The oldest remaining Catholic church in Flint, St. Matthew’s, was founded in 1911, with the church building completed nearly ten years later. Originally staffed by Detroit diocesan priests and then by those in the Augustinian order, priests from the Diocese of Lansing began staffing the parish in 2016. One part of that history of note is that one particularly well-known Augustinian priest, then Father Robert Prevost (now Pope Leo XIV) visited the church and celebrated a baptism at St. Matthew’s in 1999. 

Father Anthony says the church itself deserves some credit for the increase in numbers, recognizing the draw of transcendental beauty. “Beauty makes it easy to pray,” he says. “Even just coming in here raises your heart and mind to God by way of the materials, the iconography, the statues, and the stained-glass windows. It’s like with Jacob when he had the vision of the angels. “Truly this is the house of God, the gateway to heaven.” (Gen 28:17)

While the church building attracts many, a reverent celebration of the Mass is another draw for St. Matthew parishioners and is likely a factor in the average Mass attendance increasing by more than 50 percent from 2019 to 2024. Pointing out that different priests and parishes are called to be faithful in whatever way God calls them to be, Father Anthony says there’s no one mold, rather a universal call to holiness. “Mostly, we want to do things well. We want to celebrate Mass according to the rubrics so that the symbols are allowed to speak as the Church intends. So, worship and beauty help define our parish along with our vision and mission to support the domestic church.”

With programs such as Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Vacation Bible School, and St. Paul Street Evangelization, the parish aims to engage the entire family and to form parishioners in the faith while also evangelizing the broader community. Rather than establishing a once-a-year schedule for sacramental preparation, the parish offers Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) and first Holy Communion courses as the faithful are ready. “It gives people a chance to come as they are ready,” Father Anthony notes, “we’re really trying to meet people where they’re at and bring them closer to the Lord.”

Reflecting on the growth of his parish, Father Anthony isn’t sure there’s a clear answer to why people have come to St. Matthew’s. “I’m grateful,” he says, “I’m reaping the fruits. We’re a young parish. I’ve had one parishioner's funeral this year, and I will likely baptize more than 20 babies in the year. We also have two seminarians from our parish. Yet I don’t have a program, I’m not going to be able to write a book about how to grow a parish. I just know that the Church wants us to accompany people.” His primary goal in it all? “I want to help people be saints. However that happens. I hope we continue to be a refuge for people for rest and growth in their faith.”

Ultimately, Father Anthony says he is grateful that more than any success, God asks simply for faithfulness. “It’s more than a numbers game,” he says. “My whole priesthood, I just want to do what the Church asks me to do to the best of my ability. To be a good priest, spiritual father, and good shepherd. I want to be a faithful steward and let God do the rest. And even being a faithful steward is God's grace anyway! God does all the heavy lifting.”