St.
Matthias was supposedly chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the apostles
of Jesus. He lived from 1 AD to 80 AD and his feast day is May 14. He is the
patron saint of carpenters and tailors among others.
St
Matthias Catholic Church in Sterling Heights is a modest facility with very a
very low cathedral ceiling level. The church consists of 2 rows of pews with cushioned
seating and kneelers. The altar is made of marble with a white cloth draped
over it. There is a baptismal font to the left of the altar and a statute of
Joseph, Mary and the boy Jesus that sits on a mantle overlooking the baptismal font.
In
back of the altar is the customary crucifix sitting against a green cloth
background. To the right of the altar is the music area with a statute of Jesus,
with his hands outstretched, seated on a mantle.
Fr.
Francisco Restrepo is the pastor at St. Matthias and he was the celebrant at
the mass we attended. Fr. Restrepo spoke on how we are all equal in God’s eye
and that our works, no matter how menial they may seem, are important to God.
Fr. Restrepo used many personal anecdotes and humor in his homily thus making
it more enjoyable and easy to follow along.
The
people of St. Matthias are a diverse group consisting of families with
children, seniors and young adults. Their faith was on display when we visited
especially during the praying of the rosary that took place before the start of
mass. We also saw how the congregation at St. Matthias celebrated it’s faith in
their singing voices and their participation in the mass.
We
enjoyed our visit to St. Matthias Catholic Church. From Fr. Francisco Restrepo’s
engaging homily to the friendliness and faithfulness of the congregation we
will long remember our visit to this blessed community of the faithful.
Up Next: St.
Sabina-Dearborn Heights
St. Matthias Church in Sterling Heights
The church bell at St. Mathias
St. Matthias statutue
Garden at St. Matthias
Statute of Joseph, Mary and boy Jesus
Baptismal Font
Crucifix
The altar at St. Matthias
Statute of Jesus
