Notes from Fr. Tim
January 18th, 2025
Dear Parishioners & Friends,
The arrival of a baby takes months of preparation. The future parents desire to have every detail ‘perfect’. Jesus’ birth and the circumstances that surrounded it were not ‘perfect’, but he chose to dwell among us, not just figuratively, but literally.
Our Christmas preparation began in September with the annual Christmas message and Mass schedule, and it continued with the decoration of the church on Christmas Eve Morning. Many hands were involved to ensure that our Christmas celebrations were ‘perfect’.
On December 4, we held our annual Parish Christmas Pageant—a stellar performance by 29 children coordinated by the Faith Formation Department. Cookies and hot chocolate put smiles on our young performers, their parents and grandparents’ faces.
Throughout the Advent Season, parishioners joined forces and participated in our annual three charitable endeavors, providing coats, toys, and clothing to the LIFE Center. In addition to this, they also provided monetary funds in the amount of $2,220 to the Ecumenical Kitchen in Sleepy Hollow.
The Members of the Building Committee had all hands-on deck with setting up the outside creche and handling all the electrical tasks. Countless hours went into making sure the outside of 525 Bedford Road shone magnificently for the passersby. We also thank our neighbor, PHFD for coming to our rescue with an electrical issue.
A quick shout-out to Hudson Landscaping for donating all the Christmas decorations outside and a tree for the rectory! Their professionalism and care for the COTM this year is one of the most wonderful Christmas gifts we have received! I am extremely grateful to the Altar Guild for decorating the inside of our church and maintaining our altars throughout the Season.
The St. Matthew’s Guild meets each week to sort and count the fiduciary. Their dedication is unwavering. Despite the many options available, we still must rely on volunteers until a Millionaire joins the parish.
I am always appreciative of our Hospitality Committee for this year’s “Breakfast with Santa” and the Lite Reception after the Jazz Mass.
Christmas liturgies do not happen overnight. I’m grateful to the Members of our Music Ministry, the Christmas choir, and the ensemble for sharing their exceptional musical talents. Our Eucharist Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, and Altar Servers performed their ministries with such care.
Always behind the scenes are my efficient staff who coordinated the many clerical duties, answering numerous phone calls, namely, “What time are your Christmas Masses/What time is your Midnight Mass?”, the front and back doors, and a variety of emails. Our devoted Sacristan ensured that all the sacred vessels and other items were properly placed.
Finally, I wish to thank all of you who have already gifted the Magdalene with your Christmas offering. This collection is vital to the overall budget. The Christmas collection will remain open until the end of January. Please enjoy the Advent-Christmas bulletin insert. It captures the many happenings here at the COTM. Also, I wish to thank those who have dropped off goodies and gifts.
Inserted in this weekend’s bulletin is a collage, capturing our Advent-Christmas activities. ENJOY!
A Blessed & Happy New Year!
Fr. Tim
January 11th, 2025
Today we are celebrating the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. The Feast marks the conclusion of the Christmas Season. While there is no precise location of the baptism, tradition tells us that it is closer to the southernmost part of the 156-mile reiver. This river starts from the foot of Mount Hermon, near the borders of Syria and Lebanon at Caesarea Philippi, and feeds the waters of the Sea of Galilee, all the way to the Dead Sea.
Our Lord, who created the heavens and earth descends into the very waters of the Jordan, which he Himself created, and in doing so, sanctified the waters of this world for the real Baptism that would come later, in which you and I would be saved, after His Passion, Death and Resurrection.
From being just sons or daughters of our parents, we are expected to exhibit the characteristics of God. In fact, Jesus revealed to us the benchmark of our life: “So be perfect just as your heavenly father is perfect.
This perfection lies in the fact that we are called to be holy and to live and act with Christian dignity. Our whole life should be infused with the Christian spirit and values. We should think, behave, and move as divine citizens of heaven. Let this feast this Sunday remind us of the sublime dignity we received in baptism as God’s children. And let us strive to live according to this dignity so we may eventually hear the words of the Heavenly Father, “you are my beloved children; with you I am well pleased.”
December 21st, 2025
The Incarnation
The teachings of the Catholic Church on the Incarnation of the Son of God are profound and can be summed up by theologians, poets, musicians and hymns. The hymn “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” is a cherished Christian hymn that celebrates the eternal nature of Christ and His role in creation. Originally written in Latin by Aurelius’ Clemens Prudentius around 405. It is particularly beloved during the Advent and Christmas seasons, inviting worshippers to reflect on the mystery of the incarnation.
Of the Father’s love begotten,
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore!
At His Word the worlds were framed;
He commanded; it was done:
Heaven and earth and depths of ocean
In their threefold order one;
All that grows beneath the shining
Of the moon and burning sun,
Evermore and evermore!
O that birth forever blessed,
When the Virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bare the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face,
Evermore and evermore!
Thee let old men, thee let young men,
Thee let boys in [Chorus] sing;
Matrons, virgins, little maidens,
With glad voices answering:
Let their guileless songs re-echo,
And the heart its music bring,
Evermore and evermore!
Christ, to Thee with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,
Hymn and chant with high thanksgiving,
And unwearied praises be:
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory,
Evermore and evermore.
A Blessed Christmas!
Fr. Tim
November 16th, 2025
Dear Parishioners,
In preparation for Thanksgiving Day 2025, let us think of this holiday in the following three ways:
Historically: The origins of our Thanksgiving holiday can be traced back to long before the “first Thanksgiving”. Early cultures such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans had periodic feasts and festivals which paid tribute to their god after a bountiful harvest.
Spiritually: The Jewish holiday of Sukkot, commonly known as the “Feast of Gathering” or “Feast of Tabernacles” is a week-long celebration in late September/early October. It marks the end of harvest time and serves to remind the Jewish people of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt and their reliance on God for their journey, and to give thanks to the Lord for His goodness. The Native Americans also celebrated harvest time, and both the Separatist and Puritan settlers brought rations of fasting in times of tribulation or penitence and feasting in times of abundance to give thanks to God. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in US Catholic churches, with its own selection of readings and propers. Many towns hold ecumenical services and other interfaith gatherings where differences in belief systems are put aside, and we celebrate our commonalities. For Catholics, “Eucharist” means Thanksgiving.
Personally: During this season of thanks, I sit at my desk counting my blessings of which you are one. I am most appreciative of the support that you have provided when called upon no matter how it arrives or when it arrives. The volunteerism spirit is alive here at the COTM, as well as the most recent extraordinary donations/memorials:
Wi-Fi: Anonymous
Landscaping/Plantings: The Gualtiere Family
The Funeral Set: The Malone, Mercadante, and Cleary Families
The Livestream: Anonymous
New Missalette Covers: The Malone Family
Next Thursday we will gather with Family and Friends to enjoy each other’s company and an abundance of food and drink. We’ll laugh, recall memories, perhaps shed a tear at an empty seats and despite all that has happened from last Thanksgiving to this Thanksgiving, we give THANKS!
Fr. Tim
November 9th, 2025
Dear Parishioners,
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. As the cathedral church of the diocese of Rome, St. John Lateran is the mother church for all Catholics and the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome. The Pope’s role is to preserve the unity of the Christian faithful. St. John Lateran is, in a sense, the parish church of all Catholics.
When a church is erected as a building destined solely and permanently for assembling the people of God and for carrying out sacred functions, it is fitting that it be dedicated to God with a solemn rite, in accordance with the ancient custom of the Church.
Yes, today’s feast focuses on a church building. We are reminded that the People of God are the Church, the living stones. As much as we value sacred spaces, we would do well to pause and evaluate our relationship to church buildings.
Let us reflect on the following paragraphs as we celebrate this Feast:
“[God dwells] in this house of prayer in order to perfect us as the temple of the Holy Spirit.” (Preface for the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran)
Three inspirational Psalms
Psalm 84:1-4 “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!”
A beautiful psalm celebrating the joy of being in God’s house.
Psalm 122:1 “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
A psalm of joy and anticipation for worship in God’s House.
Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”
A reminder that God is the foundation of all we do.
“…We must always remember that our faith is not dependent on real estate. Rather, does it stand founded on the faith of ordinary folk like us? I would like to call that a “Cathedral of the Caring.” One built to honor Jesus as a loving Savior. We can proudly celebrate the dedication of the St. John Lateran Basilica not just as revered real estate, but as a visible symbol of something more profound, and with beauty everlasting. One with prime location in the City of God.” Fr. Leonard Peterson
“What was done here, as these walls were rising, is reproduced when we bring together those who believe in Christ. For, by believing they are hewn out, as it were, from mountains and forests, like stones and timber; but by catechizing, baptism and instruction they are, as it were, shaped, squared and planed by the hands of the workers and artisans. Nevertheless, they do not make a house for the Lord until they are fitted together through love”. (Saint Augustine, Sermon 36)
Peace,
Fr. Tim
November 2nd, 2025
Dear Parishioners,
All Souls’ Day is unique on the liturgical calendar. Neither a solemnity nor a feast, this commemoration outranks other feasts and even takes the place of a Sunday in Ordinary Time as is the case this year. Prayers for the dead reaches deep into our human history, and it has been our custom from the earliest days of the church. The belief that our prayers can be of assistance to the dead is a treasured tenet of our Catholic faith. We profess it every time we recite the Nicene creed: “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
Reflection: We know not the hour when God will call us home, yet our whole lives are lived wanting to discover what home with God looks like. Today’s readings call us to be conscious of our relationship with God as Father and Jesus as Divine Son. How would you express this to another, especially a child? Imagine you were in your last days wondering if you were going to heaven or fearful of what you have read of hell. How could you both calm yourself and convince another that you know and love God so fully, that you will be remembered fully in God’s kingdom? Know the answer and live this answer in all you do. (2014 Sourcebook)
All Souls Novena: Did you know that praying for the dead has been a pious practice since long before the Catholic Church began? During November, the Church prays especially for the souls of those who have gone before us in faith. We remember our family members, friends, coworkers, and benefactors. On Sunday, November 2nd, we will begin a Novena of Masses of Remembrance -nine masses for your intentions, lifting up their names in prayer. Envelopes to list your beloved dead are in your monthly packets or on the credenza in the back of the church. You may mail envelopes to us, place them in the collection basket, or drop them off in the rectory. Envelopes will be placed on the altar.
The 2026 Mass Intention Book is open. One Catholic way to pray for a loved one, living or deceased is to have a Mass offered for him or her at The Magdalene. Please use the 2026 Mass Intention Form, which can be found at the back of the church or online.
At the Baptismal Font is a list of those souls who were buried out of The Magdalene parish from November 2, 2024 – November 2, 2025.