Parish photography club portrays beauty through the camera lens

Lou Nunez had several reasons for wanting to start the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church of Clifton Photo Club.

Nunez, in 2020, brainstormed with the current pastor, Father Robert Wisniefski, and the late Father John Connolly, pastor emeritus, regarding the club, which would serve as a vehicle for evangelization, foster a deeper relationship with the Lord, document the life of Sacred Heart Parish in its parish bulletin, and encourage more people to be active in the life of the parish.

“I have a lot of photos that I’ve taken at churches, and one of the reasons for that is I'm hoping to bring people back,” Nunez said. “Maybe they’ll see the beauty of the church, and maybe that's what triggers it.”

There are currently 12 to 15 members in the club, which commenced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, was forced into hiatus during its height, and reconvened in the fall of 2021.

“If it wasn't for our Father Bob and Father John, this wouldn't be possible. I thank them both for their support,” Nunez said.

The talented picture takers have documented the life of Sacred Heart and its parishioners with photographs of major events such as the 125th Anniversary of the parish, the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Easter Vigil, Midnight Christmas Mass, and sadly, the funeral Mass of their beloved Father Connolly.

“And obviously, the photo club will be present when the bishop comes to do the installation Mass (April 16, 2023) for Father Bob as pastor,” Nunez added.

The club, whose members use cameras of all kinds, including drones, hopes to visit religious sites throughout the diocese when the weather gets warmer in the spring. In the past, the group has snapped photos at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, Great Falls National Historic Park, Garrett Mountain Reservation, and the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve.

Father Wisniefski stated, “I’ve often said that Lou Nunez, who initiated the club, took a lot of initiative to do this: to try and take something that's a personal hobby of his and make it into something that can enhance the life of the church. He’s taken several pictures of several events we’ve had and put them in the bulletin, and he's been very constant with it and very dedicated to it.”

New members are welcome to join the photo club, even non-parishioners. Nunez said, “I told everybody in the group it doesn't matter if your friends want to come and they're not Catholic. Bring them. We want to reach out to everybody.”

He then added that it’s all about the joy of photography and the beautiful wonders of God.

“We encourage people to experiment, to have fun. Don't care what anybody else says about your photo,” he said. “As long as you like it, that's really all that matters. Experience the beauty of God's creation and share it with others.”

The photo club usually meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Those interested in joining may call 973-546-6012, the Sacred Heart Church rectory.