Bishop Sweeney marks silver jubilee as a priest at Mass in the cathedral

PATERSON  Marking 25 years as a priest, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated his silver jubilee with priests from around the Diocese of Paterson and beyond during a Mass, at which he was the principal celebrant, marking the Solem­nity of Ss. Peter and Paul in the Cathe­dral of St. John the Baptist here June 29. Family and friends of the Bishop, religious and the faithful of the Paterson Diocese attended the Mass. Several bishops, who supported his priesthood ministry, were concelebrants of the Mass, including Bishop Emeritus Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn and Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli.

Speaking at the start of the Mass, the Bishop told the congregation that filled the cathedral, “Today, we gather together with the whole Church and as the Church founded on the rock of Peter and the testimony of Paul, the witness of the martyrs and saints. And we gather today also to give thanks for 25 years of priesthood, for the gift and mystery of priesthood in our lives and in the Church, for the love of family, the community of faith, the community of believers that is the Church.”

On June 28, 1997, the Bishop was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Brooklyn by the late Bishop Thomas Dailey. Bishop Sweeney’s first assignment was as parochial vicar at the parish of St. Nicholas of Tolentine in Jamai­ca, Queens, from 1997 to 2003. He was then assigned to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Corona, Queens, from 2003 to 2004.

In 2004, Bishop Sweeney was named by Bishop DiMarzio as the Brooklyn Diocese’s vocation director. During his time as vocation director, which lasted until 2010, he also served as the first director of the St. Pope John Paul II House of Discern­ment. In Jan­uary 2010, Bishop Sweeney was appointed pastor of St. Michael Parish in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where he served for 10 years, before being named Bishop of Paterson by Pope Francis in 2020.

During his homily, the Bishop reflected on his ministry as a priest, especially noting June 29 is significant to him because that is the day he celebrated his first Mass. “It was a blessing to celebrate my first Mass as a priest on this feast,” he said.

June 29 is also the birth date of the Bishop’s late father, James Sweeney. The Bishop referenced his parents often in his homily with much gratitude. “A great sense of gratitude because of the prayers of so many — I know starting with my mom’s prayers. These prayers helped me to discern the call to priesthood over many years — to eventually be able to say, ‘yes,’ ” he said.

The Bishop said, “We say thank you to God for the gift and mystery, the gift of faith that each of us have received, the same faith and encounter with Our Lord that Peter proclaimed — you are the Christ, son of the living God.”

“Reflecting on 25 years, if there’s one thing I have learned, Jesus is still calling you and me to be that salt and light and telling us that our light must shine,” said the Bishop.

At the end of Mass, the Bishop thanked each of the bishops who attended as well as priests who came from Brooklyn and Rockville Centre Dioceses and the priests of the Paterson Diocese.

The Bishop also thanked his two godmothers — both Baptism and Confirmation, who attended the silver anniversary Mass, and he thanked his older sister, Marie Shanahan, and his younger brother, Brendan, along with their spouses and his five nieces and nephews. To his family, the Bishop said, “You mean everything.”

Following the Mass, a dinner was held at the Brownstone in Paterson. Msgr. Mark Condon, diocesan vicar general/moderator of the Curia and pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, served as master of ceremonies for the evening and Bishop Emeritus Serratelli gave the opening prayer. Two priests, who were ordained by the Bishop in late May — Father Stephen Delia, parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish in Denville, and Father Emerson Francisco, parochial vicar at Good Shep­herd Parish in Andover, presented the Bishop with a pectoral cross, as a gift on behalf of all the priests of the Diocese.

Speaking about Bishop Sweeney, his brother, Brendan, said, “I asked my kids and my nieces and nephew for one word to describe their uncle. They said ‘dedicated, compassionate, thought­ful, caring, kind and well, Yankees.’ As I was thinking about this, I would say pride and gratitude.”

His brother spoke about the day of Bishop Sweeney’s ordination remembering what his father, whom he described as a man of a few words, said. “He was so proud on that day and in the past 25 years, we are so proud to be part of Father Kevin’s, Bishop Kevin’s life. We are so grateful because of all the events Father Kevin was at (weddings, baptisms), we were all grateful to have him there but we all know he was grateful to be part of those events. One of the special things about my brother, he is humble and he is a servant and he is grateful for everything he has.”