Under the leadership of Frank Landry, the Parish Council serves as an advisory board to the pastor in all matters concerning the Parish of St. Matthew, working very closely with our pastor in many aspects to continue our growth and viability as a faith community. Members of the Parish Council include representatives from the Finance Committee, Music and Worship, Christian Service, Family Life, Youth Ministry, Religious Education, Ecumenism, and Social ministries. The current members of the Parish Council are: Rev. James B. Flynn (pastor), Frank Landry (Chair), Barbara Murphy (Finance), Amy Comcowich (Religious Education), Paul Cimino (Religious Education Board), Jonathan Bezdegian (Music), Karen Fournier (Youth Ministry), David Hamacher (Family Life), Helen McManus, Leslie Elkins, and Suzanne McGourty (Council Secretary).
Encourages prayerful participation through liturgy and provides the opportunities for parishioners to use their gifts to serve the liturgical needs of the parish. The various liturgical ministries are: liturgical planning, sacristan, greeter, lector/commentator, musician, leader of song and eucharistic minister.
Our wish is for every couple to approach this process not as an obligation, but as a means of discovering more about their own motivation for marriage, and becoming aware of what their life partner is bringing to the table. We try to deliver a discovery and awareness perspective during our pre-cana and couple to couple sessions with couples starting out in their married lives. By articulating the power behind daily communications to help manage each other's expectations, we believe that marriages can thrive as they age. Our training at the diocesan level has provided us with powerful tools that enable us to deliver perspectives with lasting impact on our program attendees. We strive to stay away from a teaching and preaching approach, and have found that by sharing our own experiences through sincere and honest examples, we are best able to assist in the couple’s preparation for a lasting marriage. Contact person: Parish Office
Serves the parish through caring and sharing service. This group of volunteers serves the emergency needs that arise in parishioners’ homes from time to time. These include emergency babysitting, transportation, means or other assistance that a family might need on a one-time basis. Contact person: Father Flynn
Oversees the establishment and development of the Religious Education Program for all ages. It will develop policies and goals relative to this area of parish life. Contact person: Amy Comcowich.
Offers programs to strengthen the spiritual life of the parish by providing opportunities for a parish retreat, prayer services, scripture classes and other spiritually oriented programs. Contact person: Father Flynn
Visit the sick, the elderly and the infirm in their homes, hospitals and nursing homes, praying with them and bringing them Eucharist. Contact Person: Father Flynn
The purpose of Youth Ministry is to lead youth in grades 7-12 to a closer relationship with Christ and our parish community. This is done through ongoing faith formation and social justice activities. Special emphasis is placed on helping our own parish community as well as the community at large. For current events and photos of Youth Ministry please visit the Facebook page: click here. Contact person: Mark Polny
Our Father's Table (OFT) provides dinners at the New Hope CHurch at 204 Main Street, in Marlborough, to members of our community in need. Any individual who shows up is served a full hot meal including seconds and dessert. Many area congregations take turns preparing and serving the meals three evenings a week. St. Matthew provides meals once a month on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Volunteers prepare the food ahead of time, serve the meal at OFT or both cook and serve. We welcome new volunteers to assist with our ministry.
Contact person: Marybeth Strickland
Organizes volunteers to host coffee hour after the 11:00 Mass one Sunday a year. We try to pair newcomers with a family who has hosted before. It’s a great way to meet new people or catch up with friends. Contact person: Marybeth Riley
Welcomes anyone who can or wants to learn to, knit or crochet, to join them in creating pryaer shawls for anyone in need of being “wrapped in prayer.” Flyers for those interested in joining this ministry are available at the church exits. Request forms for Prayer Shawls for someone in need of one are available at the Prayer Book table and exits or by contacting the Parish Office. Contact person: Theresa Churchill