The Diocesan Ministries Appeal … and the Inspiration of the Saints

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

This is the time of year when the faithful are invited to support the work of our Diocesan Ministries Appeal. Since 1991 when it began as the “Bishop’s Annual Appeal,” the Appeal has focused on four specific causes in our Diocese: Catholic Charities, seminarian education, Catholic urban education, and Nazareth Village, our retirement residence for senior priests. The work of each of these ministries is unique and varied — and inspired by the lives of saints in the Church. This year, the “in pew” Appeal Weekend will take place in most parishes on the weekend of Oct. 29 and 30 — a day before “All Hallows Eve” (aka Halloween) and two days before All Saints Day. Here are just a few of the ways that the “lives of the Saints” are an inspiration to the Ministries supported by the “DMA.”

CATHOLIC CHARITIES

St. Francis of Assisi (1181–1226)

The founder of the Franciscan Order is a much beloved and well-known saint. Francis, who in his youth had lived an unmoored life devoid of faith, ultimately rejected his father’s wealth. His life was a true conversion story that led him to shed all material desires in favor of a deep, spiritual richness found in the Gospel. While his life of radical poverty may have upset others as being too harsh, Francis never waivered in his commitment to living with and serving the poor.

Catholic Charities in the Paterson Diocese show its commitment to the poor, the marginalized, and the outcast each and every day. With food pantries in each of our three counties feeding tens of thousands of people each month, group homes for adults with disabilities, veterans services, help for at-risk youth, and a myriad of services for people with addiction, Catholic Charities offers 70 different programs for people in need. Your financial support of the Diocesan Ministries Appeal helps make this happen.

SEMINARIAN EDUCATION

St. Charles Borromeo (1538–1584)

St. Charles Borromeo was born into a family of wealth and nobility in which his uncle, Cardinal Giovanni Medici, was elected Pope in 1559, becoming Pius IV. Charles was asked by his uncle to come to Rome and assist him. A proponent of education, Charles took this opportunity to establish a literary academy and a college. He was named Archbishop of Milan and was a reformer. Among his priorities was enhancing the education of the clergy by establishing seminaries and colleges. In 1576 a famine devastated Milan. While many of the wealthy and powerful fled the city, St. Charles Borromeo stayed and used his own money to feed those starving and in dire need. He is the patron saint of seminarians.

Seminarian education is provided support through our Diocesan Ministries Appeal. The cost of tuition, room, and board for those committed to serving the Church is significant. With the help of the Diocesan Ministries Appeal, these expenses are met so that seminarians can focus on their formation as they study to become the best priests possible for our diocese and serve the faithful in Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties.

CATHOLIC URBAN EDUCATION

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774–1821)

Born in an Episcopalian family, Elizabeth Ann Seton was the product of New York upper-class society and even danced at George Washington’s inaugural ball. However, her life would take a turn when she experienced much heartache and suffering. Her husband’s business went bankrupt, and he later died of tuberculosis, leaving Elizabeth a widow with five children at 29 years of age. Her trials continued, with two of her daughters also dying of tuberculosis in their teens. Elizabeth took great comfort in the Blessed Mother, who was a guiding inspiration to her conversion to Catholicism in 1805. Elizabeth Ann Seton eventually founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph and established the first free Catholic school in America, paving the way for the Catholic education movement in the United States.

Catholic urban education is part of the mission of the Diocesan Ministries Appeal and St. Gerald Majella School in Paterson, and other Diocesan Catholic Schools have been beneficiaries of Appeal support over the years. Thanks to the generosity of the faithful, St. Gerard Majella School and all our Catholic Schools are places where children can grow spiritually, academically, and socially in a safe and loving environment under the care of religious sisters and brothers, pastors, and lay leaders in administration, supporting countless dedicated teachers and volunteers.

NAZARETH VILLAGE

St. John Vianney (1786–1859)

St. John Vianney was born in France to a Catholic family known to help the poor. During the French Revolution, when priests were forced to work in secrecy or risk death, he saw the priesthood as a noble and courageous calling. He was ordained a priest in 1815. St. John Vianney soon realized that the people of his parish did not understand the Catholic faith due to the impact of the French Revolution. As a result, he dedicated his life to bringing people to the faith. His devotion began to draw many people, and within 30 years, it is believed that 20,000 pilgrims would travel annually to learn from him. St. John Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

Nazareth Village Residence for Senior Priests, located in Chester, is a great option for our retired priests, and our Diocesan Ministries Appeal helps support it. After decades of faithful service to thousands of families throughout our diocese, it is a blessing that a place is available for priests to live in community while assisting parishes as needed. Your generous support of the Diocesan Ministries Appeal is a wonderful way to acknowledge their lifetime of pastoral ministry.

Too often, we think that sainthood is for a certain few and not the many. Nothing could be further from the truth. None of the people mentioned here were born saints. Their everyday life experiences opened their hearts to the will of God and formed them into the people they ultimately became. They should inspire us to believe that such holiness is within our grasp.

As I shared in my column last week, Lumen Gentium, the central document of the Second Vatican Council, reminds us that we are all called to holiness. “Holiness … is cultivated by all who are moved by the Spirit of God, and who obey the voice of the Father and worship God the Father in spirit and in truth. These people follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross-bearing Christ, in order to be worthy of being sharers in His glory. Every person must walk unhesitatingly according to his own personal gifts and duties in the path of living faith, which arouses hope and works through charity.”

As we conduct our Diocesan Ministries Appeal, I hope that your faith will move you to see the work done throughout our diocese to help thousands upon thousands of your brothers and sisters in Christ and that it may open your heart in charity.

May God bless you always!

You can make a gift to our Diocesan Ministries Appeal by visiting 2022appeal.org. Thank you for your support!