World Day for Consecrated Life

PRO ECCLESIA ET PONTIFICE  Sister of Christian Charity Mary Edward Spohrer, provincial superior of the Sisters of Christian Charity in Mendham and the diocese’s former chancellor/delegate for religious, holds the papal award she received from Pope Francis with Msgr. James Mahoney, vicar general and pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, and Bishop Serratelli following the annual diocesan celebration for World Day for Conse­crated Life in St. Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton April 10.

CLIFTON  Bishop Serratelli presi­ded at the annual diocesan celebration for World Day for Conse­crated Life in St. Philip the Apostle Church here April 10 with evening prayer.

At the evening prayer service, Sister of Christian Charity Mary Edward Spohrer, provincial superior of the Sisters of Christian Charity in Mendham, who formerly served the Diocese as chancellor/delegate for religious, received the papal award, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, from Bishop Serratelli.

Following the general intercessions and recitation of the “Our Father,” the conferral of the papal award to Sister Mary Edward took place. Bishop Serratelli spoke about Sister Mary Edward’s example of being an imitator of Christ, not only by her words but also by her deeds.

“Today the Church of Paterson rejoices because our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has recognized our own Sister Mary Edward, whose life and work is a constant encouragement to the rest of us,” the Bishop told the congregation, consisting of many of the religious orders that serve in the Diocese and family and friends of Sister Mary Edward.

After having the papal medallion placed on her by the Bishop, Sister Mary Edward said, “I am deeply grateful and filled with joy because I’m accepting this on behalf of all the women and men religious in the Diocese of Paterson and also the staff of the diocesan Pastoral Center. During the past 10 years of my life working I have come to know more intimately the wonderful, multi-splendid charisms of the 43 institutes of religious life that live and serve in the Diocese. We have more than 700 women and men in consecrated life. And for this, I am filled with joy and gratitude. The Diocesan Pastoral Center for the past 10 years has been sterling examples to me of ‘ecclesia,’ the reality of the Church as community and as working together. The joy of that as I receive this award from our Holy Father, is for all those men and women, from the Bishop, vicar general, priests, religious, deacons, who I carry in my heart always. Thank you all for who you are.”

Earlier in the Vespers service, lit candles were held by the religious as they made a renewal of commitment to their religious vows before the Bishop.

Xaverian Father Carl Chudy, provincial superior of the Xaverian Missionaries at the Provincial House in Wayne, gave the reflection for the evening prayer service. “The role of consecrated life in today’s environment is extraordinarily important,” he said. “The mercy and compassion we bring is to listen and to accompany the disenfranchised, the alienated, the angry and the indifferent.”

Father Chudy spoke about his experiences as a missionary priest serving around the world and reminded the religious that the inspiration for Catholics is two words — Jesus Christ. “He died for every single human being on this Earth. It doesn’t matter what they believe or if they don’t believe; what language they speak or what culture they come from. Every single human being matters to God and therefore matters to the Church,” he said.

“When I think of the Cross, I think of the place where we share that Cross together. Where all of our lives as consecrated men and women are at the empty tomb once again. Where we gather around the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ,” Father Chudy said,

In closing, Father Chudy said, “When you line up to receive the Eucharist, and you open your hands and God is placed there, what do you do with that? I’ll tell you what us in consecrated life do — everything God gives us, we give it away.”

At the end of Vespers, the Bishop said, “Thank you to our religious. You make an immense difference to all that you serve. It is my prayer everyday that the Lord add to your numbers.”

Bishop Emeritus Frank Rodimer and Benedictine Abbot Richard Cronin also attended the Vespers service.