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June 2021 Mattie Matters News Eltr -- View this email in your browser
Saying YES to God

Mass Honoring Mattie J.T. Stepanek on the
17th Anniversary of his Death
 
Please join the Directors of Mattie's Guild in-person or virtually as we together celebrate Mattie's life.
 
Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at 4:00 pm EDT
St. Bartholomew Catholic Church 
6900 River Road, Bethesda

Live Streaming at: 
https://youtu.be/e6M7LyzfX2Q

     Mattie J.T. Stepanek, a son of the Archdiocese of Washington, never reached his 14th birthday, yet his memory and mission endures.  

     As we prepare to celebrate Mattie's life, we remember his call for each of us to find our own Heartsong and to say YES to God. Mattie, some might say, seemingly had little to offer; but he had YES.

     Mattie said YES to God and to his mission of sharing his Heartsongs and reminding everyone that they matter. Mattie said YES, when his body was failing, to continue with his speaking engagements and writings. And Mattie said YES when God stopped sending him messages thus indicating that the time had come for Mattie to leave his earthly home. 

     Our homilist for Mattie's Memorial Mass this year is    Msgr. John Enzler, in residence at St. Bartholomew's and President and CEO of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington. Father John is a great example of YES. And Father John played a big part in Mattie's story.

     Mattie's Mom, Jeni, was being advised by doctors and others to terminate her pregnancy since disability was likely for the baby. Father John, her parish pastor at the time, gave Jeni prayerful strength as she followed her heart with a YES to God, and embraced faith and the gift of this unborn child who would be named Matthew, and known as Mattie. 

     At the age of 3, Mattie began sharing his Heartsongs. Mattie had a profound relationship with God, talking with God and sharing messages from God with the world. Mattie’s brief life had many challenges, yet he accomplished a great deal, writing six bestselling books of poetry and one bestselling book on peacemaking. Mattie inspired tens of thousands around the world with his message that “life is worthy, hope is real, peace is possible and prayer is powerful.”

     We are all called to say YES. But we don't always respond. Mattie reminded us when he was alive and reminds us now to say YES to our Heartsong. God made us, with purpose, as we were meant to be. Saying YES and loving so completely is the theological virtue, charity. We love God above all things for his own sake, and we love our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. Charity upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love. [www.vatican.va] 
Prayers of Petition & Thanks for
Mattie's Memorial Mass

Let us unite in prayer -- Offer your prayer intentions and thanks

Your prayers and praise will be brought forward with the Gifts during Mattie's Mass and will be blessed

Send us your prayers and we will print them out and place them in the basket
Email us before June 22 at info@mattiematters.org 
#MattieQuotes

     The following quote is from an email Mattie wrote to his dear friend Oprah Winfrey shortly before being released from the pediatric ICU in late spring 2003 - a little more than a year before he would die.
 
“I always live knowing I can die, and probably will die young. But I am going home because they can't do anything else here, and if I heal, it's because I'm meant to heal, and if I don't heal, then my message is out there, and it's time for me to go to Heaven. I personally am hoping that my message still needs me to be a messenger a while longer, but that's really in God's hands.”

~ Mattie J.T. Stepanek, age 12
Messenger (Dutton 2009)
Spread Heartsongs for Mattie campaign

The Mattie J.T. Stepanek Guild is entering a new phase of our mission to share Mattie’s life of heroic virtue, his faith in God, and to inspire others in the Catholic faith. And fundraising will need to play a key part as we move forward.
 
Prayerfully consider a contribution to Mattie’s Guild.
 
Mattie had a profound relationship with God and was in direct contact with God at an early age. Mattie believed that his purpose was to be a ‘messenger’ – shaping with words what God placed in his heart for the good of our world. Just as God formed us, Mattie said that God gave us each a Heartsong, a purpose – our reason for being.
 
Mattie, who lived with great suffering and financial need, was chosen by God.  His life, his story, his ministry endures.
 
Spread Heartsongs for Mattie and let us together continue Mattie’s ministry witnessing to the Gospel and ensuring that every one of us realizes his or her Heartsong, that we each have been put on this earth with a purpose.
Please join us
   
     Offer your prayers - for Mattie and for all children, for a deeper daily relationship with God, and for the work of the Guild to share Mattie's life of faith
     Present reflection on Mattie - email the Guild with your reflection on Mattie expressing how Mattie inspires you, helps draw you closer to God, or lived a life of heroic virtue
     Share this eltr - but remove the bottom section so someone does not accidentally unsubscribe you
     Invite others - to subscribe to Mattie Matters News
     Follow us on social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Donate  to the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Guild.  Your financial gift supports the mission and work of the Guild sharing Mattie's life of heroic virtue, faith in God, and inspiring others in the Catholic faith.
The Mattie J.T. Stepanek Guild is an all-volunteer, 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization.
 
All material in this e-letter is owned and copyrighted by Mattie J.T. Stepanek and/or
Jennifer Smith Stepanek, Ph.D., and may not be used without written permission.
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