Thursday, October 8, 2020

Charitable Donations made by St. Charles Of Brazil in 2020

We want to thank the team of people who worked so creatively to identify three organizations to receive a cash donation from our Parish Community. Beyond identifying these three organizations, the team developed a criteria that will be used for future donations. The three groups and a brief description of their mission are listed below: 

MERA KITCHEN COLLECTIVE: A Baltimore-based collective of chefs from around the world, sharing our cuisine through catering, pop-ups and community events, to foster empowerment and celebrate culture. We believe that promoting equitable access to opportunities, building community, and providing living wages are the keys to long-term self-determination, independence, and happiness. To learn more go to: https://www.mera.kitchen/.  They received $750.00 
DRINK AT THE WELL: Offers community, opportunity, and encourages responsibility. Our flagship program is COR Life Mentorship through which The Well provides a committed mentor and resources for women interested in making intentional efforts to make life’s challenges into possibilities for her future. In addition, we provide clothing and educational workshops for the community and offer a women’s Life Group, known as The Women of Hope, which meets regularly at The Well. To learn more go to: https://www.drinkatthewell.org/what-we-do/.  They received $750.00 
DRU MONDAWMIN: We believe every family has the potential to thrive, no matter their resources. Our holistic program is designed to improve birth outcomes, promote self-sufficiency, and empower caregivers with young children to foster optimal childhood development. DRUM targets families in neighborhoods with a high risk of poor birth outcomes and school readiness. These include families with pregnant women or children under age 5. Families are accepted into the program after a systematic review process that analyzes environmental factors and health situations. To learn more go to: http://www.drumhealthyfamilies.com/aboutus.html.  They received $500.00

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Sunday Livestream for October 11th, 2020


    In a story filled with such violence as we have today, it might be easy to forget we are dealing with a merciful God! God calls a people to himself and desires that they come to him. The destruction of the city of Jerusalem with its temple was interpreted at the time by Christians as God’s judgment on Judah. A violent world saw stories of violence. Though we may wish to minimize the violence, unfortunately it has been part of human history from the beginning and continues to this day.

    It might be difficult [and uncomforting] to strip away the violent imagery and focus instead on the kernel underneath it all. Matthew’s church has the wisdom and experience of decades since the death and resurrection of Jesus. It has learned that there are some in the church who do not belong, as indicated in several parables. Sadly, our modern experience reflects this too. Simply being in the church does not make one holy, God’s chosen, or a paragon of virtue. There are weeds within the wheat. The sobering reminder that “many are invited but few are chosen” should cause us to pause, reflect, and reexamine our lives. [And take action to change.] - Living Liturgy

Please see below for all of the necessary information.





You can also join the Zoom Meeting by entering the URL below into you browser.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87946627908

Meeting ID: 879 4662 7908

Thursday, October 1, 2020

October Birthdays

 Happy BIrthdays!

10/1 Jane Papenberg
10/8 Lauren Bouchet
10/10 Bailey Mitchell 
10/12 Christopher Bouchat
10/16 Ruth Ann Wickless

Pet Blessing This Sunday

 We are invited by the Rev Scott Maxwell to participate in a pet blessing this Sunday, the feast of St Francis, at 2 pm at St Christopher's.

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Sunday Livestream to October 4th 2020


     Though the gospel was written two thousand years ago, it unfortunately has been misused throughout history as justification for Christians to persecute Jews. The church tells us that the words here echo words of the prophets and their critiques of the people of God. But when Christians definitively separated from Jews, the words were understood differently, not as an internal critique between members of a family but as a forceful condemnation of the “other.”
     But it must be admitted that many of these passages are capable of providing a pretext for anti-Jewish [anti-“other”] sentiment and have in fact been used in this way. To avoid mistakes of this kind, it must be kept in mind that the New Testament polemical texts, even those expressed in general terms, have to do with concrete historical contexts and are never meant to be applied to Jews [“other”] of all times and places merely because they are Jews [“other”]. (Pontifical Biblical Commission, Jewish People 87)
    Now in the modern world, especially in light of the Holocaust, we must do all we can to put away any anti-Jewish [anti-other] reading of the text. In so doing, we will walk in the newness of life. – Living Liturgy

Please see below for all of the necessary information.





You can also join the Zoom Meeting by entering the URL below into you browser.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87946627908

Meeting ID: 879 4662 7908

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Sunday Livestream Information: September 20th, 2020

Have you ever met a flatterer, or people-pleaser? Those who say what you want to hear but have no intention of following through? Or those who over- promise and under-deliver? It can be challenging to hear the words of Jesus in the parable today about such behaviors. Despite our best intentions, it is our actions that truly mean more than our words. Without actions, our words are a “clanging gong” to use a term from St. Paul. There are many reasons why we might over-promise, but we are reminded of another saying in the gospels: “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’” (Matt 5:37)/ At some level, this is simply good advice from Jesus the teacher.

As we go about our lives, let us make an extra effort to think carefully before we commit ourselves or say we will do something. Simply modifying a commitment with the words “I intend to...” or “I’ll make my best effort to...” may be all we need to temper expectations. By avoiding the trap of being a people-pleaser, flatterer, or one who over-promises, and instead being a person of action and doing on behalf of others, we will be living the gospel message. – Living Liturgy

Please see below for all of the necessary information.





You can also join the Zoom Meeting by entering the URL below into you browser.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87946627908

Meeting ID: 879 4662 7908

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Hope For All AuctionComing Soon: October 1-3 - Preview Starting Sept 27th

Hope for All will have more than 90 items up for auction with a variety of starting bids.

This will be a fun event to look at and participate in. Your support in sharing the information for this event has been invaluable. Thank you for helping us in our efforts to raise funds for our programs.


Click on the link below for a preview starting Sept 27th


Robin Smith

Communications Director

HOPE For All





Saturday, September 19, 2020

Sunday Livestream for September 20th, 2020

It’s probably the case that none of us enjoy being supplicants. We all tend to work for a wage we consider just (if and when possible) and expect to be paid for our labor. When we see acts of generosity, it can be natural to expect that we might receive some of that generosity as well. It sounds strange to hear it said that someone is generous only with one group and not another. And such is the seeming riddle of today’s parable.

God is a just and generous giver. When we receive what we have from God, there is no room for complaint, jealousy, or envy. The gifts of God are given to whom God wills. Let us die to our own sense of who is just and worthy in God’s sight and leave room to be surprised by Divine generosity. None of us can predict the actions of God. – Living Liturgy

Please see below for all of the necessary information.





You can also join the Zoom Meeting by entering the URL below into you browser.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87946627908

Meeting ID: 879 4662 7908

Saturday, September 12, 2020

Sunday Livestream: September 13th, 2020

Grudges are awful things. They can gnaw away at the one harboring them. We may hear “forgive but don’t forget” as a way to remind ourselves of past transgressions we’ve suffered. But today’s gospel calls us to a higher standard. The forgiveness we’ve experienced (worth a hundred million dollars – something we cannot repay) should motivate us to be free with forgiveness when others wrong us. We cannot dole out forgiveness in infinitesimal pieces only to those we deem worthy once some rectification has been made. Instead, forgiveness ought to be given freely, [especially when sincere contrition has been offered, true remorse has been shown, and just restitution paid.]

We must die to grudges, slights, rudeness, and other transgressions we’ve suffered and rise to a sense of freedom that comes through forgiving as we’ve been forgiven. Jesus himself warns us in a negative way (via negativa) that if we withhold [human] forgiveness, [divine forgiveness] will be withheld from us. And the consequences of that are severe indeed. – Living Liturgy

Please see below for all of the necessary information.




You can also join the Zoom Meeting by entering the URL below into you browser.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87946627908

Meeting ID: 879 4662 7908

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Sunday Livestream for August 6th, 2020

 Please join us for our liturgy for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Liturgy will be livestreamed from St. Christopher at 11AM.

Please see below for all of the necessary information.




You can also join the Zoom Meeting by entering the URL below into you browser.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87946627908

Meeting ID: 879 4662 7908