Eighth Bishop of the Diocese

PATERSON  Calling for a renewed spirit of Christian “faith, hope and most importantly — love” throughout the Diocese, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney was ordained and installed as the eighth bishop of the Church of Paterson on

July 1 in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here at a historic Mass steeped in the rituals of the early Church.

With the receiving of the Holy Spirit during the rite of the laying of hands, Bishop Sweeney, 50, former pastor of St. Michael Parish in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, officially became the new spiritual leader of the 82-year-old Paterson Diocese after he had been appointed to the position by Pope Francis on April 15.

During the rite, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, archbishop of the Newark Archdiocese, served as principal consecrator. Serving as co-consecrators were Bishop Arthur Serratelli, the seventh bishop of Paterson, who served as Shepherd of the Diocese for almost 16 years and who is now Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Paterson, and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of the Brooklyn Diocese, where the new bishop ministered for 23 years as a priest. Among the many bishops and priests who concelebrated the liturgy was Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio of the United States.

“Thank you for welcoming me, Paterson Diocese. I already feel at home!” exclaimed Bishop Sweeney, in his remarks at the conclusion of the Mass, also viewed by faithful on livestreams from the diocesan website and broadcast on NET-TV, the Diocese of Brooklyn’s TV station, and broadcast the next day on EWTN. “So now, let’s get to work! The harvest is still abundant and the laborers are still few. Let us pray the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers to his vineyard in Paterson. Both Bishop DiMarzio and Bishop Serratelli enthusiastically and passionately labored for and encouraged vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. They were also both faithful witnesses and laborers of the New Evangelization. I will do my best to follow their examples of leadership,” the new bishop said.

Only immediate family members; friends; dignitaries; clergy, religious, seminarians and laity from Paterson, Brooklyn and elsewhere; and select invited first-responders were permitted to attended the Mass in the stately St. John’s because of the state mandate limiting the number of people who could gather in a building due to COVID-19. Church­goers were required to wear facemasks and spread out in pews of St. John’s to maintain social distancing six feet apart. The cathedral was filled with liturgical music, led by Preston Dibble, diocesan music minister.

In his closing remarks at the Mass, Bishop Sweeney framed the start of his tenure as shepherd of Paterson with two Scripture quotes: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (Cor 13:13) and “God is love” (1 Jn 4:7-21). He also quoted remarks that Bishop Frank Rodimer, the sixth bishop of Paterson, delivered at his ordination and installation in St. John’s on Feb. 28, 1978.

“What is important is the spirit with which we start. Let it be one of faith in the Lord who is with us… Let it be one of hope — the kind we get when standing on a mountain and see beyond the valleys of dark discouragement to a day of victory by God’s forces: his kingdom come. Let it be a spirit of love — a love of God our Father, of Jesus our Lord, of the Spirit, our strength — a love that knows no bias but is Catholic and so embraces all,” said Bishop Sweeney, quoting the late Bishop Rodimer. “This is who we are and this is why we are here — faith, hope and love. We walk by faith, my brothers and sisters, and that faith allows us to share the gift of hope … during these challenging times and circumstances. We heard Jesus tell us in today’s Gospel that if we remain in his love, his joy will be in us and our joy will be complete,” the new bishop said.

The Mass began with a grand procession with Cardinal Tobin and participating bishops, priests and deacons down the main aisle of St. John’s. Then, Msgr. James Mahoney, diocesan vicar general, assisted Bishop-elect Sweeney as Msgr. Richard Marchese, released from service in the Brooklyn Diocese and ministering in the Archdiocese of Washington D.C., presented the candidate to Cardinal Tobin.

“It’s fitting that you are being installed on the memorial of St. Junipero Serra [on July 1], a great evangelist. He left his native land and its way of life. He was excited about blazing trails — going forth to meet many people, learning and valuing their particular customs and ways of life. He learned how to bring to birth and nurture God’s life in the faces of everyone he met,” Archbishop Pierre said of the saint, father of California’s Spanish missions. “As you lead these people [of Paterson] on the journey of faith, keep moving forward [to make] known the living God who has revealed himself in the person of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,” he said.

Then Archbishop Pierre read the English translation of the Holy See’s Apostolic Mandate of Bishop Sweeney’s appointment, signed by Pope Francis. Afterward, Bishop-elect Sweeney walked up and down St. John’s center aisle, showing the faithful the document.

Cardinal Tobin reminded Bishop Sweeney that the Office of Bishop descends from Jesus and the Apostles and “continues and develops to this day.”

“We [bishops] welcome with much gratitude our brother, Kevin…Remember that you have been called from among the people of God and for the people of God — not for yourself but for things pertaining to God. A bishop must strive to serve, not to rule. Proclaim the Word. Be persistent if it is convenient or inconvenient. Proclaim the true Word — not dull discourse that no one understands,” said Cardinal Tobin reminding him of the two most important duties of a bishop: to pray and proclaim the Gospel — along with offering the Eucharistic Sacrifice for his people. “In this Diocese of Paterson, which has been entrusted to you, be a faithful custodian and dispenser of the mysteries of Christ…Always follow the example of the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep and is known by them and who does not hesitate to lay down his life for them…including the poor,” he said.

The Rite of Episcopal Ordination and Installation began with Bishop Sweeney’s promise to carry out the duties of his office faithfully. Then he laid prostrate on the floor of St. John’s in front of the altar during the praying of the Litany of the Saints. After, Cardinal Tobin placed his hands on the head of the bishop-elect in silence while all bishops present followed in the same manner, and then handed him the Book of the Gospels and anointed his hands with Holy Chrism.

Msgr. Anthony Hernandez, chancellor of the Brooklyn Diocese, assisted in handing Bishop Sweeney his ring. Father Thomas Fusco, pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Floral Park, N.Y., assisted in handing him his miter. Msgr. Thomas Harold, pastor of St. Anne Parish in Garden City, N.Y., assisted in handing the new bishop his pastoral staff. Afterward, the congregation voiced its approval with long and sustained applause.

From that moment, Bishop Sweeney became main celebrant of the Mass. Toward the conclusion of the liturgy, the new bishop bestowed his first blessing on the faithful, walking up and down St. John’s main aisle accompanied by Bishop Serratelli.

After Mass, Bishop Sweeney walked outside St. John’s, down the front stairs and across Main Street to greet police who were standing guard and a large gathering of the Neocatechumenal Way of St. Therese in Paterson and Sacred Heart/Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Dover. They welcomed him with a banner and boisterous singing and playing on instruments. Fluent in Spanish, Bishop Sweeney, known for his faithful service to the immigrant communities of the parishes that he served in Brooklyn, alternated between English and Spanish in his closing remarks. He spoke about the immigrants he met in parishes in Brooklyn who “did not arrive empty-handed — little money, yes, but carrying a treasure to share with their new home and their new communities and parishes.”

“I have no doubt that, here in the Church of Paterson, we will continue to walk and sing together, sharing what we have received, always in a thanksgiving for everything we have received,” said Bishop Sweeney. On that July 1 afternoon, he also entrusted his episcopacy of the Diocese to St. Pope John Paul II and St. Teresa of Calcutta so “that we never fear to proclaim the Gospel of Life and that we may see and serve Jesus in the least of our brothers and sisters.”

Among his many expressions of thanks in the remarks he gave, was a heartfelt “shout out” to the Paterson Diocese.

“We are just beginning to get to know one another. You have followed Bishop Serratelli’s example in receiving me with open arms,” said Bishop Sweeney, who gave a special thanks to Msgr. James Mahoney, the planning committee for the vespers service the night before and the Mass of ordination and installation, and Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector and diocesan vicar for special projects, and the cathedral staff. “You have already made my family and me feel at home. [The committee] just kept saying, ‘Whatever you need, bishop. We will make it happen and it will be beautiful.’ You did that — and more,” the new bishop said.