Parish Administrator’s Notes

Phil Grant, Pastoral Administrator and Safe Environment Coordinator

December 21, 2025

Rejoice!

Rejoice, be glad, and give thanks! Our Lord is come. We use that unusual grammar to point to a religious reality. God came in person two thousand years ago. God continues to come into our lives.

That reality leads us to say again, Merry Christmas! According to our religious calendar, we’re in the Christmas season until January 11, the Baptism of Our Lord. (After that, we’re in Ordinary Time until Lent.) I don’t know what music the malls are now playing; we’ll sing our Christmas songs for two more weeks.

Happy New Year! (And Continued Christmas Wishes)

I hope your Christmas season has been splendid, with many opportunities for time with loved ones. I know I’ve enjoyed worshipping at St. Matt’s, as well as spending time with friends and family.

My hope for 2026 is that all of us are a light for others. The Bible and Fr. Thomas’s preaching call us to be that light. Ever since I arrived here in 2021, I’ve seen how St. Matt’s is a light to the West Side and beyond. I expect to see more such light in the new year. Let’s continue to work together and support each other, further strengthening our parish and our West Side community.

Stewardship

Many thanks for your generosity at Christmastime. Our Christmas collections are a boost to our budget, helping us to continue feeding the poor, sheltering the homeless, ministering to the sick, and more.

Please note that if you want your contributions to St. Matt’s to be counted in 2025, we must receive them by Thursday, December 31. Any contributions received on Thursday, January 1 (or later), will be recorded as 2026 contributions. Either way, thank you for your support!

Phil Grant, Administrator
Safe Environment Coordinator
pgrant@st-matts.org
651-224-9793