First Mass as Bishop
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July 9, 2020
BEACON PHOTO | JOE GIGLIFIRST MASS Bishop Kevin Sweeney blesses a woman during his first Mass as the new Bishop of the Paterson Diocese on July 4 at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Paterson. the Bishop conducted the 7 p.m. vigil Mass in Spanish. On July 5, Bishop Sweeney celebrated the 11:30 a.m. Mass in English which marked the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.On July 4-5, Bishop Sweeney celebrates his first Masses with parishioners of the cathedralPATERSON Bishop Kevin Sweeney celebrated Masses at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here during the weekend of July 4-5. On July 4, the Bishop celebrated the 7 p.m. vigil Mass in Spanish (pictured in this spread), the first time Bishop Sweeney celebrated Mass for parishioners at the cathedral. On July 5, Bishop Sweeney celebrated the 11:30 a.m. Mass in English which marked the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
In his homily given on July 5, the Bishop said, “For many, over the last three and a half months we believe just as the Eucharist is the bread of life, the cup of salvation — spiritual food that we need to be strong, his Word also — the Word of God is food for our soul and strengthens us and nourishes us.” A diocesan cathedral holds the Cathedra (Latin for “seat”) of a bishop and serves as the mother church of a diocese. It signifies the teaching authority a bishop has for a Diocese.
