WEST MILFORD Last summer, St. Joseph Parish here devised a challenge to its parishioners: become more “mindful” — conscious or aware of the needs of other people — by engaging in specific acts of kindness that it proposed each week. Over these past few weeks, the rural Passaic County faith community broadened its scope of mindfulness parish-wide as many of its faithful contributed generously to help defray the mounting medical costs of a local 19-year-old, who suffers from a rare and debilitating disease.
So far, St. Joseph’s — the oldest parish in the Paterson Diocese and the state — raised more than $3,000 for Matthew Rizza, Class of 2017 at West Milford High School, who contracted an illness associated with Babesia, a parasite of the blood — more serious and complex than Lyme disease. The condition has produced a domino effect of intestinal problems and allergic reactions that are complicated because doctors have no one treatment that can combat it. Making things worse, the Rizza’s insurance does not cover many of the treatments and doctor visits, creating a financial hardship for the family. So recently, St. Joseph’s encouraged people to place contributions in its poor box in the church lobby — donations that kept pouring in well into the Christmas season of giving, said Ron Batory, a parishioner, who suggested the fund drive.
“They [the doctors] continue to progress medically to the next thing [for Rizza] in the hope that the next thing is the right thing that can help cure him,” Batory — the teen’s former baseball coach, who met with him, after reading a story about his serious illness in a local newspaper and online — wrote in the parish bulletin to announce the fund drive. “Prayers are needed,” he wrote.
Right now, Rizza is being fed nutrients and vitamins through a catheter/PIC line. His antibiotics have made him more ill because of gastric issues, while his food allergies limit typical food intake. Also, he suffers from severe reflux in his chest and throat. This terrible “domino effect” of health issues has been caused by his body’s inability to get rid of toxins, such as metals and pesticides. Rizza cannot drive a car or enter public buildings because of his trouble processing toxins at these locations, said Jeannie Rizza, his mother.
“Matthew’s condition is always changing. It depends how he feels and what we’re trying [with treatments]. His body is more sensitive and it’s a matter of trial and error,” said Jeannie Rizza, who noted that her son was diagnosed with the illness two years ago, after it came upon him suddenly starting with shortness of breath.
“Matt is a special kid — a determined kid,” Batory said. “This [suggesting the fund drive] is a situation, where I can step up and out to help someone. We also know exactly where the money is going,” he said.
The fund drive grew out of an effort by St. Joseph’s to encourage parishioners to become more mindful through the summer challenge. Each week, it urged its faithful to perform acts of kindness. Suggestions included the following: to listen — being mindful of others when they talk to them and really pay attention to them; to pause — being mindful of how harmful your words can be by pausing and catching their words before blurting them out, texting or posting on Facebook; to be content — mindful of the blessings you do have and thank God for each of them; and to pray — be creative in developing new ways to pray and find the joy in prayer. The faithful could perform these acts anywhere or anytime and as many times as they would like, said Mary Beth Ferriola, St. Joseph’s business and cemetery administrator, who devised the summer challenge.
On a weekend in June, Ferriola, with help from Camille Kluge, St. Joseph’s youth director, launched the challenge by presenting an introduction and handing out to parishioners small brightly colored stones with the word “mindful” to remind them to be more mindful. Each week, Ferriola alerted parishioners to that week’s challenge in three ways: by email, a post on St. Joseph’s website and a blurb in the bulletin.
“It reminds them that their actions, like being on time, can affect others. Then, they can bring that awareness to their relationships. The challenges can help us become kinder, more compassionate and more understanding and to become better Christians. Also, these challenges can become habits in our own lives,” said Ferriola, who invited participants to share their experiences in the bulletin for the end of summer.
In October, St. Joseph’s continued its mindfulness-awareness efforts with a workshop by Anne Scala of the parish, who gave an introduction on the topic that included the concept of finding peace in the Lord — “Be still and know I am God.” In December, she gave another workshop, where she outlined mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing and slowing down and enjoying the Christmas season, Ferriola said.
Father Aleksander Bialas, St. Joseph’s pastor, told The Beacon that the challenge offered parishioners “small things” to undertake to “put their faith to work.”
Also, the fund drive for Rizza reminds parishioners of mindfulness “and tells Matt that God is here and love and support is out there,” Ferriola said. Donations to St. Joseph’s also came from organizations, such as the local Elks Club, and other areas, such as Batory’s workplace — over and above contributions made directly to the Rizzas by individuals and groups in and around West Milford. Presentation Sister Janet Brisky, pastoral associate, collected donations for St. Joseph’s and, with Batory, recently presented them to the family at the parish.
“We are thankful for this [support], which has been humbling and heartwarming,” said Jeannie Rizza, who set up a GoFundMe web page for donations for her son. Her son’s illness has forced him to get a college tutor and also has filled him with the desire to pursue a career in medicine, she said. “We are Christians. We have God. That is our hope. We believe that God will heal Matthew,” she said.
[Information: (973) 697-3716 or visit Rizza’s GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/matthew-rizza-miracle-for-medical.