Catholic Academy’s

Kindergarten registration has started for the 2019-2020 school year. The Tuition Assistance Program

will open on January 14th, 2019. This allows children to receive a quality Catholic education when the family income is challenged. Registration for all grades starts on January 14th, 2019. The phone

number is 718-774-3330

Please support St. Gregory the Great Chocolate

Candy Drive. Chocolate bars are $1. Please

support their fundraising efforts. See Margaret

Mary Casey.

COLLECTION– ST. MATTHEW PARISH

ST. GREGORY – FEB 16/17

OUR LADY OF CHARITY – FEB 16/17

ST. MATTHEW– FEB 16/17

Mass

Enve-

lopes

Used

Envelope

Collection

Loose

money Totals

5:00 pm 24 566.00 159.00 725.00

11:30AM 38 842.00 850.87 1,692.87

Grand

Total 62 1,408.00 1,009.87 2,417.87

Mass

Enve-

lopes

Used

Envelope

Collection

Loose

money Total

10am 56 3,089.00 21.00 3,110.00

Free will 7 367.00 — 367.00

Grand

Total 63 3,456.00 21.00 3,477.00

Mass

En-

velo

pes

Used

Envelope

Collection

Loose

money Totals

8 PM 50 1,463.05 150.62 1,613.67

7:30 AM 115 2,517.95 280.18 2,798.13

9:30 AM 58 744.25 363.22 1,107.47

11:30 AM 98 1,841.00 349.20 2,190.20

1:30 PM 43 525.00 244.70 769.70

L.I.R. 9 1,079.00 — 1,079.00

TOTAL 373 8,170.25 1,387.92 9.558.17

UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS—ST. GREGORY

Lenten Mini Brunch hosted by Disciples In Mission on Saturday, March 16th from 9:30 AM to 1 PM in the rectory

basement. ALL ARE INVITED. FREE OF CHARGE.

LOVE OFFERING FOR SR. AVE CLARK FOUNDER OF

HEART TO HEART MINISTRY

Black Heritage Month

Children day

Sunday 02/24/19

Extravaganza

Sunday 02-24-19

St. Matthew Parish Center @ 4 PM

See members of the Heritage Committee to purchase

Tickets and Raffle books

SCHOOL OF RELIGION @ ST. MATTHEW

SACRAMENTS & REGISTRATION

PARISH REGISTRATION

We urge everyone to register in the parish. Any letter concerning sponsorship for the sacraments or

testimonial letters will only be issued to registered parishioners of 6+ months. Please register @ the

rectory, you can fill out the form on the left and bring to the rectory

BAPTISM: .

To have your child baptized in St. Matthew, you must

pick up a list of requirements in the rectory

MARRIAGE:

Marriage sacrament requires a time of spiritual

preparation. Therefore, couples should make ar-

rangements six months to a year before the planned

date, by making an appointment with the parish priest

ANOINTING OF THE SICK:

If you or a loved one is near death or very ill and need

a priest , we encourage you to call the chaplain of the

hospital or call our rectory

PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY

If anyone is interested in joining the Pastoral Care Homebound Ministry please leave your name and

telephone number in the rectory.

RCIA

RCIA stands for RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION

OF ADULTS and is composed of a series of sessions

bringing people together to experience the prayer life

of the church as well as learn about its doctrines and

teachings. Using the readings from the Bible which

we hear daily at Mass, the Sacred Liturgy as well as

the Catechism of the Catholic Church, teens and

adults who have not yet done so prepare themselves

to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation &

Holy Eucharist.

RCIA is offered in Spanish, Kreyol & English and

is for people who:

Were baptized in the Catholic Church but have

not received the sacrament of Confirmation,

First Holy Communion or First Confession

Were baptized in another Christian denomination

and wish to join the Catholic Church

Were never baptized & wish to fully worship in the

Catholic Church

Want to know more about what it means to be

Catholic?

The sessions begin in October. If you are interested

in knowing more, please contact the rectory.

School of Religion @ St. Matthew

IS NOW CLOSED

School of Religion @ Our Lady of Charity

Registration for school of religion is ongoing

School of Religion @ St. Gregory

Registration for Sacrament classes is now taking

place

PARISH REGISTRATION

Adoration in the Chapel: Monday – Friday

After 9:00 am Mass until 12:00 noon. The Divine Mercy is recited during the reposition. There is Benediction every

First Friday at Noon.

Full Name______________________

Address 1_______________________

Address 2________________________

Telephone Number _________________

Email Address ______________________

Were you registered before ____________

If yes, registration # __________

Today’s Date____________________

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

GENERAL WEEKLY EXPENSES

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

First Woman Representative:

Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the House of Representatives.

She was elected in 1968 and represented the state of New York. She broke ground again four years later in 1972 when she was the first major

party African-American candidate and the first fe-male candidate for president of the United States.

Self-Made Millionaire: Madam C.J. Walker was born on a cotton plantation in Louisiana and

became wealthy after inventing a line of African-American hair care products. She established

Madame C.J. Walker Laboratories and was also known for her philanthropy.

Population Growth: The black population of the United States in 1870 was 4.8 million; in 2007, the

number of black residents of the United States, including those of more than one race, was 40.7

million.

Oscar Winner: In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American performer to win an

Academy Award—the film industry’s highest honor—for her portrayal of a loyal slave govern-

ess in Gone With the Wind.

Into Space: In 1992, Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to go into space

aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. During her eight-day mission, she worked with U.S. and

Japanese researchers, and was a co-investigator on a bone cell experiment.

White House: In 2009, Barack Obama became the first African-American president in U.S.

history. He occupied the White House for two consecutive terms, serving from 2009 to 2017.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Black History Month: The celebration of Black History Month began as “Negro History Week,”

which was created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a noted African American historian, scholar, educator, and publisher. It became a month-long celebration in 1976. The month of

February was chosen to coincide with the birth-days of Frederick Douglass and Abraham

Lincoln

NAACP: On February 12, 2009, the NAACP marked its 100th anniversary.

Spurred by growing racial violence in the early twentieth century, and particularly by 1908 race riots in Springfield, Illinois, a group of African-

American leaders joined together to form a new permanent civil rights organization, the National

Association for the Advancement of Colored Peo-ple (NAACP). February 12, 1909, was chosen be-

cause it was the centennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.

Heavyweight Champ: Jack Johnson became the first African-American man to hold the World Heavyweight Champion boxing title in 1908. He

held onto the belt until 1915.

First Lawyer: John Mercer Langston was the first black man to become a lawyer when he

passed the bar in Ohio in 1854. When he was elected to the post of Town Clerk for Brownhelm, Ohio, in 1855 Langston became one of the first

African Americans ever elected to public office in America. John Mercer Langston was also the

great-uncle of Langston Hughes, famed poet of the Harlem Renaissance.

Supreme Court Justice: Thurgood Marshall was the first African American ever

appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and

served on the court from 1967 to 1991.

Eminent Scientist: George Washington Carver developed 300 derivative products from peanuts among them cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum,

medicinal oils and cosmetics.

First Senator: Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American ever elected to the U.S.

Senate. He represented the state of Mississippi from February 1870 to March 1871.