St. Matthew Catholic Church E-Newsletter: May 16, 2025

Mulch Madness Part 2.

Dear Parishioners,

Please consider helping us with part two of mulching the St. Matthew Catholic Church Grounds. We will be mulching this Saturday (May 17) between the hours of 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. Then we will finish any left over mulching the next day between the hours of 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. Thank you for your time. We are always extremely appreciative of all you do.

If you plan on coming, please use the link below to RSVP. Thank you.

https://conta.cc/4dehAL1

DADCAMP at Marian University. Dads, here’s your chance to create unforgettable memories with your kids! Join us at DADCAMP® at Marian University, part of the Fraternitas initiative, dedicated to building stronger fathers who raise stronger families. Through exciting weekend experiences, you’ll grow closer to your son while having a blast. Enjoy a variety of activities, including playing games, canoeing, and racing in a soapbox derby—all while staying overnight in the dorms. More than just fun, DADCAMP is an opportunity to deepen your bond, grow in faith, and be inspired by meaningful moments together. Our next camp is for Dads and Sons Grades 1-5 and runs from Friday evening, July 11, through Sunday morning, July 13. Don’t miss this chance to invest in your relationship with your son while making lifelong memories. Please register by May 31st.

Learn more and register at www.marian.edu/dadcamp or email Mark Bridenstine at mbridenstine@marian.edu.

St. Matthew School: Preschool-7th Grade Enrollment Now Open. If you have child NEW to St. Matthew who you would like to enroll, we ask you to complete a new application for that child(ren). The registration fee for that child will be paid once enrollment is completed.

New For the 2025-2026 School Year – For Pre School, the student must be the age of three by August 1, 2025. For PreK, the student must be the age of four by August 1, 2025. For Kindergarten, the student must be the age of five by August 1, 2025.”

CLICK HERE to access the St. Matthew School Enrollment Form!

Click here to view The Warrior World

Job Opening: SMS Elementary Teacher. St. Matthew Catholic School on the Northside of Indianapolis is looking for a strong teacher to become part of our elementary team. Opportunities for a self-contained classroom in primary or intermediate are available. The ideal candidate will have a passion for teaching, building relationships, and innovating in a faith-filled environment. Student engagement, high expectations, family partnerships and student advocacy are essential for success. Candidates should be licensed in Elementary Education (other licenses will be considered for the right candidate). Please contact Cara Swinefurth, Principal (cswinefurth@saintmatt.org)

with resume or apply here:

https://archindy.applicantpro.com/jobs/3645325

Special Collection: Catholic Communication Campaign. On the weekend of June 1st, our special collection supports the Catholic Communication Campaign. This campaign connects Catholics with Christ in the United States using the internet, television, radio, and print media. Half of the money we collect remains here in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to fund local communications efforts. The other half supports the communication activities of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and some projects across the United States and abroad. Your support spreads the gospel message! Learn more at www.usccb.org/ccc.

A Letter From Archbishop Thompson.

Parlez-Vous Francais? We are looking for individuals conversant in French to assist periodically in meetings with our Haitian priest, Père Max. Your role would involve translating dialogue between our Haiti team and Père Max. We hope to have 3 or 4 volunteers available on a rotating basis. The anticipated time commitment is about 1 hour per month or every other month (typically in evenings at 7PM for less than 1 hour). Knowledge of Haitian Creole would be a plus but is not required. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Robert Kowal at kowalrobertj@gmail.com.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support our Haiti ministry!

Haiti Bingo Night. August 16th, 2025! Please save the date for our annual bingo night hosted by our Haiti Parish Twinning Committee. More details are forthcoming. Indiana Gaming License Number: 002563. Become a Haiti School Friendship Sponsor at www.saintmatt.org/parish-ministries/haiti-sponsorship-form/

St. Matthew Parish Communication Survey. Below is a link to a short (17 questions) survey designed to assess honest opinions about St. Matthew's communication methods. Our intention is to ensure our messages reach you, and see if there is anything we can do to improve how we communicate. Your answers will remain anonymous unless you elect to provide your email address in one of the questions at the end of the survey. We are considering starting a small communications committee, so, at the end of the survey, you may provide your email address if you so choose. Thank you.

https://forms.office.com/r/2NEykyPDMC

Offseason Basketball Training. Is your young champion looking to practice in the offseason? Opportunities for summer training are available. Individualized and small group sessions (2-4 players) are available. This training is open to all St. Matthew students/parishioners in grades 4 through high school for the 2025-26 school year. New and returning players are welcome. Sessions will be scheduled weekday evenings and weekends in May-August. Training will take place in the St. Matthew Gym. Spots are limited, so please reserve your spot soon with Coach Dylan Gray at (317) 408-9249 or dylangray0124@gmail.com. Cost rates are competitive; please contact for details. Thank you.

Northside Fraternitas House. Join other men of St. Matthew and the north deanery for a breakfast event at Liter House in Broad Ripple on Friday, May 30th, 6:30am-8:30am. Our featured speaker will be Mark Erdosy, a Little Flower parishioner, husband, father of two, and 20 plus years of missionary discipleship. He’s the “voice of Marian” as an athletics PA announcer. Don’t miss his discussion of the race and handing on tradition. Pray, learn, and discuss how to be a better father... and enjoy a delicious FREE breakfast! The mission of Fraternitas is to help dads pass on their faith to their families. Hosted by Marian University. Please RSVP here: https://marian.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_55d2Tq6qFr6prQa.

For more information contact Mark Bridenstine, parishioner,

at mbridenstine@marian.edu or 317-361-8084.

Electronics Recycling Drive: June 21st, 2025. St. Matthew Parish will be hosting an electronics recycling drive on Saturday, June 21st, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Please click here to see the list of acceptable items. Most items can be donated for free; however, a small fee will be required to donate a refrigerator or a t.v. as these are costly to recycle.

BLAZE: Bible Study for Middle School Girls. Calling all parents of 7th and 8th-grade girls! We are excited to offer our second year of BLAZE, a Catholic Bible study program from "Walking with Purpose" designed specifically for middle school young women. BLAZE provides a welcoming space for girls to connect with each other and explore their faith through relevant discussions on topics like relationships, social media, and their identity as daughters of God, all rooted in Scripture and Catholic teachings. Our first year was a wonderful experience, and we look forward to another enriching year starting in September (ending around April/May 2026). Sessions will likely be held every other week in the evening, starting around 5:30 PM. The cost for the 20-week study is $50 to help offset the cost of materials needed for the study. If your daughter is interested, please email theresa.r.neff@gmail.com to register and indicate your preference for Monday, Friday, or Sunday evenings as a meeting time. Please also let me know if you'd like to host Blaze or help with this ministry. I'm more than happy to help onboard anyone who feels particularly called to this ministry. For more information or to register, please email theresa.r.neff@gmail.com.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Please pray for all who struggle with mental health issues.

Office of Human Life and Dignity. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis' Office of Human Life and Dignity offers a plethora of support and resources on topics such as physical and mental health, substance abuse, hospice/palliative care, and more. To access these resources, please click here.

IF YOU EVER HAVE THOUGHTS OF SELF-HARM/SUICIDE, PLEASE TEXT OR CALL 988 IMMEDIATELY. https://988lifeline.org/

Counseling Services: with Fr. Jomy Mathew. Fr. Jomy CSC, a student of Marian University is doing his internship in mental health counseling with

Integritas, a Catholic private practice at 910 N Shadeland Ave, Indianapolis IN 46219. Anyone who could benefit from psychotherapy with him may reach out to him at frjomy@integritaspsych.com or 317-679-9600.

To see a directory of local Catholic therapists, please click the following link: https://marriageandfamily.archindy.org/therapists

*click or tap the image directly below*

Fr. Paul Shikany's Retirement Mass and Reception. On June 28th, a retirement Mass and celebration will be held for Fr. Paul Shikany at St. Christopher Catholic Parish (5301 W. 16th Street, Speedway, IN. 46224). Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. A reception will follow at 6:30 p.m. All are invited to attend. If you would like to send Fr. Paul a letter/card wishing him well, please mail to "Attn: Fr. Paul Shikany, St. Christopher Parish, 5301 W. 16th St., Speedway, IN. 46224."

The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods: Monthly Prayer Group and Other Events. Please click the following link to view upcoming events offered by Sisters of Providence. In-person and virtual events are available. There's a Women's Monthly Prayer Group Session on June 7 from 7pm-7:45pm, and more. Please click here to see their list of events.

Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House. Please see the items below for a list of upcoming events at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House.

Fatima Retreat House Events Page.

2025 SPREAD SUMMER RETREAT. Pilgrims of Hope is the theme for The SPREAD Summer Retreat July 26-27, 2025, at St. Joseph Retreat Center in Tipton, IN. Please prayerfully consider helping to make this weekend possible for our friends that have Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. They look forward all year to coming together to celebrate their faith. The retreats are costly for some of our friends. Would you consider sponsoring a friend’s retreat or the cost of their T-shirt? See the list below and please help in any way.

Sponsor a Friend to attend the Summer Retreat 2025 for $95
Sponsor 4 meals for a Friend to attend during the weekend $60
Sponsor a Friend’s T-shirt for the weekend $15
Sponsor a Friend’s bus ride to and from the retreat $10

Please make your check out to the Disabilities Ministry and please include a note letting me know what you are sponsoring, Thank you!

Please Send to:

Jenny Bryans

Disabilities Ministry, Office of Catechesis

Archdiocese of Indianapolis

1400 N. Meridian Street

Indianapolis, IN 46202-2367

We also need VOLUNTEERS No experience is necessary, just be ready to get back so much more than what you give! Email Jenny Bryans: jbryans@archindy.org for more information.

Catholic Charities: Providing Help. Creating Hope. Serving All. Catholic Charities Indianapolis provides help and creates hope for the poor and vulnerable in our community, serving nearly 70,000 people each year. See how you can get involved and make a difference through Catholic Charities. Click here to find more information.

YOUTH MINISTRY ALLEY

The St. Matthew and North Deanery Youth Ministries have a number of upcoming events. Please reach out to Pam Fleming at pfleming@saintmatt.org if you have questions.

Many of the flyers are live links; please click them to access important information related to that particular event.

Looking for ways to volunteer? Scroll down to access and complete a VBS form. Volunteers and participants use the same form to sign up. If you have questions, or if you have difficulty registering, please reach out to Pam Fleming.

Download a Copy of the VBS Registration Form

YOUTH MINISTRY EVENT SCHEDULE For more information, please contact Pam Fleming at pfleming@saintmatt.org

2025

Event

Grade

Location

November 20th-23rd

National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC)

NCYC.US

High School

Lucas Oil Stadium & the Indianapolis Convention Center

Bishop Chatard High School 2025 Summer Camps. Looking for some fun/educational activities for your kids this summer? Bishop Chatard High School offers various summer camp experiences for many grade levels. Please click the following link for details and registration. www.bishopchatard.org/camps/

Cathedral High School 2025 Summer Camps. Looking for some fun/educational activities for your kids this summer? Cathedral High School offers various summer camp experiences for many grade levels. Please click the following link for details and registration.

www.gocathedral.com/on-campus/campcathedral

SVDP ALLEY

All the information you need brought to you by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Indianapolis.

Volunteer for the SVdP Helpline. Volunteers are needed to answer phones for the SVdP Helpline service. If you are interested/have questions please contact Cynthia Coleman at coleman4675@att.net or 317-443-2387. Thank you!

SVdP Volunteer Group. Our St. Matthew/St. Vincent de Paul ministry is forming a volunteer group that will assist the Society of SVdP on May 17th, 2025. We plan to meet at St. Matthew at 8:30 a.m. and work until about noon. We take a group on the third Saturday of each month, and we alternate locations between the Distribution Center and the E. 30th St Food Pantry. The work will include sorting donations. If interested, please contact Ray Meckauskas at r.meckauskas@att.net.

Please click or tap the flyer below to access a downloadable copy of the flyer and permission form.

Prayer Shawls: For Those Who are Sick and/or Grieving. Our wonderful Prayer Shawl Ministry has provided us with several new shawls of varying colors, sizes, and materials. They've even made a quilt or two. Prayer shawls are often kept in the Narthex in yellow gift bags, but if you don't see one please visit Stephen Sulka in the Parish Office on weekdays from 8:30-3:00. Anyone may take a prayer shawl and offer it to someone in need. Please remember that the shawls are blessed by Fr. Bill and should only be offered to those who are ill or grieving. ALLERGY WARNING: most prayer shawls are made of synthetic fibers like acrylic, but a few are made with wool, so please use caution if you think the recipient may have an allergy to certain materials. If you need help identifying the material, please call Carol at the number below. If you are interested in joining the Prayer Shawl Ministry, please call/text Carol Andersen at 317.919.7469. Thank you!

Respect Life Rosary. On the first Sunday of every month, the Respect Life Ministry prays the Rosary in the church at 9:00 a.m. Mass at 9:30 a.m. follows. All are welcome.

Adoration Every Wednesday. All are welcome to stay/join us after 6 p.m. Mass every Wednesday for Adoration. Adoration lasts from 7 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Reconciliation Every Saturday. From 4-4:30 p.m. on Saturdays, everyone has the opportunity to go to Confession at St. Matthew.

St. Matthew Parish Pastoral Council. We are now posting the minutes from each meeting to our website. To view a copy, please click here.

St. Matthew School First Aid Office. Are you interested in volunteering for the St. Matthew School First Aid Office? On the job training will be provided. You can work for a few hours or all day! We are flexible! If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Ellis, eellis@saintmatt.org. Your time is greatly appreciated. Safe Parish training must also be completed prior to volunteering. Please click here to see our Safe Parish Training.

Click the following link to Volunteer in the First Aid Office. Thank you!

School Alumni Spotlight. Please help us fill the “Alumni Spotlight” bulletin board in the school. This is an awesome opportunity for our younger warriors to see the great things our warrior alumni have accomplished. Please send a picture with the student’s name, year of St. Matthew School graduation, and a short description of the accomplishment to Colleen Middleton, cmiddleton@saintmatt.org.

Weekend Mass Times. Our weekend Mass times are Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

FORMED Catholic Resources. Parishioners have free access to FORMED On Demand Catholic resources, 24/7 on a smartphone, computer, iPad, or Kindle. Register at saintmatt.formed.org.

See Latest E-Bulletin for Even More Information. See this weekend's bulletin. Printed copies are available in the narthex; be sure to pick one up.

The Criterion: Archdiocese of Indianapolis

The St. Matthew Parish Pastoral Council would like to share a progress report on our Parish Pastoral Plan. You may have seen portions of this plan published in the bulletin, however, the link below will direct you to the entire report. Thank you for your role in our community. We are glad to provide with this update and we hope you enjoy seeing all we a have accomplished thus far.

Progress on Parish Pastoral Plan: March 2025

Verse(s) of the week. "In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (NABRE, Gal. 5.22-23).

New American Bible, Revised Edition.

BibleGateway, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians 5&version=NABRE.

Donate Securely Online. Faith Direct is our safe online giving site. You can donate securely and electronically via your credit card or checking account through Faith Direct at https://membership.faithdirect.net/IN187. Thank you to our generous parishioners for their stewardship of St. Matthew Parish!