The Christmas season fills our hearts with joy, gratitude, and hope. We are deeply thankful for the many ministry leaders and countless volunteers who serve in more than 100 ministries across our parish. Through your generosity, faith, and dedication, St. Matthew continues to be a powerful witness to Christ’s love in action.
Below are just a few of the many ways our parish has made a meaningful impact on our neighbors, both locally and around the world this past year:
Monsignor McSweeney World Hunger Drive
This year, parishioners donated $431,000 and packed 311,040 meals. Three containers of food were shipped to Jamaica for hurricane relief, with nearly 150,000 pounds of food delivered to children in need.
Feeding Ministries
Below are just a few of the many ways our parish has made a meaningful impact on our neighbors, both locally and around the world this past year:
Monsignor McSweeney World Hunger Drive
This year, parishioners donated $431,000 and packed 311,040 meals. Three containers of food were shipped to Jamaica for hurricane relief, with nearly 150,000 pounds of food delivered to children in need.
Feeding Ministries
- Our Daily Bread Ministry collected more than 265 tons of food and serves more than 5,000 people weekly.
- The Waxhaw Food Collection supplies 400–500 pounds of food weekly to families in Union County.
- Mary’s Cupboard serves approximately 50 people each month and distributed 125 bins of food at Easter and Thanksgiving.
- The Muffin Ministry, along with its more than 300 regular and student bakers, has provided over 27,000 home-baked muffins to nonprofit partners.
- Mel’s Diner has provided more than 12,000 hot meals, 5,000 weekend lunch bags for children, 3,000 grocery bags for seniors, and countless pounds of perishable food to families in need.
Scouting Ministries
- Girl Scouts prepared more than 600 sandwiches for Roof Above Men’s Shelter and collected 40 pounds of food for Mel’s Diner.
- Boy Scouts completed 28 service projects, contributing more than 600 hours to our community. In a touching act of generosity, Boy Scout Troop 8 also donated their remaining Christmas trees to families affected by a local apartment fire, helping spread Christmas cheer after such a great loss.
Outreach Ministries
- Blood Give-In Ministry collected more than 100 pints of blood for the Red Cross.
- Homeless Relief Ministry helped move 82 individuals into warm, safe, and stable housing this past year.
- Walking with Moms in Need serves more than 100 families each month at Hand-Up Days and recently hosted a special Christmas Hand-Up Day, welcoming 137 moms to campus to shop for baby items and toys for their children.
- Family Assist supported over 100 individuals through rides, grocery shopping, and companionship visits.
- Our Donated Goods Ministry recently gathered five truckloads of furniture to help furnish homes for 12 veteran families who lost their homes in an apartment fire.
- Knit and Crochet Ministry created more than 1,200 handmade items that were donated to organizations throughout our community. These beautiful items bring warmth and comfort to many, from babies in the NICU to those in hospice care.
Care, Support, and Prayer Ministries
- New Ventures has helped more than 70 widows find support and connection with others navigating life after loss.
- Our bereavement team, Pastoral Care Ministry, Jail Ministry, and prayer ministries faithfully care for parishioners and neighbors, with prayer warriors spending more than 100 hours in Adoration and intercessory prayer throughout the year.
We are grateful to all who prepared our church for the celebration of Christmas. From our choir and musicians to Mass coordinators, sacristans, ministers of the Word, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, greeters, altar servers, welcome desk volunteers, and the arts and environment team, your service allows our parish to worship with reverence and joy.
Thank you as well to those who supported our Thanksgiving and Christmas Meal bins and Angel Tree collections, sharing the true meaning of Christmas with those in need. Your generosity reflects the love of Christ.
We extend heartfelt thanks to our Faith Formation and music ministries for the Angel Choir, Children’s Choir, Morning in Bethlehem, and so many joyful celebrations. We are grateful for our Adult Faith Formation leaders, OCIA team, study group facilitators, parish library volunteers, and retreat coordinators who continue to nourish our spiritual growth throughout the year.
Thank you as well to those who supported our Thanksgiving and Christmas Meal bins and Angel Tree collections, sharing the true meaning of Christmas with those in need. Your generosity reflects the love of Christ.
We extend heartfelt thanks to our Faith Formation and music ministries for the Angel Choir, Children’s Choir, Morning in Bethlehem, and so many joyful celebrations. We are grateful for our Adult Faith Formation leaders, OCIA team, study group facilitators, parish library volunteers, and retreat coordinators who continue to nourish our spiritual growth throughout the year.
If you are inspired by the incredible people of our parish and would like to become more involved, please reach out to Rossana at ralvarez@stmatthewcatholic.org.
Additionally, our priests, deacons, and staff thank all who shared prayers, greetings, and gifts this Christmas season. Your kindness means more than words can express.
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, may the light of Christ continue to shine through our parish, guiding our words, our service, and our love for one another. May the grace of this holy season strengthen us to go forth as disciples, carrying His peace and mercy into the world.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed and joyful Christmas and a New Year filled with God’s grace.
Additionally, our priests, deacons, and staff thank all who shared prayers, greetings, and gifts this Christmas season. Your kindness means more than words can express.
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, may the light of Christ continue to shine through our parish, guiding our words, our service, and our love for one another. May the grace of this holy season strengthen us to go forth as disciples, carrying His peace and mercy into the world.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed and joyful Christmas and a New Year filled with God’s grace.
At the request of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, we ask parishioners to please follow the direction of the officers assisting with traffic flow on Sundays. When exiting the parking lot and turning left onto Elm Lane, please turn into the left lane only. Traffic in the right lane of Elm Lane continues to move, and turning directly into that lane may cause a collision. Thank you for your cooperation and for helping keep everyone safe.
Jan. 1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Holy Day of Obligation
Jan. 4: Edge and Life Teen Mass, 5:30 pm
Jan. 11: Edge: Semester Kickoff, 3:30 - 5 pm
Jan. 11: Life Teen: Service Night, 5:30 - 8:30 pm
Jan. 13: Living a Life of Laughter and Purpose. Alzheimer's Support Group
Jan. 18: 20th Anniversary of the Parish Library
Jan. 19: Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - parish offices closed
Jan. 23: Music Bingo
Jan. 23: Xtreme Edge, 3:30 - 5 pm
Jan. 25: Edge: Humble Beginnings, 3:30 - 5 pm
Jan. 25: Life Teen: Incorruptible Saints, 5:30 - 8:30 pm
Feb. 16: Presidents' Day - parish offices closed
Feb. 18: Ash Wednesday
Feb. 20: Sarah Kroger Concert
March 9: Penance Service, 6 - 9 pm, Main Campus
March 10: Penance Service, 3 - 5 pm, Waxhaw Campus
March 19: Singles Mass
