Religious Jubilee Mass

PASSAIC  The Paterson Diocese held its jubilee celebration honoring 66 religious who are marking milestone anniversaries this year. Dedicating their lives to various ministries in the Church and the Diocese, the religious sisters, brothers and priests came together on May 20 for the Diocesan Jubilee for Religious at St. Mary Assumption Church here.

Msgr. James Mahoney, diocesan vicar general and pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, was the main celebrant of the Mass. Bishop Serratelli, who could not attend due to a prior engagement, sent his congratulations to all the religious jubilarians.

The anniversaries being marked by the jubilarians ranged from 25 years to 80 years and represented several religious orders that serve in the Diocese and undertake many distinct charisms and ministries, which include education, healthcare, pastoral care, mission work and more.

Filippini Sister Ascenza Tizzano, provincial superior of the Religious Teachers Filippini, who marked 60 years in religious life, proclaimed the Second Reading during the liturgy. She told the Beacon that she was grateful to be able to celebrate her diamond jubilee. “It has been a privilege to serve the Church,” she said.

During the Mass, the religious jubilarians stood and recited together a renewal of commitment to consecrated life. Msgr. Mahoney delivered the homily. Toward the end of Mass, Kerry Timony, administrative assistant to the diocesan vice chancellor and delegate to religious, announced the names of honorees in attendance as Msgr. Mahoney presented certificates and gifts to the jubilarians. Afterward, the congregation was invited to a reception lunch provided by Msgr. John Demkovich, diocesan mission office director and associate judge in the Tribunal, who concelebrated the Mass along with Father Jorge Rodriguez, pastor of St. Mary’s and several diocesan and religious priests. Also attending were several diocesan seminarians.

Religious, jubilarians and those supporting them filled St. Mary’s with hymns of praise and prayers for the honorees and all religious in the Diocese. In their renewal of commitment, they prayed, “I renew my vows to follow Christ in chastity, poverty and obedience. Grant me the grace, Lord, through the intercession of Our Lady and the prayers and support of my institute, to live these vows faithfully.”

In his homily, Msgr. Mahoney credited the religious for making the world a better place. Speaking on behalf of all who have received the witness, the ministry and the prayers by those in religious life, Msgr. Mahoney said, “It is my privilege to proclaim today what each of our jubilarians truly means to the Church.”

Combined together the jubilarians have contributed more than 4,000 years of love, commitment and prayers. Msgr. Mahoney described the contributions of the religious to a stone being thrown in the pond and the continuous ripples it makes. “What you have done through your commitment to your religious life is that you have given the Church rippling graces. We live in an interconnected world where the grace of the Holy Spirit and your prayers have rippled throughout our world.”

“The first movement of the ripple began with your profession and then it continued affecting not only yourself and other people but also eventually all those that you serve in your missions, in your orders and congregations, in your works and ministries in schools, parishes, hospitals and with the elderly and the young. As change agents in our world and society, you can see the ripple,” said Msgr. Mahoney.

“This is the Church and this Diocese celebrates with you and in your honor. Our world, our Church, your communities and congregations are better places because of the ‘yes’ you declared so many years ago. The ripples of the Holy Spirit will never stop filling up with love to all those who need it and that’s what you have done, each of you, by yourself and together have made this world a better place. And that’s why today is a day we say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ The Church, your congregation, your orders and this Diocese are all in your debt.”