The 2023 Diocesan Ministries Appeal: ‘I Have Called You By Name’

BISHOP
KEVIN J.
SWEENEY

I think I was in late high school or early college (already thinking about priesthood) when I first remember hearing the story of how I came to be named Kevin. When my Mom came from Ireland, after living with an aunt and uncle for a while and getting a job (with Con Edison) and another job on the weekends, she moved into an apartment in Elmhurst, Queens, with two roommates. The apartment was in St. Bartholomew’s parish, and there was a young priest serving there named Father Kevin Greene. My Mom became involved in the parish, especially the Legion of Mary, and got to know Father Greene, who was good to her and her roommates and many young, recent Irish immigrants in the parish and neighborhood. Sadly, Father Greene was diagnosed with cancer, and it progressed very quickly. By that time, my Mom had gotten married and was expecting her first child. When she visited Father Greene, she told him that if the child was a boy, she would name him “Kevin.” My Mom’s first child was my sister, Marie, but I came next. My Mom, remembering her promise to Father Greene, named me Kevin.

We are born a blank slate with only a name given to us by our parents. Our life experiences help shape and change us as we mature from infancy to adolescence and to adulthood. What does not change is that first gift of our name given to us by our parents. As our personality develops and our relationships form throughout our lifetime, the very sound of our name (or sometimes a “nickname”) instantly identifies us to our family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

Famed golfer Ben Hogan once said: Your name is the most important thing you own. Don’t ever do anything to disgrace or cheapen it. Those are true words. Because our name defines us to the world, we have a deep desire that it elicits a favorable reaction when people hear it. It is human nature that we want our name to be well thought of by others. There is a reason that not many people named Judas are walking around today, yet there are many “Judes,” often because of a devotion to the beloved Saint, “Jude Thaddeus.”

The theme of this year’s Diocesan Ministries Appeal is “I Have Called You By Name.” Our Lord has created us and calls each one of us to have an individual and unique relationship with Him. What is important to understand is that it is not a passive relationship. It is precisely the opposite. He wants His love for us to be a catalyst for living a life called to holiness and service to others.

In John’s Gospel, we are reminded that Jesus is always with us and always inviting us into a relationship with him. “Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said of him, ‘Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.’ Nathanael said to Him, ‘How do you know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, I saw you under a fig tree.’”

Nathanael was shocked and amazed that Jesus knew his name and where he had been, even though they had never met before. His response to Jesus recalls the joyful and spontaneous surprise with which John the Baptist leapt in the womb upon hearing Mary’s voice. Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.” It was at this moment that Nathanael’s life changed forever, and he became a disciple of Christ. Just as Jesus called Nathanael 2,000 years ago, He is calling you and me now, at this very moment. He is calling us by name to be his disciples by living a life of holiness and stewardship to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Through the Diocesan Ministries Appeal, we are given the opportunity to care for our neighbors in our corner of New Jersey. It is not an exaggeration to say that tens of thousands of people are touched by the work of the Diocesan Ministries Appeal each month. Whether through its support of dozens of our Catholic Charities programs, the formation of our seminarians, Catholic school students in the inner-city who look for a better tomorrow, or the care of our senior priests who served us for a lifetime, the Appeal makes a genuine difference and impacts lives for the better.

This year, we are also including a very special project, which will receive funding. Starting with the 2023 Appeal and for the following two years, the Appeal will allocate $200,000 annually to help with the complete renovation of the Father English Food Pantry in Paterson. Originally built as a parish hall at the former St. Boniface Parish, the first-floor space has been a food pantry, serving people in great need since 1993. What started in a 10x10 square foot office serving 50 people a month has now expanded to the entire first floor and serves 20,000 people a month. It is also in an 80-year-old building, and it shows.

When the renovation is completed, it will house expanded food aisles and an enhanced area for those in need of clothing. It will provide support for our veterans facing homelessness and offer ESL and computer classes and emergency assistance. Our goal is to give help now to people in desperate situations and provide tools for a better tomorrow.

St. Francis experienced Jesus calling him by name, asking him to rebuild His Church. St. (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta had an awareness of the Lord inviting her by name, asking her to “Come, be my light.” Today, we are responding to a similar call by creating a place where the poorest among us are treated with dignity as children of God. We are supporting dozens of unique Catholic Charities ministries and programs. We are helping provide a Catholic education to students who have limited options. We are supporting both our seminarians and our senior priests.

Each day that I serve as bishop, I am inspired by the generosity of the people of our diocese. Once again, I ask each of you, as faithful members of our local Church, to join me in making all this great work possible by making a gift to our 2023 Diocesan Ministries Appeal. I thank you for whatever you can do to help transform lives and provide the love of Christ to our brothers and sisters in Morris, Passaic, and Sussex Counties.