The Pew Research Center recently reported that government restrictions on religion worldwide (and in the U.S.) are at their highest point since 2007. This is a grave threat not only to our religious freedoms but also to human rights. Globally, religious freedom protects human dignity, promotes security and supports American national security. Here in our own nation anti-Semitism and anti-Catholicism are increasing.

Growing up in a faith-filled Catholic family, it seemed providential that Thomas Barrett’s life would lead him in the direction of serving the Church. For his family, volunteering for activities at their parish, St. Andrew the Apostle in Clifton, was always a priority. Now Barrett looks back at his 48 years of service to the Church of Paterson and the moments that have shaped his life as he retires from the Diocese on Dec. 31 and begins the next chapter of his life.

During the weekend of Dec. 19–20, an army of volunteers from various ministries at the cathedral joined clergy and several staff members in a historic distribution of new winter coats and toys to children in Paterson. It started on Saturday with giving away about 500 new coats at St. John’s. It continued on Sunday with giving out more than 700 wrapped new age-appropriate and gender-specific Christmas gifts for the children — and a friend — at the cathedral — along with a warmly received visit from Santa.

It has been the “shot in the arm” felt ’round the U.S. for about a million people so far who have rolled up their sleeves to receive their initial dose of one of two highly anticipated vaccines hailed as decisive weapons in the war to wipe out the global COVID-19 pandemic. This fall, Father Ed Reading, a diocesan priest who serves outside the Diocese, volunteered to receive two doses of one of those vaccines as part of the third phase of a global clinical trial to make sure that the drug is safe and effective.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney celebrated two Masses — 11 a.m. in English and the 1 p.m. in Spanish — at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Clifton Dec. 27. The Masses marked the Feast of the Holy Family, which celebrates Jesus, Mary and Joseph as a model for all Christian families.

The parish community of Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church in Little Falls welcomed Bishop Sweeney on Christmas Day where he celebrated Mass marking the Nativity of the Lord Dec. 25.

The parish community of St. Anthony of Padua in Passaic once again celebrated Simbang Gabi, a nine-day traditional Filipino novena, marked in the days before Christmas. For 20 years, the parish has hosted the novena, which is a tradition of and organized by the Filipino members of the parish. Bishop Kevin Sweeney was main celebrant of the novena Mass on Dec. 21.

Bishop Sweeney celebrated the final Mass of a nine-day novena for Simbang Gabi in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church (OLGC) in Pompton Plains Dec. 23. The Mass was coordinated by the Diocesan Commission for Catholic Filipino Ministries as part of an inter-parish celebration with 17 parishes participating this year.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Rose of Lima Parish in East Hanover where he celebrated the Christmas vigil Mass on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. Before the Mass, a Christmas concert was held featuring Christmas classics to reflect on the birth of Jesus.

Bishop Sweeney marked his first Christmas in the Diocese as Bishop of Paterson and celebrated two vigil Masses marking the Nativity of the Lord at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson Dec. 24. The Bishop of the Paterson Diocese traditionally marks Christmas Eve night at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Mother Church of the Diocese.

The recent release of COVID-19 vaccines has caused some to question the efficacy of the vaccines due to their quick clinical trials, but beyond that, some Catholics have questioned the ethics of taking a vaccine that may have used cell lines from aborted fetuses. The Vatican Congregation for the Doc­trine of Faith (CDF) addressed those questions last week when it stated that it is “morally acceptable” to receive COVID-19 vaccines produced using cell lines from aborted fetuses when no alternative is available.

Some call them Kings and some call them Wise Men. Tradition tells us there were three, but there are stories about the Fourth Wise Man. In the New American Bible English Translation (above), Matthew calls them “… Magi from the East …” While much of the world celebrates their Feast, the Feast of the Epiphany, on Jan. 6, for many years here in the United States and in other countries, we celebrate it on the Second Sunday after Christmas.

Filled with emotion and gratitude, one U.S. Marine veteran gave out lots of hugs but then each time, had difficulty letting go. Recently, the former servicewoman approached volunteers from Operation Chillout, a ’round-the-clock emergency outreach to homeless veterans, who were staffing an information booth at an event in a New Jersey town. With hugs, she thanked them for giving her hope — and much-needed help — after her hours at work were cut and she lost her apartment.

On Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Concep­tion, Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Stephen Parish in Paterson where he celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of the Immac­ulate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This patronal feast day of the United States is a Holy Day of Obligation.

The St. Joseph’s Health Filipino Affinity Group is marking the nine-day novena, Simbang Gabi, a Filipino Advent tradition at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Bishop Kevin Sweeney was main celebrant of the Dec. 18 Mass marking the fourth day of the novena.

Blake Ayars, 9, and younger sister Skylar, 8, wait patiently for the oven to finish baking so they can savor the sweet goodness of a batch of Snickerdoodle cookies they made. With time to spare, the siblings of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in Cedar Knolls take a break for something sweeter: watching a new video from the parish they had put on pause, which retells the story of Jesus’ birth using Christmas cookies decorated as Nativity figures, including Baby Jesus.

Bishop Sweeney made a pastoral visit to Our Lady of the Mountain Church in Long Valley where he celebrated Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Advent Dec. 20.

The parishioners of St. Mark Parish in Long Valley welcomed Bishop Sweeney during his pastoral visit Dec. 20 where he celebrated Mass to mark the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Thomas Aquin Parish here where he celebrated Mass marking the Third Sunday of Advent, which is also known as Gaudete Sunday. The day takes its name from the Latin word “Gaudete” which translates to rejoice and rose color vestments are worn.

During these weeks of Advent three parishes came together to bring some Christmas joy to students of the Diocesan Catholic Charities early learning programs in Paterson. The parishioners at Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish in Kinnelon, St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Mountain Lakes and St. Luke Parish in Long Valley were “Santa’s elves” for children in need by collecting toys and other goodies to make Christmas gift bags for more than 500 children. Most of the donors were families, whose children are in the parishes’ religious education and Confirmation programs. These young people filled the bags with small Christmas- themed stuffed animals, candy, crafts, snacks and more.