Second Collection for Cathedral Maintenance

— October 5, 2025 —

October is the month of the Rosary

The rosary is one of the most powerful devotional prayers in the Catholic faith. Given to us by Our Lady, the four mysteries meditate on the life of Christ, beginning with his conception and ending with Mary's coronation in heaven. Dive deeper into the mystery of our faith with the rosary this month, by reading small meditations prior to the recitation of each decade.

Find a good meditation from Ascension Press here.

The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort is also a good resource to learn more about the depth and beauty of this prayer!

In this edition:

Liturgy, Community, & Ongoing Events

• 73rd Annual Red Mass
• Season of Creation Concluding Mass 
• Livestream Volunteer Information
• Local Resident Outreach
• Excerpt from Cardinal McElroy's Homily at the Mass for the 111th World Day for Migrants and Refugees
• Catholic Social Teaching Fellowship Meeting
• Fr. Daniel Roberts to Celebrate 11am Mass on October 26, 2025
• Liturgical Ministry Day
• CUA Lecture about Teresa of Avila
• The Mario E. Dorsonville Foundation Dinner
• 28th Benefit to Support Saint Luke Institute
• Jubilee Cross in the Cathedral Sanctuary

Faith Formation

• Registration is Open for Children's Faith Formation 2025-2026
• The Little Poor Man: The Life and Radical Mystery of St. Francis of Assisi
• The Mystics: An Intentional Community
• Meditation Group on Sundays
• Jubilee Events
• Cathedral Book Club
• Mystical Word Reflection

Hispanic Ministry

• Grupo de Oración

Social Justice

• Learn About St. Matthew's Care for Creation Green Team
• 2025 Season of Creation
• Always God's Children

Music Ministry

• Schola Cantorum at Special Masses
• Organ Recital featuring Ralph Holtzhauser

Cathedral Young Adults

• Sundays with CYA

& more!

73rd Annual Red Mass

The Red Mass is celebrated annually at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, traditionally on the Sunday before the first Monday in October, which marks the opening of the Supreme Court's annual term. Its purpose is to invoke God's blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice as well as on all public officials. 

There is limited public seating for this event. Robert Cardinal McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, will serve as the Principal Celebrant and Homilist on Sunday, October 5, 2025 at 9am. Doors open at 7:45am. Rhode Island Avenue from 17th Street to Connecticut Avenue will be closed. Security will be screening all attendees and no bags will be allowed inside the Cathedral.

The Mass will be streamed live on the Archdiocese of Washington's YouTube channel.

NOTE: the 7am Mass is canceled on the day of the Red Mass.

Season of Creation Concluding Mass

The Cathedral Parish will celebrate a special Mass October 5, 2025 at 11am to celebrate the conclusion of the Season of Creation 2025.

This Mass celebrated the day after St. Francis Day and will feature special prayers, music and a homily focused on the opportunities we have to join Pope Leo and the universal church to express our thanks for the gifts of creation and to recommit ourselves to the care of this unique and precious gift. Fr. Isaac Sagastume will preside.

Local Resident Outreach

Msgr. Jameson and Fr. Joe are interested in brainstorming ways in which we can reach out to residents of local condos and apartment buildings to let them know about our wonderful parish! If you have ideas or would be interested in assisting in outreach, please email Fr Joe!

Excerpt from Cardinal McElroy's Homily at the Mass for the 111th World Day for Migrants and Refugees:

"In the Gospel today (Luke 10:25-37) Jesus demands that the central perspective we must bring to understanding the moral legitimacy of the campaign of fear and deportation being waged in our country today springs from the bonds of community that have come to tie us together as neighbors with the undocumented, not the question of whether sometime in the past individuals broke a law by entering or remaining in the United States.

It is this perspective that must form our stance and action as people of faith. As a Church we must console and peacefully stand in solidarity with the undocumented men and women whose lives are being upended by the government’s campaign of fear and terror. Courage and sacrifice must be the hallmark of our actions at this moment of historic and deliberate suffering being visited upon people living truly good lives that are a credit to our society. As citizens, we must not be silent as this profound injustice is carried out in our name. The priest and the Levite in today’s Gospel are a stark reminder that in the face of suffering, we so often choose to pass on by – sometimes out of indifference, sometimes out of fear, sometimes out of a general reluctance to be involved.

But Jesus rejected this indifference, this fear, this reluctance. His telling last words in the Gospel allow only one option. Which of these in your opinion was neighbor to the robber’s victim? In understanding and facing the oppression of undocumented men and women in our midst, we have only one answer: I was, Lord, because I saw in them your face."

Read the full homily here.

Catholic Social Teaching Fellowship Meeting

We invite all parishioners to come to the North Conference Room between the 11am and 1pm Masses on October 12, for the start of a new fellowship series focused around Catholic Social Teaching. On the 2nd Sunday of each month, we’ll come together to explore the church’s teaching on a specific issue. Our first gathering will be an introduction to Catholic Social Teaching. Please join us for fellowship, discussion, and refreshments. All are welcome.

In the words of Pope Leo, “[The church’s social teaching] aims to teach us primarily how to approach problems and, even more importantly, how to approach people.”

Fr. Daniel Roberts to Celebrate 11am Mass on October 26, 2025

Fr. Daniel Roberts serves as the parochial vicar at St. Aidan Parish in Wexford, PA, in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. He was ordained a priest in June, and spent some of his time in seminary (including his deaconate) serving here at St. Matthews! Please come and join Fr. Daniel at the 11am Mass on Sunday, October 26, 2025!

Liturgical Ministry Day: Recognizing the Presence of Christ in the Liturgy

The Mass is a profound gift from God in which we are all called to participate. In this morning of reflection, we will discuss how the liturgy makes Christ present in its many aspects, and how we can grow in our understanding and appreciation of this mystery.

This is a free event and is open to anyone interested in growing in the knowledge and appreciation of the Mass, especially those who serve in liturgical ministries.

Please join us Saturday, October 25, 2025, 9am - Noon. We will meet in St. Anthony’s Chapel and then proceed to the North Conference Room.

Please RSVP by contacting Tom Stehle, or call 202-587-5141.

La Misa es un don profundo de Dios en el cual todos estamos llamados a participar. En esta mañana de reflexión, hablaremos sobre cómo la liturgia hace presente a Cristo en sus diversos aspectos y cómo podemos crecer en nuestra comprensión y aprecio de este misterio. Este evento gratuito está abierto a todos los que deseen crecer en el conocimiento y aprecio de la Misa, especialmente aquellos que sirven en ministerios litúrgicos.

Les invitamos a unirse a nosotros el sábado 25 de octubre de 2025, de 9am a 12pm. Nos reuniremos en la Capilla de San Antonio y luego nos trasladaremos a la sala de conferencias norte.

Por favor confirme su asistencia con Tom Stehle, o llame al 202-587-5141.

CUA Lecture about Teresa of Avila

The Center for Carmelite Studies at CUA is hosting its Annual Lecture on Thursday, October 16th at 5pm on campus at Hannan Hall auditorium.  Carlos Eire, who is a Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University. He will be speaking on "Saint Teresa's Troublesome Ecstasies." More information on the talk can be found here.

The Mario E. Dorsonville Foundation Dinner

Join in celebrating the life and legacy of Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville Sunday, October 19, 2025. Mass will be offered for Bishop Dorsonville at the 1pm Spanish Mass at the Cathedral, and there will be a special dinner at 6pm at Cafe Milano (cocktail hour begins at 5pm).

RSVP and buy tickets for the dinner here.

All proceeds go directly to the Mario E. Dorsonville Foundation.

28th Benefit to Support Saint Luke Institute

Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 6:30-8:30pm at Columbia Country Club.

Join in celebrating Saint Luke Institute’s healing ministry and the vital support they give to the men and women serving the Church. Your sponsorship helps the Institute offer the highest quality psychological and spiritual care to the clergy and religious they serve, and foster important awareness and education in the Church around mental health needs. Your gift is not just a financial contribution; it is also an expression of your care for those who give their lives in service to the Church.

To fill out a sponsorship form, buy tickets to the event, or learn more, go to the Saint Luke Institute's event page here.

The Little Poor Man: The Life and Radical Mystery of St. Francis of Assisi

In this course, we will experience the life and radical mysticism of St Francis of Assisi who was known in his lifetime as “Il Poverello,” the little poor man. Stories of his life capture the imagination and make holiness real, vivid, and deeply attractive. His teachings open us to a deeper living of the Gospel.



The final of four meetings will be on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, from 7 to 8:30pm in the East Conference Room.

To learn more about any class or to join any group email L.J. Milone.

The Mystics: An Intentional Community

A mystic is someone who prays and experiences God deeply. Then, they share their experience. The Church has a rich history of mystics inviting us to know God and so be free and happy.

Join a small intentional community that meets to experience the Christian mystical tradition. We will learn how to be mystics in our daily lives through silent prayer, readings and lectures on the mystics, sharing, a meal, and time for solitude and reflection.

We meet every second Saturday of the month. Spiritual practice, study, and community will form the heart of these meetings. Join if you want to grow closer to God, be a part of a dynamic spiritual community, and learn more about the mystical tradition.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, October 11, from 9am to 2pm in the North Conference Room. The group will begin reading the Life of St Teresa of Avila.

All are welcome! Email L.J. Milone before coming.

Meditation Group

Are you looking for a way to explore or deepen your relationship with God? Come to the Meditation Group. You will discover a centuries-old prayer method that consists of simply sitting in silence with God - beyond thoughts, words, and emotions - and opening our mind, heart and whole being to the Ultimate Mystery.

Sundays, 1:30–2:30pm on Zoom. See the cathedral website for the Zoom link HERE, or email L.J. Milone for the link.

Jubilee Events Led by St. Matthew's Faith Formation Director - All are Welcome!

Celebrate the grace of this Jubilee year! Join us for a series of meaningful and prayerful events, led by St. Matthew’s Faith Formation Director, L.J. Milone. Embrace this opportunity to grow in your faith. To learn more about these events, please contact L.J. Milone at ljmilone@stmatthewscathedral.org. We look forward to sharing this journey with you. LEARN MORE

Cathedral Book Club

Next on the calendar is a book providing insight into the influence of St. Augustine by an Augustinian: AS ONE STRUGGLING CHRISTIAN TO ANOTHER: AUGUSTINE'S CHRISTIAN IDEAL FOR TODAY, by Fr. Theodore E. Tack, O.S.A.

Written before the election of Leo XIV to the papacy, this provides a view of another Augustinian, Father Theodore E. Tack , O.S.A. The book is described as "an excellent readable reflection on the application of Augustine's spirituality to the problems of today."

Discussion will be Thursday, October 9th, 7–8:15 pm, in the West Conference Room.

The Cathedral Young Adult ministry (C†YA) serves the community of Catholic adults ages 21 - 39 who live and work in DC, supporting them in the continued growth of their faith, discernment of their vocations, and development as stewards of the Church through opportunities for socializing, community service, and spiritual reflection.

Sundays with CYA

Sunday, October 5, after the 5:30pm Mass, in the North Conference Room.

Meet other Catholics, talk about the faith, and build friendships! C†YA uses a WhatsApp Community to plan future events, post updates, and stay in touch. Please follow the links for information about how to join and the latest details about upcoming events. You can follow C†YA on Instagram and Facebook for events and news from our community!