PATERSON Where they once worshipped, they were honored.
Twenty-one fallen parishioners of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here — who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I — were fondly remembered on Nov. 11, the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended “the war to end all wars.”
Bishop Serratelli was the principal celebrant of a Mass of remembrance for these brave men who were known as “the St. John’s Boys” with Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of the cathedral, and priests from around the diocese as concelebrants.
Filling the cathedral were family members of the fallen men along with parishioners of St. John’s, both past and present, and the faithful from across the Diocese. Participating in the Mass were the family members, Knights of Columbus members from councils throughout the Diocese, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, military servicemen and women, and veterans. The Mass began with music by the Passaic County Police and Fire Pipes and Drums Corps, which set a reverent tone to the commemoration. Organizing the Mass with Msgr. Sylva were Mary Feenan Nesnay and her daughter, Mary Nesnay, grandniece and great grandniece of Edward Shields, one of “the St. John’s Boys,” along with David Pearson, director of veteran services for Catholic Charities.
In his opening remarks, the Bishop said, “We gather on the 100th anniversary of the ending of the largest and most costly conflict the world has ever known. It was a global conflict that drew in more than 100 countries and caused the disintegration of empires and reshaped the political order for the future. The Great War involved more than 70 million men in uniform and close to 30 million died. What these men did nothing can alter. Above the midst of time, arises a lasting monument to their heroism, the fight for freedom, for justice and for all that is right. We honor those who gave their lives and their families, who mourn them still, to remember their extraordinary service and the sacrifice made during the First World War. In a special way today, we remember those who were from our cathedral parish and we do so by celebrating the sacrifice of the cross; the sacrifice of Jesus who died to give us true freedom and to usher in the kingdom of God.”
In his homily, the Bishop said, “Today as we celebrate the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month when the Armistice was signed to end the Great War, the First World War, we remember all those brave individuals who fought in that war because they had their priorities right, they knew God, who created us, created us to be free and wanted us to live in peace and harmony and with one other. Like the widow in today’s Gospel, they were committed without calculation to this priority. They gave their all, even to the point of sacrificing their lives. When, like them and like the widow in the Gospel, we put God first, we put God’s will for our good and our good of society first, then we will be amazed how richly blessed we will be with freedom and with peace.”
Following the homily, the Bishop led the rededication of a plaque that was removed during the renovation of the cathedral during the 1980s. The bronze tablet honors the fallen parishioners and it was commissioned by the parents and parishioners of St. John’s under the direction of Dean William McNulty one year after the war ended in 1919. Bishop Serratelli, Msgr. Sylva and ministers of the liturgy processed to the Memorial of the World War I fallen to rededicate it to the sacred memory of the departed.
During the rededication, the Passaic County Police and Fire Pipes and Drums played “Amazing Grace.” Then, a candle ceremony and honor roll call was held in which each of the 21 fallen men’s names were announced, a bell tolled and a candle was lit in their honor. Maura Feenan, great niece of Edward Shields, read each of the names while Frank Arminio, a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran, and Edward Saegers, a U.S. Navy veteran, lit the candles.
Presenting the Offertory gifts were Teresa Washington, a U.S. Army veteran, and Jennifer Delgado, a U.S. Navy veteran, John Feenan, great nephew of Edward Shields, and Mary Healey Feenan, niece of Edward Shields.
At the end of Mass, Msgr. Sylva thanked the Bishop for celebrating the Mass and the congregation for being present. “On behalf of the priests, deacons and the entire cathedral community, we thank you for being here to remember these 21 men, who called St. John’s home and for assisting them and all our deceased veterans on their journey toward their heavenly home with your prayers. We welcome home in a special way the relatives and friends of the 21 men who are being remembered on this plaque.”
In his final remarks, the Bishop recalled St. Pope Paul VI’s visit to the United Nations in New York in 1965 during which he told world leaders, “No more war, war never again.” The Bishop said, “So many years have passed, much bloodshed has been spilled and the world is still at war. There will never be peace in our world until each one of us is right with God and there is peace in our hearts. Coming together for the Eucharist is an important step to bring peace into our lives and into our world.”