OCIA stands for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, and it is the main program through which adults become Catholic or complete their sacraments of initiation if they were baptized Catholic.

Catholic Inquiry is a time of questioning and searching and becomes the entry point to the OCIA process. Periodic meetings are held to provide education, faith sharing, friendship, and hospitality. The primary purpose is to provide a resource for non-Catholics who would like to know more about the Catholic faith. Catholic Inquiry and OCIA are open to all members of the parish who wish to learn more about Catholicism or who would like to share their faith with Inquirers.

Learn more about OCIA or Becoming Catholic

The Bereavement Committee serves those in our parish family who have experienced the death of a loved one. Volunteers may provide a food item for a funeral luncheon, set-up, or serve the luncheon. 

Bible Studies are offered throughout the year to help us as Catholic Christians to grow in our faith by reading, discussing, and understanding God’s written Word. Studies are offered at the start of summer, fall, and spring. This ministry serves all adult members of our community and welcomes anyone, whether new to scripture study or with experience. It is a great way to learn the Catholic faith through the Holy Scriptures, the Catechism, and the writings of the Popes and Church Fathers.
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The Book Club provides an opportunity to read and discuss non-fiction, fiction, or spiritual literature at a monthly gathering.  Members may come to one, all, or selective meetings as they choose. 

The St. Matthew Charitable Works ministry provides support to individuals and families experiencing emergency short-term needs. The ministry operates within the general area of the Gahanna zip code. Activities include staffing and operating the parish food pantry, clothing collection and distribution, monthly sandwich program, and transportation. The ministry also channels contributions to other service agencies within the Diocese and, when needed, assists families with short-term monetary needs. Members collect donations after Masses once a month to support the work of this ministry.

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St. Matthew has a specific ministry made up of people who are committed to praying and interceding for the needs of others.  Our “Prayer Warriors” receive a monthly email or receive a mailed list of individuals requesting our daily devotional prayers.

 DivorceCare is a nurturing group ready to help you on your path to healing . We are people who understand what you are going through. This group meets weekly for several weeks at a time.

The Donut Social helps to promote a fellowship in Christ and provide an opportunity for everyone to become aware of our many ministries and get involved. The Social occurs monthly and consists of 2-4 volunteers to host in the St. Anthony Room immediately following the new parishioner sign-ups. Hosts are responsible for ordering and picking up doughnuts, fruit, and juices, as needed. (All receipts are turned in to the church office for reimbursement.) We are in need of people to serve as Lead Hosts, who will schedule their teams/family members and be the points of contact to turn in receipts, and Co-Hosts, who will provide support as required. This is great opportunity to get your family involved and provides a great opportunity for students requiring service hours. 

Family of Faith is our family-based religious education program for families with students in grades 1-8 who are not attending Catholic school. This program will enrich your family with Catholic catechesis, fun faith-filled family time, flexibility for your busy schedule, and meaningful worship of our Lord. 
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“First Steps in Faith” is a monthly gathering of children ages 0 - 5 and their families. This program parallels the “Family of Faith” program that school age children participate in with their families. Both of these programs are designed to meet families where they are in their journey of faith and help them move forward together. Family catechesis is effective because it bridges the gap between what happens at church and what happens at home. It equips families to pray and learn together at home and in their daily lives. 

At the monthly  “First Steps in Faith” gathering we provide hands-on activities for parents and children to explore together; circle time with stories, prayers, and songs; and time for parent discussion and formation while the children play and learn together.

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The Garden Ministry gives the parish grounds a little extra care to make God’s beauty shine through and shares in fellowship at the same time. We have many opportunities for volunteers: participate in one of our work days; “adopt-a-bed” with your family or group to plant and maintain on your own time; volunteer with your group (class, team, bible study, etc.) for a work day; or supervise young volunteers during a work day. We also always need people to pray for our volunteers and to thank God for the bounty of his beauty. We accept donations of perennials from your garden (contact us first, please!), monetary donations, and tools. 

The Golden Mustangs is a group designed for parishioners age 55 and older. We meet monthly in the Saint Anthony room for dinner and socialization. Each month, we have a theme with associated activities. After our meal, we normally have a short business meeting. We have occasional guest speakers. We visit local restaurants for breakfast on First Fridays after the 8:30 Mass. We participate in community service projects. Besides the monthly meetings, we schedule social events that include visiting local museums and sites, attending professional and collegiate theater productions, and go to movies. We make pilgrimages to Ohio shrines. If you qualify (55+), we invite you to join us at our monthly meetings or to attend any of our outings or participate in any of our service projects.

Have you lost a loved one or someone close to you? GriefShare is a welcoming group of people who will walk alongside you through your journey. The group is led by people who understand what you are going through and who want to help.

Interfaith Hospitality Network ministry provides dinner and fellowship to homeless families at the YWCA shelter on the first Monday of every other month. Some volunteers drop off a salad, fruit, rolls, dessert or milk at St. Matthew to be served to the families. Other volunteers prepare the main course, serve the meal, and visit with the families at the shelter.

The Julia Greeley Committee is our parish Social Concerns subcommittee on racial justice. Our mission is to educate our community on the rich contributions people of color have made to our faith and to work for racial justice. We have chosen Julia Greeley as our namesake and patron because of her work for justice and because of her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to which our parish has been enthroned. 

St. Jude Council 5801 Knights are active in charitable work within St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Parish, in Gahanna, and in the Greater Columbus community. We help provide funds for various projects, and our members are active participants in parish life.

The Knitting/Crocheting Ministry makes baby blankets, hats, scarves and lap robes for the homeless and needy of central Ohio.  The ministry consists of volunteers of all age groups and skills, and instructions are given to those who want to learn. Click here to learn about the history of this ministry.

The Ladies of St. Jude was established in late 2015 to unite the women of the St. Matthew parish.  We are a group of Catholic women (18 and over) from every corner of the parish – church, school, religious education – who like to have lots of fun while raising funds for pro-life causes and promoting family events in our parish.  We work with other ministries to support their goals.  We look for needs in the community and support where we are able.  Our main purpose, however, is to be a casual and comfortable environment for Catholic women to meet, be in fellowship, and share life all the while bolstering community support and the inclusion of all families.

Members of our Lazarus Ministry commit to praying for the deceased members of our parish community and for their families. When we hear of a death in our community, we will send a notification to the member of this ministry, and we will also share funeral details, with the permission of the families of the deceased. To join this ministry, click HERE.

The Legion of Mary is the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church in almost every country of the world.  Members become instruments of the Holy Spirit, under the banner of Our Blessed Mother, through a balanced program of prayer and service. Works include evangelization, prison ministry, visitation of the sick or aged, religious education, visiting the newly baptized, Sacred Heart enthronements, and any other tasks assigned by the pastor.  Members meet once a week for prayer, planning, and discussion, followed by work decided upon under the guidance of a spiritual director. The sole purpose of a Legion member is self-sanctification and saving souls. 

Altar Servers
Servers assist in the liturgy, preparing the altar, and acting as leaders of congregational response and singing. Generally, youth ages 5th grade and older serve Sunday Mass and adults serve 6:30 am and 8:30 am daily Masses.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
EMHC assist the priests of the parish in the distribution of Communion, and some ministers also take Communion to our homebound parishioners. Extraordinary Ministers typically serve once a month at Sunday Mass or Holy Days of Obligation.  Ministers to the homebound take Holy Communion to a designated group, usually 3 to 5 people, about once a month. 

Lectors
Lectors proclaim the Scripture readings at weekend Masses and other special liturgies. Lectors prepare by meditating on the readings prior to their assignment by use of a workbook provided by the parish. The workbook contains the readings, tips on proclaiming the message, and a pronunciation guide for difficult biblical words. 

Sacristans
Sacristans are responsible for the care and security of the sanctuary and sacristy. Mass sacristans are scheduled approximately once a month to prepare vessels for Mass and clean up afterwards. Sacristans clean the church vessels, prepare candles and other liturgical items. Laundry sacristans wash and iron the altar linens and albs and are scheduled on a monthly basis. 

Ushers and Greeters
Ushers and greeters welcome members of the St. Matthew community at Mass by extending a personal greeting to all members and visitors to the parish. Activities include: leading people to open pews; assigning a family to present the gifts at the offertory; organizing the offertory procession; efficiently performing the collection during Mass; distributing bulletins after Mass; bidding farewell to members or inviting them to stay for parish activities, when offered. 

Music Ministry
We also have a number of Music Ministry opportunities, listed in a separate tab.

Men's Conference Team
This group offers support to the Columbus Men's and Women's Conferences and helps organize registration and promotion of both the Men's and Women's Conferences.

Men's Prayer Group
This group meets Wednesday nights for prayer for formation.

That Man Is You
Join the men of our parish on Saturday mornings for a light breakfast, friendship, and discussion about the challenges of living out our faith. 

Moms and their young children meet every Thursday morning in the nursery to pray and play together. 

Music Ministry
We are blessed to have a variety of music groups to assist in our worship. For information about any of our choirs, please contact Dawn Shininger, Director of Music at [email protected] or (614) 532-0627.

• Adult Choir sings during the Sunday 10:00 Mass during the school year. Rehearsals are held before Mass on Sundays at 9:15 and on select weeks on Thursdays each month. 

• Handbell Choir practices on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and playing times are determined as needed. No experience is needed!

• Men’s Choir sings once a month and rehearses on Wednesdays twice a month. 

• The Parish Youth Choir will begin rehearsals in October.  All youth in the parish aged 2nd grade and older are welcome.

• The Exult contemporary group sings once a month and practices as scheduled.

• Funeral Choir is open to any parishioner interested in singing for funeral Masses and who has flexibility to sing during the weekday and sometimes on weekends, whenever funerals are scheduled.  No regular commitment needed; just come as often as schedules allow.

The Festival Committee hosts the annual parish festival, a major parish fund-raiser and community builder. Proceeds help fund the school, religious education, and youth ministry programs within the parish besides promoting fellowship, faith, and unity within the parish. Volunteers can choose to work games, booths, kitchen, hospitality, set up, clean up, personnel, or other duties. For more information, contact [email protected].

We are blessed to have the Divine Mercy Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel here at St. Matthew. Every hour of the day and night, people are praying before the Blessed Sacrament, and we always have room for more. If you feel called to spend a dedicated hour in prayer each week, we encourage you to sign up for an hour. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Our Pro-Life Committee works promote the dignity of life at all stages. They organize our parish's presence at the 40 Days for Life campaign each October and sponsor other pro-life events throughout the year.

The Rosary Guild meets regularly to make rosaries and to pray together. 

Boy Scouts
Scouting strives to help boys develop into honorable men through character development, citizenship training, and mental and physical fitness. Our Boy Scout (sixth grade through age 18) programs follow the activity and advancement guidance provided by the national Boy Scouts of America. Boy Scouts have opportunities to attend yearly high adventure training along distant trails, mountain ranges, and rivers. 

Cub Scouts
Cub Scouts is a family oriented program whose motto is “Do Your Best.” The goal of Cub Scouts is fun with a purpose. Cub Scouts (first to fifth grade) serve boys in an atmosphere where character development is a concomitant to fun. The outdoor conservation projects, parish service projects, monthly Pack meetings, parades, camps and pool parties are just some of their annual activities. 

Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts helps to build courage, confidence, and character in girls. Girl Scouts is fun but it is also an opportunity for girls in grades K-12 to develop important life skills, discover themselves, and make a difference in the world around them. Through engaging programs and activities, we help today’s girls become tomorrow’s women leaders.

A Seven Sister: One Holy Hour, One Priest, Each Week, One Heart of Prayer

The Seven Sisters Apostolate is a call to strengthen the Church by ensuring that a Holy Hour is prayed each day of the week for the sole intention of a specific priest or bishop—a “holy wasting” (cf. Mt. 26:10) or lavishing of prayer for his deeper conformity to Christ. Please visit SevenSistersApostolate.org for more information or contact the parish for information on the spiritual sisters of our priests. 

St. John's Helpers, named for St. John the Evangelist, the patron saint of caregivers, is a group of parishioners who are available to offer occasional assistance to other parishioners in need. Helpers can assist with small errands, such as grocery shopping, rides to the doctor, etc. If you would like to be a Helper, click here.

Stone Soup ministry provides dinner to families experiencing a crisis or death in the family. A volunteer with Stone Soup would be scheduled, at their convenience, to provide dinner to a family in need. A volunteer is usually not asked more than several times a year. 

In partnership with the St. John Paul II Foundation, St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Parish invites married couples in their early years of marriage or with children in the home to participate in the Together in Holiness Formation series!

The Together in Holiness Formation series provides year-round marriage enrichment for small communities of spouses that equips them with the formation, encouragement, support, and practical tools to grow together in holiness and form their children in the Catholic faith. 

Pregnant and parenting moms in need are in our parishes and our neighborhoods. As Pope Francis reminds us, our parishes need to be "islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference." Everyone in our parish community should know where to refer a pregnant woman in need. In order to assess, expand, and better communicate resources to local pregnant moms and families in need, our parish has formed a chapter of Walking with Moms in Need, a national initiative of the USCCB.

Walking with Purpose is a women's discussion, faith-sharing, and Bible study community at St. Matthew the Apostle. All adult women at any stage of life are welcome to join us!

Kindle - Grades 3-5
Children of the parish (including parish school, Family of Faith, and homeschool) are welcome to come to Kindle, a youth group just for them!

Ignite - Grades 6-8
Ignite is especially for middle schoolers! 

Both Kindle and Ignite meet one Thursday afternoon and one Sunday afternoon a month, plus one Sunday afternoon a month together with their families.
Learn more here


The Flame - High School
High school youth have the opportunity to grow in their faith through High School Youth Group, which meets on Sunday evenings from 6-8 pm throughout the school year. Youth group is an environment of joy, fellowship, food, and fun. Come gather with your peers and live out the adventure of the Catholic faith!
Learn more here

Saint Matthew Parish has numerous care facilities for the elderly within its boundaries. In these care centers as well as in private homes, there are numerous parishioners who could enjoy a visitor every once in a while. Please consider becoming a part of our Visiting Ministry and sharing a half hour of your time each week or every other week with someone who is lonely. This is an excellent way for a whole family to volunteer together.