A Letter from Fr. Matt

August 27, 2023

Dear Parish Family,

I would like to express how moved I was during Fr. Mike’s visitation and funeral. Seeing all of you and other people from outside our parish from all over the diocese and beyond visiting Fr. Mike non-stop for hours on end the day before his funeral was such a fitting tribute to a great man. I’m certain his family felt the same. I must admit, being there with my brother priests and our bishops was just the healing balm that my soul needed, and I hope it was for you too. I know there’s an unease with his passing, but those two days made me realize just how real the Mystical Body of Jesus is, there, alive between us as His members. Didn’t you think there was a mysterious peace present that day? Please allow me to express my gratitude to everyone who worked on Fr. Mike’s arrangements behind the scenes. What a relief you gave me, especially not yet being familiar with the local traditions of this church. But more importantly, observing everyone coming together the way you did truly helped the grief process of our parish, both at St. Hubert and St. Matthew. I don’t think I’m out of line by saying that our community really embraced Fr. Mike’s family and aided them in their grief. What a beautiful display of family life. Thank you. And a special thank you to Bishop Jeffrey Grob who really stepped in and pastored us during such a turbulent time.

Meanwhile, with so many changes affecting our common life together as of late, it’s been such a joy to see the kids come back to school this last week. It was refreshing for me to experience the vibrancy and happiness of the faculty and the students as they stepped into a new academic and formational year at our parish school. Truly, it is such a gift for my soul to see so many happy little faces, and because we are up in enrollment this year, there’s even more reason to be thankful! The longer I’m a priest, the more I realize just how vital and important the next generation of Catholic scholars is for the future of the Church and of our country. Please continue to keep the staff, faculty, and the children in your daily prayers.

Now, given our new challenges and the gifts that God has given us too, I can’t help but ponder in my own heart the very important question that is posed before us this Sunday, “…who do you say that I am?” Who do we say Jesus is? This is a challenge for each of us, and I think it is important that we know what our innermost being really has to say as a response. Is Jesus the one who comes in like a thief to break in and steal what is good and beautiful in our lives? In our community? Or is He in fact a friend, and more than a friend, the soul’s beloved? It can be so easy for us to see recent changes and challenges in our new reality as a larger parish family as signs of abandonment or even of fear over loss of control. I admit, I’ve been tempted to think this way. Perhaps, though, the reality is much more surprising. Perhaps things feel chaotic, but only because Christ is so near to us, that the ground is shaking in the Presence. We are on Holy Ground. Let’s be open to God’s beautiful surprises and let Him teach us where He is leading our life together. After all, as someone wise recently reminded me, “don’t worry, Jesus is the Pastor.” It’s always been Jesus. He is in charge.

Love,
Fr. Matt