Deacon Matthews

The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels grieves the loss of Deacon Richard Matthews who died unexpectedly on Monday, November 26, 2018. Deacon Dick was a mainstay of our parish for 50 years. Highly respected by all the staff and parishioners, he humbly served the local community as a deacon since 2000. He baptized many babies and he had a special place in his heart for immigrants. His personality and sense of the presence of the Lord were a blessing and a great reminder of God's love for all of us.

His signature prayer during weekly communion services was to pray for those that will die today, especially those who will die unexpectedly and for their families. We share this prayer for Deacon Dick. May he rest in peace and may the loving embrace of Our Lord be near his grieving family, friends and parishioners. We express our deepest condolences to the deacon's wife, Linda and his children.
Requiescat in pace. Rest in peace.

Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Deacon Richard Matthew’s Last Homily
November 24, 2018

Today we have come to the last Sunday of our liturgical year - the day on which we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. For Americans, the notion of being ruled by a king is a foreign concept. In our history, being ruled by a king is what we rebelled against in the 18th century to declare our independence from England. So just the thought of the reign of a king who is supremely sovereign over the people is not pleasant for we often think about kings as being opulent and even haughty. Furthermore, living within a kingdom is neither politically acceptable, nor is it a comfortable situation for us. It sounds so old and medieval in nature and it brings up uncomfortable concepts like a dominant hierarchy, multitudes of servants, a social and economical class system, and poverty-stricken peasants who work very hard only to give their profits to a king who already lives well above the means of even those considered to be wealthy. So, the idea of a king or a kingdom does not always have a pleasant connotation. Yet today we boldly and openly celebrate the feast of Christ the King. And Jesus Christ was such a strange king by earthly standards, to be sure.

The gospels tell us so many events and incidents about just how strange Jesus Christ the King was. Here was a king whose mother became pregnant out of wedlock and whose father almost deserted her without any means of support. Here was a king who came from such simple means, being born in a stable with barn animals and common if not downright dirty looking shepherds as his only royal court. Here was a king who only learned how to be a carpenter from his father rather than having the opportunity to attend the best schools or have the very best tutors that wealth could provide. Here was a king who was pretty radical in his approach to the traditional views of the time and who challenged his elders and those in positions of power and wealth to break away from their way of life and to take up a more Spartan and simple way of living. And yet even with all those unkingly traits, we are still willing to celebrate Christ as our King.

Yes, Jesus was indeed a strange king. He was a king who preferred to surround himself with common people, poorly educated fishermen, the poor, sick, lame and disenfranchised. He was a king who welcomed tax collectors to be in his company and who welcomed prostitutes and beggars to dine with him. He was a king who took more concern with healing the lepers and talking with the hated Samaritans than he did with attending state dinners or conversing with the local governmental or religious leaders of his day. He was a king who influenced so many people willing to follow him because of what he taught rather than what he commanded. Yet today we celebrate the feast of Christ the king, a strange king indeed.

Here was a king who was questioned by so many people who wanted to get rid of him. Here was a king who had so many people planning and conspiring against him more than any other king in history. Here was a king who had no military strength or army to back up his reign. Here was a king who dressed in the clothing of the common people and never owned a regal garment or who never adorned himself with gold or finery. Here was a king who preferred to eat simple meals of bread and wine as opposed to multi-coursed regal dinners enjoyed by those who had wealth. Here was a king who was willing to give totally of himself in any way, to give away all that he had, even his own life, for the sake of those who were not only willing to listen and follow his teaching, but even for those who rejected him. Here was a king who suffered unbearable agony and was executed like a common criminal and yet was able, with his dying words, to forgive those who did him so much wrong. Yet today we triumphantly celebrate Jesus Christ as our King. Doesn’t all of this sound just a little bit far fetched if not crazy?

And if our king was such a strange king indeed, then what does that say about his kingdom? Well, here is where today’s gospel is so informative. Jesus, facing his own death, facing Pilate who held his earthly fate in his hand, had the audacity to reply to Pilate’s questions with his characteristically indirect way. He tells Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world. He tells Pilate that it is a kingdom not obtained by the traditional means of warfare and conquering. He tells Pilate that his kingdom is in the making. And if we are listening to what Jesus is saying to Pilate and if we have paid attention to what Jesus has taught us, we know that God’s kingdom is here. Jesus Christ the King has told us that he is the truth of God who proclaims that the kingdom of God is upon us now and in the world to come. We may not be always able to recognize where that kingdom of God is revealed to us here and now, but if we are followers of the Jesus, who was born into this world to testify to the truth, then we know that the Kingdom of God is at hand and the kingdom of God is to come. Yet, as confounding as all of this seems to be, we consciously choose to celebrate Jesus Christ, the king of the universe.  

And what does that say about us? Here we are proclaiming Jesus Christ the king who seems to be way beyond eccentric, following him into a kingdom that is not of this world, but which is here and now. Aren’t we too just a little bit odd if not eccentric? If we follow the development of the history of kings and kingdoms throughout the ages, do we ever encounter such a king and such a kingdom filled with such people as Jesus Christ announces to Pilate? The answer is never. So, we too must be just a tad bit out of the ordinary to be the people who follow Jesus the king, into the kingdom not of this world, but which is also present here to us in the sharing of the Eucharist.

We are those people that belong to the truth, as Jesus tells Pilate. We are the people who hear the voice of Jesus, the Truth of God. We are the people who are destined to live in the kingdom of God to come. We are the people who must continue to build and develop the kingdom of God here and now. We are the people who must be willing to follow a king who goes against all that the common sense that this world tells us to follow. We are the people who must become active participants and examples of our faith. Each and every day, our belief in Jesus Christ the King of the kingdom should challenge us to become more active faith participants. Each time we come together for worship in Eucharist, we need to become open to the word of God in our minds and the presence of God in our hearts. Each event in our lives should become another chance to proclaim what Jesus Christ taught. And each person we encounter should be seen as a citizen of equal stature in the kingdom of God to come.

Yes, today, we do celebrate with great reverence the feast of Jesus Christ the King. Today we do commemorate that Jesus is the truth of God. And today we proclaim that we are willing to follow our king, to continue to build the kingdom of God in the present and to look forward with great anticipation to the kingdom that is not of this world, because we are a kingly people, we are priestly people, and we are holy people for we are God’s chosen people who give him praise and who are willing to publicly celebrate and proclaim our faith in our unconventional king.

Deacon Richard Matthews (Deacon Dick) was born in Amsterdam, NY, the youngest of three children of Irene and Anthony Matthews.  He attended St. Stanislaus Elementary School and St. Mary’s Institute before entering Mater Christi Seminary in the Diocese of Albany, NY, where he received an A.A. in Humanities degree.  He then attended Christ the King Seminary and graduated with a B.A. from St. Bonaventure University in 1969 with a dual major in Classical Languages (Latin) and Philosophy.  He completed his M.S,Ed. Degree in Guidance and Counseling from St. Bonaventure University in 1972 and continued post-graduate studies in English.

Deacon Dick married Linda (Coleman) Matthews in 1969 and has three children.  He was employed by the Ellicottville Central School District where he held the positions of Teacher (Latin and English), Counselor, and Director of Special Education.  Upon his retirement in 2001, he worked for two years in the Olean City School District as a counselor.  In addition, he was also an Adjunct Instructor of Writing and Philosophy at the Cattaraugus County Campus of Jamestown Community College.

A member of St. Mary of the Angels since 1968, Deacon Dick was a Eucharistic Minister, Chairperson of the Liturgy Committee, and part of the parish RCIA Team for over 25 years.

Deacon Matthews entered the diaconate formation program at Christi the King Seminary in 1996 and was ordained by Bishop Henry Mansell on June 10, 2000 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Buffalo, NY.  He was assigned by Bishop Mansell to St. Mary of the Angels and to the St. Bonaventure University Campus Ministry.  He completed his M.A. in Theology in 2001 from Christ the King Graduate School of Theology.  In 2004, he was assigned additional parish responsibilities at Sacred Heart Parish in Portville, NY.  At St. Mary of the Angels, Deacon Matthews has a special ministry with the parish Filipino Community and the greater Filipino population in Allegany County and the Salamanca NY and Bradford, PA vicinity as well as ministering to other immigrant families of our area.  He has also served as a member of the Deacon Advisory Committee for the Buffalo Diocese and the Diocesan Council of Deacons.  In addition, for several years he served as a faculty member for the Diocesan Diaconate Formation Program.