A warm welcome

Richard A. Sokerka

As the doors to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist opened wide onto Main Street in Paterson and bishops and priests processed out of the mother church of the Diocese on July 1, the music and voices singing grew louder.

Directly across the street from the cathedral were family members who belonged to the Neocatechumenal Way at two parishes. They were playing instruments and drums while singing “Alleluia” as they awaited their first official look at the new bishop of Paterson who had just been ordained to the episcopacy and installed as Paterson’s eighth bishop.

When Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney emerged on the steps of the cathedral, the assembled group became the largest cheering section this city, made up of such a diverse group of immigrants from all corners of the world, has heard in quite some time. Their shouts of joy were music to ears of all during a pandemic that had muffled such public displays for far too long.

As Bishop Sweeney, the son of Irish immigrants who is fluent in Spanish, acknowledged this spontaneous welcome of their new shepherd, the youngest members of his new flock raced across the street to be with him, exchanging elbow bumps instead of high fives and hugs in our new normal.

The connection and love at first sight between them was instantaneous, a joy-filled moment to be written on the first page of the newest chapter of the history of the Diocese. It brought smiles and even a tear or two of joy to those who were privileged to witness it.

For our new bishop, who comes to us from Brooklyn, this welcome was as warm as the love in the hearts that his former congregation, most of them immigrants, had for him at St. Michael Parish in Sunset Park where he served as pastor for the last decade.

The motto in Bishop Sweeney’s coat of arms is, “God Is Love — Dios Es Amor.” And in his first homily as the Bishop of Paterson, he alluded to the reason why he had chosen “God Is Love — Dios Es Amor” as his episcopal motto. “I would like to begin my ministry as a bishop with those words,” he told all those in the cathedral, those viewing via livestreaming and those watching on TV.

And he most certainly did!

Welcome to the Paterson Diocese, Bishop Sweeney.