Ash Wednesday Schedule – Feb. 18

Main Campus (all with ashes)

• 7 am – Mass
• 8:15 am – Mass
• 12:10 pm – Prayer service with Deacon
• 5:10 pm – Prayer service with Deacon
• 7 pm – Mass

Waxhaw Campus (all with ashes)

• 12:10 pm – Prayer service with Deacon
• 5:10 pm – Prayer service with Deacon
• 7 pm – Mass

Lenten Confession Schedule

Main Campus:

• Monday, March 9: Penance Service
  • 6 – 9 pm
  • multiple priests available
  • please be in line by 8:45 pm
• Wednesdays: 9 – 10 am
• Saturdays: 4 – 5 pm

Waxhaw Campus:

• Tuesday, March 10: Penance Service
  • 3 – 5 pm
• Saturdays: 2:30 – 3:30 pm

Stay connected to our parish wherever you are by subscribing to our YouTube channel. We share faith-filled content designed to support you throughout the week.

On our channel, you’ll find:

• Livestreamed Masses

  • 9 am (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) and 8:15 am (Wednesday) daily Mass and 10:45 am Mass on Sunday.

• Shorts with quick inspiration and reflections

  • Mondays: Why Do Catholics?
    • Ever wonder about our traditions, practices, or prayers? We answer your questions and explore the “whys” behind our Catholic faith.
  • Wednesdays: Midweek Manna
    • A midweek dose of spiritual nourishment to carry you from Sunday to Sunday.

• Podcasts that dive deeper into faith 

• Special Advent and Lenten Series

  • Same Seat? Lenten Series (coming soon)

• …and more ways to grow in your relationship with Christ

Whether you’re at home, traveling, or tuning in during a busy week, our YouTube channel brings the life of our parish to you – anytime, anywhere.

Subscribe today and stay connected.

Join us for a special night of music and worship! 

Sarah Kroger, GMA Dove Awards® nominated artist, songwriter, and worship leader, is coming to St. Matthew!

 Friday, Feb. 20
 7 – 8:30 pm
 St. Matthew Main Campus, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Charlotte, NC
 Free admission. Entry is available on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.

Save the date—you won’t want to miss this!

Get to know Sarah Kroger:
 sarahkroger.com
 youtube.com/@sarahkrogerofficial
 instagram.com/skroger

From outer space to the depths of the ocean and trekking through the Alaskan wilderness, we have explored it all. So, what adventure awaits us this summer? Click below to find out!

Join us June 22 to 26! Registration opens on Feb. 8 at 3 pm at VBS 2026!

Christ Renews Us, formerly Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP), is a retreat for the men and women of St. Matthew. The parishioner-led experience is designed to foster a sense of community that will make this very large parish smaller and more manageable for you. Your faith will grow stronger; you will make new friends; and, your spirit will be renewed by attending a Christ Renews Us Men’s or Women’s Retreat.

We are excited to announce the dates for the next Christ Renews Us!

Men: Mar. 6 and 7, 2026
Women: Mar. 13 and 14, 2026

Meeting God in Life’s Unexpected Places

Lenten Small-Group Series

We all tend to settle into our same seat, finding comfort in the familiar. However, life’s challenges, such as loss, illness, or unexpected change, can move us into new and unfamiliar places. This Lent, our Same Seat? series invites us to reflect on how God meets us there. Even when our seat changes, God is still holding the chair.

Our hope this Lent is for the entire parish to participate in a small-group experience. Parishioners are encouraged to start or join a group using the Same Seat? series, available on our parish website and YouTube channel. Each week features a short video with a faith-based teaching by Father Cahill, followed by a parishioner’s reflection and guided discussion questions.

We invite you to encourage three to ten people to gather with you in your home, workplace, or any comfortable setting to listen, share, and reflect together. Consider reaching out to a neighbor, fellow parishioner, or coworker. This short-term commitment is a simple and meaningful way to connect with others, build trust, and grow in faith. No prior experience is necessary, and everything you need is included in the video.

For those who would prefer to meet in small groups on our main campus, we offer two options on Wednesdays, starting on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18.

• Morning Group: 9:30 to 11 am in the New Life Center Banquet Room
• Evening Group: 7 to 8:30 pm in the New Life Center Banquet Room

If meeting with a small group does not work with your schedule or does not appeal to you, this program is still for you! We welcome you to participate on your own, at your convenience, from the comfort of home. We are happy to have you join us in whatever way works best for you!

There is a place for everyone in this Lenten journey, and each story matters. Wherever you find yourself this season, you are welcome here.

We’re celebrating 40 years as a parish with Mission 40 – A Year of Impact!

This year, we’ll mark every year of God’s blessings with 40 ways to be the Church. Each quarter, join us to serve, pray, and grow in fellowship.

November Mission 40 Initiatives

Family Adoration
Friday, Nov. 21 | 6–7 pm | Main Campus Church
Join us for a peaceful family evening of prayer before the Thanksgiving holiday. Take a moment to pause, reflect, and give thanks during this special time of guided Adoration and music. We’ll end the night with a sweet treat to share together.

Thanksgiving Day Food Collection
Thursday, Nov. 27 | During the 9 am Mass
Bring non-perishable food items to support those in need in our community. Donations may be placed in the collection bins as you enter the church.

Advent Wreath Making
Sunday, Nov. 30 | Following the 9 am and 10:45 am Masses
Create a beautiful Advent wreath for your family! Please register and pre-pay in advance for candles and a brass ring (or just candles if you already have a ring).
For details and to sign up, visit stmatthewcatholic.org/faithfamily.

Daily Prayer Reminder
Let us continue to pray the Our Father at 3 pm each day to remember the Hour of Great Mercy, when Jesus died on the cross.

** Update as of Aug. 12: Times have changed for the Waxhaw Campus as well. Effective immediately, confessions at Waxhaw will be on Saturdays from 2:30 – 3:30 pm. Confessions will no longer be held on Sundays. **

Dear Parish Family,

As we enter this new chapter together at St. Matthew, I want to thank you for the warm welcome and your openness as we find our way together as a parish community.

Beginning immediately, we will no longer offer confessions at the main campus on Sundays. Instead, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available on Saturdays from 4 to 5 pm in the church confessionals. Confessions on Wednesday will remain from 9 to 10 am, and the confession schedule at the Waxhaw campus will remain unchanged. I and the other priests are, of course, still available by appointment as well.

This change allows both our priests and parishioners to give their full attention to the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist – the heart of our Catholic life. The change in location also aligns with our desire to celebrate the sacraments with reverence in the church.

I know that change takes time, and as I have said before, this new chapter will take us a while to wrap our heads around it. However, if we remain rooted in love and prayer, I truly believe the Holy Spirit will bear abundant fruit in our parish. Please be patient with one another and with us as we walk this journey together. 

I am grateful for your understanding and continued faithfulness.

In Christ,
Father Cahill
Pastor

The 2025 Diocesan Support Appeal (DSA), themed Reflecting God’s Light, provides essential funding for over 50 ministries and programs that help fulfill our mission to grow as a community of praise, worship, and service in the Piedmont and western North Carolina. Bishop Martin invites us to prayerfully consider a “stretch” gift to the DSA, serving Christ by supporting thousands of Catholics in our diocese. To contribute online, visit www.charlottediocese.org/dsa and select “Saint Matthew” as your parish to ensure your gift counts toward our parish goal.