Major superiors of religious orders meet with Bishop

May 5, 2022

MAJOR SUPERIORS MEETING Bishop Sweeney addresses a meeting of major superiors of religious orders that serve the Paterson Diocese on April 26 at Delbarton School at St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown. The gathering was the first in-person meeting the Bishop has had with the major superiors. Sister Joan Daniel coordinated the event.

By CECILE PAGLIARULO, Reporter

MORRISTOWN Major superiors of religious orders serving the Paterson Diocese met with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney in Delbarton School at St. Mary’s Abbey here April 26. The meeting was the first in-person meeting the Bishop has had with the major superiors. The previous meeting, which was held in November, the usual month for the gathering, was virtual. The Bishop offered this second meeting to be in person.

Sister of Christian Charity Joan Daniel Healy, the Diocese’s chancellor/delegate for religious, coordinated the meeting. The agenda included a reflection by Sister of Christian Charity Marie Pauline Demek titled, “Eucharistic People: Instruments of Peace.” She presented a PowerPoint presentation on the Eucharist as the Diocese celebrates the Year of the Eucharist.

After the reflection, the Bishop led a discussion of the Synod and in groups, the religious shared some of their experiences of the Synod — personally, as a congregation and at the level of the universal or wider Church community. The religious also shared some recommendations as the Diocese moves toward completion of the synod process on a diocesan level.

To close the meeting, the group sang Prayer of St. Francis to be in union with the people of Ukraine and Russia.

Sister Joan Daniel said, “We were very happy to meet in person with the Bishop. Those who came really enjoyed the time together. We came out with a lot of good ideas as we continue to celebrate the Year of the Eucharist and go through the synodal process. The major superiors are looking forward to meeting again with the Bishop in person next November.”

“It was wonderful to spend a morning of prayer, reflection and conversation with the superiors of some of the religious congregations of consecrated women and men, who are such an important part of the life of the Church in our Diocese,” the Bishop said. “We thank the Benedictines at St. Mary Abbey for hosting, and we especially thank our chancellor/delegate for religious, Sister Joan Daniel Healy for organizing the meeting.”