A Parish on Scribner Avenue
Saint Matthew Church sits on Scribner Avenue in Norwalk, Connecticut, where more than 3,000 families gather around a single mission statement: "Christ Came for All. Not Some, but All." Founded November 14, 1957, the parish built its first Spiritual Center in 1960, expanded into a permanent church in 1982, and has continued to grow ever since. Today it is known across the Diocese of Bridgeport for three things in particular: a Sanctuary with beeswax candles burning day and night, a Chapel of the Visitation where the Eucharist is exposed around the clock, and an 18,000-square-foot Recreation and Wellness Center that invites neighbors to pray, play, and grow together under one roof.
The current pastor, Fr. Frank Hoffmann, leads the parish alongside Parochial Vicar Fr. Miguel Betancur Lenis and Pastoral Minister Sr. Sally Norcross, C.N.D. Retired Msgr. John Sabia also serves in residence. Together they shepherd a community whose ministries reach from pre-kindergarten through the New Horizons seniors group, and from a curbside food pantry to a partnership with Norwalk Community College.
Masses, Confessions, and a Chapel That Never Closes
Weekend Masses are celebrated in the Church. Saturday brings the Vigil at 4:00 p.m., which is live streamed on Facebook and YouTube. Sunday Masses are offered at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 12:10 p.m. and on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. From May through November the weekday Masses take place in the Chapel; from November through April they move into the Church. On the last Monday of every month a Padre Pio Mass is offered at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel, followed by the Padre Pio Prayer Group.
Confessions are heard on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. and on the Tuesday before the First Friday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., both in the Church.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a signature of the parish. First Friday Adoration follows the 12:10 p.m. Mass and continues until 7:00 p.m., with the Rosary prayed at 6:30 p.m. The Adoration Society signs up members to keep watch with the Blessed Sacrament on First Fridays. Adoration for Vocations is held in the Chapel on the second Thursday of each month from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m., and a First Tuesday Adoration hour runs from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
The most distinctive devotion is the 24/7 Simple Exposition in the Our Lady of the Visitation Chapel, the pond-side chapel behind the church. A modified Tabernacle allows the lay faithful to open a shutter for Exposition, adore Christ in the Eucharist in silence, and close the shutter when they leave. The chapel is available every hour of every day, unless Mass is being celebrated or a notice is posted on the door, and it is reserved every Wednesday from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. for a private group. Entry is by keypad code, available on request from Chapel@StMatthewNorwalk.org. Bishop Frank J. Caggiano dedicated the chapel to Our Lady of the Visitation for the sacred worship of parishioners and visitors, calling the Visitation "the first act of Adoration when John the Baptist leaped in Elizabeth's womb, adoring Jesus."
The Church itself is open for private prayer every day from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with extended hours on First Fridays and Lenten Fridays until 8:00 p.m. The Parish Office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. from September through May; it is closed on Fridays during the summer.
The Msgr. Walter C. Orlowski Recreation and Wellness Center
Across the parking lot from the church stands the parish's most visible investment in body, mind, and soul: the 18,000-square-foot, two-story Msgr. Walter C. Orlowski Recreation and Wellness Center. The center was the dream of Msgr. Orlowski, who arrived as the parish's fourth pastor in July 1994 and served until 2019, when Bishop Caggiano marked his 25th pastorate. Ground was broken on June 1, 2019, and the building was completed in 2021 under Fr. Jeffrey W. Couture, the parish's fifth pastor.
Inside, an 11,000-square-foot gymnasium and a 7,000-square-foot indoor walking and running track anchor the wellness program. Proposed programs include individualized and group sports training, meditation, mindfulness, Tai Chi, parent education and support, and alcohol and drug prevention and recovery support. The building also houses a Catholic Newman Center Lounge developed in partnership with Norwalk Community College to serve the 40 percent of NCC students who are Catholic. The parish's Wednesday Night Bingo is held in the Rec Center, with $3 admission for adults 18 and older, pizza, subs, and snacks for sale, and $1,600 paid out each week in cash prizes.
A Parish That Grew with Norwalk
Saint Matthew was founded in 1957 with Rev. James F. McGrath as its first pastor. The completed Spiritual Center was blessed and dedicated by Bishop Lawrence J. Sheehan on September 18, 1960. Fr. Leo Suwinski became the second pastor in June 1963 and led the parish for 23 years, presiding over the 1982 renovation of the Spiritual Center into a permanent church during the Silver Jubilee. Msgr. Joseph Kohut succeeded him in September 1986, added a steeple to the church, and developed Mount Saint Matthew with a crucifixion scene, the Stations of the Cross, and a Grotto to Our Lady.
Msgr. Walter C. Orlowski, KCHS, arrived in July 1994. Bishop Edward M. Egan celebrated a Mass of Celebration for the groundbreaking of the new Parish Center on September 29, 1995, and Bishop William E. Lori rededicated the expanded church on June 26, 2004, after a 2003 expansion that increased seating and added a family room. The parish's 50th anniversary was marked by a Jubilee Mass on November 4, 2007 and a closing Mass and gala on November 15, 2008.
Fr. Jeffrey W. Couture was installed as fifth pastor on June 5, 2021 by Bishop Caggiano. He oversaw the completion of the Orlowski Center and initiated the Simple Exposition in the Chapel of the Visitation. A chronic condition called Ankylosing spondylitis led him to a six-month medical leave beginning January 1, 2023, and he resigned as pastor, presiding over his last Mass on June 11, 2023. Bishop Caggiano appointed Fr. Frank Hoffmann, who had served as Parochial Administrator during the leave, as pastor effective July 1, 2023. Fr. Frank is a graduate of Fairfield University (B.A., 1977) and holds three master's degrees from Sacred Heart University and Seton Hall University; he previously pastored St. John Church in Darien and served as Vicar for Clergy and Religious for the Diocese.
Faith Formation from Pre-K through Confirmation
Faith Formation at Saint Matthew is directed by Janet Mitchell, with Terri Sargent coordinating the Confirmation program. Children in Pre-K and kindergarten gather once a month on Sunday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Grades 1 through 5 meet weekly, with class times offered Sunday at 10:00 a.m., Monday at 5:00 p.m., or Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. All classes are capped at 15 students, and once-a-month Faith Formation/Family Masses are celebrated at the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are prepared in a separate track; a separate registration is emailed in late fall to eligible second-grade and older students. Confirmation preparation follows a parallel path for older students.
The PreK-Grade 5 program expects weekly Mass attendance with class, observance of Holy Days of Obligation, the Stations of the Cross during Lent, and First Friday Adoration; quarterly reception of Reconciliation is encouraged for eligible family members. Children are invited into Mass Ministry as altar servers after First Communion, and as ushers, readers, choir members, and (for confirmed youth) Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.
Walking with Purpose: A Bible Study Built for Women
Walking with Purpose (WWP) is the parish's flagship women's ministry. Coordinated locally by Noelle Vasquez and Ellen Arsenault, the program combines personal Scripture study with weekly small-group discussion, and a monthly Connect Coffee Talk that brings all the women together. Sessions meet on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., usually in the Conference Room across from the Parish Office, and they are open to women of every age, faith background, and marital status.
The current full-year study, Spiritual Motherhood: The Transforming Power of the Feminine Genius, runs in the fall of 2026 and the winter and spring of 2027. Earlier studies have included Grounded in Hope, based on the Letter to the Hebrews, as well as Beholding Your King, Beholding His Glory, Reclaiming Friendship, Living in the Father's Love, Rooted and Radiant, and Ordering Your Priorities. There is no registration fee; participants purchase the study book directly through Walking with Purpose.
Music for Every Age and Every Sunday
"Make a joyful noise to the Lord" is the watchword of the Music Ministry, and no auditions are required. Music Director Chris Coogan oversees the program, with Mary Bozzuti Higgins directing the Adult and Psalm Choirs and Daniel Criado directing the Youth Choir. Valerie Wyman continues to support the program as a former Director of Music.
Little Angels welcomes children ages 4 through 7 for a Thursday rehearsal from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m., singing once a month at the 9:00 a.m. Mass. The Youth Choir, open to children in Grades 2 through 8, rehearses Thursdays from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. and sings weekly at the 9:00 a.m. Mass, with additional appearances at the Ecumenical Service, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. The Psalm Choir gathers high school and college-aged singers from 11:30 a.m. on Sunday for warm-up, sings at the 12:00 p.m. Mass, and stays through a short rehearsal and a shared lunch. The Adult Choir rehearses Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. and sings sacred and contemporary anthems and hymns at the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
Feeding the Neighbors: The Food Pantry, Manna House, and Al's Angels
The Saint Matthew Curbside Food Pantry hands out non-perishable groceries and basic necessities every Wednesday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in a drive-up format. Donations of cereal, macaroni and cheese, pasta, sauce, peanut butter, rice, beans, ramen, dish and laundry soap, paper goods, and personal hygiene items can be dropped off in the Church vestibule or at the Parish Office. The pantry is coordinated by Beverly Martin, and volunteers are welcome.
Manna House Ministry takes the parish's hospitality one step further into the wider Norwalk community. Parishioners prepare a meal and bagged lunches four Sundays a year in the Saint Matthew kitchen, then deliver them to the Open Door Shelter in South Norwalk. Theresa Figueiras coordinates the team.
Al's Angels is an independent, non-profit organization founded by parishioners Al and Chris DiGuido that operates as a ministry within the parish, bringing joy to families and children afflicted by rare diseases, especially during the holidays.
The parish also runs a Parish Nurses Ministry that promotes wellness through blood pressure screenings on the first weekend of each month, and a Professional Consultations ministry that offers free, remote consultations in finance and immigration assistance.
Prayer Groups, Adoration, and the Prayer Network
Prayer is woven through nearly every ministry. The Padre Pio Prayer Group meets on the last Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel, gathering for Mass, Adoration, Benediction, the Rosary, and prayers for the Holy Father's intentions. The Spanish Prayer Group meets on the First Saturday of the month in the Chapel to pray the Rosary, with Sigifredo "Siggi" Ardila coordinating. The Parish Rosary is prayed on Zoom every Sunday at 8:00 p.m., and the parish Prayer Network is a spirit-led group that lifts up urgent prayer requests sent to StMatthewPrays@gmail.com.
For those who cannot leave home, Pastoral Services brings the Church to them. Sr. Sally Norcross coordinates visits to the homebound and hospitalized, and the Ministry to the Bereaved offers consolation and spiritual support to families who have lost a loved one, with a regular Bereavement Support gathering on Thursdays. A Hospital Card Ministry mails get-well notes to parishioners who are hospitalized, and a Blessing of Homes ministry arranges for a priest to visit and bless a family's home.
Catholic Daughters, Knights of Columbus, and the New Horizons Seniors
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court St. Matthew #2640, is one of the oldest women's lay organizations in the Americas, and the local court meets on the first Sunday of the month at 11:30 a.m. in the Mary and Joseph Room after the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Members support the Church, the clergy, and various educational and charitable causes.
The Saint Matthew Knights of Columbus is a Catholic, family, fraternal, and service organization that gathers on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The council supports charitable functions benefiting the parish and the wider community, including a Coats for Kids collection at all Masses and a Mother's Day rose sale. Membership is open to Catholic men 18 and older.
For parishioners 60 and older, New Horizons offers spiritual and social enrichment. The group meets for movies on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. in the Newman Center, and for cards and games on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m.
Youth at the Heart of Saint Matthew
The Saint Matthew Youth Group, known as St. Matt, is open to children in Grade 3 through high school. It is led by Fr. Miguel alongside coordinators Sarah Pruitt, Ashley Eichholtz, and Stefania Bartlett, and reaches families through a yearlong calendar of events. The year opens with a Scavenger Hunt Kickoff and a back-to-school blessing at the 9:00 a.m. Mass. Fall brings a Halloween party, a Family Bingo, and a Trunk or Treat in the Rectory parking lot. November brings a Friendsgiving, December a Breakfast with Santa and a blanket-making service project with the Kiwanis Club, and spring brings a Stations of the Cross walk and a Bible Camp.
Youth are visible throughout the parish, not only in the Youth Group. The Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass is the parish's Youth Mass. Children in Grades 3 and up may train as altar servers through Fr. Miguel; older youth serve as ushers, greeters, readers, and gift bearers, and confirmed youth assist with the distribution of Holy Communion as Extraordinary Ministers.
The Forward in Faith Campaign and the Bishop's Appeal
To retire the $3 million construction loan taken in 2021 to build the Orlowski Center, Fr. Frank launched the Forward in Faith Capital Campaign, with a $1,500,000 goal and a $2,500,000 challenge goal. By summer of 2025 the three-year pledge total stood at more than $1.1 million, and a generous bequest allowed the parish to plan to bring the debt under $1 million and to retire the loan within three years. The portion of the bequest not applied to the debt is being used for deferred maintenance, including replacement of the 1994 HVAC system and the roof of the Parish Center. Pledges can still be made online.
The parish also participates in the annual Bishop's Appeal for the Diocese of Bridgeport, with a $154,000 parish goal. Accountability Sunday, the first Sunday in December, brings a standardized financial report to the pews.
Sacraments, Sanctuary Memorials, and the All Saints School
Sacraments are coordinated through Lorraine DeRosa, who serves as Baptism and Wedding Coordinator. Parents attend a Pre-Baptism Workshop on Zoom before scheduling a Baptism, and a separate Sponsor Certificate request form is required for godparents and confirmation sponsors. A Marriage section and a Funeral Guidelines page are also available, and the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) are listed among the sacraments prepared for at the parish. RCIA is coordinated by MaryAnn Roberts for adults seeking full initiation.
Two simple, traditional memorials are visible in the Sanctuary. Parishioners may donate the Sanctuary flowers in honor or memory of a loved one, with the name appearing in the bulletin during the week of the gift. A beeswax Sanctuary Candle burns 24 hours a day, seven days a week, near the Tabernacle, and a $25 offering will keep the candle burning for a week in memory of someone.
Saint Matthew is one of the parishes that supports All Saints Catholic School in Norwalk. The school's principal is Linda Dunn, and the parish works in close partnership with the school on faith formation, family events, and VIRTUS safe-environment compliance.
Joining the Parish
Parishioners can register online, by mail, or in person. The Parish Office can be reached at (203) 838-3788 and at stmattparish@hotmail.com, with Mare Yannetti at extension 101 and Maureen Moccia at extension 105. Mass cards are available by calling or visiting the office. The parish is part of the Diocese of Bridgeport and operates under the Bishop's authority, with all adult volunteers required to complete the Diocese's VIRTUS Protecting God's Children training and background check before serving in any ministry.
Online giving is available through the parish's secure OSV Hub portal and through PayPal, and the Saturday 4:00 p.m. Vigil Mass is live streamed on Facebook and YouTube. The parish's Prayer Network, Sacramental registrations, sponsor certificates, and Forward in Faith pledges are all handled online. For a first-time visitor, the easiest way in is to walk through the door on a Saturday afternoon or a Sunday morning, to be greeted by a parish family that is convinced, as the mission statement says, that Christ came for all.