Three Historic Churches, One Parish in Crown Heights
St. Matthew Parish sits in the heart of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where for more than 130 years it has welcomed visitors and neighbors with what its parishioners describe as open arms, a smile and fellowship. The parish is unusual in Brooklyn for being anchored not to a single building but to three historic church sites - St. Matthew Church at 1123 Eastern Parkway, St. Gregory the Great Church at 224 Brooklyn Avenue, and Our Lady of Charity Church at 1669 Dean Street. All three lie within walking distance of one another in the 11213 ZIP code, and together they form one Roman Catholic community in the Diocese of Brooklyn, part of Brooklyn Deanery No. 5.
Worship is offered in English, Spanish and Creole, and every Mass from all three sites is livestreamed, so that parishioners who are traveling, homebound, or simply unable to leave home can still take part. The parish is led by a team of five priests and a permanent deacon, and it is supported by dozens of lay ministries that touch every part of parish life, from music and prayer to recovery and outreach.
The Three Church Sites
St. Matthew Church on Eastern Parkway is the parish's flagship church and the busiest of the three sites. It is home to the 8 a.m. daily Mass, the Saturday Vigil, and three of the seven Sunday Masses, including the 9:30 a.m. Spanish Mass and the 1:30 p.m. Creole Mass. The rectory at St. Matthew (718-774-6747) is open six days a week and Sunday mornings. Eucharistic Adoration is held there after the 9 a.m. Mass on Wednesdays and Fridays until noon.
St. Gregory the Great Church stands at the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and St. Johns Place and is the home of the parish's English-language Sunday Mass at 11:30 a.m. from September through June, plus a July and August-only 10 a.m. Mass in summer. Its rectory (718-773-0100) has the longest office hours of the three, with evening hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. On the first Friday of each month a 10 a.m. Mass is celebrated in the chapel, followed by Adoration until noon. St. Gregory's also hosts the parish's annual Spring Choir Concert and the Pentecost Vigil Prayer Service.
Our Lady of Charity Church on Dean Street carries the parish's Haitian and Spanish-speaking life in many of its ministries. The Sunday 10 a.m. Mass is preceded by a 9 a.m. Rosary, and the rectory (718-774-5100) hosts the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, the Apologetics group, the Bible & Culture study, the Haitian Charismatic Prayer Group and the Prayer Group that meets every Saturday morning.
Mass Times Across the Parish
The full weekly schedule brings Catholics to all three sites at different moments. Saturday opens with the 8 a.m. Daily Mass at St. Matthew, followed by Reconciliation at 5:30 p.m. and the Vigil Mass at 6 p.m., also at St. Matthew. Sunday is the busiest day. St. Matthew offers Masses at 7:30 a.m. (English), 9:30 a.m. (Spanish) and 11:30 a.m. (English), with a 1:30 p.m. Mass in Creole. St. Gregory the Great celebrates at 11:30 a.m. (English) from September through June and at 10 a.m. (English) during July and August. Our Lady of Charity celebrates at 10 a.m. (English), preceded by the 9 a.m. Rosary.
Weekday Masses are offered at St. Matthew Monday through Saturday - 7:30 a.m. on most days and 9 a.m. on additional days - with a First Friday 10 a.m. Mass at the St. Gregory the Great Chapel. Reconciliation is heard on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. at St. Matthew and on Sundays from 11:00 to 11:25 a.m. at St. Gregory the Great, just before the late morning Mass. Eucharistic Adoration is part of the weekly rhythm: Wednesday and Friday mornings after the 9 a.m. Mass until noon at St. Matthew, and the first Friday of each month after the 10 a.m. Mass at St. Gregory the Great Chapel.
What Happens at Mass
The central act of Catholic worship is the Mass, divided into two parts. In the Liturgy of the Word the priest leads the assembly in prayer and song, Scripture readings are proclaimed, the homily is given, and the congregation professes the core principles of the faith. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist the priest consecrates bread and wine, which through transubstantiation become the true Body and Blood of Christ, and the assembly receives Holy Communion.
The parish welcomes Catholics in a state of grace to receive the Eucharist, and invites those who are not Catholic or not yet prepared to come forward for a blessing by crossing one hand over the opposite shoulder. After Communion the priest offers a closing prayer and blessing, sending the assembly out to proclaim the Good News.
Becoming Catholic and the Seven Sacraments
For anyone exploring the Catholic faith, the parish points to OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. OCIA is a series of classes that introduces newcomers to Church teaching, the sacraments and Sacred Scripture, and prepares them to receive Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. Catholics returning to the practice of their faith after time away are also welcomed; the parish recommends simply contacting the rectory office to begin.
The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church form the backbone of parish sacramental life: Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist as the sacraments of initiation; Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick as the sacraments of healing; and Marriage and Holy Orders as the sacraments of service. Reconciliation is heard weekly as noted above, and Anointing of the Sick brings spiritual and sometimes physical strength in times of illness or impending death.
A Choir for Every Site
Music is one of the most visible expressions of the parish's life. The Vigil Choir at St. Matthew rehearses on Saturdays at 4 p.m. for the Saturday Vigil. The Our Lady of Charity Choir rehearses after Mass each Sunday. The Music Ministry at St. Gregory the Great leads singing at Sunday Masses with the goal of full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy. Each spring the parish hosts a Choir Concert at St. Gregory the Great Church, drawing together choirs from all three sites along with guest choirs and soloists, with light refreshments and donations supporting the music program.
Prayer Groups and Charismatic Life
Prayer is woven into the week in many languages and many settings. Three Charismatic Prayer Groups meet separately to experience the movements of the Holy Spirit: the English group on Thursdays at 7 p.m. at St. Matthew, the Haitian group, and the Spanish Charismatic Prayer Group. The Juan XXIII Spanish Prayer Group meets weekly to pray, study Scripture and share fellowship in Spanish. The LightFest Prayer Group meets on Saturdays. Our Lady of Charity's Prayer Group gathers every Saturday morning from 8 to 10 a.m. Apologetics, the study of how to understand, defend and proclaim the Catholic faith, meets at Our Lady of Charity on the first and third Sunday of each month. A Why Catholic? program provides a scriptural and catechetical formation that meets weekly.
Devotional societies round out the prayer life of the parish. The Legion of Mary and the Legion nidi de la Presentation meet on Sundays, the Holy Name Society is open to men who wish to reverence the Holy Name of Jesus, the Rosary Altar Society at St. Matthew cares for the linens and altar, and the Rosary Society at St. Gregory the Great meets on the first Sunday after the 11:30 a.m. Mass. The Liturgical Dancers meet on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.
Bible Study and Adult Formation
Two Bible studies meet in different languages and at different sites. Bible Study at St. Gregory the Great gathers on Tuesday evenings for a study of Scripture that looks at the history of the text, its literary form, and how the Fathers of the Church read it allegorically. Bible & Culture at Our Lady of Charity meets on the second, third and fourth Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. A Senior Bible Study complements the parish's commitment to ongoing faith formation for older parishioners, and the parish also offers resources in English and Spanish on prayer, grief, identity, virtue, and the meaning of the Eucharist through its online library.
Children, Youth and Young Adults
The Altar Servers assist the priest at Mass as cross bearer, candle bearer, server of water and wine, and preparer of the altar. Since the 1990s the ministry has been open to both girls and boys, and in many parishes including St. Matthew's adults also take part. The Feather Men is an organization of young men who minister to other young men in terms of guidance and faith, meeting on Fridays and Saturdays at 5 p.m. The Youth Ministry gathers teenagers to learn about their faith and the challenges of adolescence as they move toward adulthood. Directors of Religious Education at St. Gregory the Great and St. Matthew coordinate sacramental preparation for the parish's children.
Seniors and Widows
The Senior Group meets on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. for ongoing faith formation, support and fellowship among the parish's elders. A Senior Bible Study complements that gathering. The Bereavement and Consolation ministry, coordinated through the St. Gregory the Great rectory, walks with parishioners through the loss of a loved one.
Recovery, Outreach and Social Concerns
St. Matthew Parish is also a hub for recovery. Alcoholics Anonymous meets at Our Lady of Charity on the first, second and third Mondays from 6 to 9 p.m., on the third Tuesday at 7 p.m., and on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous meets at 7 p.m. on Mondays. The parish Food Pantry welcomes volunteers on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to distribute food to neighbors in need. The Group of Hope Outreach Program provides additional volunteer opportunities to serve those in need in Crown Heights.
The parish is a member of East Brooklyn Congregations, a multi-faith coalition working on issues of affordable housing and other community concerns. The Disciples in Mission ministry, meeting on the second Wednesday of each month, takes to heart what it describes as Jesus's call to missionary discipleship through prayer for those facing difficulties and spreading the Word and love of God to neighbors.
The Pastoral Team
The parish is led by Fr. Antonius Peter Gopaul as pastor. He is assisted by four parochial priests - Fr. Thaddeus J. Abraham, Msgr. Pierre Andre Pierre, Fr. Ralph Theodat and Fr. Paul Afetor - and by Permanent Deacon Nickie Colon. Religious education at St. Gregory the Great is directed by Monica Flemmings, and at St. Matthew by Charmaine Noel. The rectory offices at each of the three sites are staffed Monday through Saturday, with St. Matthew's office open Sunday mornings as well.
Liturgical and Music Ministries
Lectors proclaim the Word of God at Mass, with separate Lector ministries at St. Matthew and St. Gregory the Great. Eucharistic Ministers at St. Matthew and Extraordinary Ministers at St. Gregory the Great assist the priest in distributing Holy Communion. The Ushers greet, welcome and seat parishioners at Mass, especially on holy days when finding a seat is hardest. The Church Decorations team beautifies the altar with fresh flowers and decorations that reflect the liturgical calendar.
What to Expect When You Visit
Visitors are warmly welcomed. First-time guests are invited to drop in for any weekend Mass; no registration is required to attend. The parish encourages newcomers who have been attending for a while to register through the parish office so they can receive yearly tax receipts and manage their giving preferences. The Saturday Vigil at 6 p.m. and the 7:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Sunday Masses at St. Matthew are good entry points, as is the 10 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Charity with its preceding Rosary, or the 11:30 a.m. Mass at St. Gregory the Great from September through June.
Mass from any of the three sites can be followed online through the parish livestream pages, so anyone can join from home. The parish bulletin is published weekly and archived online. Those who wish to support the parish financially, register with the parish, or learn more about the Catholic faith can do so through the parish's contact page.
A Community Rooted in Three Neighborhoods
St. Matthew Parish has remained a steady presence in Crown Heights for more than a century, drawing together English, Spanish and Creole-speaking Catholics around the Eucharist and the sacraments. With its three church buildings, its dozens of lay ministries, its recovery meetings, its food pantry and its livestreamed Masses, the parish keeps a weekly rhythm that is at once ancient and unmistakably local - Haitian prayer groups and a Spanish Charismatic Prayer Group, a long-running AA community at Our Lady of Charity, a Tuesday Bible study at St. Gregory the Great, a Friday First Friday Mass and Adoration at St. Gregory the Great Chapel, and the Sunday Creole Mass at St. Matthew. It is, in the parish's own words, a place that has welcomed everyone with open arms for over 130 years.